What will you do in your Beyond? That is, in the time “beyond” your career or your vocation or what you are doing now? Some of us will mostly do what we do now, perhaps a little less. Some of us will do something quite different. Some of us will move to where we’d rather live and retire to a more relaxed, restful existence. Some want to fish, some play golf, some will enjoy one another more, some will travel, some will read.
Photo by Daniel Crowley on Unsplash
How about you in the Beyond?
What would you like to do in that Beyond?
In Eugene Peterson’s life beyond pastoring and teaching for five years at Regent College in Vancouver, as sketched in A Burning in My Bones (pp. 240-261; for the reading plan), they moved home, back to Kalispell to the “monastery in Montana.”
His Beyond was going to be quiet and devoted to love, reading, writing, family, quiet, simplicity, and hospitality.
Only that’s not what happened.
Most people don’t get in the Beyond what they want – so I’m told.
His first main project was to finish The Message, which he did.
He wanted peace and quiet but spent lots of time answering letters that were often critical of his translation theory. I’ve heard this a hundred times if I’ve ever heard it once: “It’s just a paraphrase.” All the modern translations we use today are more or less translations, and very few of those translating are better at the languages than Peterson. I’ve never turned to The Message without getting a lift, an edge, an insight. His English is nothing less than the “perfection” (to use the term as John Barclay does in his studies on grace, as the completion of a theory) of what most of these translators are doing. They’re trying to make the languages our own, trying to make them sing and sting in our language, trying to speak to the contemporary person. Peterson does this completely – and in even more contemporary language and idiom than most.
He spent time tussling with publishers and editors, too.
What he produced was “a runaway train”(243). Within two years his Bible had sold 7 million copies. Letters filled his mailbox.
Criticisms came in avalanches. From those in his general circles, too. He got tired of some criticisms, esp by people who didn’t know the languages but knew he was wrong. Every word was soaked in meditation for him.
After a trip to Iona he and Jan decided to make their home a monastery; after a trip to Israel he began to take a daily mikvah/ceremonial bathing for purification.
They loved the environment and the trees and flowers and birds and animals.
He devoted more of his life to Jan but his desire for silence and her desire to talk never meshed entirely. They had a habit of reading to another aloud every evening.
They loved their family time and family holidays. He loved physical projects with the boys. They gave away vast sums of money to all sorts of people and causes.
Quiet was not always to be had in his Beyond: 300 invitations a year to speak, writing, interviews, endorsements … constant picking at his skin.
Perhaps one of the more interesting elements of his life for many is the pastoral relationship he developed with Bono, who had pursued Peterson because of the translation. Peterson was in a special seat at a concert in Dallas. Into his Beyond entered Bono.
Immersed in a totally new culture – 50,000+ fans, lights, elaborate staging and loud music, everyone singing the songs, knowing the words. I held Jan’s hand, asking her to stay close – I felt so an outsider. But as it developed I felt ok – Bono a true prophet, giving an unobtrusive Christian witness.
One more week and we’ll be finish this Book Discussion of Peterson’s biography. Been a lot of fun.
My "beyond" is already upon me and I've found that letting go of all that made up my work life in past decades is the toughest task I've had. I am now dealing with files I should have dumped four years ago along with books I've hung onto because I just might need them. It has taken me four years to adapt to my "beyond," and I'm still in and out of its ramifications. Physically I can't do what once I could do, but my head has not yet caught up with my years and my body. And as I stop to think about it (Thanks, Scot, for putting this on the table!), the other adjustment is to the fact that I've become a "has been" in an academic world with younger scholars doing the publishing that once was my province. All of this is simply to say that our "beyond" can mean adjustments we had not anticipated.
My husband and I talk about the Beyond often. We have kids at home now, so some of our Beyond talk is mostly referring to all of the rest we'll get later - ha! I have few true plans for the Beyond, other than I think I would like to teach. I can't narrow it down much more than that right now, but I know that it's not going to be something that just happens. I try to teach when I'm able now, and I'm attempting to figure out what makes a good teacher, good. It also means that I try to spend as much time as I can as a student right now, as well.
A couple of weeks ago I was at a book club for another book and Bible translations came up in the discussion along with The Message. One of the women in the group had a very strong reaction to The Message, called it terrible, and said it was one of the worst translations out there. Now, I know that The Message can be a polarizing discussion in Christian circles, but it had been years since I had I heard anyone talk about it with such a strong opinion. And having recently finished A Burning in My Bones, it impacted me in a new way. There was no further discussion after her comment was made, because it was clear that a discussion wasn't what she was seeking, but it gave me an illustration for this section of the book. Obviously, the was just the smallest glimpse at what Eugene must have gone through, but I'll forever remember this part of the book. Probably my favorite lines from the whole book came in this section when he responds to one of his many letters. "Three or fours years on each language should equip you to discuss my translation. But I am 82 years old now and so will probably be dead by the time you are ready." I think he'd reached his limit with the critics.
I'm can't believe we only have one more week left in the book. It's become such an enjoyable part of my Thursday mornings. I know I've had a lot of words each week, but I have appreciated this discussion so much and have thankful for the opportunity to participate.