The Legacy of Eugene Peterson

 The name Eugene Peterson may not immediately ring a bell for you yet you are likely to have heard of or even own a copy of the bible paraphrase called The Message. Peterson grew up in a Pentecostal home, became a Presbyterian pastor, and gained admiration as a thoughtful writer on Christian themes. 

Peterson's real fame came when he began paraphrasing books of the bible in what he called "American English." Eventually he completed the entire New Testament, then was encouraged to do so with the Hebrew scriptures as well. It was a prodigious task for someone who did so while in pastoral ministry, at least for the first years he was at it. The outcome, though, was a bible which offers an often refreshing take on passages which might otherwise seem opaque. Through the years I would include a passage from The Message on Sunday mornings or study groups to offer Peterson's perspective. 

There is a new biography of Eugene Peterson by Winn Collier called A Burning In My Bones and I've finished reading it. In the early chapters I wondered if this was going to be a reverential and bland recounting of the phases of his life, but I have been such an admirer for decades that I decided I would read on. 

In the end I appreciated the honesty of the book which depended on Peterson's participation in sharing his personal story, along with his wife and children. They address his tendency toward workaholism, a dependency on alcohol to relax which unsettled him, and rough patches in what was a long and meaningful marriage. He  had a quiet desire to be a saint, in terms of  ":a long obedience in the same direction" but. lo and behold, he had human foibles. 

While Peterson was a darling of the evangelical world for many years, a mantle he wore with some discomfort, there was an incident near the end of his life which challenged this. In his early 80's, as dementia cast a shadow on his fine mind, he gave an interview in which he was asked how he felt about LBTQ2 persons and whether he would marry a gay couple. His answer to the latter was "yes" which resulted in a wave of denunciations and withdrawal of his books from from evangelical book chains. Sad to say,he ended up walking back his comments, but one of his sons points out that family friends were gay, that LBTQ2 couples were welcomed in his congregations, and that he would likely have married a gay couple, if asked.

While I was disappointed by Peterson's seeming retreat, I now have more understanding of what unfolded. I continue to be grateful for his books on ministry which I began reading at least 30 years ago. They encouraged me to follow my heart when it came to pastoral ministry and to seek to go deeper as a companion in the spiritual life, rather than becoming a church manager.The Christian world was a better place because of Eugene Peterson's life, witness, and disciplined creativity.