Wright, N.T. - Surprised By Hope

[Ken Pell]

Moderators (and others):

Is there a book review for this book on naznet?

If so I missed it.

If not, I will start one here.

[Hans Deventer]

Ken, the very reason why I insist on the "last name, first name - title" format is that by clicking on "thread", all the posts in the forum are sorted alphabetically. That way, it is easy to see if a book has already been reviewed or not.

Your answer is "no". And this explains how I found it!

[Ken Pell]

Ken, the very reason why I insist in the "last name, first name - title" format is that by clicking on "thread", all the posts in the forum are sorted alphabetically. That way, it is easy to see if a book has already been reviewed or not.

Your answer is "no". And this explains how I found it!

:o

What a brilliant idea! :)

:o

[Ken Pell]

The complete title of this book is Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. and it is by far the best book I have read this summer. Maybe this year.

I love Wright's ecumenical writing style and his vast understanding of the subjects he writes on. He is revisiting the resurrection of Jesus in this book (you are probably familiar with his book "The Resurrection and the son of God") and providing organic implications of a belief in a bodily resurrection ... "Life after life after death" ("bodily death followed by renewed bodily life") is not about Heaven; it is about here and now.

This book is one of the recent influences that has forced me to stop and reflect on what it means to live in a global neighborhood. What I do affects others across the globe and vice verse. Therefore, I cannot simply "cross to the other side of the street" as it were when it comes to global issues and pass them off as someone else's responsibility. I have a role to play.

Wright's asserts that the resurrection has been hijacked by fundamentalism and liberalism alike and made to mean less than the first century world (not just the Biblical writers or the church) understood it to mean. The Kingdom of God coming to earth was inaugurated by the resurrection and had powerful (tangible) expressions by early Christians. Think: "No King but Jesus".


I would heartily recommend this book.

[Chris Easton]

This book will freak out many lay people. I love it and N.T. Wright is right on! Christian's today, and I say this includes Nazarenes have bought the "Left Behind Series" hook line and sinker! I am only on page 60 of this book and realize the task at hand is large! As a young Nazarene pastor I know it will take my whole life to undue the damage of Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkin's fictional account of Christ's return.