Rob Bell & Eugene Peterson

I purchased the book the first day that it came out. I bought the Kindle version. I had to start loading up my Kindle (a present from my parents). I enjoyed the book. I do not think that I agreed with everything that it said and what he believes but that is okay because I do not think that I have read an author where I have agreed 100% with that person.

I am thinking about doing a reread and doing a write-up on all 8 chapters for my thought process. Maybe if I did that (committed to it), it will/would jump start my blogging again.

I have read 50 +/- reviews/blogs from individuals and most of them are from people that did not like the book. I have read a few from those who have enjoyed it and wrote some great reviews. I should have book,marked all of them for references but that would be another fail on my part. However, today, I wanted to share with you an interview that was on churchleaders.com. It is an interview from Eugene Peterson on Rob Bell and the book:

What are your thoughts regarding Rob Bell’s book and the controversy it ignited? What inspired you to endorse the book?

Rob Bell and anyone else who is baptized is my brother or my sister. We have different ways of looking at things, but we are all a part of the kingdom of God. And I don’t think that brothers and sisters in the kingdom of God should fight. I think that’s bad family manners.

I don’t agree with everything Rob Bell says. But I think they’re worth saying. I think he puts a voice into the whole evangelical world which, if people will listen to it, will put you on your guard against judging people too quickly, making rapid dogmatic judgments on people. I don’t like it when people use hell and the wrath of God as weaponry against one another.

I knew that people would jump on me for writing the endorsement. I wrote the endorsement because I would like people to listen to him. He may not be right. But he’s doing something worth doing. There’s so much polarization in the evangelical church that it’s a true scandal. We’ve got to learn how to talk to each other and listen to each other in a civil way

I really wish that we could have civil conversation in all manners.