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March 04, 2005

Peterson & CT...spirituality for all the wrong reasons

Eugene Peterson interview, Christianity Today, "Spirituality for all the Wrong Reasons"...talks about lies and illusions that destroy the church. Go here.

Posted by ron cole |

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Do you really believe these lies? Pardon me, but I feel that the most poisonous teaching coming out in Christianity today is against becoming spiritual. The most vicious is the teaching that it is gnosticism! My gosh! I'm sorry. I'm usually a passive person, but this is a total denial of the Gospels themselves. For some reason I did not expect to find this sort of thing on your blog. I made a mistake ...

Posted by: Annie | March 07, 2005 at 03:11 PM

Annie, having met Eugene Peterson at Reagent College a few years ago speaking on Spirituality, Sabbath and christian life as journey, I found him to be very genuine and a man of great spirituality...although in humilty he would probably say otherwise. And also having written a very contemporary translation of the complete Bible would require a fair depth of spirituality, and not to say pastoring for some 30+ years.
If you were to drop by again, and be more specific as to Eugene Peterson's lies, and maybe let us or me no what you found so offensive...I could respond.

Posted by: ron cole | March 08, 2005 at 12:16 AM

Okay. I'll eat my words. I went back and reread it and I think perhaps I was wrong because his early answers are too clipped and are misleading. Maybe he is a decent fellow afterall.

Posted by: Annie | March 08, 2005 at 07:44 AM

Hey, Annie, I want to acknowledge your comments too. I think in a sense we have become so focused on theology, dogma etc in a modernistic mindset to compete with science and philosophy...that we have in a sense forgotten spirituality. and we do need to regain some of that reality. I thinks Eugene Peterson is saying there needs to be balance. In order for the fire in the belly of the " church " to burn efficiently for the Kingdom and God's mission and purpose on earth...there needs to be a balance of Fire and of Wood.

Posted by: ron cole | March 08, 2005 at 09:12 AM

I don't disagree, but I might come from a different direction than you to arrive at this same point. I don't think that we have only forgotten it, I think we have tried to hide it, as in, "Don't you dare be more spiritual than I am!" :) It is said in many different ways, of course. In the modern church, priests, pastors, preachers--what-have-you--have no idea what to do with a spiritual member of the congregation. I think it is destroying Christianity. I think it is a complete denial of Christ. What is hard about Christianity these days? Isn't it lovely that we can use scripture and teach from the pulpit that it is okay to hate? Isn't okay to gloss over the fruits of the Spirit and teach people to follow those who would kill? What is so hard about that? Let's redefine love so that it becomes something that only God can do. Looks easy to me--make it what we want it to be! And all the while, the most wonderful, the most glorious thing--the joy, the promise, the hope--is left by the wayside, denied. Salvation is an insurance policy so that we can say of loved ones after they are gone that they are now with God. But we can be with God now! I love Jesus and I want his message to lighten our darkness. He died for us. Imagine--we are expected to love each other THAT much! Hmmm .... yes, too much theology, too much dogma. Let's begin with a firm foundation.

Posted by: Annie | March 08, 2005 at 10:46 AM

Hi again Annie, I'll give you the last word as you've spoken so honestly, truthfully and with such clarity what its all about. Thanks again for dropping in, and adding something very real to the post.

Posted by: ron cole | March 08, 2005 at 03:25 PM

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