Eugene H. Peterson was a pastor, scholar, writer, and poet. After teaching at a seminary and then giving nearly thirty years to church ministry in the Baltimore area, he created The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language—a vibrant Bible translation that connects with today’s readers like no other. It took Eugene a full ten years to complete. He worked from the Greek and Hebrew texts to ensure authenticity. At the same time, his ear was always tuned to the cadence and energy of contemporary English.

Eugene wrote more than thirty books, including As Kingfishers Catch Fire, Run with the Horses, and A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. For his work on The Message, he received the prestigious ECPA Gold Medallion Book Award.

Eugene served as Professor of Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, BC, retiring in 2006. He spent his final years in Montana with his beloved wife, Jan.