I have to be honest, Take This Bread, isn't what I was expecting. It's a brutally honest look at religion from a person who had no faith to start with. Unlike, Girl Meets God, Sara Miles comes to church not knowing what to expect and being overwhelmed with the feelings she has when she receives communion. But as I read further, I appreciate her transformation and feeling that God has spoken to her and she hears, "Feed my sheep." Her connection with food reminds me a bit of another author, Ruth Reichel, and the beginning of the book reminded me of some of Reichel's tales. Reichel, a former food critic for the New York Times and editor of Gourmet, doesn't follow a religious path.
What has struck you the most about the book so far?
25 comments:
It's such a contrast to the Lauren Weiner book. Weiner was such a "thinker," where Miles is a "feeler."
Oh yeah, and the restaurant kitchen tales remind me of Anthony Bourdain.
The quote from the Welcome to the Episcopal Church by Chris Webber (page 85) saying, "The Bible is not a set of instructions that can give us simple answers, nor a text with which to prove points... The guidance the Bible gives us provided for a society very different from ours... and any set of words is open to different interpretations."
I started the book expecting, as the woman from WELCA commented, a faith memoir of a CA based writer. WOW, what a surprise! I enjoyed the discriptions of her restaurant kitchen experiences, and I believe they will prove to be an important element as the book progresses. In all honesty, this book appears as though it will challenge me.
This quote struck me and Miles later reminds us that it's easy to save "we believe" then walk away and not live your faith. Because even though Jesus lived a sinless life, he lived with sinners and outcasts and we are saved only through his grace, not by anything that we do.
I am quite taken with the parts where she goes on an on about how Jesus welcomed & ate with "outcasts." And this is the first time I recall where anyone connected Jesus eating meals with us communing/eating at the Lord's Table. It is eating, of course. Can't remember if I ever heard anyone "in church" really emphasize the connection nor have I heard anyone fully articulate that ALL are welcome.
I think you're right Kim -- her thoughts about our actions as Christians are challenging. I'm finally at a point where I want to know how she sets up the food bank. She took a bit of time to lay the ground work about her background but I am fascinated by how her experience during communion has changed her life.
You're right Pat, I think we do hear the pastors invite everyone to communion but I'm not sure that we all hear what they're saying. I think more about communion now that we have it weekly and am reminded by what a wonderful gift it is given for each and everyone of us. Remember when we went to communion every week; I didn't think I'd ever be comfortable with that!
Page 70, second graph: "You said that prayer was like having this intense, profound longing that you just had to be with. That you put the longing in the hands of God ..." To me, that's powerful stuff. More so than a "wish list" of God, please do this and that-kind of prayer.
While we refer to communion as a meal, Ithink I always thought of it in isolation, so to speak, not equated it to other meals Jesus had and with whom he had those meals. I was really struck by her whole first communion experience
Yes, Kim, "isolation" is a good word for it.
I have found it interesting to read about the trials of the Episcopal church as she says, it moves from the "Establishment" to the "despised periphery. And to her, she sees an opportunity to find truth. I think that's quite an observation. There seem to be many factions within the Christian community today. And sometimes, the far right and the far left don't seem to ever remember that we all worship a common God and savior.
Yes, I was just re-reading the part where she realizes that as important as communion is becoming to her, she is going to have to "eat with people she doesn't like."
I think the communion portion of the Saturday evening service seems more like a common meal served together and less isolated. I think I know what you mean, Kim, when you say isolation because we hear the words, "given for you" and we focus inward, thinking of Christ's ultimate sacrifice. But when you're in a group receiving communion, it's a different experience.
Patricia opened with an interesting point when she compared Lauren Winner with Sara Miles. Lauren was "over churched" and approached her faith in a very cerebral way. Miles begins her faith journey by feeling drawn into the church. Maybe it takes someone like Miles to help us examine the essence of our faith because we don't always see the forest because of the trees
Have to sign off now. Enjoyed the time with the two Kims and am looking forward to more pages and more discussion!
That's a good point Kim. I couldn't believe how much Lauren read about faith -- every faith -- but Sara is shaken to her core through her experience at communion. I think she does a good job of making us question why things are done the way they are and why we believe what we do.
Just got on. Had to establish a password again. Sara Miles faith journey is very different but she certainly explored all her options other than Christianity to realize that this is her only option to a truly meaningful life.
Kim, your observation about Saturday evening communion is correct. You get that sense of being around a table with others.
I think her comment about her faith was "jagged and more difficult" because it was about action. And her question to herself was, "Now that you've taken the bread, what are you going to do?"
Yes! that it such a profound question and I look forward to reading about the actions she takes
I thought it interesting that she seemed surprised that her liberal ideas and actions about helping and feeding the poor, achieving peace and equality which she thought as a young person were rather modern were actually central to the message of Jesus.
I think she was surprised about her liberal views because so many Christians and denominations don't portray an inclusive viewpoint.
It is amazing how different the approaches are of many Christian Churches today. Will we every achieve a Christian community unified in its approach?
Connie, I suspect if we didn't achieve it from the beginning, we never will. I think the central issue is whether the church believes the Bible is the literal word of God or the inspired word. While it seems that it shouldn't make that much of a difference, it really does separate their beliefs.
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