A Must Read

Eugene Peterson does an excellent job of laying out a coherent theology of the scriptures. This book is a practical theology text written in typical Peterson fashion combining rich development of ideas with the scholarship that only he can bring. His easy style and deep understanding of the heart of God bring you to many "aha" moments in this book. This is a top 5 book in my library.

Dear God, get Eugene an editor, please.

I enjoyed what this book actually had to say as much as the previous reviewers (so I won't dwell on the good stuff since it's already been written about). That being said, I'm afraid this book got a little too much credit just because Eugene Peterson's name is on it (and c'mon - who doesn't love The Message?). What not enough people had either the honesty or wherewithal (i.e. they couldn't actually finish the book) to say was that this book is way too verbose for its own good. Peterson is a great poet and a great Bible translator, but as a contemplative author? A little too much contemplation and not quite enough meat for the length of the book. Reading this book was like listening to a Wagner opera: there were brilliant moments, but they usually came about an hour apart. I'm exaggerating (sort of) because the first chapter or so is great and then it's just a lot of meandering between a few good thoughts.^M

Important work

Peterson gives himself a difficult task-write a theological tome that does more than pay lip service to the spiritual life. Often Christian education, especially at the seminary level is simply an academic affair. It is up to the student to have and maintain a spiritual life and that truth be know, no one really cares if he/she has a spiritual life.Conversely, within the culture as a whole spirituality is defined as an amorphus undefined feeling of oneness with the cosmos or just something that makes you feel close to God, whoever/whatever God means to you^M