Tyler's Books
Hard and Holy Work: A Lenten Journey through the Book of Exodus
Are we paying attention to the holy ground beneath our feet? Where do we see burning bushes in our world today, and what are they calling us to do? Do spiritual encounters in our lives have holy consequences in the world around us? Many of us want to understand how to integrate our personal spiritual lives more actively with our engagement in working for justice and the liberation of the oppressed and marginalized. Hard and Holy Work provides a space for just that, helping readers participate in Lent in a new way by becoming attuned to God’s boundless presence in our world and waking up to and taking action for God’s justice through exploring stories from the book of Exodus that have inspired the work of liberation for centuries.
Book excerpt can be found here.
Sermon series guide for preachers.
Videos for each chapter/week of the study.
“What better Lenten discipline and exercise than to ponder well, carefully, and daily our premier text on emancipation—the book of Exodus! Mary Alice Birdwhistell and Tyler D. Mayfield have written a study guide that is hands-on, quite personal for them, and readily accessible for daily use. Surely Christians in Lent have no more important work to do than to engage the scriptural promises of and mandate to emancipation, especially in our world that is so bent on enslavement, the practice of cheap labor, and the systemic abuse of vulnerable lives. This book makes one wish: that Lent were longer in order to do more of the Exodus. This is a most winsome invitation to fresh faith.”
—Walter Brueggemann, William Marcellus McPheeters Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary, and author of Delivered out of Empire
“Hard and Holy Work is an inspired guide for brave and curious Lenten travelers yearning for liberation. Be careful, though: Birdwhistell and Mayfield’s intimate exploration of the Exodus saga refuses to skip past the perilous contradictions privileged readers are sure to encounter. Expect your journey inward with them to arrive at unexpected places.”
—Amos J. Disasa, Senior Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Dallas
“This lovely study and devotional is written with a wise and compassionate voice, bringing timely reflections on timeless Scriptures and nudging us to consider the significance of movements, moments, and our own spiritual yearnings. It is an invitation to pay attention, as the authors say, to ‘the divine possibility of the present moment.’ In a season in which our hearts are broken anew each day, may this book give us what we need as people of faith to mend and heal and move.”
—Laura M. Cheifetz, coauthor of Race in America: Christians Respond to the Crisis
Father Abraham's Many Children:
The Bible in a World of Religious Difference
Reframing religious diversity through the stories of Cain, Ishmael, and Esau
The way we read the Bible matters for the way we engage the pluralistic world around us. For instance, if we understand the book of Genesis as narrowly focused on primary characters like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, we'll miss the larger story and end up with the impression that God only cares about those who are "chosen." In fact, the narratives of marginalized biblical characters reveal that God protects and provides for them also. What might this mean for Christians living in a world of religious difference today?
In Father Abraham's Many Children, Tyler Mayfield reflects on the stories of three of the most significant "other brothers" in the Bible--namely, on God's continued engagement with Cain after he murders Abel, Ishmael's circumcision as a sign of God's covenant, and Esau's reconciliation with Jacob. From these stories, Mayfield draws out a more generous theology of religious diversity, so that Christians might be better equipped to authentically love their neighbors of multiple faith traditions--as God loves, and has always loved, all humanity.
Discussion Guide for the book, Father Abraham's Many Children
“In this lucid, innovative, and expansive rereading of Genesis narratives, Tyler Mayfield uses the stories of three sets of brothers—Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau and Jacob—to illustrate how the prejudices of the authors of Genesis and our own preconceived notions have distorted the way we look at these characters. I do not know of any other volume that so skillfully does justice to the neglected brothers and draws out the implications of rereading these narratives to religious pluralism and interfaith relations. Here is an excellent example of placing excellence in scholarship at the service of building community. It is an invaluable resource to those who look for biblical basis for a new approach to religious pluralism.”
— S. Wesley Ariarajah, former director of the interfaith dialogue program of the World Council of Churches
“Religious pluralism is increasingly an unavoidable reality today, not only in how we see the world but also in how we experience our neighborhoods. As Christians are wrestling with these realities, many have assumed the ancient texts comprising their Bible have little to offer. Tyler Mayfield’s Father Abraham’s Many Children steps into this void with an accessible and creative approach that literally goes back to the beginning, to the book of Genesis, to uncover neglected stories of diversity that have been right in front of us all along. This readable book from a respected biblical scholar helps Christians re-engage one of the oldest moral questions from Scripture: ‘Where is your brother?’ And it invites us to reply, generously and affirmatively, that we are our siblings’ keepers.”
— Robert P. Jones, founder and chief executive officer of the Public Religion Research Institute and author of White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity
“Through his rich and deep reading of the biblical stories of Cain, Ishmael, and Esau, Tyler Mayfield helps us see God, the Bible, our neighbors, and our neighbors’ religions differently. In today’s world, that’s a wonderful and needed accomplishment!”
— Brian D. McLaren, author of Faith after Doubt
Unto Us a Child Is Born: Isaiah, Advent, and Our Jewish Neighbors
Whether through a hymn, Handel’s Messiah, or the lectionary reading, the book of Isaiah provides a familiar voice for congregations during the season of Advent. So, how do we create faithful, Christian interpretations of Isaiah for today while respecting the interpretations of our Jewish neighbors?
Integrating biblical scholarship with pastoral concern, Tyler Mayfield invites readers to view Isaiah through two lenses. He demonstrates using near vision to see how the Christian liturgical season of Advent shapes readings of Isaiah and using far vision to clarify our relationship to Jews and Judaism—showing along the way how near vision and far vision are both required to read Isaiah clearly and responsibly.
A Guide to Bible Basics
What's actually in the Bible? Where do we find the story of Moses or Jesus's Parable of the Prodigal Son? Who are the main characters in the books of Joshua and Acts? A Guide to Bible Basics provides a summary and chapter outline of each biblical book to facilitate comprehension of its fundamental story and subject matter. This accessible and concise book presents the basic content of the Bible with the conviction that readers first need some level of comprehension of the Bible's stories, poetry, regulations, and teachings before addressing theological, historical, and literary concerns for its relevance today. Tyler Mayfield discusses important people, places, and terms so that the reader can quickly see the primary focus. This book can be used alone to help readers in their knowledge of the Bible and is great for beginners or those in need of a refresher course.