A renewed and vigorous scholarly quest for the historical Jesus is underway. Out of his own commitment to both historical scholarship and Christian ministry, Wright challenges us to roll up our sleeves and take seriously the study of the historical Jesus. The Challenge of Jesus poses the challenge of learning to grow in our understanding of the historical Jesus within the Palestinian world of the first century, while following Jesus more faithfully into the postmodern world of the twenty-first century.
Attempting to provide a fresh look at the Gospel through honest historical
study and to produce a firm sitz im leben for Jesus, Wright (dean, Lichfield
Cathedral) uses this portrait to motivate Christians to follow a "Jesus-shaped"
model of discipleship. He has propounded a new orthodoxy that has caused many
of his historical colleagues to call him a "fundamentalist," even as
fundamentalists are calling him a "compromised pseudo-liberal." That aside,
Wright has produced a work of frankly evangelical faith with strong historical
integrity, because both are necessary for serious study, uncomfortable as that
may be. While he believes that the quest for the historical Jesus is necessary,
he is sharply critical of modern, skeptical scholarship. Wright closes with a
rousing call for an active, Jesus-like involvement in the world. A refreshing
and inspiring read for those who take both conservative faith and historical
scholarship seriously. Recommended for academic and public libraries.--Eugene
O. Bowser, Univ. of Northern Colorado, Greeley Copyright 2000 Cahners Business
Information.
Here, prolific Anglican theologian and historical Jesus quester Wright makes
accessible to lay readers the arguments he laid out in his scholarly tome Jesus
and the Victory of God. But Wright does more than just rehash old arguments; he
adds a discussion of the resurrection, absent from Victory, and addresses the
prickly problem of relevance. In the first six chapters, Wright tackles many of
the questions of the historical Jesus debate: Did Jesus believe the Kingdom of
God was "now" or "later"? (Both, says Wright.) Did He know He was God in the
same way "that one knows one is hungry or thirsty"? ("It was not a mathematical
knowledge.... It was more like the knowledge that I have that I am loved by
those closest to me.") What exactly happened on Easter? (Jesus' body seemed
both physical and transphysical.) Wright then addresses how all these
historical-cum-theological musings are significant for Christians living in a
postmodern world. This superb addition to Wright's oeuvre will prove fruitful
reading for neophytes as well as for those already familiar with his approach.
(Jan.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
Average Rating: 5 out of 5 stars(5 out of 5 stars)
3 of 3 Reviews Showing:
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Benjamin Kirkup (Playa Del Rey, CA), November 28, 2008
This book proved to be an excellent summary of N T Wright's 3 volume "Christian Origins and the Question of God". It would be hard to appreciate the power of his thoughts in this short volume, but it is even harder to keep track of the main thoughts in the longer version. Both should be read. N T Wright is an outstanding historian and his particular theology, which one might disagree with, does not show through in this excellent discussion of how to understand the context of the Gospels.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Claudia Williams (Clifton, NJ), July 21, 2008
Mr. Wright is an honest historian who loves Christ. I appreciated his style of investigation. But this book really opened my eyes to Jesus' appeal to the Jewish nation of His day on earth. He was telling them that He was the fulfillment of the prophesies, and He proved it by rising from the dead. Many times he made reference to the coming judgment on the Jewish nation which would reject Him. Before I read this book, I never understood the passages that way. This has been very enlightening, and I would recommend it highly.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Dustin Keeton Williams (Canton, Oh), March 20, 2004
This book was awesome and life changing for me...it spoke to a need I already had, to a position I was already in. Rejected from both liberal and conservative viewpoints, in the wasteland between, extends a truly progressive, and yet evangelical, vision of what following Jesus means. I highly recommend this book, or anything else by Wright, to all people.
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