The Jesus Way

I want to blog through the new Eugene Peterson book, The Jesus Way, a book that has spoken to me personally. I have been reading through it as part of my devotions and thought that I would share some of the highlights.

"The Purification of Means," a phrase taken from philosopher Jacques Maritain, is the title of an engaging introduction. In the Way of Jesus, means are as important as ends. He notes that our culture encourages us to focus on how to "get ahead," and within the specific field in which getting things done is the goal, it does accomplish this. But in relation to persons, this way of being as terrible costs to it. Peterson writes,

When it comes to persons, these ways of the world are terribly destructive. They are highly effective in getting ahead in a God-indifferent world, but not in the community of Jesus, not in the kingdom of God...In matters of ways and means, the world gives scant attention to what it means to live, to really live, to live eternal life in ordinary time; God is not worshiped, Jesus is not followed, the Spirit is not given a voice (3).

Peterson notes that the way of Jesus (He is referring to John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life") is incarnated in the local church. For many North American Christians, however, has been infected by consumerism which has a detrimental impact on living the Way. Instead of denial the church influenced by consumerism is more interested in acquisition.

North American Christians are conspicuous for going along with whatever the culture decides is charismatic, successful, influential--whatever gets things done, whatever can gather a crowd of followers--hardly noticing that these ways and means are at odds with the clearly marked way that Jesus walked and called us to follow(8).

He includes what I consider an outstanding section on what he calls the laity myth and its attendant consequences. The two-tiered system of clergy and laity, in which the laity are clearly marginalized is a terrible heresy for him. "Within the Christian community there are few words that are more disabling than 'layperson' and 'laity.'" Laity for Peterson is a term of dignity and needs to be renovated and reinterpreted so that we can be the church that we are called to be and live the Jesus Way.