Product Description

Eugene Peterson's Spiritual Theology series provides a completely fresh evaluation of Christian Spirituality, past, present and future.

The best-selling author of THE MESSAGE draws on the very latest scholarship and understanding of biblical revelation, and will represent the most thorough and significant work on contemporary Christian Spirituality by an evangelical author.

Most writings in the field of spiritual theology represent mere dabblings. The more significant endeavours are impenetrably academic. Petrson's masterwork, which has been years in the making, is designed for those who are comfortable with being stretched, as well as pastors, academics and lay leaders.

CHRIST PLAYS IN TEN THOUSAND PLACES is Book One in a five-part series, and concentrates on 'clearing the playing field', evaluating Spirituality as it is understood today.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #154748 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-20
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Review
'Eugene Peterson knows how to share Biblical and theological insights in ways that both inform and excite his readers, and in this work he excels even his own high standards. He will inspire readers who wish to express their spirituality in ways that connect with the realities of everyday experience as well as being true to the historic Christian faith.' (John Drane )

'The author is to be congratulated for addressing two of the most fundamental problems that face Christianity today: first, that our talk about God (theology) has cut adrift from our experience of God (spirituality) and secondly, that spirituality itself has become so abstract that it fails to focus on the ordinary, material conditions of our existence, which is the only place we can meet God. This is a book for all places, for all times, for all peoples and for all situations, however tragic and hopeless they may seem to be.' (Gerard Hughes )

About the Author
Eugene Peterson is a pastor, scholar, writer and poet. As author of THE MESSAGE - the multi-million-selling contemporary-language paraphrase of the Bible - he is one of the best-selling and most respected Christian authors in the world today. Currently Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology at Regent College, Vancouver, Peterson was for thirty years pastor of a flourishing church which he also founded.

Customer Reviews

this is the stuff we have been waiting for..
just as you thought his work couldn't get any better he rolls out this one. This is wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Because he is a poet/ pastor/ academic/ spiritual director/ prayer-er/ theologian he conveys not only his meaning, but the sense of that meaning in what and how he writes. His profound understanding of who God is and how this God deals with us is so vital to the church today - saving us from a God who has been captured and controlled by the church or a God who is diffused and lost in the inert vagueness of anything goes.
Buy it, pray it, preach it, give it away, live it.

From a UK mission worker in Brazil
I wish I knew how one person can write so many excellent books, as well as translating the Message... This is the first in a 5-part series, and I have now read the first three (so far, all that's been published)and am now reading this first volume for the 3rd time - it is definitely a book worth digesting thoroughly. Read it first for the poetically beautiful way he writes; secondly to understand the ideas, and at least one more time to be able to explain them to others.

In this book, Peterson's stated aim is to "provide the ...spirituality of our time with structure and coherence by working from a scriptural foundation and with a Trinitarian imagination." That's what I love about it - solid Biblical truth expressed in imaginative ways that help the reader not only to understand deep truths, but to be inspired by them - and to want to live them.

The title comes from a sonnet by Gerard Manley Hopkins:
"For Christ plays in ten thousand places/Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his/ To the Father through the features of men's faces".
Peterson says this sums up what he is trying to do - not to give us more information, but to get us more in on the 'play' of living in all we do for the glory of God

The book is divided into 4 parts:
Clearing the Playing Field - where he deals with all the false spiritualities around today, and establishes the basic Christian stories.

Christ Plays in Creation - where he explores the sacred in all creation, including people.

Christ Plays in History - where he explores the real meaning of history, and how to enter history as Christians.

Christ Plays in Community - how to enter into Christ's holy community as full participants.

It is not an easy read, but it is a beautiful and worthwhile read.

truly excellent writing
how does eugene peterson keep producing such excellent writing? this is really good stuff. touches on so many significant issues and always manages to break through to the heart of these issues. i am a big fan of his work and this doesn't disappoint. every minister, correction - EVERY CHRISTIAN - should have a healthy helping of peterson in their library.