What Are We Waiting For?: Re-Imaging Advent for Time to Come

by William Herbert Petersen

Offers a new perspective on Advent, including resourcesEveryone knows that Advent is about waiting, but author William H. Petersen asks, what are we waiting for? In this book, he argues for a liturgical renewal in the life and mission of the Church by proposing an expanded, seven-week observance of Advent, taking its cue from the shape and substance of the Revised Common Lectionary, while noting (and critiquing) the Church’s complicity in the “Christmas culture.” Resources for a more authentic observance of Advent (other than a simple short four-week count-down to Christmas) are proposed and presented. With a renewed emphasis on eschatological formation into the Body of Christ during an expanded season, this counter-cultural approach gets beyond the secular and commercial Christmas preparation madness. Instead, it provides the Church (and the seasonally harried Christians who make up the Church) with the opportunity to enter each new liturgical year not simply as engaging a routine cycle, but with ever deeper understandings, broader horizons, and higher expectations in furthering our life and mission as reflection and agent of the Reign of God/Kingdom of Christ.

128 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2017

Reviews

[Margaret D'Anieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bill Petersen was a seminary prof, and I confess I bought and read this partly in support of him, personally; I’d heard his ideas about extending Advent and, honestly, thought the project one of rearranging the Titanic’s deck chairs. I should have known better.
Whether or not one chooses to re-imagine Advent in the outward and visible ways (for which he argues persuasively), this book helped me re-focus on what Advent is really about. Far from making something up out of whole cloth, he starts with the lectionary we are given and works from there. It is a book of biblical theology as much as one of liturgy. Well done, old friend!

[Melanie Barbarito · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since Bill Petersen was my dean when I attended Bexley Hall, I had to give this at least four stars. I appreciate the concept and would give it a go if I had my own parish--the the Bishop's approval, of course. My one complaint is that it is extremely erudite and would be hard for most lay folks to get through. It reads like a thesis. However, it does get very practical at the end. I haven't yet checked out the website with addenda, but plan to do so.