Eugene H. Peterson, The Pastor: A Memoir (Affiliate link) New York: Harper One, 2011. 320 pages.
Eugene Peterson was a pastor for 29 years. He wrote numerous books and is perhaps best known for The Message, his modern translation of the Bible. Peterson is a gifted storyteller. This book contains his reflections on the nearly three decades he served as a pastor.
Peterson did not grow up wanting to be a pastor. In fact, he notes that “Somehow along the way while growing up I developed a rather severe case of anticlericalism” (2). He shares that many of the pastors he encountered during his childhood were not people he wished to emulate. He confesses, “For me, being a pastor was what you did when you couldn’t do anything else, one step up the ladder from being unemployed” (81).
Though he was strongly drawn to academia, Peterson ultimately chose to forgo pursuing a Ph.D. and become a pastor instead. His wife had always wanted to be a pastor’s wife (18). Peterson’s mother used to preach and evangelize until she was told that she shouldn’t (29). His father owned a butcher shop, which he used as his mission field (40).
Peterson makes many insightful observations throughout the book as he reflects on the lessons he learned on his journey. He shares that he was constantly trying to move beyond seeing Scripture as a dry book of rules and doctrines, instead understanding it as God’s living word that speaks freshly to people’s circumstances.
Peterson is characterized by an ecumenical openness to learn from people of various faith traditions. He isn’t intimidated to draw from those who would be considered liberals. He interviewed Harry Fosdick when he was a student (88). He grew to greatly admire Karl Barth (90). He learned from rabbis and Catholic nuns. He was criticized for associating with people far from conservative theology.
During Peterson’s decades of ministry, several trends swept the modern church. He shares that “With God depersonalized and then repackaged as a principle or formula, people could shop at their convenience for whatever sounded or looked as if it could make their lives more interesting and satisfying on their terms” (112). He continues, “This is the Americanization of congregation. It means turning each congregation into a market for religious consumers . . .” (112). Over time, Peterson rejected those trends.
When he began his church, Peterson found that the book of Acts provided the perfect guidance. He notes that “The usefulness of Acts as a story, and not a prescription or admonition, is that it keeps us faithful to the plot, Jesus, and at the same time free to respond out of our own circumstances and obedience” (119).
Peterson shares how he was trained to become a counselor to his people and how that ultimately led him to view them as problems (136). He claims he was susceptible to the “messianic virus” (141). He saw himself as the one who had to figure out what people’s problems were so they could be remedied. Eventually, he invited 15 pastors to meet with him each Tuesday to discover what their God-given role as a pastor should be (145).
Peterson states that he desired to become a contemplative pastor rather than a competitive pastor (212). He admits that he has never been a sold-out Presbyterian, though he served in that denomination (215). His childhood was deeply influenced by Pentecostalism, and he has always been willing to learn from whomever had something he needed. At one point, he removed his diplomas from his office walls and put pictures of three men who inspired him in their place: John Henry Newman, Alexander Whyte, and Baron Friedrich von Hugel (224). Every Sunday morning, he would read a sermon by Whyte so that someone was preaching to him even as he ministered to others (227). I appreciate Peterson’s humility and his desire to learn. While some may be concerned by his sources, I admire his ability to draw from a large range of Christian leaders and thinkers. That openness certainly helped to develop a breadth of thought in Peterson.
He relates how he was impacted by a Catholic nun named Genevieve (239). He writes, “I realized that I knew a lot more about scripture and truth than I did about souls and prayer” (230).
Peterson observes, “My artistic medium was words, written, and prayed and preached” (240). This idea challenged me. It is possible to say the same thing in two different ways, with one being far more powerful than the other. If words are one of our primary tools, we must master our use of them.
I liked his take on the apostle John and the book of Revelation. Of the book’s 404 verses, there are at least 518 references to the Old Testament. Yet John never directly quotes from it (244). Peterson argues that John is not proof texting; rather, he is so immersed in God’s Word that it permeates everything he writes and says.
Later in his pastoral ministry, Peterson chose to back off of his administrative duties so he could be a more relaxed, reflective pastor (278). He eventually resigned from pastoral ministry and spent five-and-a-half years teaching at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada (308).
I enjoyed this book. While I don’t agree with all of Peterson’s conclusions, I was challenged by his thoughts. He speeds up his story as he gets further into his ministerial career, and I would have liked to have seen how his ministry progressed later on. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the creative, insightful way Peterson shares his ministry journey. His is clearly just one way of ministering, as he would quickly agree. But it reflects his sincere attempt at fulfilling his divine calling in a God-glorifying manner. When considered from that perspective, this book provides a great deal to ponder.
Rating: 3
