Dove Award-nominated recording artist, songwriter and award-winning author Andrew Peterson releases the long-awaited album Resurrection Letters, Vol. I March 30 from Centricity Music. Releasing in time for Easter, the album is also available for preorder beginning today at iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Play and more digital outlets internationally through https://AndrewPeterson.lnk.to/RLVol1Preorder.
Resurrection Letters, Vol. I features songs like "I've seen Too Much," "His Heart Beats" (heard on Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God tour last year) and "Is He Worthy," which becomes the first video from the album premiere-streaming today from The Gospel Coalition at http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/andrew-peterson-resurrection-letters/.
Filmed at Scarritt Bennett's Wightman Chapel in Nashville, the video's one continuous take is meant to add visual beauty, simple elegance and serve the message of the song. Elements like the choir, strings, worshippers and drums are introduced fluidly as the declaration in the song is represented.
"The word 'liturgy' means 'the work of the people,' so a liturgical service implies community--not just listening to a pastor (though that happens) but edifying one another by reaffirming what we believe again and again. I wanted to write a song that did the same," says Peterson regarding the impetus behind "Is He Worthy."
"Revelation 5 contains one of the most beautiful and dramatic scenes in scripture, and is centered around the question, 'Is anyone worthy?'" continues Peterson. "The resounding answer is, 'Yes! And his name is Jesus.' That's what this whole album is about."
Produced by Ben Shive, Resurrection Letters, Vol. I is the prequel (think Star Wars) to the highly acclaimed album Peterson released and Shive produced in 2008, Resurrection Letters, Vol. II. While Vol. II is more about the implications of Christ's resurrection victory over sin and death in our own lives, Vol. I begins with the heartbeat of the resurrected Christ while exploring the resurrection itself and its centrality to Christianity. Ten years in the making, the celebratory new volume is meant to move listeners to a greater gratitude, awe and love for God.
"My dream for Resurrection Letters, Vol. I is that it would be the kind of record people turned up to eleven on Easter Sunday, when Christians all over the world celebrate something that happened--it really happened--two millennia ago," says Peterson.
But leading up to the celebration on Easter Sunday, Peterson offers his 5-star-acclaimed Resurrection Letters: Prologue, a collection of five "waiting songs" meant to remind listeners of the gravity of the crucifixion and to pique longing for the moment when morning breaks and Christ triumphs over the grave.
Available now from digital retailers everywhere and through https://AndrewPeterson.lnk.to/Prologue, Prologue was recently discussed on the Colson Center's "Breakpoint Podcast" and CCM Magazine calls the EP in its 5-star review "the finest poetry Peterson has written, set to a cinematic soundscape sometimes appropriately sparse and sometimes jarringly hopeful." Jesus Freak Hideout lauds, "it's hard to think of how Good Friday could be better and more-succinctly encapsulated than [with] this Prologue."
See more of Peterson's explanation of how the three-part Resurrection Letters came about, including why Vol. II came first and why the new volume was so long in the making, in a blog post at The Rabbit Room.
The most congregational songs that Peterson has ever recorded, Resurrection Letters, Vol. I and Resurrection Letters: Prologue will be available as digital-only releases along with a physical-only Deluxe Edition that will combine the music of both projects.
Dove Award-nominated recording artist, songwriter and award-winning author 
