Detailed Book Review: Eugene Peterson's 'Working the Angles' Insights

This report presents a critical review of Eugene Peterson's 'Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity,' examining the challenges faced by American pastors. The review begins by introducing Peterson and the book's context, highlighting the increasing rate of pastors abandoning their posts. It then outlines Peterson's main argument that pastors have overlooked their work, turning churches into mere shops. The review discusses the strengths of the book, such as its portrayal of the moral downfall of priests and pastors, and its weaknesses, including a potentially harsh portrayal of pastors. The review reflects on the book's insights into the lack of faith and coordination among pastors, ultimately concluding that it is a valuable contribution to pastoral theology, highlighting the negative impacts of certain pastoral practices. Desklib offers access to this and other solved assignments for students.

Running head: CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY
Christian Spirituality
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Peterson, Eugene H. Working The Angles. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2001.
This book addresses the things that the pastors do in America. It has been found that the
American pastors are going after other gods but not leaving their jobs. However, they are
abandoning their posts. This section will be discussed here.
The name of the book is ‘Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity’.1 The
author of the book is Eugene H. Peterson. This book has shed its light on the increasing rate of
post abandoning of the American pastors. The author was himself a clergyman who was born in
the United States of America. One of the most famous books written by him was “The Message:
The Bible in the Contemporary Language”.
Some main arguments have been made in this book. According to the author, the life of
the pastors is really difficult. The people who work as pastors in different churches across the
communities have to endure a very tough life indeed. He has also outlined the fact that there is
an immense need for the companionship. The main problem that the author poses is the fact that
the American pastors have simply overlooked their work and changed the churches into the
shops in which they are the evident shopkeepers. The argument lies in the fact if this type of
approach is at all right or not.
In this book, the author has made many arguments as it has been discussed in the
previous section. The main work of the pastors of the churches would be discuss about God and
His influence on the earth and human beings. The Scripture has also a very important to role to
play in this situation.2 This is why it has become very important to denote the reluctance of the
pastors in doing their designated work. In some cases, the pastors treat their work nothing but a
1 Eugene H Peterson, Working The Angles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2001).
2

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sheer business. They go on to treat the followers of God as their customers. They attract them by
their several offers and fulfill their wishes. The author has named the work of the pastors as
‘religious shop keeping’. He has portrayed the churches just as the religious institutions where
the sinners unite and pray to the God and Holy Spirit to wash off their sins.3 The main
responsibility of the pastors should be to keep the attention of the people towards the God. The
pastors in America have not been able to do so of late.4
There are a few strengths that could be aligned to this book. It can be said according to
the author that the moral downfall of the priests and pastors of the churches have been displayed
in an exceptional manner. The author in this book has very rightly portrayed the true face of the
forces that are conspiring against the human beings to eradicate the power of the holiness,
Scripture and eternal powers of God.5 The church building in a successful manner and the
making beautiful attendance charts are one of the most impressive things that are being done in
the churches. The mechanism in the churches has been brought out in a brilliant manner as well.
This book has really given a proper insight on the daily works of the pastors in the American
churches.6
Apart from the various strong points of the book, there are some negative points or
shortcomings as well.7 It can be countered argued that the condition of the pastors have been
shown and portrayed very hardly in this discourse. This is why it can be said that many pastors
also do their job with much responsibility in these days as well. The ecclesiastical views have not
3 Eugene H Peterson, Working The Angles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2001).
4 J. Morris, "Testament", Christianity & Literature 61, no. 4 (2012): 565-565.
5
6 Kjetil Fretheim, "Religious Roots And Christian Critics", Studia Theologica - Nordic Journal of Theology 66, no. 2
(2012): 149-165.
7 Kjetil Fretheim, "Religious Roots And Christian Critics", Studia Theologica - Nordic Journal of Theology 66, no. 2
(2012): 149-165.

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been established in this context properly whatsoever. The integrity of the pastors could have
been shown in a better manner as well.8 It has been said in the book that the angles are the
embodiment of the prayer, holiness, sympathy of God and His benevolence as well.
I will draw my own view about this book in the following segment. I must say that this is
one of the best books on the pastoral theology. The author has certainly made very good points
on the downfall of the integrity of the pastors in the churches. The book has brought out many
points in which he has shown the lack of faith the pastors have in their practices. The
coordination among the pastors is not at all there indeed. The human beings in the communities
are not at all serious about their duties as the sons and daughters of the God.
This book ‘Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity’ has been a very useful
book for the field of study in the pastoral theology indeed.9 The different aspects of the pastoral
theology had been overlooked for a long time now. However, it can be said regarding this book
that the author has positively taken up the challenge up highlight the several important facts
about the negative impacts of the workings of thee pastors. The holy sacrament and the
leadership responsibilities in the religious aspects of pastors have been overlooked by them
largely.
As per the above discussion it can be concluded that this book has been a very important
as the description for the current condition of the pastors and their responsibilities in the
churches. Their negative approaches have been highlighted in the book as well.
8 J. Morris, "Testament", Christianity & Literature 61, no. 4 (2012): 565-565.
9 Eugene H Peterson, Working The Angles (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2001).

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References
Peterson, Eugene H. Working The Angles. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2001.