Deus Misereatur

  The following prayer is from the Book of Common Prayer 1662 (International ed.) published by IVP 2021: Eternal and gracious God, who art slow to anger and of great kindness: Have mercy on thy faithless and backsliding church. We mourn and confess to thee our sins, the poverty of our devotion, and the weakness of our testimony. Pardon, cleanse, and restore us, we humbly beseech thee. Fill us with the power of thy Holy Spirit, that we thy people may be humbled and sanctified, and that the multitudes who are lost to thee may be convicted of their sins and converted to their Saviour, for the glory of his saving name. Amen (p.676-7).

  Funny how Christianity has been saying most everything Peterson is now saying. We get judged as demeaning and judgmental, while he gets praised and promoted. No problem, though. Peterson speaks the language of the "nones" and comes at his subject through his study of psychology, experience, wit, and wisdom. And with "Beyond Order" a reader gets four for the price of one: psychological observations, cultural analysis, philosophical ponderings, and sage, fatherly direction. It's not a light read. Each chapter varies from 20 to 50 pages of dense reasoning and reflection. But one gets their money's worth. And as a Christian I must say that though Peterson is not one of "us" he is not far from the kingdom. Though it does seem to me (religiously) he keeps circling around Gnostic trends and aspects. Yet he comes to stand up and defend that which flows through Christian Scripture, theology, and ethics. Hard work, truthfulness, evil runs through all of us...

  Since "Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy" already has hundreds of reviews, I'll cut straight to the chase. This is an important and delightful book. Mark Vroegop, Lead Pastor of College Park Church in Indianapolis, has given broken hearts a valuable, award winning 224-page softback manual on the legitimacy of lamenting during the dismal seasons of life. The author doesn't make light, fluffy assessments, but takes readers into the heart of God to disburden their souls. "Grief is not tame. Lament is not a simplistic formula. Instead, lament is the song you sing believing that one day God will answer and restore" (33). The author walks the hurting, weeping, broken, and blistered through four Psalms (77, 10, 22, and 13) to show the four major tenets of lament: (1) turn to God; (2) bring your complaint, (3) ask boldly, and (4) chose to trust. Then he works us into the book  of Lamentations. Step-by-step he gives hope and help by guiding readers from one chapter to the n...

  O Lord Jesus Christ, our great God and Savior, your mercies and loving-kindnesses have been from everlasting. You became man and stooped to endure crucifixion and death for the salvation of all who rely on you. You rose from the dead for our justification, ascended into heaven and sit at the right hand of God the Father, from whence you shall come to judge the living and the dead; and as our great High Priest you regard the humble prayers of all who call upon you with their whole heart. Incline your ear and hear. First of all, we give you hearty thanks for the faith and faithfulness of those who have gone from us, who have traversed their way through Sheol into your everlasting arms (…). Though they struggled with sin, sometimes overcoming, and sometimes not overcoming very well, nevertheless their confidence in you, their persistence in walking in your way, lifts our hearts. As we run this race may we joyfully recollect that these brothers and sisters have successfully run befor...