Peterson, Eugene H. 1932-

PERSONAL:

Born November 6, 1932. Education: Seattle Pacific University, B.A.; New York Theological Seminary, S.T.B.; Johns Hopkins University, M.A. Religion: Presbyterian.

ADDRESSES:

Office—Regent College, 5800 University Blvd., Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 2E4, Canada.

CAREER:

Minister, educator, and author. Served as founding pastor for Christ Our King Presbyterian Church, Bel Air, MD, for twenty-nine years; Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, currently professor emeritus of spiritual theology.

AWARDS, HONORS:

D.H.L., Seattle Pacific University.

WRITINGS:

Growing Up in Christ: A Guide for Families with Adolescents, John Knox Press (Atlanta, GA), 1976.

A Year with the Psalms: 365 Meditations and Prayers, Word Books (Waco, TX), 1979.

Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work, J. Knox Press (Atlanta, GA), 1980.

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society, InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 1980.

Traveling Light: Reflections on the Free Life, InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 1982.

Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best, InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 1983.

Earth and Altar: The Community of Prayer in a Self-Bound Society, Paulist Press (New York, NY)/InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 1985.

Forces Concealed in Quiet: Meditations from the Writings of John the Apostle, T. Nelson Publishers (Nashville, TN), 1985.

Weddings, Funerals, and Special Events, CTI (Carol Stream, IL), 1987.

Growing Up with Your Teenager, F.H. Revell (Old Tappan, NJ), 1987.

Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 1987.

Reversed Thunder: The Revelation of John and the Praying Imagination, Harper & Row (San Francisco, CA), 1988.

Traveling Light: Modern Meditations on St. Paul's Letter of Freedom, Helmers & Howard (Colorado Springs, CO), 1988.

Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer, Harper & Row (San Francisco, CA), 1989.

The Contemplative Pastor: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction, Christianity Today (Carol Stream, IL), 1989.

Stories for the Christian Year, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1992.

Under the Unpredictable Plant: An Exploration in Vocational Holiness, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 1992.

The Contemplative Pastor: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 1993.

Praying with Jesus: A Year of Daily Prayers and Reflections on the Words and Actions of Jesus, HarperSanFrancisco (San Francisco, CA), 1993.

Praying with the Psalms: A Year of Daily Prayers and Reflections on the Words of David, HarperSanFrancisco (San Francisco, CA), 1993.

Where Your Treasure Is: Psalms That Summon You from Self to Community, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 1993.

Like Dew Your Youth: Growing Up with Your Teenager, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 1994.

Praying with Moses: A Year of Daily Prayers and Reflections on the Words and Actions of Moses, HarperSanFrancisco (San Francisco, CA), 1994.

Praying with the Early Christians: A Year of Daily Prayers and Reflections on the Words of the Early Christians, HarperSanFrancisco (San Francisco, CA), 1994.

Praying with Paul: A Year of Daily Prayers and Reflections on the Words and Actions of Paul, HarperSanFrancisco (San Francisco, CA), 1995.

Praying with the Prophets: A Year of Daily Prayers and Reflections on the Words and Actions of the Prophets, HarperSanFrancisco (San Francisco, CA), 1995.

Take and Read: Spiritual Reading: An Annotated List, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapid, MI), 1996.

Leap over a Wall: Earthy Spirituality for Everyday Christians, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1997.

Subversive Spirituality, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 1997.

Not a Day Goes by without His Unfolding Grace, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 1998.

The Wisdom of Each Other: A Conversation between Spiritual Friends, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 1998.

The Psalms: An Artist's Impression, InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 1999.

First and Second Samuel, Westminster John Knox Press (Louisville, KY), 1999.

The Unnecessary Pastor: Rediscovering the Call, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 2000.

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society, InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 2000.

Allegories of Heaven: An Artist Explores the "Greatest Story Ever Told," InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 2002.

Epiphanies: Stories for the Christian Year, Baker Books (Grand Rapids, MI), 2003.

In a Word, Paraclete Press (Brewster, MA), 2003.

Psalm 67: For SATB Chorus, Congregation, Optional Descant and Organ, ECS Publishing (Boston, MA), 2004.

The Christmas Troll, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2004.

Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 2005.

Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 2006.

Living the Resurrection: The Risen Christ in Everyday Life, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2006.

A Year with Jesus: Daily Readings and Meditations, HarperSanFrancisco (San Francisco, CA), 2006.

The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways That Jesus Is the Way, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 2007.

The Jesus Way Study Guide, W.B. Eerdmans (Grand Rapids, MI), 2007.

The Invitation: A Simple Guide to the Bible, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2008.

"THE MESSAGE" SERIES

The Message: The New Testament in Contemporary English, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 1993.

The Message: The New Testament with Psalms, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 1994.

The Message: New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 1995.

The Message: Proverbs, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 1995.

The Message: Job: Led by Suffering to the Heart of God, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 1996.

The Message: The Wisdom Books, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 1996.

Living the Message: Daily Reflections with Eugene H. Peterson, HarperSanFrancisco (San Francisco, CA), 1996.

The Message Promise Book, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 1997.

The Message: Sayings of Jesus, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 1998.

The Message: The Prophets, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2000.

The Message: The Old Testament Books of Moses, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2001.

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2002.

The Message: The History Books, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2002.

The Message: The Gospel of John in Contemporary Language, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2003.

The Message: The New Testament in Contemporary Language, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2003.

Living the Message: Daily Help for Living the God-centered Life, HarperSanFrancisco (San Francisco, CA), 2003.

Are You Talking to Me, God? Guidelines for Life from the Message, J. Countryman (Nashville, TM), 2004.

God's Message for Each Day: Wisdom from the Word of God, J. Countryman (Nashville, TN), 2004.

God's Message of Christmas Love, J. Countryman (Nashville, TN), 2004.

The Power of a Blessing: Words to Speak and Pray from the Message, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2004.

The Power of a Friend: Words to Speak and Pray from the Message, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2005.

The Power of a Prayer: Words to Speak and Pray from the Message, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2005.

The Message Three-Way Concordance: Word, Phrase, Synonym, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2006.

The Great Pursuit: The Message for Those in Search of God, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2007.

My First Message: A Devotional Bible for Kids, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2007.

The Message of Leadership: 31 Essential Insights from Proverbs, NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

Eugene H. Peterson is a minister, writer, and educator. He earned his undergraduate degree at Seattle Pacific University, then went on to do his graduate studies at the New York Theological Seminary and at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Peterson helped to found the Christ Our King Presbyterian Church, located in Bel Air, Maryland, and served there as pastor for twenty-nine years. He also served on the faculty of Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, as a professor in the department of spiritual theology, continuing to teach as a professor emeritus. Over the course of his career, Peterson has written numerous books on religion and study guides to aid students of theology, both those studying for careers as leaders of faith and those who are merely seeking personal edification. He is well known for writing a series of books that serve to translate the Bible into modern, easy-to-understand terminology, paraphrasing the original text in such a way as to make it both readily comprehensible and more applicable for present day readers. The books themselves, published under the general title The Message, took Peterson just over ten years to formally write and publish, but the effort behind them was the work of a lifetime.

In an interview for the Today's Pentecostal Evangel Web site, Peterson explained: "I really spent 40 years doing this. I taught the biblical languages early on at seminary. Then I spent my life as a pastor. I was always thinking how to say, teach, preach or interpret Scripture in the language of the people with whom I lived." He began the project part time, but ultimately retired from his position as pastor in order to work full time, once his publisher indicated an interest in his translating the complete Bible, and not just the few books he had published early on. Peterson is quick to stress, however, that these books are for study, and are meant to illuminate the text for readers who might have difficulty with the more archaic language of the King James edition. He does not consider them a replacement for the traditional Bible, and believes that it should continue to be used in houses of worship and by religious leaders during their sermons. In an interview with Doug LeBlanc for Christianity Today, Peterson admitted: "I guess I'm a traditionalist, and I like to hear those more formal languages in the pulpit." He maintains, however, that the ultimate meaning and beauty of the biblical message is not lost in his version, any more than it would be lost in a translation into any other language. He told LeBlanc: "Every time the Bible is translated, you enter a culture and a language system that is unique. And the Bible is true and gets into those rhythms and those idioms and there's more truth there. So the truth is kind of endless."

Peterson has written numerous volumes beyond his modernization of the Bible. Leap over a Wall: Earthy Spirituality for Everyday Christians addresses the biblical tale of David, from his early experiences fighting Goliath to his later days as king. The point of the book is to discuss the nature of this individual in the stories of the Bible and his importance in God's overall lesson. Peterson points out that David was considered a leader of his people, and in many instances was shown God's favor, but by modern-day standards David could be said to have been a sinner, whose unholy deeds included womanizing and war-mongering. Peterson explains that it is a failing of many Christians to take the stories of the Bible and superimpose them on their own lives in an effort to live a Godly existence. This, according to Peterson, is a false interpretation of the Scriptures. Instead, it is vital to read and understand the stories and then interpret their lessons before applying them to one's own life. The Bible's purpose is not to provide a blueprint of Christian behavior, but to illustrate both God's power and his participation in the lives of people, Peterson explains. Susan Wise Bauer, in a review for Christianity Today, explained that in Peter- son's conclusion "there are no tidy principles in this tale; that's not why stories are written. Instead, we see God's salvation in the lousiest of circumstances." Ray Olson remarked in Booklist: "Both his knowledge and his literary skill are impressive," while a reviewer for Publishers Weekly also praised the book, stating that "the author brings the Old Testament world revealingly close to our own century."

Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology begins a multivolume series in which Peterson strives to explain what he considers the true method of reading the Bible and incorporating it into one's life. He uses the first books of Genesis as an example, explaining that a first reading gives the impression that the story merely tells of the beginning of existence and the beginning of man. In reality, however, he believes that through repeated reading and deep thought one comes to understand that these books serve as a guide for the way to live one's life, with each moment serving as a fresh beginning. Lauren F. Winner commented in Books & Culture that "this book will doubtless inspire many people to reflect anew on the Christian story, on Christian living, and ask how can I, too, get in on this?"

In Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading, Peterson offers an approach to biblical studies that avers that only a true foundation in the Scriptures can provide a solid basis for a comprehensive understanding of Christianity and a commitment to one's faith. He first discusses the best way to read the Bible, stressing the need to not only comprehend its message but to absorb its words and make them a part of oneself. Then, and only then, will a true commitment to Christianity be attainable. Finally, Peterson addresses translations of the Bible, such as his own, discussing both their advantages and what might be looked upon as disadvantages. In Sojourners Steve Thorngate commented that, while he understood Peterson choosing to limit his discussion in this volume to spirituality rooted in biblical readings, given that he has written a number of books on the topic, "it presents scripture and language not as one crucial component of spirituality but as the exclusive lens through which we must understand prayer, revelation, experience, liturgy, and community."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

America, February 15, 1997, review of Leap over a Wall: Earthy Spirituality for Everyday Christians, p. 33.

Booklist, June 1, 1996, review of Take and Read: Spiritual Reading: An Annotated List, p. 1758; February 15, 1997, Ray Olson, review of Leap over a Wall, p. 975; April 15, 2005, Bryce Christensen, review of Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology, p. 1416.

Books & Culture, September 1, 2002, Ben Patterson, review of The Message, p. 27; July 1, 2005, Lauren F. Winner, "Means and Ends," review of Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, p. 19.

Books in Canada, December, 1996, review of The Message, p. 43.

California Bookwatch, June, 2006, review of Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading.

Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, November, 2005, P.K. Moser, review of Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, p. 502; October, 2007, P.K. Moser, review of The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways That Jesus Is the Way, p. 299.

Christian Century, October 7, 1981, David B. Watermulder, review of Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work, p. 1001; December 9, 1992, review of Stories for the Christian Year, p. 1146; October 16, 1996, review of Take and Read, p. 983; October 29, 1997, Steven W. Plank, review of Leap over a Wall, p. 988; March 13, 2002, "‘The Best Life’: Eugene Peterson on Pastoral Ministry," p. 18; August 9, 2005, Arthur Paul Boers, review of Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, p. 36.

Christian Education Journal, fall, 2007, Tom Schwanda, review of Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places.

Christianity Today, April 3, 1987, "Eugene Peterson: A Monk out of Habit," p. 24; December 13, 1993, "Getting God's Words to Market," review of The Message: The New Testament with Psalms, p. 41; January 9, 1995, Raymond C. Ortlund, review of The Message: The New Testament with Psalms, p. 64; June 16, 1997, Susan Wise Bauer, review of Leap over a Wall, p. 42; January 12, 1998, review of Subversive Spirituality, p. 51; October 7, 2002, Doug LeBlanc, "‘I Didn't Want to Be Cute’: Author Eugene Peterson Describes What Drove His Writing of the Message," review of The Message, p. 107; March, 2005, "Spirituality for All the Wrong Reasons: Eugene Peterson Talks about Ties and Illusions That Destroy the Church," p. 42.

Internet Bookwatch, June, 2007, review of The Jesus Way.

Interpretation, January, 2001, Robin Gallaher Branch, review of First and Second Samuel, p. 82.

Leadership, fall, 2006, Steve Thorngate, review of Eat This Book.

Library Journal, October 1, 1992, Carolyn Craft, review of Stories for the Christian Year, p. 93; April 1, 1995, review of The Message: The New Testament with Psalms, p. 62; January, 1996, Henry Carrigan, review of Take and Read, p. 106; July, 1996, Henry Carrigan, review of Living the Message: Daily Reflections with Eugene H. Peterson, p. 123; November 1, 2003, Barbara J. Kenney, review of The Message: The New Testament with Psalms, p. 140.

Presbyterian Record, April, 1998, review of Subversive Spirituality, p. 46; June, 1998, "Faces of Faith: Eugene Peterson," p. 25; December 2001, "Getting the Message: Eugene Peterson's Contemporary Translation of the Bible Has Enjoyed Immediate Acclaim," p. 24.

Publishers Weekly, December 1, 1989, review of Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer, p. 38; September 28, 1992, review of Stories for the Christian Year, p. 64; January 8, 1996, review of Take and Read, p. 33; December 16, 1996, review of Leap over a Wall, p. 53; February 14, 2005, review of Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, p. 73.

Sojourners, September 1, 1998, Don Luther, review of Subversive Spirituality, p. 70; July, 2006, Steve Thorngate, "A God of Words," review of Eat This Book, p. 43.

Theology Today, April, 1989, M. Eugene Boring, review of Reversed Thunder: The Revelation of John and the Praying Imagination, p. 86; July, 1995, Cullen I.K. Story, review of The Message: The New Testament in Contemporary English, p. 303; April, 1998, Walter Brueggemann, review of Leap over a Wall, p. 132; July, 2000, J. Richard Middleton, review of First and Second Samuel, p. 284; July, 2006, Wendy M. Wright, review of Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, p. 235.

Today's Christian Woman, May 1, 2007, Lisa Ann Cockrel, review of The Jesus Way, p. 14.

ONLINE

Eerdmans Web site,http://www.eerdmans.com/ (February 24, 2008), interview with Eugene H. Peterson.

HarperCollins Web site,http://www.harpercollins.com/ (February 24, 2008), profile of Eugene H. Peterson.

Regent College Web site,http://www.regent-college.edu/ (February 24, 2008), faculty profile of Eugene H. Peterson.

Today's Pentecostal Evangel Web site,http://tpe.ag.org/ (February 24, 2008), "Man with a Message."