N T Wright – Justification – post 2

[up to p.37]

Okay, so I haven’t gotten much farther, but I do have more to say.

Style and Method

This book is one of the most understandable and readable and pleasant books I have ever picked up in theology.  Wright is always a master of extended metaphor.  His understanding of the way that Paul writes comes out in the way he himself writes, always drawing in narrative, always alluding to controlling narratives.

As to method, I just intend here a comment about the question “Will Wright cut to the chase?”  It seems that Wright is being direct, and intensely clear about his views.  He is also keeping the gloves off and not pulling any punches.  While I never see Wright being mean, he is not putting on pleasantries in order to converse in a friendly way at a dinner party.  Wright is doing what he needs to do at this point.  He is actually saying, “So and so theologian gets x wrong and misses x passage.”  So my hope, up through page 37, is that the book will continue to speak so plainly.

When I was first encountered Wright in 2000-2003, I kept wondering “Is he not aware of what people are saying about him over here, in America?”  I wondered this because, most times when I heard a fellow reformed christian criticizing Wright, the criticism was about works-based salvation [which, make no mistake, he thoroughly repudiates and denies].  But I never seemed to read him saying anything about it.  The fact that it wasn’t a concern for Wright to deal with such a matter just seemed to fuel many fires and make people say that he was in fact a gospel-denier – a works preacher….

But, like Augustine retracting his disbelief in miracles after many miraculous proofs, I have now heard and seen Wright speak about this so many times I have to say “He absolutely is not what they all think he is.”

Now, Instead of wondering whether he knows that they are blaming him of Pelagianism, I wonder, “Does anyone know that Wright has answered this question satisfactorily MANY times?

This book should only make that answer louder and more accessible to the public.

N T Wright – Justification – post 1

Yesterday, on my birthday, I was really excited to get a gift in the mail via Amazon.

I intended to just sit down for a couple of pages, really just a few before going to sleep.  I read 17 pages – up through page 30 – and just couldn’t stop reading.  Of course, it isn’t into the meat of the book at all yet.  But the writing is so good, and Wright is so interesting, that it is just a real pleasure to read.

I am terrible about book reviewing, and I happen to be reading several (many) other books right now.  But this Wright book takes an important priority, as its historical moment of discussion is upon us.

—I am happy to see that Wright is indeed expecting to get done his Book 4 in the Christian Origins and the Question of God - the big book on Paul!—

N T Wright responds to Piper

Trevin Wax give us the following

Interview with N.T. Wright – Responding to Piper on Justification

See Amazon for the upcoming book : [Click Here]

John Piper: “Be Courageous” to President Barack Obama

Fantastically well stated.  Thank you, John Piper, for being courageous.