The Wright Stuff

I just finished one the best, most challenging books I think I've ever read: Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright. His style is simultaneously incredibly informative and historically based, witty, and justifiably angry with culture, politics, and certain aspects of the modern church. This book is definitely not your average Saturday afternoon read or slightly-challenging-but-still-feel-good Bible study book for your small group.

It's better. In reading this book, many of my assumptions and thoughts were challenged, broken down, and redefined. Wright's major premise is to define the world we live in - an ultimately good creation with caught in the tension between Easter and the new creation (ie, Revelation 21-22). Fascinatingly, this is a book focused on end times without laying out multiple ridiculously confusing sequences of events (of questionable Scriptural soundness) for the end of the world.

While my mind is still reeling, processing, and re-thinking the book, I find myself writing this post to both collect and share my thoughts about the experience (sometimes grueling) of reading this book.

Here we go....

Major insight #1: I loved the intellectual challenge of reading Hope, and found my faith growing because my mind was so engaged. In the words of Wright himself, I was made to be a "thinking Christian." As much as I love other disciplines, such as listening to music, sermons, and praying, it is when I dig deep reading books like this in conjunction with Scripture that I find the most growth and insight. (Scripturally, Wright hangs out in mostly 1 Corinthians 15 and Romans). By gaining deeper insight into the nature of the resurrection and God's plan for the new creation, I understand Him, and his character, so much more. And by the way, if you haven't figured it out already, He's pretty incredible. :)

And while I know that I will continue to pursue this kind of growth (after I take a brain break, that is), I know this isn't everyone's path for growth. But find your own disciplines...spiritual growth is possible for everyone, and God pursues all of us in our own ways.

Major insight #2: I was comforted and challenged by the challenge of living between Easter and the new creation. I recognize the goodness of our world, but see daily that "the world is still in fact a sad and wicked place...." Wright describes a tension in our world that resonates with me. And deep down, don't we all know that God's work isn't done in this place? Jesus came, but isn't there something more?

Lately, I have been discouraged more than encouraged at work. I currently have a motley crew of patients, all incredibly broken, incredibly ill, incredibly in need of healing and redemption I am not sure modern medicine can provide. I wish somehow I could get them all their redemption bodies now...but I can't. This, in my opinion, is exactly the tension we feel in our current world. Which leads me to the next thought.

Major insight #3: As Christians, we are called to be active in bringing heaven to earth NOW. God isn't starting fresh with the new earth; He's going to redeem our current world. And we're called to be used in the here and now for His redemptive purposes. Part of this process, Wright says, is our personal renewal through obedience, but also a kind of activism in our current world. We are "called and equipped...to think and act quite differently in the world from those who don't [believe in the resurrection]."

What is my role in this 'kingdom project'? I don't think there is a clear, check-box kind of answer. But I know it involves faithful stewardship of all of our resources, including the natural world. I know it involves renewing our minds, our thoughts, our actions. I know it involves reaching people for Christ, not just to save their soul, but to save the whole person...to make them disciples. For me, living now for the resurrection is somehow more exciting, motivating, and challenging than just living the Christian life for 'fire insurance' to get into heaven (which I now know isn't the goal of Christianity anyways).

The best answer I've found is this:

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (1 Cor 15:58 / ESV)

Let's get to work...not on our own efforts, but by opening our hearts and lives to let God do His work through us.