Always a Guest: Speaking of Faith Far from Home

Written by Barbara Brown Taylor

Narrated by Barbara Brown Taylor

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 bestselling 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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ChristianAudio.com
• Release date: Oct 27, 2020
• ISBN: 9781545915851

Barbara Brown Taylor

Barbara Brown Taylor is the author of thirteen books, including the New York Times bestseller An Altar in the World and Leaving Church, which received an Author of the Year award from the Georgia Writers Association. Taylor is the Butman Professor of Religion at Piedmont College, where she has taught since 1998. She lives on a working farm in rural northeast Georgia with her husband, Ed.

Reviews for Always a Guest

[forsanolim · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book wasn't really what I expected. As it turns out (and is probably abundantly clear to most people), this is a collection of 31 sermons that Barbara Brown Taylor has given at various places since leaving parish ministry. (I received a copy from LibraryThing to read but apparently somehow missed that it was a collection of sermons.)I am most definitely not the target audience for this book, but I found it really thought-provoking. The best way that I can describe myself is, probably, that Christianity is the language that I know as a way to express faith, but I don't have a strong pull at this point toward any particular community. With that said, it was really interesting to read this collection of sermons and to see Barbara Brown Taylor's take on each passage. Some definitely felt more relevant to me than others, but it was an interesting collection that I've been reading slowly over the past month.

[ladyofthelodge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Always a Guest" is a compilation of sermons delivered by the author at various venues for which she served as a visiting clergy member. She covers a variety of themes, such as beauty, art, and anxiety, as well as different people from the scriptures. Each selection begins with appropriate scripture verse. I found it best to dip into this book and read selections at random, not necessarily in any order, but selected by topic or intriguing title. The selections are short enough for each to be read in just a few minutes. No matter how one chooses to read this book, readers are guaranteed to find some uplifting and inspirational words that address common concerns and contemporary ideas.I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

[natalie_coe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As a compilation of sermons written by an Episcopal preacher that is also a college professor, the selection should not come as a surprise as Christian-centric and academic. Barbara Brown Taylor's voice is similar to that of her other books (such as Holy Envy) in that it is often colloquial. The writing comes from an authentic place sprinkled with humor, making the stories and accounts accessible. There is an assumption of some familiarity with the BIble, and each sermon is grounded in a provided verse. I am not sure how best to approach this book and would have appreciated some organization as far as theme, time period or location. The collection has been referred to as a "month of Sundays" (in reference to the 31 sermons) and during these times of Covid, is a welcomed way to appreciate and still "attend" church in a meaningful and thought provoking way.

[jim53_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Taylor gives us a collection of 31 well constructed sermons. The title refers to the fact that since she gave up having her own congregation, she delivered these sermons as a guest preached in various settings. I particularly enjoyed sermons about honoring Mary and the real wilderness experience of Lent.Taylor continues to provide thought-provoking responses to readings from the New Testament, and she maintains the light touch and humorous examples that have made her previous collections so accessible. But this one feels a little more formal than, say, Home by Another Way. Perhaps this reflects her move from parish work to academe. In spite of this fairly small change in tone, I found that the pieces were incisive and spoke to me. I read two or three a day, rather than plowing through the book, and they gave me plenty to think about, for which I'm grateful.The most recent piece in the book was from 2018, so there is nothing about the pandemic. I'm looking forward to seeing what Taylor has to say about that at some point. In general, I prefer her thematic works, such as Holy Envy, slightly over her sermon collections, but everything that I've read of hers has been well worth the time.

[haumc-223901 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Episcopal priest and best-selling author Barbara Brown Taylor is often invited to speak to groups of other faiths. As the invited guest speaker, she seeks to find common ground with her audience. This book is a collection of 31 such sermons. Each one begins with a Bible passage and is just a few pages long. It's perfect for readers looking for short meditations that provide hope on topics such as living with anxiety, polarization, news sources, belief, and more. Highly recommended.

[janerawoof · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fascinating collection of sermons from a woman Episcopal priest, preaching at different churches of different denominations, seminaries, and even some secular venues, such as conferences: hence she's "always a guest." She takes familiar Bible stories and passages from each Testament, turns them on their heads with her interpretation, often bringing in modern touches. The last paragraph or so consists of the lesson meant for the listener or reader. In no particular chronological order, they do not follow the liturgical year.There is much comparison and contrast between similar stories in each sermon. Some were more meaningful to me, but all were thought-provoking.Recommended.