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Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Years ago I owned a dog who had a fondness for large bones..." (more)
Key Phrases: ears thou hast dug, forbidding discipline, eat this book, Holy Scripture, New York, Holy Spirit (more...)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
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Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading + The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways That Jesus Is the Way + Tell It Slant: A Conversation on the Language of Jesus in His Stories and Prayers
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  • This item: Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading by Eugene H. Peterson

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Peterson is a retired pastor and popular author best known for The Message, a paraphrasing of the Bible into modern idiom. In this slender book, he invites Christian readers to encounter the Bible anew. Drawing on language in Ezekiel and Revelation, Peterson says that we ought not read the Bible the same way we read a cookbook, a textbook, or even a great novel. Rather, Christians are to absorb, imbibe, feed on and digest Scripture. Peterson recommends a type of Bible-based prayer called lectio divina, in which the person praying meditates on a short passage of Scripture and listens for God to speak through the text. Peterson's exposition of lectio divina is one of the fullest to appear in recent years. Throughout, he cautions that lectio is not a systematic way of reading, but a "developed habit of living the text in Jesus' name." The last chapter, in which Peterson ruminates on his own experience translating the Bible, will be fascinating to Peterson's devotees, but is more myopic than the rest of the book. However, this is a worthy sequel to Peterson's 2004 hit Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places.
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Review

"Rich, generous, and wise, Peterson's `conversation' will help readers at every stage of faith to live their faith more deeply." -- -Publishers Weekly (starred review)

A tour de force in spiritual theology, combining incisive cultural analysis and biblical exposition with a sweeping and engaging vision of the Christian life." -- -Christianity Today --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 186 pages
  • Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (January 15, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0802829481
  • ISBN-13: 978-0802829481
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #74,593 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Eugene H. Peterson
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
Years ago I owned a dog who had a fondness for large bones. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
ears thou hast dug, forbidding discipline, eat this book, lectio divina, holy community
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Holy Scripture, New York, Holy Spirit, The Message, New Testament, Scripture As Form, Scripture As Script, God's Secretaries, Scripture As Text, Following the Way of Jesus, Holy Ghost, Holy Trinity, American English, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Lord's Prayer, Old Testament, Wendell Berry, George Steiner, King James, The Forbidding Discipline of Spiritual Reading, San Francisco, New Haven, Yale University Press, Grand Rapids, Hebrew Bible
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Customer Reviews

31 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (31 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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74 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Live this book, February 22, 2006
By Peter Santucci (Lebanon, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Too often we USE the Bible, but Eugene wants us to enter into and LIVE it. He presents lectio divina (sacred reading) as the best way to do this. Lectio divina is a four-part way of reading Scripture:
Lectio. Read. God is speaking, so I listen intently to what he says.
Meditatio. Engage. God is speaking to me, so I listen personally.
Oratio. Pray. God is speaking to me, so I listen personally and reply personally in prayer.
Contemplatio. Live. God is speaking to me, so I listen personally and reply in prayerful living.
The final section of the book is an illuminating introduction to Bible translation and ultimately to The Message (his translation) itself. He argues that literalism in translation encourages USING the Bible as a tool, in which case we're in charge, not God. But putting the Bible in the same language as our day-to-day lives encourages LIVING the Bible, in which case God's in charge, not us.
The publisher is also releasing a study guide for small groups that I have written with Eugene. Once you read the book on your own, I think you'll understand why it is so important to study (and live!) together as a church.
Don't just use the Bible. Eat it! Let it get inside of you and change you. Live it.
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43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars transformational reading, April 15, 2006
Peterson has become my new favorite theologian. I wish reading him had been an option when I was in seminary. I have a suspicion that he's still not on the menu because he sees theology as something more than an academic exercise. Theology is ultimately about experiencing God and serving the Kingdom-goals that are not always in tandem with the academy.

This second volume of a projected five volume series is an exceptional work on the nature of scripture and how we relate to it, absorb it and live it. Rather than treating scripture as a still life from which we extract a theology, Peterson emphasizes the reader entering the story and allowing the story to transform our lives. More than just telling us to read and absorb, he helps us rediscover one of the church's older practices, lecto divina. He emphasizes that this is not a technique but an attitude of prayerful, respectful reading. So, rather than telling us what scripture is and isn't in cold, sterile categories, he shows us its value for the spiritual journey.

Peterson is distilling a lifetime of teaching, growing and ministering in this series of books. I hope that we as church are wise enough to push the academy to listen to his voice.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Make a meal of it!, November 5, 2006
By robert johnston (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
This is the first book I can recall reading that addresses "How to read the Bible" ...

There's 3 essays here:

Eat this Book - John the Revelator, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah all ate God's message on command. What does the gastronomic lesson teach? Consuming God's message goes beyond the typical scriptural read.

Lectio Divina -Christ asked "How do you read?" in Luke 10:26 ... God only talks with you ... not through someone else. You can only hear him when you are addressed. Here's a discipline for creating the opportunity.

The Company of Translators - A great walk through the back alleys of translating the Good News for contemporary consumers through the ages. Is the 16th century King James hard to digest? Unless you read ancient Hebrew or vernacular Greek bolstered by late 19th and 20th century linguistic revelation, it makes sense to try to understand the message as close to the dirty, dusty streets of the gospel writers as you can get with words alone. The language of place and time needs transport into terms we can grasp. We recognize the limitations of the written word ... words don't capture body language, the emotional state of the participants, the state of mind of the listener, the smells, the backdrop ... all things that make for understanding beyond words. The job of the translator is indeed a challenge to strangle the most complete sense of the words into contemporary context. The job of the message consumer is no less challenging .

This can be an easy read or a study. It depends on your appetite I guess.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read. Good small group book.
This book was recommended by our minister and we decided to read it. It would be a great small group study book but very informative to any christian individually also.
Published 2 months ago by Dale K. Hubbard

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for all age believers! A must read!
I am loving this book. Eugene lends such great insight into why christian reading is so important. I believe it's a very foundational and formational book for young and aged... Read more
Published 3 months ago by M. A. Belmares

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Knowing but Becoming
This book goes down easy, like a comfort food. I expect nothing less from Eugene Peterson, the translator of The Message, a wonderful modern English translation of the Bible... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Andrew Vanover

4.0 out of 5 stars Living the Living Word
Peterson has some thought-provoking ideas in this book. I particularly appreciate his insights on Western individualism and professionalism. Peterson quotes G.K. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Renea McKenzie

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative reading
I am about half-way through this book and have found Peterson's ideas making a lot of sense.I am very much involved in reading and studying the Bible and his book has given me new... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Simple Gardener

3.0 out of 5 stars Spiritual Reading, yes - Lectio Divina, not so much.
I enjoy Eugene Peterson's work both for his theological insights as well as his accessible style. This book is a compelling study of how one should approach spiritual reading of... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Jkgerst

4.0 out of 5 stars Reading Scripture is much more than you ever imagined!
A fascinating read - very encouraging and challenging. Peterson is the author of The Message, a contemporary translation of God's Word which many have praised for its insight and... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Dan Panetti

5.0 out of 5 stars Eat! Eat!
If you follow the advice and the reasoning in this book, I predict you will have an experience with the Bible similar to that described in the Road to Emmaus passage (Luke... Read more
Published on November 9, 2007 by Gretchen R. Chateau

5.0 out of 5 stars One Of Peterson's Finest -- and They're ALL Mighty Fine!
Eugene Peterson is a mighty man of God. I love his books because they are well-researched, beautifully written and leave a lasting impression. Read more
Published on October 20, 2007 by Kristine M. Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must!
Excellent way to delve into the Word! A great aid to understanding Scripture and applying it to one's life. Highly recommend!!
Published on August 25, 2007 by Lynda Clark

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