I never used to like devotional writing, but being in seminary threatens to take Bible study too far into the academic realm and more or less forces you to OD on theology. Hence, I find I need some periodic grounding in lived faith. This series is quite good, and motivates prayer and action.

Eugene Peterson has a deep appreciation for the beauty and practicality of text in a way that really resonates with me and moves me. I had many "Yes!" moments, and they often came in such quick succession that I had to take breaks for the richness to sink into my mind and heart. Highly recommended for those of us who glory in the connections that exist between words and language and Truth and Life.

I am listening to this in audiobook. I think I would suggest reading. The narration is great, but I need to re-read sections. So it is taking a while to get through (and it is fairly long anyway).
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At first blush this seems very rambling and narrative. But he does a great job pulling things together to make a whole. It is fairly long, the next couple of books in the series are shorter. I am going to take a bit of a break before starting them.

Overall, this is a book I highly recommend. He takes on topics of theology in a very practical every day manner. There will be a lot to disagree with for many, but he approaches things in a way that makes it understand not only his position but how he got there.

I am not sure that a lot of people that don't have a fairly good background in theology would finish this book. But I do wish that the average Christian would be able to have training like this. It would make for much better Christians and a much better Church.

This book was incredible! It was incredibly deep, every section full of transformative ideas, theology, and the best quotes. I love Peterson’s Jesus-centered theology and how it never gets very far from humanity and creation.

This is the first of a five volume series on "spiritual theology." Peterson has developed a fantastic balance of the "spiritual" and "theological" or intellectual aspects of the Christian life. The book itself is structured according to the doctrine of the Trinity, and each chapter grows from two grounding texts (an Old and New Testament text). Each chapter further answers a potential problem within society. Throughout there is an emphasis on living out a theology that is explicitly Christian and biblically grounded, yet that is primarily "playful" rather than somber. Very good

This book has taken me about 6 years to read. It's not that it's a difficult book, but it's a book that speaks to the depths of one's soul. I found I could read only so much, and then had to give it a rest to allow it's insights to germinate and grow. After 6 years, I arrived at the end and at this statement: "This is a slow work and cannot be hurried. It is also urgent work and cannot be procrastinated."

Indeed.

Negatively, Peterson defines Spiritual Theology as "a protest against theology depersonalized into information about God; it is a protest against theology functionalized into a program of strategic planning for God." Positively, Spiritual Theology is an exploration of people's experiences of God as recorded in Scripture, a respect for the understandings and practices of Christ's disciples through the generations since the Bible was written, and an attempt to work out these experiences in our contemporary world. It's for those who hunger and thirst for righteousness day to day, place to place. Spiritual Theology is local. It's about living out our faith and finding Jesus in our homes, our neighborhoods and at our workplaces.

Peterson, using Scripture as his tool, guides us in finding Christ in creation, history and community. Each section explores two carefully chosen texts. Finding Christ in creation uses Genesis 1-2 and the Gospel of John as its "grounding texts," with a focus on the Sabbath. Finding Christ in history uses the Exodus and the Gospel of Mark to explore the importance of the Lord's Supper and hospitality. Finally, finding Christ in Community is drawn from Deuteronomy and Luke/Acts. Baptism and love are the primary areas of exploration.

Jesus, the most complete revelation of God, is at the heart of Spiritual Theology. "The Gospel writers tell us everything we need to know about Jesus, and Jesus tells us everything we need to know about God." Spiritual Theology draws us back into the simplicity that is in Christ. Jesus is the revelation of God, and he's our spiritual guide.

Christians find it easy to talk about what we believe. We find it easy to talk about what we're to do. But what's most important is how the Christian life is to be lived: "lived with a sense of congruence between who Christ is and who I am." What we believe and what we do, but also how we believe and the way we live.

This is Spiritual Theology.