becoming

Many are excited about N.T. Wright’s forthcoming new book Paul and the Faithfulness of God. To whet your appetite, here is Wright’s own preview (done back in Aug 2011) on the themes and main thesis of his soon-to-be released new book:

今天去了Chris Wright 在Tyndale 的一日特別講座。講座內容的大部份是他的大部頭Mission of God的雞精版。只是最後的一部份加入了他的新作Mission of God’s People的內容。

不過不要緊。因為每次我聽到有人努力將聖經的overaching story 表達出來的時候，我總是十分雀躍的。不少時候，我們讀經的所謂「領受」，是「只見樹不見林」的。我們逐句逐字的研究和推敲，有時令我們忘卻了why it says what it says，只管急於問what does it mean to me?

Chris Wright 基本上問的也是NT Wright 的Worldview 問題：Who are we? Where are we? What time is it? What is wrong? What is the solution? 不過作為舊約學者，他精彩在大量指出OT/NT的「相互指涉」之處（intertextuality），並這種關係怎樣unfold this one Mission of God。這樣的解讀，相當接近 Bartholomew ＆ Goheen 在Drama of Scripture 的描述。另外，正如Chris Wright自己所說，他的舊約倫理研究背景，在寫 Mission of God的時候，正好與他對Mission的熱衷，完美地結合起來，讓他更能了解：”God’s people are chosen (for mission) to be different (= ethics)”.

本來有個問題想問他（不過後來因聽見Q＆A也要錄音而打消 了，哈！）：第二聖殿時期的猶太教，是否屬悉這樣的一個Mission of God？當時猶太教本身的宣教工做得怎樣？是他們忘記了作為「外邦人的光」的身分？（用NT Wright的話是”solution becomes the problem”）。他們的策略（我的基本印象）是Come and see the difference。為什麼跟初期教會的Go and tell 有這麼大的分別？今日的教會，怎樣避免再一次”solution becomes the problem”？耶穌在十字架上成就的，令教會跟昔日的以色列人在使命上，有甚麼基本的分別（we already understand the obvious similarities e.g Ex.19:4-6, 1 Peter 2:9 etc… ）？

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Update: Here are the recordings and ppt slides of Chris Wright’s lecture @ Tyndale

Various sessions from Wheaton Theology Conference on N.T. Wright is available for viewing on-line!

And at one point, I was hoping to attend this conference myself! Wow, what a treat!

CTI interviewed Bishop Wright on his upcoming big book on Paul — part 1, 2.

Tom Wright & James Dunn on The New Perspective on Paul:

[link: St John’s Nottingham @YouTube]

Matthew from New Testament Perspectives links us to a series of (fairly recent) teaching vidoes by N.T. Wright on the Book of Acts. Good stuff!

Dr. Chris Wright to Speak at Tyndale

Don’t miss a rare opportunity to learn from Rev. Dr. Christopher Wright – Author, Teacher and Director of Langham Partnership International – Saturday morning, April 18th, at Tyndale.

An Old Testament Scholar, Dr. Wright will speak using the theme: Reading the Whole Bible for Mission.

The event will begin with worship at 9:30a.m. followed by the Seminar from 10a.m. until noon. A lunch time Q&A will follow until 1:30p.m.

[link: Tyndale]

Many of my blogger friends have mentioned about NT Wright’s recent appearance on The Colbert Report — the satirical television shows on all things American! Hard to believe a Bishop will go to Comedy Central to talk about heaven and earth, eh?!

What was hard to find is the actual video link that allows you to view it outside US (due to broadcasting rights issue). Thanks Jake for transcribing the whole interview. And from BW3, I notice a video link through spike.com that is now available for people outside US to view the actual interview!

It is certainly fun to watch. Despite the fact that there were times when the Bishop was trying (too) hard to be funny, it is certainly good to see him doing us boring Christians a face-lifting favor and discuss something that most outsiders just couldn’t care less anymore because of our way of presenting it (ie. heaven).