“Jesus, Paul and the People of God” is a collection of seven essays presented at the 2010 Wheaton Theology Conference by Wright’s friends and critics, with short individual responses and two major summaries by Wright.
Remarkably for a book like this, I found every essay engaging. One of Wright’s major essays, with the self-explanatory title “Whence and Whither Historical Jesus Studies in the Life of the Church?” is, by itself, worth the price of the book.
The essays in the book’s first half summarize and forcefully critique themes within Wright’s approach to historical Jesus studies (e.g., the historical value of John’s Gospel, the relationship between history and revelation, Jesus and justice, eschatology and the kingdom). The second half does the same with Wright’s work on Paul (e.g., the meaning of justification, the importance of ecclesiology, the nature of heaven).
Fans will need no encouragement. For those not yet convinced that Wright’s work is important, let me add two notes of encouragement. First, because of Wright, the themes discussed in these essays are increasingly front and center not only in academic biblical studies but in popular theological books and Bible study resources.
Second, this book surfaces, quite intentionally, at a particular moment in “Tom Wright studies.” Over the past 20 years, Wright’s primary public conversation partners in discussing the validity and meaning of historical evidence for Jesus have been “liberal” scholars (e.g., Crossan, Borg, Fiorenza) with Wright being the “evangelical champion.” More recently, however, the discussion partners have expanded to include Wright’s own evangelical community, some of whom are supportive, but – and this is the twist — some of whom are vehemently opposed to Wright’s approach (and he to theirs!). In 2007, for example, Wright’s insistence that the biblical meaning of justification be understood more through the lens of the first century than through the Reformation-era lens of the 16th and 17th centuries, led to a book directly rebutting Wright by evangelical author John Piper. Today, Wright’s insistence that Jesus’ eschatological vision ties heaven and earth together rather than moves people from earth to an eternity somewhere else has been embraced by Rob Bell, whose recent book “Love Wins: Heaven Hell and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived” is stirring the evangelical pot further.
“Jesus, Paul and the People of God” is great set of well-written essays by engaging scholars providing a first-time introduction to, or an all-in-one place to review, the breadth of Wright’s work.
David Renwick is pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Spartanburg, S.C.
