Regular visitors to this blog will know that I have started to review Tom Wright's Virtue Reborn. They will also know that this is likely to take a long time with chapter reviews spread all over the place, spanning months if not years! So here is an index of where to find each chapter - and I will update it as I go along.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Showing posts with label Virtue Reborn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Virtue Reborn. Show all posts
Monday, 9 May 2011
Virtue Reborn Chapter Three
On the 10 March I promised that I would be back in a few weeks with my review of the third chapter in Tom Wright's Virtue Reborn - so here I am, nearly nine weeks later. At this rate I should finish the book in about a years time.
[An index of all other posts relating to this book can be found by clicking here]
In the previous chapter we saw how part of what the Christian is supposed to be about, between the point at which they believe and the point they die is preparing for their place in God's new creation. In this chapter Tom Wright takes it one step further and starts to reveal what that role is to involve. Using various Bible passages including Revelation 22 and 1 Peter 2 Wright argues that the Christian's goal is worshipping and reigning - priests and kings - a royal priesthood. And if that is to be the ultimate destiny then that will be anticipated in the present time - so life here, now, will be a preparation for the future a bit at a time. And so what the Christian is to be about is 'bringing the presence of God to the wider world, carrying forward the mission of declaring God's powerful and rescuing acts and beginning the work of implementing the messianic rule of Jesus in all the world' [page 75].
Wright is quick to note the sort of behaviours that last point does not mean. It is a life that involves submission and persecution - it is not about lording it over anyone, or the abuse of power... In all the discussion so far Wright is keen to ensure that the language of reigning and ruling etc. is not misunderstood.
Wright then moves into a discussion from Romans 5-8. When someone like Tom Wright unpacks a passage of Scripture that he refers to as dense then you know you're in real trouble. So I'll just pick out a few highlights. [By which I mean the one or two sentences I could understand.]
Wright argues that Paul too, in this passage, is assuming that present behaviour is shaped by the future goal. And so in the present we should be learning habits of mind and heart that will point us in the direction of the eventual 'reign', and these are characterised by holiness and prayer. If our future goal is to involve reigning and judging the whole of creation then in the present we should be in control of...our own bodies - not being a slave to sin, but replacing slave habits of mind, heart and body with freedom habits.
This is anticipated in the present through prayer - the priestly role of groaning with the pain of the world as that pain is brought into the presence of God.
See you again in a couple of months...
[An index of all other posts relating to this book can be found by clicking here]
In the previous chapter we saw how part of what the Christian is supposed to be about, between the point at which they believe and the point they die is preparing for their place in God's new creation. In this chapter Tom Wright takes it one step further and starts to reveal what that role is to involve. Using various Bible passages including Revelation 22 and 1 Peter 2 Wright argues that the Christian's goal is worshipping and reigning - priests and kings - a royal priesthood. And if that is to be the ultimate destiny then that will be anticipated in the present time - so life here, now, will be a preparation for the future a bit at a time. And so what the Christian is to be about is 'bringing the presence of God to the wider world, carrying forward the mission of declaring God's powerful and rescuing acts and beginning the work of implementing the messianic rule of Jesus in all the world' [page 75].
Wright is quick to note the sort of behaviours that last point does not mean. It is a life that involves submission and persecution - it is not about lording it over anyone, or the abuse of power... In all the discussion so far Wright is keen to ensure that the language of reigning and ruling etc. is not misunderstood.
Wright then moves into a discussion from Romans 5-8. When someone like Tom Wright unpacks a passage of Scripture that he refers to as dense then you know you're in real trouble. So I'll just pick out a few highlights. [By which I mean the one or two sentences I could understand.]
Wright argues that Paul too, in this passage, is assuming that present behaviour is shaped by the future goal. And so in the present we should be learning habits of mind and heart that will point us in the direction of the eventual 'reign', and these are characterised by holiness and prayer. If our future goal is to involve reigning and judging the whole of creation then in the present we should be in control of...our own bodies - not being a slave to sin, but replacing slave habits of mind, heart and body with freedom habits.
This is anticipated in the present through prayer - the priestly role of groaning with the pain of the world as that pain is brought into the presence of God.
See you again in a couple of months...
Thursday, 10 March 2011
Virtue Reborn Chapter Two
Almost a month since I told you I had finished chapter one of Tom Wright's Virtue Reborn I have now finished chapter two. (To read that previous post click here.) I can't decide the best way to read Tom Wright. Generally I read in small sections, but then I loose sight of the big picture. If I try and read in big sections my head explodes.
In this chapter Tom Wright starts to develop the argument that what Christians are supposed to be involved in between believing and death is the transformation of character, rather than learning a set of rules to live by. It isn't that rules don't matter - but character matters more. And this process of transformation of character is not automatic or easy - it's like learning a musical instrument or a new language, we practise and practise until, one day, we find that doing the right thing has become second nature.
When we choose to act a particular way in a given situation, it seems as if our brains learn that response, and it is then easier (and more likely) to do the same thing in that situation next time around. This obviously works both ways - I can, for example, develop a character where I habitually tell the truth, or where I habitually lie.
Tom Wright also talks in this chapter about anticipating the Christian goal, in the sense that I do something now in the light of what I expect in the future. [If I anticipate it will rain later then I will take my umbrella to work.] Therefore the time between believing and dying is not about 'good works' in the sense of keeping the rules, but about 'good works' in the sense of doing things which bring God's wisdom and glory to birth in the world - of course you get the good moral living thrown in as well.
My brain is hurting - I'll be back in a few weeks with chapter 3...
In this chapter Tom Wright starts to develop the argument that what Christians are supposed to be involved in between believing and death is the transformation of character, rather than learning a set of rules to live by. It isn't that rules don't matter - but character matters more. And this process of transformation of character is not automatic or easy - it's like learning a musical instrument or a new language, we practise and practise until, one day, we find that doing the right thing has become second nature.
When we choose to act a particular way in a given situation, it seems as if our brains learn that response, and it is then easier (and more likely) to do the same thing in that situation next time around. This obviously works both ways - I can, for example, develop a character where I habitually tell the truth, or where I habitually lie.
Tom Wright also talks in this chapter about anticipating the Christian goal, in the sense that I do something now in the light of what I expect in the future. [If I anticipate it will rain later then I will take my umbrella to work.] Therefore the time between believing and dying is not about 'good works' in the sense of keeping the rules, but about 'good works' in the sense of doing things which bring God's wisdom and glory to birth in the world - of course you get the good moral living thrown in as well.
My brain is hurting - I'll be back in a few weeks with chapter 3...
Saturday, 19 February 2011
I've started - hopefully I'll finish
A few posts ago I mentioned that I was hoping to read Virtue Reborn by Tom Wright - having failed to read any of the books on my 2010 'to read' list.Well, I've started. I've only read one chapter, the first 24 pages, but that chapter was enough to make me want to read more.
What is the book about? I think it is going to be about developing character, specifically Christian character.
Tom Wright has set himself a few questions to try to answer, and they are really good questions.
There is the 'what am I here for?' question - what is a Christian supposed to be doing between the point at which they become a Christian and the point at which they die.
Then there is the tension/balance between those who believe that life is about following a set of rules, or should that be Rules; and those who believe that following Jesus frees us from rules and that we should be true to ourselves and authentic.
There are the questions related to the moral choices we make.
And then there are the questions of how this relates to our wider world which is reeling from the financial crisis, and (within the UK at the time of writing) the MPs' expenses scandal.
Tom Wright argues that what we are supposed to be doing as Christians between belief and death is the transformation of character - so that we do indeed keep the rules, but not out of a sense of duty but out of the character that has been formed within us; and we do indeed follow our hearts, but only as those whose spontaneous decisions and actions reflect what has been formed deep within. And in the wider world how do we develop a fresh generation of leaders in all walks of life, whose character has been formed in wisdom and public service, not in greed for money or power.
To be continued...
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