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Friday, December 09, 2005

Wright and the NPP in the WSJ

6 comments | Permalink
John Wilson, editor of Books & Culture, explains N.T. Wright and the New Perspective in this morning's Wall Street Journal.

posted by JT at Friday, December 09, 2005


6 Comments:

Blogger DJP said...

Thanks for the tip! I've piled on at my blog, credited you (bibchr.blogspot.com).

12/09/2005 08:42:00 AM  
Blogger John Mahan said...

I am disappointed that the article does not quote N.T. Wright. I have only heard criticisms of his view on imputed righteousness, not the doctrine of justification. Where does he call into question the doctrine of justification?

I suspect the article has lumped Wright with others in the movement who do reject the Reformed doctrine of justification. I need some more convincing.

12/09/2005 09:56:00 AM  
Blogger dan said...

Justin,

Thanks for the post. Recently, I have been wrestling with some of N.T. Wright's writing and I have read some arguments from his critics (like Reformation 21 stuff) ,but I really have no one "scholarly" to help refine my thoughts, and since I admire you and Piper a lot...I was wondering if you could share some of thoughts about Wright? Do you think their have been some misconceptions about him, like Norman Sheppard (according to John Frame)?

12/09/2005 10:07:00 AM  
Blogger Brian G. Hedges said...

Wright does claim that the Reformers got it wrong with imputed righteousness, although he also says that they were attempting to say something that is true and needs to be said, namely that by virtue of our union with Christ what is true of Jesus is true of us. On my reading of Wright re: justification, he does affirm its forensic nature and acknowledges some soteriological elements in it, but he recasts Paul's concern with justification around Jewish ethnocentricity, not legalism. Much of his argumentation is rooted in his interpretation of Second Temple Judaism.

Justin, I'd also like to read your engagement with NPP and Wright in particular.

One question: the article you linked to said that John Piper had come out against Wright, but didn't cite a reference. I'm assuming that's referring to Counted Righteous in Christ (which was really geared toward Robert Gundry with references to Wright confined to one or two footnotes, if my memory is correct). Has he engaged Wright in any other contexts (audio or written)?

12/09/2005 06:51:00 PM  
Blogger The Clinging Vine said...

John E., you might read Wright's speech, given in 2003: http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_New_Perspectives.htm

Relevant passage: "I am fascinated by the way in which some of those most conscious of their reformation heritage shy away from Paul’s clear statements about future judgment according to works. It is not often enough remarked upon, for instance, that in the Thessalonian letters, and in Philippians, he looks ahead to the coming day of judgment and sees God’s favourable verdict not on the basis of the merits and death of Christ, not because like Lord Hailsham he simply casts himself on the mercy of the judge, but on the basis of his apostolic work."

12/09/2005 08:23:00 PM  
Blogger Paulos said...

Daniel Phillips,

I took a look at your blog, since you indicated that you have "piled on" Wright. I noticed that you refer to him as Norman Wright. The initial N. is not for Norman but for Nicholas. His name is Nicholas Thomas Wright, hence, N. T. He goes by Tom in scholarly circles and Bishop Wright in his ecclesiastical circles.

12/11/2005 01:05:00 PM  

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