Best Selling Books by Barbara Brown

In this long awaited follow-up to the best-selling An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor explores ‘the treasures of darkness’ that the Bible speaks about. What can we learn about the ways of God when we cannot see the way ahead, are lost, alone, frightened, not in control or when the world around us seems to have descended into darkness?

In these sermons, Barabra Brown Taylor walks us through the church year from the expectancy of Advent to the fires of Pentecost and beyond. Her themes arise not only from a particular feast or fast, but out of the perennial questions of faith: doubt, grace, anger, and jubilation. These sermons are simply great stories well told.

Bread of Angels contains twenty-nine sermons about God''s providential care, as symbolized by the manna given to the Israelites as they made their way through the wilderness.

Like Annie Dillard''s The Writing Life, Taylor emphasizes the holy dimensions of ordinary life and describes the essentials of faith with insight and humor, touching on the vocations, imagination, worship, sacraments, ministry and the Bible as they relate to the life of faith.

Gospel medicine is Barbara Taylor''s metaphor for the healing power of God seen in the active and ongoing restoration of this broken world. In this new collection of sermons she practices the old-fashioned art of gospel home remedies like a true evangelist, summoning with piercing clarity and wit the Old and New Testament stories that have the power to mend our spirits, strengthen our weaknesses, and restore us to wholeness. Scripture comes to life in the contemporary people and places of which Taylor speaks. Georgia apple-growers become God''s sharecroppers of the gospel parable; through Mary''s embracing of her role as God-bearer we are dared to take risks in our own discipleship; in Jonah''s angry stand-off with God we see reflections of our own struggles with a God who is more forgiving than we want him to be; with tender awe after years of waiting Sarah wipes her hands on her apron and goes to tell Abraham she is to bear a child. Through the stories of Scripture, Taylor addresses with moving simplicity the contemporary wounds of anger, abandonment, fear of judgment, and a longing for home, healing, and mercy.

In Speaking of Sin, Barbara Brown Taylor brings her fresh perspective to a cluster of words that often cause us discomfort: sin, damnation, repentance, penance, and salvation.

Tells how a renowned preacher left her ministry to rediscover the authentic heart of her faith. A moving reflection on keeping faith amidst the relentless demands of modern life.

From beloved writer and renowned preacher Barbara Brown Taylor comes a new collection of stories and sermons of faith, grace, and hope. Taylor, author of the best-selling books Holy Envy and An Altar in the World, among others, finds that when you are the invited guest speaking of faith to people you don''t know, one must seek common ground: exploring the central human experience. Full of Taylor''s astute observations on the Spirit and the state of the world along with her gentle wit, this collection will inspire Taylor’s fans and preachers alike as she explores faith in all its beauty and complexity.

In this new edition of her earliest collection of sermons Barbara Brown Taylor brings her down-to-earth wisdom and keen perspective to the Bible readings of the lectionary cycle. Originally preached for the congregation of All Saints'' Episcopal Church in downtown Atlanta, the topics of these sermons range from conversations with Abraham and Moses in the texts of the Hebrew scriptures to our awareness of the communion of saints and how to recognize a miracle when one comes our way.

The critically acclaimed author of "Leaving Church" continues her spiritual journey by revealing how she learned to encounter the sacred everywhere in the world.

The renowned Christian preacher and New York Times bestselling author of An Altar in the World recounts her moving discoveries of finding the sacred in unexpected places while teaching world religions to undergraduates in Baptist-saturated rural Georgia, revealing how God delights in confounding our expectations. Christians are taught that God is everywhere--a tenet that is central to Barbara Brown Taylor''s life and faith. In Holy Envy, she continues her spiritual journey, contemplating the myriad ways she encountered God while exploring other faiths with her students in the classroom, and on field trips to diverse places of worship. Both she and her students ponder how the knowledge and insights they have gained raise important questions about belief, and explore how different practices relate to their own faith. Inspired by this intellectual and spiritual quest, Barbara turns once again to the Bible for guidance, to see what secrets lay buried there. Throughout Holy Envy, Barbara weaves together stories from her classroom with reflections on how her own spiritual journey has been challenged and renewed by connecting with people of other traditions--and by meeting God in them. At the heart of her odyssey is her trust that it is God who pushes her beyond her comfortable boundaries and calls us to "disown" our privatised versions of the divine--a change that ultimately deepens her relationship with both the world and with God, and ours.

An introduction to the contemporary debate between science and religion. The author describes her journey as a preacher who is trying to learn what the insights of quantum physics, the new biology, and chaos theory can teach the believer.

"Reading of God''s silence in the Bible gives me courage to explore the practice of restraint in preaching--not as a deliberate withholding of God''s word nor, I hope, as a rationale for my own reticence, but as a sober reaching for more reverence in the act of public speaking about God." In these 1997 Lyman Beecher Lectures in Preaching delivered at Yale Divinity School, Barbara Brown Taylor focuses on the task of those who preach and those who hear sermons in a world where people thirst for a word from God. How may we approach this seemingly silent God with due respect, proclaiming the Word without violating the silence, by speaking with restraint? Her first chapter examines the late twentieth-century language with which we talk about God in theology and speak to God in prayer. The second chapter addresses the question of God''s communication in Scripture and how the "voice of God" was heard less and less in the land as the centuries progressed. Finally, Taylor explores what the silence of God means for Christians and how we may exercise "homiletical restraint" in speaking of the divine.

Everyone understands human pain. But many Christians have difficulty comprehending God''s pain, especially God''s pain in the death of Christ. Is it atonement or child abuse? To speak of God in pain, says Barbara Brown Taylor, is not only to address the biblical stories of Christ''s suffering and death, but also to proclaim the God who is present in our pain. This volume of teaching sermons on suffering presents different approaches to the problem of God in pain. In each sermon, Taylor speaks with sensitivity and profound insight as she addresses pain and both its human and divine impact. TABLE OF CONTENTS Part I: Pain of Life: The Gift of Disillusionment; A Cure for Despair; Learning to Hate Your Family; Divine Anger; Feeding the Enemy; The Betrayer in Our Midst; Buried by Baptism; The Suffering Cup; Pick Up Your Cross; Unless a Grain Falls; The Dress Rehearsal; Surviving Crucifixion; Portents and Signs; and The Delivery Room. Part II: Pain of Death: Believing What We Cannot Understand; Someone to Blame; The Triumphant Victim; The Myth of Redemptive Violence; The Silence of God; The Will of God; The Suffering of God; May He Not Rest in Peace. BARBARA BROWN TAYLOR, an Episcopal priest in the diocese of Atlanta, holds the Butman Chair in Religion and Philosophy at Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia. She is widely sought after as a preacher and guest lecturer, and is the author of five books, including Preaching Life and Bread of Angels.She was named by Baylor University as one of the 12 most effective preachers in the English language.

In The Practice of Saying No, beloved author and preacher Barbara Brown Taylor reflects on the meaning of keeping the Sabbath: of saying no to work and doing, but instead celebrating stopping, resting on the porch, and taking the time to recognize our interconnectedness. The Practice of Saying No will appeal to anyone seeking more meaning and spirituality in their everyday lives. Barbara Brown Taylor, acclaimed author of Leaving Church and An Altar in the World (from which this eSelect is taken), writes with the honesty of Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) and the spiritual depth of Anne Lamott (Grace, Eventually) and reveals how to encounter the sacred as a natural part of everyday life.

An Alaska family celebrates Hanukkah with a stubborn moose in their backyard and the Northern Lights as the best-ever menorah. Hanukkah in Alaska is unlike anywhere else. Snow piles up over the windows. Daylight is only five hours long. And one girl finds a moose camped out in her backyard, right near her favorite blue swing. She tries everything to lure it away: apples, carrots, even cookies. But it just keeps eating more tree! It''s not until the last night of Hanukkah that a familiar Jewish holiday tradition provides the perfect—and surprising—solution.

Jim Logan and his wife, Bernie, move into their dream house in Long Beach, California. Although the house needs work, Jim is a construction superintendent and is happy to live there and take on the responsibility. When he''s not fixing up his house, he works two hours away in San Diego, where he hires Diana to be his office manager for the current project. Diana is beautiful, intelligent, and young. She seems innocent enough, but her arrival comes with unexpected consequences. Jim and Bernie soon realize their home is haunted and that somehow Diana is connected to it. Diana''s nearness to the house makes her desperate for attention, and Jim finds himself a victim of her charms. What''s more, it appears that Jim''s San Diego construction site might also have a ghost. He recruits experts to unravel the land''s mysterious past. Meanwhile, the ghosts of his home are closing in on Bernie, now pregnant, and no ghost hunter can foresee the terror these spirits have in store for the young couple.

This inspirational collection of sermons by the renowned preacher, author, and speaker is based on the Gospel of Matthew.

In the United States, people of color are disproportionally more likely to live in environments with poor air quality, in close proximity to toxic waste, and in locations more vulnerable to climate change and extreme weather events. In many vulnerable neighborhoods, structural racism and classism prevent residents from having a seat at the table when decisions are made about their community. In an effort to overcome power imbalances and ensure local knowledge informs decision-making, a new approach to community engagement is essential. In Resilience for All, Barbara Brown Wilson looks at less conventional, but often more effective methods to make communities more resilient. She takes an in-depth look at what equitable, positive change through community-driven design looks like in four communities—East Biloxi, Mississippi; the Lower East Side of Manhattan; the Denby neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan; and the Cully neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. These vulnerable communities have prevailed in spite of serious urban stressors such as climate change, gentrification, and disinvestment. Wilson looks at how the lessons in the case studies and other examples might more broadly inform future practice. She shows how community-driven design projects in underserved neighborhoods can not only change the built world, but also provide opportunities for residents to build their own capacities.

Dr. Brown was raised by her grandmother and grandfather; her grandmother was a blue-collar worker at a local secondary school in Jamaica and her grandfather was blind. Her childhood was one with many obstacles and the pages of this book "Life! As It Happens! My Dairy..." incorporates her "Life" experiences and questions with that of some of her closest friends and relatives; all of whom inspired this book. Due to her experiences and life lessons many people can relate to the pages of this book. This novel/diary is very interactive and will help to map clear growth directions that can be implemented into your daily life...Enjoy!

In this second volume, Dr. Zikmund continues the untold stories in the formation of the United Church of Christ (UCC). Volume 1 focused on those ethnic groups, or ecclesiastical movements, often overlooked by UCC historical orthodoxy. This second book of essays does two things: it provides additional information about groups not covered in the original collection, and it explores the sources of some principles and practices important to the UCC identity. Volume 2 invites readers to enhance their knowledge of history as an important source of spiritual strength for these times. It also examines more deeply what it means for the UCC to celebrate its "unity in diversity." It explores such areas as Lutheran and Reformed Cooperation; German Evangelical Protestants; Origins of the Christian Denomination in New England; Evangelical Pietism and Biblical Criticism; Women''s Mission Structures and the American Board; Religious Journalism; Philip William Otterbein and the United Brethren; from German Reformed Roots to the Churches of God; The Congregational Training School for Women; and Chinese Congregationalism. Contributors include: J. Martin Bailey, Dorothy C. Bass, Curtis Beach, Thomas E. Dipko, Matthew Fong, J. Harvey Gossard, Rose Lee, Elizabeth C. Nordbeck, Horace S. Sills, Priscilla Stuckey-Kauffman, Dorothy Wong, Barbara Brown Zikmund, and Lowell H. Zuck.

Clearly organized and simply presented, The Low Vision Handbook for Eyecare Professionals, Second Edition offers an introduction to all aspects of low vision, including a short history of low vision and the basic optics of magnifiers. Updated and revised this second edition of The Low Vision Handbook for Eyecare Professionals provides practical material on assessing low vision patients, the psychology of visual loss, and ways to alleviate patients’ common fears. Additionally, Barbara Brown explores current optical, nonoptical, and electronic devices and their appropriate uses for various patients. Additional features include: Case histories to explain some differences among patients at varying levels of vision loss Key points and study icons that highlight topics of interest for paraprofessionals studying for their certification exams Addresses and websites for vendors of low vision aids and devices Contact information for rehabilitation centers and support agencies to benefit visually impaired patients Multiple references and resources for further study The Low Vision Handbook for Eyecare Professionals, Second Edition is perfect for students of the ophthalmic and optometric sciences, introductory-level assistants and other medical office staff, as well as more experienced technicians. The easy-to-read format, user-friendly terminology, and resource information make it an invaluable book for all who assist low vision patients.

Today, organizations face tremendous challenges with data explosion and information governance. InfoSphereTM OptimTM solutions solve the data growth problem at the source by managing the enterprise application data. The Optim Data Growth solutions are consistent, scalable solutions that include comprehensive capabilities for managing enterprise application data across applications, databases, operating systems, and hardware platforms. You can align the management of your enterprise application data with your business objectives to improve application service levels, lower costs, and mitigate risk. In this IBM® Redbooks® publication, we describe the IBM InfoSphere Optim Data Growth solutions and a methodology that provides implementation guidance from requirements analysis through deployment and administration planning. We also discuss various implementation topics including system architecture design, sizing, scalability, security, performance, and automation. This book is intended to provide various systems development professionals, Data Solution Architects, Data Administrators, Modelers, Data Analysts, Data Integrators, or anyone who has to analyze or integrate data structures, a broad understanding about IBM InfoSphere Optim Data Growth solutions. By being used in conjunction with the product manuals and online help, this book provides guidance about implementing an optimal solution for managing your enterprise application data.

An inexpensive guide to the best breakfast spots in Boston.

This new volume in the Feasting on the Word series will serve as an all-in-one pastor''s companion for Lent and Holy Week, providing worship materials and sermon preparation tools for both lectionary and nonlectionary preachers. In keeping with other Feasting on the Word resources, four essays provide theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical perspectives on an Old Testament and a Gospel text for each Sunday. A complete order of service is provided for each of the Sundays in Lent, plus Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. Hymn suggestions, midweek services, and children''s sermon suggestions make this an invaluable resource for the season of Lent.

The bird was dead when the children found it, so they dug a grave in the woods and buried it, and sang a song to it.

We have been honored to work with a multitude of gifted thinkers, writers, and editors. We present these essays as their offering-and ours-to the blessed ministry of preaching." -From the introduction by David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor --Book Jacket.

"Ancient and Medieval Legacies" overviews Christian movements from the first to the fifteenth centuries AD, highlighting theological and liturgical evolution from the time of the early Christians to the beginnings of the Reformation. Edited by Reinhard Ulrich. Series editor Barbara Brown Zikmund.

Perhaps the most significant event in twentieth-century American Protestant churches has been the entry of tens of thousands of women into the church''s ordained ministry. How are these women''s experiences as ministers different from those of their male counterparts? What are their callings and careers like? What are their prospects for employment, income, and satisfaction? Based on a wealth of statistical data as well as in-depth personal interviews, this book offers the most authoritative information ever about the real experiences of clergy women (and men), along with anecdotes that show what the life of American clergy today is really like.

"Colonial and National Beginnings" examines the Congregational and German Reformed traditions as they developed in Colonial America until the era of the Civil War. Edited by Elizabeth C. Nordbeck and Lowell H. Zuck. Series editor Barbara Brown Zikmund.

"Reformation Roots" studies the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in European Christianity, including theological and political undercurrents of the Reformation. Edited by John B. Payne. Series editor Barbara Brown Zikmund.