Concerning Life as It Is Supposed to Be

“It Was Bono!”

I love this interview with pastor and author Eugene Peterson. The whole thing is a treasure regarding story and writing and translation. But the real gem is in the middle – at about minute 11:45. If you have three minutes, enjoy. It’s a laugh, but also a serious challenge to one’s heart priorities.

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2 Comments

  1. Suzanne

    Glad to see you are back to writing again!

    I really don’t know anything about E. Peterson and sad to say, I have never read any of his books. I feel less ashamed of that though after hearing that he didn’t know who Bono was. I value his insight and I would love to share coffee and just chat with him at length. Of course, if he turned down Bono, I’m sure those chances are slim to nothing. This interview is a wonderful introduction to who he is and I absolutely cannot wait to read his writings.

    My favorite parts of the interview.

    His story of himself as a young pastor, although I am now wondering if you too have equated ‘us’ (your members) to characters in the books you read?

    “Storytellers tell us about ways of living that we have not yet appropriated ourselves, or thought of ourselves. They expand the horizons of our lives, or they open up depths in our lives that we didn’t know we had.”

    “Community is a story, we are not stories by ourselves.” (reference to Wendell Berry)

    “A gem stone you turn a little bit and new light comes off of it. The stone doesn’t change, but the light, the hew, the vibrations, they change a little bit. Every time the bible is translated, it expands, it’s not diluted, it is larger.”
    (on languages and interpreting the bible)

    Discussion on God and how we perceive him.

    His advice to those who want to be writers/storytellers. – “Do it!”
    “I think writing is one of the sacred callings.”

    This interview is brilliant!

    Thanks for sharing!

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