Last Thursday, Trevin Wax interviewed Bishop NT Wright for the Said At Southern Podcast. You can find a full transcript of the conversation on his website Kingdom People. This podcast was recorded on the campus of Asbury Theological Seminary on November 15, 2007.
Here is a long list of topics. These links point to specific parts of the interview transcript on Trevin’s website.
- Introduction
- Wright’s conversion, calling, and personal worship
- Wright on “the gospel”
- Justification by faith
- Justification – present and future
- Justification and the Roman Catholic Church
- Sola Scriptura
- Is Wright arrogant to assume he has just now figured out what Paul meant?
- Wright on his critics
- Justification in practice
- Wright on penal substitution
- Wright on the resurrection
- Wright on Evangelism
- Wright on Church and State
- Upcoming Writings and Conclusion
Introduction To NT Wright
by Trevin Wax
N.T. Wright is a British New Testament scholar whom Christianity Today has described as one of the top five theologians in the world today. After serving many years three years as the canon theologian of Westminster Abbey, Wright became the Bishop of Durham in 2003 – the third fourth highest ranking position of authority in the Church of England.
(corrections 11/26/07)
Tom Wright has spent his life studying the history surrounding the New Testament and early Christianity. He has written several widely-acclaimed books on the historical Jesus as well as many on the Apostle Paul and the New Testament epistles.
Wright has received both praise and criticism for his work. Anne Rice, the author of the Interview with a Vampire series, has credited Wright’s work on the historical Jesus with bringing her back to her Christian faith. Reformed theologian J.I. Packer has described Wright as “brilliant” and “one of God’s best gifts to our decaying Western Church.”
As Bishop of Durham, Wright has been a lightning rod for controversy from both conservatives who take offense with his political views, and from liberals who reject his traditional views on homosexuality.
As a New Testament scholar, Wright has faced criticism from both sides of the theological aisle. Liberal scholars, such as those who make up the infamous “Jesus Seminar” decry Wright’s work on the historical Jesus as much too conservative and traditional. Conservative scholars appreciate his strong defense of the cardinal doctrines of Christianity such as the bodily resurrection of Christ. But many conservatives of the Reformed persuasion are perplexed by Wright’s views on the doctrine of justification and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. Several well-known theologians, such as D.A. Carson, Mark Seifrid, Guy Waters, and now pastor John Piper, have written extensively to refute the “New Perspective on Paul” that Wright advocates.
In our interview with N.T. Wright, we will ask questions that will help illuminate the current discussions within Reformed circles on the legitimacy of Wright’s exegesis of the New Testament texts.
7 Comments
Thanks for the interview. It’s good to hear him speak to some of the issues posed. Very helpful.
You may want to link to the audio of his chapel messages and his wednesday evening lecture on Acts at Asburyseminary.com. They are edifying and illuminating in many ways.
Ron
Great interview. I like him best when pressed by Baptists rather than when he is hobnobbing with ‘progressives’. He did have some zingers at the end on his politics of 911 interpretational asides on secularism and fundamentalism and how we caused it because of what we do in the middle east…and how we speak of faith publicly. Did that mean it wouldn’t have happened under other administrations? You wonder where all that comes from when talking about theology and you wish he gave Blair, Bush, and Brown as much credit for rationality as he does the rationality of victimhood for terror. I’d love to know more what he really thinks here but I suspect he pretty well tips his hand by defining social justice in ecological, fiscal, and the immature war on terror terms, with no mention of the image of God, cloning, chimeras, human commodification and objectivizing and trafficking though I Was glad he is apparently engaged with the Dalits. Thanks again for posting this. It’s given me a bit more hope for Tom’s UK variety evangelical commitment.
To anyone that could assist…
If Bishop Wright is being at all serious about finding a research assistant for his next book…I am here to apply. Pauline studies is a fascination of mine, the Bishop has had monumental influence in my personal study, and I would lay down most of my current projects for a chance to work with him. So if anyone can put me in touch with him or let him know that I’m “applying”…that would be splendid. You may reach me at n8p3@mac.com, or Bishop Wright may write me directly at that address, if he is so inclined. Thanks for the podcast, it was excellent.
I would like to get in touch with N.T.Wright about being a research assistant on his new book starting in 2009.
Thaqnks
Just got around to listening to the interview. Excellent work, fellas; thank you for conducting this. Wright is the kind of theologian who makes me think even when I disagree with him. And in spite of those occasional disagreements that I have with him, I am very drawn to him, not just as a writer, but as a person because of his warmth and gentle nature which this interview demonstrates. I’m very glad for the clarification that he gave on some issues as I often have “follow-up questions” of my own when I read him. Again, thanks for providing this.
how can one get in toucg with N.T Wright ? What is his email address ?
http://www.durham.anglican.org/diocese/people/contacts_bishops_staff.htm
This is the “our bishop” page at the diocese of Durham, the diocese of which N.T. Wright is Bishop and His office is at the top there. It also gives the name of his personal secretary. You can also click the tab at the top where there is more staff information, if it would be helpful to use that.
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[...] Click here to listen to an interview with Bishop N.T. Wright. If you do not know who he is, you should, since not only is he the third ranking Bishop of our The Church of England, but he has been proven to be highly influential to the smallest of Evangelical congregations in America. I suspect God will continue to use him mightily to douse the violent flames of the radicals sectarians and fundamentalists. Read More Post a Comment [...]
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