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Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith
Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith | Barbara Brown Taylor
11 posts | 13 read | 11 to read
In her critically acclaimed Leaving Church ("a beautiful, absorbing memoir" The Dallas Morning News), Barbara Brown Taylor wrote about her experience leaving full-time ministryto become a professor, a decision that stretched the boundaries of her faith. Now, in her stunning follow-up, An Altar in the World, she shares how she learned to encounter God far beyond the walls of the church.Taylor reveals meaningful ways to discover the sacred in the small things we do and see, from simple practices such as walking, working, and prayer. Something as ordinary as hanging clothes on a clothesline becomes an act of meditation if we pay attention to what we're doing and take time to notice the sights, smells, and sounds around us. Making eye contact with the cashier at the grocery store becomes a moment of true human connection. Allowing yourself to get lost leads to new discoveries. As we incorporate these practices into our daily lives, we begin to discover altars everywhere we go, in nearly everything we do. Through Taylor's expert guidance and delicate, thought-provoking prose, we learn to live with purpose, pay attention, slow down, and revere the world we live in."
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kspenmoll
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Pickpick

So ends this meditative, lingering experience, with this quote from Rumi. Appropriate for our current time. #NFNovember #book1

BarbaraJean 💜💜 “Let the beauty we love be what we do.” 💜💜 1w
Bookwormjillk Lovely. I need to add this to my list too. 1w
53 likes2 comments
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kspenmoll
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Love love walking barefoot on the beach- but today i walked around my school building(shoes on!) noticing,listening,touching,reveling in the natural world around me.It was a windy day,with leaves swirling all around me. 💨🍁🌺🗿🪶🐦‍⬛ Many “altars.” #NFNovember

Bookwormjillk 🍁❤️🍁❤️🍁❤️ 2w
Singout A poignant quote as I visit my parents: my dad has just returned from rehab after three months and will probably never walk again. He‘s trying very hard with walkers, wheelchairs, and stair gliders, but it‘s really hard. For him and us. 2w
dabbe 🧡🍁🤎 2w
kspenmoll @Singout I am so sorry to hear about your dad & how devastating it must be for him & all of you to feel his struggle. Sending love.❤️ 2w
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kspenmoll
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#HyggeHourReadathon
Tonight I will be snuggled in my bed with my cats, a book, a cup of hot tea, & ginger cookies. Heavenly!

TheBookHippie Heavenly indeed! 2w
Bklover Sounds wonderful! 2w
AllDebooks Perfect x 2w
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kspenmoll
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AnnCrystal 🥲💝💝💝. 2w
Suet624 Oh, this brought tears. 2w
dabbe 🤎🍁🧡 2w
kspenmoll @AnnCrystal @Suet624 @dabbe Beautiful book. It seems to intersect with The Universe in Verse & the #naturalitsy book, The Cabaret of Plants, which I just opened. 2w
AllDebooks Oh this hit home! I'm saving this. Thank you x 2w
46 likes5 comments
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kspenmoll
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Shadowy photo, but #white for #coverlove

Eggs Perfection 🤍🤍 4mo
51 likes1 comment
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BarbaraJean
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Pickpick

What a beautiful exploration of non-traditional spiritual practices: of finding God in the everyday. I loved this! The chapters on getting lost and finding purpose were especially meaningful for me during a time where I‘ve stepped “off the path” so to speak, taking time to regroup and discern a new vocation and way forward.

Texreader What a beautiful cover! And excellent review. Stacked 5mo
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BarbaraJean
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“I am a guest here, charged with serving other guests—even those who present themselves as my enemies. I am allowed to resist them, but as long as I trust in one God who made us all, I cannot act as if they are no kin to me. There is only one House. Human beings must either learn to live in it together or we will not survive to hear its sigh of relief when our numbered days are done.”

review
HeatherBookNerd
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This was an especially good choice to read during the scaled back times of Covid. It seems an appropriate time to return to the basics of faith, to look more closely at the profound insights to be found in the every day events we often miss in the midst of our busyness. The chapter on prayer and the one on suffering were particularly enlightening. I love the way BBT writes and the openness with which she embraces her relationship with God.

Kimzey I agree, it is a perfect pandemic read. Our class is taking one chapter per month and focusing on a different spiritual practice each month. (edited) 4y
HeatherBookNerd @Kimzey that‘s a terrific idea. 4y
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Caterina
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After my run I enjoyed some spiritual practice time before starting my day. 😊 My days are much better when I make this kind of space in the morning. 💕

Don't worry, in my thorough cleaning after this picture and before my friend comes to visit at lunchtime for a couple days, I cleaned that spiderweb out of my window. 😂 My spider friend and I peacefully coexisted for a while, but he moved out so I cleaned up! 😂

Kimzey @Caterina Our rector is leading a book study on Barbara Brown Taylor‘s book starting this week. I am not surprised to find you‘ve posted on this title. 😊. I hope your summer is going well. Will your seminary be holding in-person classes this fall? 4y
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Caterina
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Since I'm resting my pinched nerve and didn't run/walk this morning, I was able to make space for an hour of just me and God before work (above). It really got me started on the right foot! Now, after a frenzied work day of planning, shopping for a couple hours straight, and setting up for Vacation Bible School next week, I am home at last. 😊 Time to kick my heels up and relax with a good book! #BookFitnessChallenge #BFC #BFCr2 #BookNerdHerd

BarbaraJean Love Barbara Brown Taylor! Are you reading the tagged book? It‘s high on my TBR but I haven‘t gotten to it yet. I really enjoyed 5y
Megabooks Sounds fantastic!! 👍🏻👍🏻 5y
Caterina @BarbaraJean Yes! It's the one on top of the stack. It's my first Barbara Brown Taylor, and I'm loving it so far! My dad got it for me because he thought I'd love it. I'll have to add Learning to Walk in the Dark to my TBR! 5y
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brennareadsbooks
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Okay, The Regional Office Is Under Attack! might not count because it's an ARC but hey, it's a pretty minimalist cover on my shelf... #augustphotochallenge #MinimalisticCovers #augustofpages

MrBook A cover is a cover, to be judged or my judged 😎👍🏻. 8y
maximoffs Out of sorts 😍😍😍😍 8y
brennareadsbooks @steverogers Sarah Bessey is a personal hero. 😍😍 8y
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