Barbara Brown Taylor is a North American non-stipendiary priest who has written a number of books about avoiding the pitfalls of organised religion and letting our spirituality guide our Christian Faith. In An Altar in the World she lays out twelve practices which can help us make a pathway of faith in daily life. They are
VISION – by which she means Waking up to God
REVERENCE – by which she means Paying Attention
INCARNATION – by which she means Wearing Skin
GROUNDEDNESS – by which she means Walking on the Earth
WILDERNESS – by which she means Getting Lost
COMMUNITY – by which she means Encountering Others
VOCATION – by which she means Living with Purpose
SABBATH – by which she means Saying No
PHYSICAL LABOUR – by which she means Carrying Water
BREAKTHROUGH – by which she means Feeling Pain
PRAYER – by which she means Being Present to God
BENEDICTION – by which she means Pronouncing Blessings
This may sound all a bit too North American. However she is attempting to take various religious practises which we may only associate with people who go to church and transferring them into lifestyle choices that build altars of hope and trust beyond the walls of any church or religion for that matter.
Rev John Rackley