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A review by latviadugan
Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology by Eugene H. Peterson
5.0
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.
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.