I’ve been following with interest Scot McKnight’s Jesus Creed blog, where he’s recently begun working through the rather contentious book: The Evangelical Universalist. Since it’s such a controversial theological issue, but also one which often sparks huge interest, I thought I’d draw your attention to Scot’s discussion of the book’s main arguments.
Have recently been re-reading through Tom Wright’s Surprised by Hope, which is an incredible, really relevant, really useful book unpacking the Christian hope for the future, the resurrection, and new creation.
For me, its often really useful to have some kind of visual diagram/notes to be able to really get to grips with what a book is saying (as a slightly nerdy observation, that’s why Nussbaum’s reader for Bosch’s Transforming Mission is so useful – it has diagrams!). So, I’ve pulled together a diagram of what I think are Wright’s key arguments in Surprised by Hope – so I thought I’d post it in case it’s helpful to anyone else.
What books are others working their way through at the moment?
Its usual around this time to bloggers to start putting lists together to sum up the previous year – so I thought I’d provide my own. Here’s my list of a few films, albums, books, people, videos – whatever – that have left their mark on me this year. In no particular order…
In the second half of this year, Changeling was the film that hit me the hardest (Trailer here). What hit me was just how easy it was for these people who really thought they were doing the right thing to get it so wrong. Angelina Jolie played a very different role really well.
Throughout this year, Alan has managed to regularly turn out thought-provoking posts about missional, liminality and communitas on his blog. This is one of the few blogs in my reader that has no unread posts.
Part 1 | Part 2
The first two chapters of Surprised by Hope offer a critique of modern cultural and Christian attitudes to death, and resurrection. Chapter 2 offers a strong critique of Christian thought and culture.
Death is an enemy, not a friend.
Wright talks about the widespread confusion around death and the afterlife – referring to Christian hymns and poetry. In particular, he criticises the lack of reference to physical resurrection and references to heaven as someplace out there. As opposed to God's Kingdom here.
He refers to the use of Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew's gospel – which really refers to God's kingdom here on earth.
He also discusses Revelation as a description of what is happening in heaven at the present time – and then Rev 21-22 as the grand finale with heaven descending to earth, rather than any other way around.
Referring to universalism, Wright argues that diminishing hell in our theology of the endtimes only makes the reality of heaven smaller – and that this reality is fundemental to the Christian hope for the future.
It is this hope which spurs us onwards into mission – reminds me of this Leadership Journal article I read earlier in the week about preaching so people "want to" rather than "have to". We have to resurrect and reclaim a bright, glorious image of God's future vision and promises if we wish to inspire a new generation of Christians into incarnational mission.
Wright also talks about how our hymns have not played their fundemental part in inciting this vision – referring instead to death as escape and to a "soul resurrection" rather than something which is physical and bodily. It's amazing how many really well known offenders there are that Wright pulls out from the hymn books.
I really strongly believe that "hymns and spiritual songs" are a primary vehicle for inspiring God's people for life and mission. We need to reclaim and write new "songs of the revolution" which will spur us on.
Finally, Wright talks about how our theology of the endtimes needs to be one for which this life and this earth matter. A confused, unbiblical theology has left us with lives now and a planet now which have very little importance compared with the place we will one day "escape" to. This can't be God's will for our lives – and isn't the picture which the bible presents. For Wright, the link between our endtimes theology and why we are here (mission) needs to be re-made.
Part 1 | Part 2
Managed to get hold of a copy of Tom Wright’s new book (kind of pinched from my little brother), so thought it would be cool to try and blog through a book. This isn’t something I’ve done before, only seen Scot McKnight do – but thought it could be an interesting exercise. Hopefully I will manage to blog my way all the way to the end of the book.
My intention is less to try and sum up each chapter, but more to try and use the book as a launch pad for my own evaluation and reflection. So a disclaimer to start: if you are looking for a balanced summary of the book, this probably won’t be it.
Wright starts by building a case for the need of a book that deals with eschatology (life after death) by sketching a picture of the many confused and muddled up ideas people, both Christian and non-Christian have of life after death. He uses examples like the Hillsborough Disaster and the death of Princess Diana to describe the many different superstitious ideas people have around death. Two broad responses would be a kind of stubborn atheism on one hand, and what I would call the “Lion King eschatology” on the other – the dead will live on in the stars / always be watching over us from creation. He also comments that belief in reincarnation is now becoming more predominant.
He begins to build an argument about the connection between our understanding of life after death, and the way we choose to live our lives now. In theological terms, we would understand this as the link between eschatology and missiology (this being our understanding of the Christian “mission”). I’d call it (I don’t know whether this is an established term) an eschatological imperative – our hope for the future drives our present.
Wright begins to build the case that with only a confused understanding of this future hope, we lose out on the motivation to work towards it in the present.
Most Christians still have an understanding of one day being “zapped up” to heaven, and abandoning this earth – which does absolutely nothing to motivate for the present. We need to get back to a biblical understanding of the re-new-ing of creation. I’m don't need to guess that this is where Wright is going…
If we can really allow this eschatological, missional imperative to join in with God’s re-creation permeate our faith communities, then the Church will suddenly find itself with a whole lot more purpose.
Recently discovered Alan Hirsch's blog, and finding his posts on Apostolic leadership really interesting. Been reflecting a lot recently on what/who I should be as a leader and struggling against the tension between being visionary and trying to inspire people to follow in a really active, upfront way, and my own way of leading by consensus and being much quieter. Hirsch presents a model of leadership which feels much more natural than the box I tend to feel myself being pushed into, but at the same time is visionary and inspirational.
I particularly like where he speaks about the Apostolic Leader being one who rather than attempting to motivate the community by using incentives or offering a "what you can get out of this", instead motivates by appealing to a higher sense of morality. I seem to have spent so much time trying to motivate people by whatever method might work (one of the burdens of leadership I am told ;-) – I think it's time for a different approach. This seems to be a much more visionary, "charismatic" way of leading. I feel liberated in an awesome way to just communicate our shared vision for the Lab and to really challenge and say "Guys, this is what we've signed up to together, this is how Jesus did it, so come on, let's do it."
Seriously recommend looking through his blog if you are thinking about leadership, especially in a missional context. Really need to get hold of a copy of The Forgotten Ways for my summer reading.
At the moment am feeling really excited about the summer as a chance to relax and re-group for next September AND moving into the house in Alway in a week's(ish) time (if all goes to plan) AND what the Lab will look like and grow into over the Autumn term once September comes around.
Just have to get through a couple more essays and one more week of College.
Welcome to the blog of James Henley. I'm a young church leader / youth worker and student based in Newport, South Wales.
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