ChurchPublishing.org: Hallelujah, Anyhow!

A role model tells her story—and that of the nation and the church.

Hallelujah, Anyhow! is the long-awaited memoir of the Rt. Rev. Barbara Harris, the first woman bishop in the Anglican Communion. Edited by Kelly Brown Douglas, Dean of the Episcopal Divinity School at Union Seminary and an author and noted theologian in her own right, the book offers previously untold stories and glimpses into Bishop Harris’ childhood and young adult years in her native Philadelphia, as well as her experiences as priest and bishop, both active and actively-retired. A participant in Dr. Martin Luther King’s march from Selma to Montgomery and crucifer at the ordination of the “Philadelphia 11,” Bishop Harris has been eyewitness to national and church history.

In the book, she reflects on her experiences with the “racism, sexism, and other ‘isms’ that pervade the life of the church,” while still managing to say, “Hallelujah, Anyhow.” Photographs accompany the text and round out this portrait of a pioneer, respected outside as well as inside the church for her fierce, outspoken, and life-long advocacy for peace and justice.

“Like many others, I have long waited for this book of Bishop Harris’. Her witness, born of deep spiritual roots and soulful joy, is not only a testimony from our past but a testament for a future. Her life and thought is a testimony and testament to the way of love that Jesus of Nazareth teaches, which is the key to genuine justice that is not disguised vengeance and reconciliation nor cowardly retreat but the pathway to the very dream of God.”—The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, 27th Presiding Bishop, The Episcopal Church

“Bishop Barbara Harris has been a mentor and guiding light to me for a very long time but whether you’ve known her for a couple of decades or a couple of minutes, her authentic self always shines through. Few can tell a story like Bishop Barbara and Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas weaves the narratives together beautifully. Hallelujah indeed!”—The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis

"In Hallalujah, Anyhow! Barbara Harris shares her story with grace, humility, and humor. Shaping the narrative in movements between memoir and conversation, Kelly Brown Douglas offers us a glimpse of Bishop Harris in ongoing reflection on her remarkable and church-changing life."—Karen Meridith, Executive Director, Education for Ministry

"This book is critical for those who wish to understand the importance of the journey of all Episcopalians. It is a history that needs to be read and remembered — of African-Americans, female clergy and female bishops in the Episcopal Church. The history and insight that Harris provides is vital to understand the Episcopal Church and help it move forward in today's society."—Neva Rae Fox, Episcopal Journal