Engaging With God: A Biblical Theology of Worship

Rating:
Summary: Clearly, The Best Work on This Complex Subject
Review: I've been studying this issue for more than 25 years, and I've read many more than 100 scholarly books and articles on the subject. Peterson's work stands far above all others as the premiere treatment of the biblical material on worship.

He successfully cuts through today's all-too-common misconceptions of the word and presents a comprehensive picture of what the Bible really says about it. Peterson is a qualified scholar, and his research and handling of the Greek and Hebrew origins ably demonstrates his expertise.

He is also unafraid to challenge other scholarly works on this complex subject. His respect for scriptural teaching and his capability for "rightly handling the word of truth" is obvious on every page.

This is not light reading, yet it is apparent that Peterson has endeavored to write in a style that may be understandable by seminarians and professors, as well as those in the pulpit and those in the pew.

Properly understood and applied, Peterson's book has the potential to revolutionize Christian churches and revitalize Christian lives. A hundred years from now, I dare to say that Peterson's landmark work will still be regarded as the benchmark book on the subject.

Rating:
Summary: Clearly, The Best Work on This Complex Subject
Review: I've been studying this issue for more than 25 years, and I've read many more than 100 scholarly books and articles on the subject. Peterson's work stands far above all others as the premiere treatment of the biblical material on worship.

He successfully cuts through today's all-too-common misconceptions of the word and presents a comprehensive picture of what the Bible really says about it. Peterson is a qualified scholar, and his research and handling of the Greek and Hebrew origins ably demonstrates his expertise.

He is also unafraid to challenge other scholarly works on this complex subject. His respect for scriptural teaching and his capability for "rightly handling the word of truth" is obvious on every page.

This is not light reading, yet it is apparent that Peterson has endeavored to write in a style that may be understandable by seminarians and professors, as well as those in the pulpit and those in the pew.

Properly understood and applied, Peterson's book has the potential to revolutionize Christian churches and revitalize Christian lives. A hundred years from now, I dare to say that Peterson's landmark work will still be regarded as the benchmark book on the subject.

Rating:
Summary: One of the few true Biblical Theologies on the topic
Review: In preparing to develop and teach a theology of worship for our church's Sunday School, I have of late accumulated a large number of works on the topic which provide some rudimentary background and systematic foundation, only to turn and focus primarily on practical methodology. I have also found a fair number of writings with 'an agenda'...several appear to have been intended to rebut a recent argument or conflict.

What has been sorely lacking is a balanced and sound exegetical development of a Biblical theology of worship FROM THE BIBLE, apart from the contemporary rhetoric and 'worship wars' which characterizes so much current thought.

Peterson begins with a thoughtful (though not entirely comprehensive...Carson's seems more thorough to me) definition of worship, and works through detailed examinations of key OT and NT passages of prescriptive and descriptive texts. I found his textual work both defensible and insightful, and his conclusions provocative and resonant with the corpus of the Scriptures.

This book, in conjunction with the recent "Worship By the Book" (edited by D.A. Carson) to be the two most useful materials on worship I have found for my preparations.

Other works which I found more narrowly useful on particular related subtopics include John Frame & Marva Dawn (useful in a David Wells-ish postmodern perspective on worshippers, although a subtle Christian Feminism perspective is noted).

Hopefully, an objective reading of Peterson and Carson will yield similar conclusions in your studies.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Biblical Theology of Worship
Review: Peterson's "Engaging with God" is an excellent treatment of the biblical doctrine of "worship." His basic argument is that the Bible doesn't understand worship to be an occasional act of praise, or even a corporate meeting, but rather a life charcterized by obedience and reverence to God, and lived on the terms that God proposes. Peterson is particularly good when he discusses the meanings of the different Hebrew and Greek words that we translate "worship", and when he talks about how Christ fulfills the sacrificial/temple worship of the Old Covenant. This is simply a really solid, thoughtful, and biblical theology, written from an evangelical point of view. It is the standard biblical theology of worship, and rightfully so.

Peterson also talks about corporate worship (namely church services), emphasizing that the New Testament seems to suggest that gatherings of Christians are for edification more than worship. His argument is that worship is what we should be doing all of the time, so it doesn't make sense to talk about gathering for that express purpose. I think he fails to emphasize the special quality that God, in his providence, has ordained for corporate worship.

Regardless, this is an excellent, supremely biblical book, and comes recommended by scholars as eminent as D.A. Carson, Mark Dever, and I. Howard Marshall. It is scholarly, but pretty accessible, and well-written.



Rating:
Summary: Important Perspective about Worship
Review: This book had moments of diffculty when I read it. However, the clarity with which he develops the relationship of God to humanity is powerful.

Throughout all scripture we see God's consistent and faithful initiative to be with us and to draw us to himself. We see it from the leading of the Israelites out of the desert and giving of them the Ten Commandments, the tabernacle, the temple and finally through the sending of Jesus to give his life for us. Our perpetual challenge is to respond with acceptable worship, according to God's his criteria, not ours. Perhaps the greatest temptation to which many of us fall is to respond to God's love with our preferences in offerings, choices and individual preferences based on style. From Genesis to Revelation we see mankind's attempt to remold what God says is acceptable worship into what is culturally relevant and appealing to society. Worship is a lifestyle not an activity. Worship, which is acceptable to God, can take many forms such as service to others, confession of sin with grateful submission and respecting him to the point of obeying his commandments. However, all external acts are of no avail, if our hearts are not humble before God. Peterson is clear that the only worship that is acceptable is perfect worship - that given by Jesus to his Father. We are invited share in that worship because of God's design and the work and person of Jesus, his incarnation, sacrificial death, his resurrection and ascension to be in the presence of God the Father.

I can certainly recommend this book for one who is looking for a biblical basis for what God's calls worship. Peterson does a great job.

Larry Ellis
Denver CO

Rating:
Summary: Important Perspective about Worship
Review: This book had moments of diffculty when I read it. However, the clarity with which he develops the relationship of God to humanity is powerful.

Throughout all scripture we see God's consistent and faithful initiative to be with us and to draw us to himself. We see it from the leading of the Israelites out of the desert and giving of them the Ten Commandments, the tabernacle, the temple and finally through the sending of Jesus to give his life for us. Our perpetual challenge is to respond with acceptable worship, according to God's his criteria, not ours. Perhaps the greatest temptation to which many of us fall is to respond to God's love with our preferences in offerings, choices and individual preferences based on style. From Genesis to Revelation we see mankind's attempt to remold what God says is acceptable worship into what is culturally relevant and appealing to society. Worship is a lifestyle not an activity. Worship, which is acceptable to God, can take many forms such as service to others, confession of sin with grateful submission and respecting him to the point of obeying his commandments. However, all external acts are of no avail, if our hearts are not humble before God. Peterson is clear that the only worship that is acceptable is perfect worship - that given by Jesus to his Father. We are invited share in that worship because of God's design and the work and person of Jesus, his incarnation, sacrificial death, his resurrection and ascension to be in the presence of God the Father.

I can certainly recommend this book for one who is looking for a biblical basis for what God's calls worship. Peterson does a great job.

Larry Ellis
Denver CO