Those of you who know me know that I am a reader. I love books and I love to read…at times books have become idols in my life and I have had to set some boundaries. I confess my love for reading is so strong that I must even read my sermons, although as I do I try to bring the reading to a new level and so far this seems to have worked out. There is an art to reading I think.
At any rate this all relates to what I am reading now. I have three primary texts on the go and several secondary. The primary ones are "required" so to speak. There is an urgency to completing them. I am reviewing "This is Your Brain on Joy" by Dr. Earl Henslin for Thomas Nelson Publishing as part of my new relationship with them. I am reading "Lord or Legend? Wrestling With the Jesus Dilemma" by Gregory A. Boyd and Paul Rhodes Eddy for a book club I recently joined. What I am most excited about and what has joined my trinity of primary texts is Tom Wright’s new book Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision. I think this book will be the highlight of my reading this year (please – I understand what this says about my social life).
Here is an excerpt from the back cover:
"(Wright) argues that ‘traditional’ readings of Paul can suggest that the apostle’s message is simply about us: our sin, our justification, our salvation. All of these are important but they are not the heart of the matter, for, as Wright declare in the first chapter of the book, ‘We are not the centre of the universe. God is not circling around us. We are circling around Him.’"
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
Wright moves us to a more complete and holistic reading of Scripture than few before him have. His writing is forward, anapologetic and laser-focused on what God’s Word tells us today. His scholarship is steamrolling over the pop theology of the day while still being accessible. There have not been many pastor/theologians – Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther, and Augustine are three that come quickly to mind and I think Wright fits this mould perfectly. I know that I am the equivalent of an ecclesial cheerleader right now, gushing over our team’s theological quarterback but who cares? If you’ve read anything by Wright I’d like you to post your own opinions. Otherwise stay tuned for my review of this latest book.
