One of the the most exciting Christian books of the year will be available on February 5th.Synopsis: What do Christians hope for? To leave this wicked world and go to 'heaven'? For the 'kingdom of God' to grow gradually on earth? What do we mean by the 'resurrection of the body', and how does that fit with the popular image of sitting on clouds playing harps? And how does all this affect the way we live in the here and now?
Tom Wright, one of our leading theologians, addresses these questions in this provocative and wide-ranging new book. He outlines the present confusion about future hope in both church and world. Then, having explained why Christians believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus himself, he explores the biblical hope for 'new heavens and new earth', and shows how the 'second coming' of Jesus, and the eventual resurrection, belong within that larger picture, together with the intermediate hope for 'heaven'. For many, including many Christians, all this will come as a great surprise.Wright convincingly argues that what we believe about life after death directly affects what we believe about life before death.
For if God intends to renew the whole creation - and if this has already begun in Jesus' resurrection - the church cannot stop at 'saving souls', but must anticipate the eventual renewal by working for God's kingdom in the wider world, bringing healing and hope in the present life.Lively and accessible, this book will surprise and excite all who are interested in the meaning of life not only after death but before it.
5 comments:
looking forward to getting my copy and gobbling it up ...
N.T. Wright's vision for the Christian hope is refreshing and tangible.
'What do we mean by the 'resurrection of the body'?
A question that only Wright can answer, as Paul never uses such a phrase.
Paul says that Jesus became a spirit.
Scot McKnight will be doing a series on this book on his blog: jesuscreed.org. Should be an interesting discussion.
Steven, I think Paul is looking forward to a time after he dies when he will be resurrected (Phil 3.11, he uses a future tense) in the same way as Jesus was ... with a new, resurrected body (see 1 Cor 15, also Luke 24, which Paul likely had an influence over).
Also, the idea that Jesus became a spirit does not explain the rise of the early church since the idea of someone becoming a spirit was not an unusual notion, much less worldview shifting.
Paul does not mean anything by 'the resurrection of the body' as he never uses that phrase.
What did account for the growth of Christian churches where converts scoffed at the idea of God choosing to raise corpses?
What shifted the world-view of the converts that Paul was writing to, so that they scoffed at the idea of God choosing to raise corpses?
Paul puts them right by reminding them that heavenly things are as different from earthly things as a fish is different to the moon.
Only an idiot thinks a fish turns into the moon!
And he chastises the Corinthians by reminding them that Jesus became a spirit.
Mind you, Paul still had to correct them, and wrote again, telling them in 2 Corinthians 5 about the destruction of their earthly bodies.
Paul pleads in Romans 7:24 to be rescued from his body of death.
The author of 1 Peter knew that all flesh was grass - no talk from him of flesh not seeing corruption.
Like all other early Christian converts, these people knew exactly what happened to corpses.
And they were worried....
Samuel Adams
c/o Food for the Hungry
BP 911
Kigali, Rwanda, Africa
You can send a 'flat rate' box via the USPS that costs I don't know how much, but you can stuff as much crap in it as you want and it won't cost extra because of weight (I don't think).
Suprised By Hope should be in that box, along with a loufa and some skittles, and perhaps other things that I realize the need for. you may consult me before sending if you wish, and I will gladly repay you four-fold during your and Jenny's journey to Nepal.
Peace be with you.
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