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Sex, God, and Rock 'n' Roll: Catastrophes, Epiphanies, and Sacred Anarchies
Each of us experience moments that shift the axis of our lives, nudging us into new perspectives and sometimes altering our course completely. These are threads--threads that seem mundane, silly, or even trite but, woven together over the course of a life, bring us to places we never imagined. Sex, God, and Rock 'n' Roll is a story of such threads in one extraordinary life. Barry Taylor began adulthood on the road with a world-famous rock band, and there he found religion. He then became a theologian, priest, teacher, and a theist-non-theist-post-theist. Some of his stories will shock and others will provoke laughter and tears. Taken together, they will show just how poignantly the sacred moves in all of our lives.
- GenresFaithNonfiction
207 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 22, 2020
"Life unfolds in fragments. We spend too much time trying to piece things together to create the illusion of some overarching scheme to our existence. Life is made up of bits and pieces, routines and rituals, catastrophes and epiphanies. These mundane, everyday experiences are the relationships that form you, and the unexpected moments when the whole axis of your life shifts."
This is how Taylor starts the introduction of this book, and it indeed serves to introduce not only the content, but also the form of the entire book. It certainly is autobiographical, but not in a linear and comprehensive way. It is also a theological writing, but not one with a structured argument in favor of a certain theological position. I would rather describe it as fragments from the life and mind of Barry Taylor.
Overall, there are 42 chapters, most of which are very short. This is why I heard somebody proposing that this book can be read almost as a sort of devotional, reading one chapter a day. Sometimes I read more than one chapter a day, but most of the time there is enough to ponder on in one chapter even if it is short.
Taylor has a lot to offer: the events and periods of his life he describes here are partially quite gloomy (childhood family problems), partially very exciting (who can claim having toured with AC/DC when they first rose to fame?). The openness with which he talks about them is very pleasant. It becomes obvious that Taylor has done a lot of thinking about the way his past has influenced him and his understanding of the world. This also why I think he is able to mine these great insights from his personal experience. Another part of this is obviously him being very well-read and having studied theology and philosophy quite extensively. This shows all over the text in quotes and helpful input from other philosophers and theologians. On the other hand, Taylor does not shy back from pop culture and art, and also uses many examples from these domains.
Contentwise this book is all over the place in the best sense possible. Taylor has sectioned the book in four big parts (Sex, Drugs, Art, Religion), but I found this rather unnecessary as the connection to the topic in the specific parts is nonexistent for many of the chapters, or at least not obvious. Some of them are connected to one of the other topics much more than the one of the part they are in.
Generally the themes of the book range from melancholy, nihilism, grief and death, over fashion, punk rock, tattoos and art, to sex, love, meaning, belief, and many others.
For the end of this review I'll leave you with some of my highlights of the book regarding belief (the domain I personally am most interested in):
"Only when we lose certainty can we come close to experiencing a sense of the sacred."
"For me, religion, and Christian faith in particular, is not a set of beliefs. Instead, it is an expression of a way of being in the world, embracing the world in order to discover life."
"Religion and Christianity have long provided a sense of harmony and order to the chaotic human existence. They have offered meaning and given shape to the experience of being human by addressing our craving for order, our desire for purpose. I have given up on that view of religion and the gods that go with it. If Christian faith is essentially believing certain things about a supernatural God and surrendering to a magical thinking about reality, then I no longer have faith. If Christian faith is about a way of being and a posture toward reality that sees it for what it is, then maybe I still have some."
This is how Taylor starts the introduction of this book, and it indeed serves to introduce not only the content, but also the form of the entire book. It certainly is autobiographical, but not in a linear and comprehensive way. It is also a theological writing, but not one with a structured argument in favor of a certain theological position. I would rather describe it as fragments from the life and mind of Barry Taylor.
Overall, there are 42 chapters, most of which are very short. This is why I heard somebody proposing that this book can be read almost as a sort of devotional, reading one chapter a day. Sometimes I read more than one chapter a day, but most of the time there is enough to ponder on in one chapter even if it is short.
Taylor has a lot to offer: the events and periods of his life he describes here are partially quite gloomy (childhood family problems), partially very exciting (who can claim having toured with AC/DC when they first rose to fame?). The openness with which he talks about them is very pleasant. It becomes obvious that Taylor has done a lot of thinking about the way his past has influenced him and his understanding of the world. This also why I think he is able to mine these great insights from his personal experience. Another part of this is obviously him being very well-read and having studied theology and philosophy quite extensively. This shows all over the text in quotes and helpful input from other philosophers and theologians. On the other hand, Taylor does not shy back from pop culture and art, and also uses many examples from these domains.
Contentwise this book is all over the place in the best sense possible. Taylor has sectioned the book in four big parts (Sex, Drugs, Art, Religion), but I found this rather unnecessary as the connection to the topic in the specific parts is nonexistent for many of the chapters, or at least not obvious. Some of them are connected to one of the other topics much more than the one of the part they are in.
Generally the themes of the book range from melancholy, nihilism, grief and death, over fashion, punk rock, tattoos and art, to sex, love, meaning, belief, and many others.
For the end of this review I'll leave you with some of my highlights of the book regarding belief (the domain I personally am most interested in):
"Only when we lose certainty can we come close to experiencing a sense of the sacred."
"For me, religion, and Christian faith in particular, is not a set of beliefs. Instead, it is an expression of a way of being in the world, embracing the world in order to discover life."
"Religion and Christianity have long provided a sense of harmony and order to the chaotic human existence. They have offered meaning and given shape to the experience of being human by addressing our craving for order, our desire for purpose. I have given up on that view of religion and the gods that go with it. If Christian faith is essentially believing certain things about a supernatural God and surrendering to a magical thinking about reality, then I no longer have faith. If Christian faith is about a way of being and a posture toward reality that sees it for what it is, then maybe I still have some."
October 4, 2020
This book has some absolutely beautiful moments and made me think deeply. For some, the disjointed-ness will be extremely enjoyable, but I missed the linear memoir I expected (for no reason, I admit).
June 20, 2020
Gorgeous. This is, for me, a pilgrimage of a book with a very funny, very human, truly profound seeker. I’ve already started it again. Barry Taylor’s summation of of faith is one that shocks, pulverized and inspires me: “if Christian faith is essentially believing certain things about a supernatural God and surrendering to magical thinking about reality, then I no longer have faith. If Christian faith is about a way of being and a posture toward reality that sees it for what it is, then maybe i still have some.” That daring toward raw uncertainty and staking ground there blows my mind. The book is quite simply audacious, crazy and mandatory. I’ve had the grace and blessing to know Barry. Every word written, he walks. This is a glowing treasure of a book.
August 1, 2020
I met Barry Taylor at a creative 'Spark' retreat in Belfast a couple of years ago. A terrific talent and gifted speaker. This is a moving book that is testimony to seeking the sacred in everyday life and trusting that we are all on a mysterious journey if we listen to the signs and follow the direction of our soul.
April 27, 2023
Why a four star rating? Simply because of the way the author describes and discusses points/issues in slightly different ways. Also, his discussion of artists brought up new areas of searching for me. I knew of Nick Cave but really never explored any of his work. I will do that now after reading this book.
September 10, 2020
A spiritual diary that offers a glimpse at a way of engaging the Christian tradition without needing to lug around all of the baggage that makes its popular contemporary expressions so deeply unappealing.
December 11, 2019
It gonna be good.
August 27, 2020
Part autobiography, part philosophy, part theology. A pleasure reading Taylor’s insights into a life well lived and full of doubt.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews