by Eugene H. Peterson
Published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company in 2007
Summary and Review: This book is part of a series on spiritual theology which includes books discussing spiritual theology, the language of Jesus' stories and prayers, spiritual reading and how we live out that theology. The Jesus Way is Peterson's effort to fully explain why in this modern world we should be choosing Jesus. He doesn't candy coat by suggesting that accepting Jesus makes life nice and easy and prosperous; rather he acknowledges that the way of Jesus is a way of sacrifice, of failure, of being on the margins of society, of holiness. These are the qualities that should set followers of Jesus apart from the rest of the world. Unfortunately, Peterson observes, the modern church has failed to fully embrace these qualities and instead has embraced qualities of the world. The book begins with an unpacking of the Jesus way and why it is the right choice. The final third of the book has Peterson reflecting on other ways that one could choose to go and contrasting them against the Jesus way.
This book, like all of Peterson's works, is very well written. The presentation is cohesive and compelling as it moves the reader along, wanting to get to the next reflection. The thought process behind the book is rooted in deep reflection on the Bible, theology, the person of Jesus, the state of our culture, and the state of the modern church. Peterson, despite being a pastor in a mainline denomination, has an uncanny ability to step back and look at the church and society in a way that celebrates what we have gotten right, but equally challenges us on the areas where we have fallen short or gotten off course. This book will challenge you on both an individual level as you consider the manner in which you have allowed the Jesus Way to guide your life, but also on a corporate level as you consider your church and how it reflects the Jesus Way.
Reading Recommendation: Yes, I have yet to run across a Peterson book that is not worth the time invested reading!
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