Summary Of Engaging With God By David Peterson
Critical Evaluation
In Engaging with God David Peterson aims to provide a Biblical theological framework for worship, and he does just that. As he unfolds the Bible’s teachings on worship from Genesis to Revelation it is evident that the Bible is truly a book about worship. And more specifically, it is a book that tells those made in the image of God how they are to worship their Maker with reverent hearts and obedient hands. There are many features of this book that make it outstanding. First is its Biblical theological approach. Instead of severing Scripture from its historical-grammatical context, Peterson faithfully preserves the Bible’s unity and makes a theological study along the progressive revelation of Scripture. Doing this takes …show more content…
Because the volume of Scripture covered is so great, the subdivisions and groupings along Biblical lines are incredibly helpful for retention. Instead of delineating ideas according to systematic themes, the use of book-by-book exposition was both fresh and effective in communicating the truth of Scripture. Future reflection on books like Romans, 1 Thessalonians, and Ephesians will now have an element of worship highlighted in them. Third, Peterson’s willingness to take time to labor in the Scriptures is evident. His conclusions reveal his diligence. In light of all the books available providing shallow or truncated analyses of worship, Peterson’s work standouts as a comprehensive study of a complex subject. Likewise, his willingness to connect theology to practice is also appreciated. This can be seen in his comments regarding the arrangement of furniture in church for greater corporate fellowship and edification (215), his critique of theologically impotent worship songs (278), and his call to revisit the practice of communion in local churches (218). Yet, his book remains more theoretical than practical. While professors, seminary students, and most pastors will be able to wade through this extensive book, many lay people will not be able to tackle such a hefty book. Many
In Engaging with God David Peterson aims to provide a Biblical theological framework for worship, and he does just that. As he unfolds the Bible’s teachings on worship from Genesis to Revelation it is evident that the Bible is truly a book about worship. And more specifically, it is a book that tells those made in the image of God how they are to worship their Maker with reverent hearts and obedient hands. There are many features of this book that make it outstanding. First is its Biblical theological approach. Instead of severing Scripture from its historical-grammatical context, Peterson faithfully preserves the Bible’s unity and makes a theological study along the progressive revelation of Scripture. Doing this takes …show more content…
Because the volume of Scripture covered is so great, the subdivisions and groupings along Biblical lines are incredibly helpful for retention. Instead of delineating ideas according to systematic themes, the use of book-by-book exposition was both fresh and effective in communicating the truth of Scripture. Future reflection on books like Romans, 1 Thessalonians, and Ephesians will now have an element of worship highlighted in them. Third, Peterson’s willingness to take time to labor in the Scriptures is evident. His conclusions reveal his diligence. In light of all the books available providing shallow or truncated analyses of worship, Peterson’s work standouts as a comprehensive study of a complex subject. Likewise, his willingness to connect theology to practice is also appreciated. This can be seen in his comments regarding the arrangement of furniture in church for greater corporate fellowship and edification (215), his critique of theologically impotent worship songs (278), and his call to revisit the practice of communion in local churches (218). Yet, his book remains more theoretical than practical. While professors, seminary students, and most pastors will be able to wade through this extensive book, many lay people will not be able to tackle such a hefty book. Many