in Resurrectione Carnis

BOOK REVIEW: N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope

Doug Strong is a person I have tremendous respect for; so when he highly recommends a book, it get serious attention -- especially when the author is someone I already have found to be one of the leading theological voices of our time.

N.T. Wright's Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church stands out as one of the best books I've read, especially on the topic of ultimate issues, in a long time.

Wright, onetime Bishop of Durham (England) and now a professor once again at the University of St. Andrews, takes aim at common -- unscriptural -- misconceptions around the nature of heaven and the resurrection in popular culture, misconceptions that often owe more to Greek thought or sentimentalism than to the word of God. Unfortunately, many of these have permeated even the teaching and worship of the Church (e.g., through popular hymns and songs). This is not a harmless development, since it corrupts the Church's witness to the Gospel, robs believers of their true (and exciting!) hope, and tends to foster a fatalism about the world that is very contrary to the message of Jesus and the apostles. In its place, Wright sets forth a vision which is not only thoroughly Biblical, but engaging and invested in the world around us, while not losing sight of the glorious destiny of God's children.

This is truly a must-read for Christian thinkers of all stripes, including pastors and teachers of doctrine (like Sunday school teachers). Accessible without being dumbed-down, it opens a vista on the destiny of God's children that is quite irresistible. If you have to pick one Christian book of substance to read this year, you can't do better than this one.

Thanks, Tom Wright; and thanks, Doug!


[Wright, N.T. Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. New York: HarperOne, 2008. xiv + 332 pp.]


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