Eugene Peterson
Eugene H. Peterson
(1932–2018)
As we carry on the work of the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination, we are not so much preserving a legacy, but extending a vision — a way of life that Eugene lived with humility, conviction, and joy.
Eugene Peterson spent his life in service to the Church — not as a celebrity pastor or a brand, but as a faithful shepherd committed to the long, patient work of helping people live the Jesus way.
Born in the rugged landscapes of Montana, Eugene was shaped early by beauty, wilderness, silence, and the stories of Scripture. He was the founding pastor of Christ our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland, where he served faithfully for nearly thirty years.
Eugene was also a professor, theologian, and author of more than 30 books – including the widely cherished Message translation of the Bible, beloved works like A Long Obedience in the Same Direction and Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, and his memoir The Pastor. His words continue to guide readers toward a deeper, slower, and more rooted faith – one that resists the clamoring noise and embraces the quiet fidelity of everyday discipleship. Eugene’s life and work remind us it is possible to be deeply human and radically open to God.
A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene H. Peterson
“This hunger for something radical – something so true that it burned in his bones – was a constant in Eugene’s life. His longing for God ignited a ferocity in his soul.” – from A Burning in My Bones
“With an old friend’s affection and a novelist’s eye, Winn Collier carves out Peterson’s place among the other writers and thinkers quoted herein: Thomas Merton, Walker Percy, Wendell Berry, Wallace Stegner, and yes, Bono.” – Leif Enger, author of Peace Like a River and Virgil Wander.