The Contemplative Pastor
Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction
- Publisher
- Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
- Initial publish date
- Oct 1993
- Category
- Pastoral Resources, Counseling & Recovery, Administration
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9780802801142
- Publish Date
- Oct 1993
- List Price
- $26.99
Add it to your shelf
Where to buy it
Description
Any pastor who needs and wants to get back to basics will do well to absorb this book. Eugene Peterson, well known as "a pastor's pastor," here speaks words of wisdom and refreshment for pastors caught in the busyness of preaching, teaching, and "running the church."
In The Contemplative Pastor Peterson highlights the often-overlooked essentials of ministry, first by redefining the meaning of pastor through three strengthening adjectives: unbusy, subversive, andapocalyptic. The main part of the book focuses on pastoral ministry and spiritual direction "between Sundays": these chapters begin with poetic reflections on the Beatitudes and then discuss such themes as curing souls, praying with eyes open, the language of prayer, the ministry of small talk, and sabbatical--all with engaging, illustrative anecdotes from Peterson's own experience.
The book ends with several meaning-full poems that pivot on the incarnation, the doctrine closest to pastoral work. Entitled "The Word Made Fresh," this concluding section is a felicitous finale to Peterson's discerning, down-to-earth reflections on the art of pastoring.
About the author
Eugene H. Peterson (1932–2018) was a longtime pastor and professor of spiritual theology at Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia. His many acclaimed books include Tell It Slant, The Jesus Way, Eat This Book, and the contemporary translation of the Bible titled The Message.
Editorial Reviews
St. Anthony Messenger
"This excellent treatise on the rediscovery of the authentic purpose of true pastoral care deserves attention, dialogue and action."
Other titles by
Called to Community
The Life Jesus Wants for His People (Second Edition)
The Spirituality of Wine
Holy Luck
Practice Resurrection
A Conversation on Growing Up in Christ
Tell It Slant
A Conversation on the Language of Jesus in His Stories and Prayers
The Jesus Way
A Conversation on the Ways That Jesus Is the Way
Taking Your Soul to Work
Overcoming the Nine Deadly Sins of the Workplace
Practice Resurrection Study Guide
Eat This Book
A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading
