Christopher J H Wright

Nothing confuses Christian ethics quite like the Old Testament. Some faithful readers struggle through its pages and conclude that they must obey its moral laws but may disregard its ceremonial and civil laws. Others abandon its teaching altogether in favor of a strictly New Testament ethic. Neither option, argues Chris Wright, gives the Old Testament its due.In this innovative approach to Old Testament ethics--fully revised, updated and expanded since its first appearance in 1983 as Living as the People of God (An Eye for an Eye in North America) and including material from Walking in the Ways of the Lord--Wright examines a theological, social and economic framework for Old Testament ethics. Then he explores a variety of themes in relation to contemporary issues: economics, the land and the poor; politics and a world of nations; law and justice; society and culture; and the way of the individual.This fresh, illuminating study provides a clear basis for a biblical ethic that is faithful to the God of both Testaments.

Thirty-five of John Stott's friends open their hearts and share significant memories of a unique man, mentor, speaker and author, creating a vivid gallery of very personal portraits from around the globe. From 'Wumby Dumby', the special uncle and godfather, to the Revd Dr John Stott, international Christian statesman, this tribute contains a rich bank of memories, representing a key period in twentieth-century British evangelicalism. The human John Stott is very much in evidence also, for example in stories from the author's bird-watching exploits and relaxed holidays at his beloved Welsh home. Many brush strokes, one portrait, this presents a compelling and multi-faceted image of a fascinating Christian leader. [Contains coloured art sections x 2 with a unique collection of photos, both formal and informal.]

Description: Many Christians wrestle with biblical passages in which God commands the slaughter of the Canaanites-men, women, and children. The issue of the morality of the biblical God is one of the major challenges for faith today. How can such texts be Holy Scripture? In this bold and innovative book Douglas Earl grasps the bull by the horns and guides readers to new and unexpected ways of looking at the book of Joshua. Drawing on insights from the early church and from modern scholarship, Earl argues that we have mistakenly read Joshua as a straightforward historical account and have ended up with a genocidal God. In contrast, Earl offers a theological interpretation in which the mass killing of Canaanites is a deliberate use of myth to make important theological points that are still valid today. Christopher J. H. Wright then offers a thoughtful response to Earl's provocative views. The book closes with Earl's reply to Wright and readers are encouraged to continue the debate. Endorsements: "There is no doubt that the Bible-and the God of the Bible-are saturated with reams of violence . . . and nowhere more frontally than in the book of Joshua. Douglas Earl wades boldly into the problem of reading Joshua theologically. He brings to the task the rich resources of the Christian tradition and the best of current hermeneutical possibilities. The outcome is a rich, suggestive approach that invites deep rethinking of how we read such texts responsibly. His book is a welcome voice in an important, vexed, unfinished conversation." --Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary, USA "This sophisticated but plainly written study is eye-opening even for highly practiced readers and teachers of Scripture. Taking on one of the most difficult cases in the Bible, Earl offers guidance for discovering the truth of Scripture without sacrificing critical acumen on historical and ethical matters." --Ellen Davis, Duke Divinity School, USA "Douglas Earl aims to revive 'spiritual' or symbolic readings of Joshua, going back to Origen, but refined in the light of modern anthropological understandings of myth and symbol. This is a timely and illuminating book, written with the highest regard for Scripture, and I commend it warmly to all who are exercised by the problem of violence in the Old Testament." --Gordon McConville, University of Gloucestershire, UK About the Contributor(s): Douglas Earl did his PhD on the book of Joshua at the University of Durham. He is author of Reading Joshua as Christian Scripture. Christopher J. H. Wright is an Old Testament scholar and the Director of the Langham Partnership

What does the Bible say about God's purpose for us, the witness of the church, and our mission to spread the message of the gospel? Chris Wright's pioneering 2006 book, The Mission of God, revealed that the typical Christian understanding of "missions" encompasses only a small part of God's overarching mission for the world. God is relentlessly reclaiming the whole of creation for himself, and each of us fit into that big-picture plan.In The Mission of God's People, Wright argues that having a strong biblical theology that shapes our thinking and behavior must be in place before answering the call of the Great Commission. Wright first steps back and answers some of the biggest questions of God's story and our place within it:Who are the people of God?What kind of people are we?What are the priorities and limits of our mission?What exactly is the gospel that lies at the core of our mission?What was it that made Christianity a missionary faith from the very start? While answering these essential questions, Wright thoroughly details what the Old and New Testaments teach Christians about being God's people. He addresses questions of both ecclesiology (the theology of the church) and missiology (the practice and methodology of missions) with topics like "called to care for creation," "called to bless the nations," "sending and being sent, and "rejecting false gods."____________Part of the Biblical Theology for Life series, this practical and robust book will help you and your church ground your witness-bearing purpose and worship on the solid foundation of biblical understanding and reflection.

Some Christians distinguish the moral laws in the Old Testament (which must be obeyed) from the ceremonial and civil laws (which may be disregarded). Others prefer a strictly New Testament ethic. Neither option, argues Chris Wright, does justice to the Old Testament as an essential part of our Bible. In this lively and readable approach, he develops a comprehensive alternative. First, he proposes a theological, social and economic framework for Old Testament ethics. Then, in relation to contemporary issues, he explores a variety of themes: economics, the land and the poor; ecology and the earth; politics and the world of nations; law and justice; society, culture and the family; the way of the individual. Since its first appearance in 1983, Chris Wright's 'Living as the People of God' has been widely appreciated. Now fully revised, updated and restructured, it incorporates material from the author's 'Walking in the Ways of the Lord', together with new surveys of historical and contemporary scholarly approaches to Christian ethical use of the Old Testament. This fresh and accessible study will appeal to non-specialists, while the greatly expanded bibliographies will make it a useful resource for students.

A great multitude that no one could count . . . cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."Every phrase in Revelation 7:10 resonates with significant themes in the Old and New Testaments. Christopher Wright views the story of God's salvation through the lens of this verse to show the great breadth of God's saving work: the character and purposes of God, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the redemption of all creation, the joy of Christian experience, and the responsibility of Christian mission. This clear, deep and warm-hearted exposition enriches our grasp of the Bible's multifaceted teaching about salvation.

Christopher Wright explores in depth the Father images that pervade the biblical narratives, psalms and prophetic texts of the Old Testament. God is acknowledged as tender yet terrifying, challenging to the nations and yet intimately personal, offering loving care, provision, discipline and forgiveness.

Winner, 2007 Christianity Today Missions/Global Affairs Book The Bible doesn't just provide a basis for mission. Mission is much bigger! Mission is the basis for the whole Bible - it is generated by, and is all about, God's mission. In order to understand the Bible, we need an interpretative perspective that is in tune with this great missional theme. We need to see the 'big picture' of God's mission and how all parts of Scripture fit into its grand narrative. In this comprehensive and accessible study, Chris Wright begins with the Old Testament understanding of who God is, what he has called his people to be and to do, and where the nations belong within God's mission. These themes are followed into the New Testament. Throughout, Wright emphasizes that biblically-defined mission is intrinsically holistic. God's mission is to redeem his whole creation from all that sin and evil have inflicted upon it, and the mission of God's people must reflect the breadth of God's righteous and saving love for all he has made.

We tend to think of the Holy Spirit as the straggler of the Trinity, a latecomer in God's interaction with the world. But our first introduction to the Holy Spirit is not the drama of Pentecost in the second chapter of Acts. We first meet the Holy Spirit in the second verse of the Bible, hovering there, speaking the world into existence.Christopher Wright begins here and traces the Holy Spirit through the pages of the Old Testament. We see the Third Person of the Trinity in the decrees of prophets and psalmists, in the actions of judges and craftspeople, in the anointing of kings and the promise of a new creation.Knowable and discernable in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is thus eminently knowable to us. The witness of the whole of Scripture, from its first pages to its last, directs us to a Holy Spirit empowering the people of God, and sustaining and renewing the face of the earth.

In recent sociological approaches to the Old Testament, Christians have been finding unexpected resources for their ethical reflection and action relative to the modern world's pressing social and economic dilemmas. This unique survey by Christopher Wright examines life in Old Testament Israel from an ethical perspective by considering how the economic facts of Israel's social structure were related to the people's religious beliefs. Observing the centrality of the family in the social, economic and religious spheres of Israelite life, Wright analyzes Israel's theology of land, the rights and responsibilities of property owners, and the socioeconomic and legal status of dependent persons in ancient Israel - wives, children, and slaves - showing the mutual interaction between such laws, institutions, and customs and the nation's covenant relationship with God. While primarily exegetical, God's People in God's Land contains many useful insights for Christian social ethics: Wright suggests how the ethical application of his findings might proceed as Christians with different theological perspectives and cultural contexts seek to work out the relevance of the Old Testament for today.

Ezekiel comes to us as a stranger from a distant time and land. Who is this priest who, on his thirtieth birthday, has a dazzling vision of God on a wheeled throne? Who is this odd prophet who engages in outlandish street theater and speaks for God on international affairs? Who is this seer who paints murals of apocalyptic doom and then of a restored temple bursting with emblems of paradise? Are we bound to take this literally, reading prophet and newspaper side by side? Or is there a better way?Christopher Wright is a proven interpreter and communicator of the Old Testament, and in this commentary he masterfully opens our eyes to see and understand the message of Ezekiel. Ezekiel's vision of the glory of God--its departure and return--is first set within Israel's history and then in the culmination of God's promises in Christ. Embedded in the pattern of the strange, the bizarre and the wonderful is a word that still speaks to God's people today.

The land was awash with false gods and groaning under all kinds of social evil. The inevitable happened; God's horrific judgment on his people started to unfold. A young Ezekiel, carried off to exile in Babylon, was commissioned by the Lord to warn of a more devastating and unthinkable judgment. When the most traumatic event in Israel's whole biblical history did happen - the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple - Ezekiel's ministry took a new turn as the bulk of the displaced population joined the existing exiles. He struggled to bring some kind of meaning, comfort and hope to a shattered, decimated and totally demoralised rump of God's people, Israel. Chris Wright vividly explores Ezekiel's varied and dramatic mission at several levels: his unwilting preparation for the task; the social and political background to his work; the character of his ministry as watchman, evangelist and pastor; and the wider mission context of Ezekiel's vision - the knowledge of the Lord in Israel and amongst the nations.