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Title: The New Testament and the People of God (Christian Origins and the Question of God, Vol 1) by N. T. Wright ISBN: 0-8006-2681-8 Publisher: Fortress Press Pub. Date: September, 1996 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.47 (15 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: First-rate study of the New Testament
Comment: This book is Vol I in a projected 5-volume series called "Christian Origins and the Question of God", and so far it's the best. Wright believes that the way to find the historical Jesus is, so to speak, by a pincer movement: forward from the picture of first-century Judaism, and backward from the gospels. This book outlines the world-views of 2nd Temple Judaism and primitive Christianity with exhaustive detail. While it has become the force of fashion in academia to shun even speaking of a monolithic "first-century Judaism" -- for, indeed, there were many "Judaisms" in the first century -- Wright nonetheless teases out common denominators in the religion. Ditto with Christianity. Though there were various different Christian groups in the first century, they shared in common basic and fundamental beliefs about the messiah Jesus (anti-Judaic "Christianities", such as Gnosticism, were exceptional abberations). Wright demonstrates beyond a reasonable doubt that eschatology -- the hope for Yahweh's Kingdom to come, "on earth as it is in heaven" -- was the bedrock of both Judaism and early Christianity.
This book also deals with crucial issues of epistemology. Wright heavily criticizes the pretentious methodology of doing "pure history" divorced from theology; this is just as wrong as attempting the Bultmannian stunt of doing theology without solid controls from history. As difficult as it makes the great religious task, history and theology must complement and check each other. He is as critical of the modernist's claim to pure objectivity as he is of the postmodernist's dominating self-indulgent subjectivity. The result is a methodology which uses the best, and discards the worst, from all three domains: orthodox dogma, objective criticism, and subjective interpretation. Read this excellent tome, and then read the sequel, Vol II, "Jesus and the Victory of God".
Rating: 5
Summary: CLASSIC ARGUMENT FOR JEWISH ORIGIN OF CHRISTIANITY
Comment: Any attempt to characterize this book is like trying to bottle a whirlwind--it is a massive, heavily documented, and well argued case for a historical understanding of the origin of Christianity. Basically, Wright argues for: 1) a proper historical methodology, 2) a 2nd-temple Jewish background for Jesus & the N.T., and 3) a Jewish Messianic understanding of earliest Christian community.
According to Wright, there is no such thing as a totally "objective" neutral view of reality; and while the N.T. offers an "interpretation" of Jesus, it is precisely the historical Jesus who is presented to us--rather than distorting Jesus, or creating a figure, to express their own private perspective, their witness brings out the "real" significance of the historical Jesus. Thus Wright argues for a "critical realism" methodology. Next Wright argues for a common worldview of 2nd temple Judaism, via an examination of its typical praxis, symbols, and beliefs. Then he argues that we can best understand Jesus, the N.T., and the earliest Christian community against this background. In all of these arguments, Wright draws upon numerous extant Jewish sources and references to other scholarly works.
Wright's treatment is comprehensive, massive, detailed, compelling, and original. His treatment of Jesus, the N.T., and the early Christian community against the Jewish background brings them to life, is believable and convincing; and throughout his book he critiques other scholarly positions and demonstrates how his offers a more probable accurate historical point of view. In the process, he destroys numerous traditional critical theories and sets the direction for all future discussion.
Rating: 4
Summary: A challenging and engaging work.
Comment: This is a general review of not just this book, but many of Wright's books which seem to carry an underlying anti-Jewish bent throughout. After reading Douglas Harink's Paul among the Postliberals and Kendall Soulen's The God of Israel and Christian Theology, I read this series both in wonder and pain. I have great and deep respect for what Wright has "gotten" right and accomplished in his writings, yet how did he miss the mark on physical Israel, A New Testament people of God as well? Studies by Markus Barth, Yoder, W.D. Davies, etc. offer a good counter-balance. Jews should not abandon their covenantal identity or ancestry. Israel still remains elect and in a special relationship with God through which Gentiles have been engrafted. How this can be accomplished if the church applies Wright's views remains to be seen. Wright seems to expropriate, when he should appropriate, the name Israel to itself. Overall, Wright is a first class scholar and a gifted treasure the Church has been blessed with. Aside from any criticism, he offered more thought, page for page, then what I had encountered in most evangelical or liberal New Testament studies. A worhty book, well worth the price of admission.
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Title: Jesus and the Victory of God (Christian Origins and the Question of God, Volume 2) by N. T. Wright ISBN: 0800626826 Publisher: Fortress Press Pub. Date: August, 1997 List Price(USD): $41.00 |
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Title: The Resurrection of the Son of God (Christian Origins and the Question of God, 3) by N. T. Wright ISBN: 0800626796 Publisher: Fortress Press Pub. Date: May, 2003 List Price(USD): $39.00 |
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Title: What Saint Paul Really Said: Was Paul of Tarsus the Real Founder of Christianity? by N. T. Wright, Tom Wright ISBN: 0802844456 Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Pub. Date: June, 1997 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is by N. T. Wright ISBN: 0830822003 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: November, 1999 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship by N. T. Wright ISBN: 0802841325 Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Pub. Date: October, 1997 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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