Thread by @EstherOfReilly

Briefly popping in here to share a vid that's going to be a discussion prompt for my next blog on Jordan Peterson. I think his phenomenon has been a huge missed opportunity for evangelicals, and I want to reset the conversation. /1

My general impression has been that Christians are vaguely aware of the cultural waves he's been making, how he tweaks the left, how he speaks to men & rages against feminizing tendencies in the academy. Love him or hate him, that's the low-res snapshot of Peterson Xians have. /2

But this is really just the tip of the iceberg that is Peterson's project. He is not primarily a political figure. He's just been framed that way by the media. But he doesn't see himself that way, nor do most of his fans. /3

The real story of the Jordan Peterson phenomenon is not the combative interviews, the tweets, the op-eds, or the leftist outrage. It's the fact that young people all over the world suddenly really want to talk about God, Jesus and the Bible. /4

The things that actually obsess Peterson, that drive him to do what he does, have to do with the biggest possible questions of life: Why are we here? How do we find meaning? How do we confront the evil in our own hearts? How do we confront suffering? Who is God? Who is Christ? /5

Peterson has incomplete answers to these questions, but this is the real journey he and his most dedicated listeners are embarked on together. And many of them are looking for Christians to join them on the journey, just to help them sort it all out. /6

I have never had more fruitful witnessing opportunities than I have had this year, and I am not the only one. This is an unprecedented opportunity, but too few Christians are taking advantage of it. /7

For Christians who still don't understand what this is all about, let me point you to this conversation between @PaulVanderKlay and @glenscrivener, pastors on opposite sides of the Atlantic who are seeing what I'm seeing. /8

@PaulVanderKlay @glenscrivener I am hoping to write more about practical lessons the Church can glean from this, and hopefully point the way forward. We may have dropped the ball, but there's still time to pick it back up. /End

@PaulVanderKlay @glenscrivener Tagging people who have taken an interest in Peterson's work and may find this thread helpful: @paulcmaxwell @wagraham @sometimesalight @zugzwanged @drantbradley

@PaulVanderKlay @glenscrivener @paulcmaxwell @wagraham @sometimesalight @zugzwanged @drantbradley Also tagging @ostrachan, who has recognized this opportunity as well.