A Christian Book Review
By Gene Stansel

Eugene Peterson’s, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places

For those who are not yet familiar with Eugene Peterson, now is a great time to be introduced to this wonderfully refreshing theologian, professor, pastor, linguist, author and poet. Peterson is thought by many to be our best contemporary Christian writer, a prophetic voice challenging the church today. There is a warning, though: this book is not the usual light inspirational read. But, because it is easy to follow and extremely well-organized in content, it will challenge, encourage, and deepen your understanding of the Christian life. Those already familiar with Eugene Peterson will certainly agree that the reader will reap great rewards.

Although Christ Plays In Ten Thousand Places (the title is extracted from a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins) is not overly theological on the surface, Peterson certainly draws deeply from the well of scholarship and historical Christianity. Subtitled “a conversation in spiritual theology”, Peterson seeks to awaken modern Christians to the mysteries of God’s grace through a deeper understanding of the narrative of scripture. Peterson sees all scripture as narrative, and by grasping the entire scope of God’s revelation from creation throughout history, we may better understand our current role in community. There are no non-participants in the Christian life; however, many modern Christians may be thrown off track by a desire to follow cultural trends and entertainment.

As a pastor for more than thirty-three years, Peterson faced the tendency to concentrate solely on ‘pastoral theology”: teaching, preaching weddings, funerals, etc. However, he eventually saw that a steady diet of “pastoral” theology failed to properly nourish his flock. Because we live within a narrative (each person has his own story within history), our doctrine and practice should also be understood within this narrative context. In other words, we live out our faith in community in light of our knowledge of God’s grace. Peterson thus adds new and refreshing insights to the rather hackneyed term ‘practical’ Christian living.

This book is the first in Peterson’s series of five books on the topic of spiritual theology. Four have been completed, and the fifth will follow in late 2009.
Tolle lege.