The Challenge of Jesus [Paperback]

"We cannot assume that by saying the word Jesus," writes NT Wright--Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey and formerly Dean of Lichfield Cathedral--"still less the word Christ, we are automatically in touch with the real Jesus who talked in first-century Palestine." Even less are we automatically in touch with "the Jesus who is the same yesterday, today and forever." Wright's goal in this volume is to present in a simplified form the findings that are occupying him in his monumental six volume series entitled Christian Origins and the Question of God, and in particular in the second volume, already published, Jesus and the Victory of God. Distinguishing himself from the "Jesus Seminar" theologians, who question the literalness of the resurrection (among other things), Wright affirms the absolute centrality of both the Last Supper and the Easter experience as historical events. Through these experiences with Jesus, Wright suggests, the early Christians came to see that "Jesus--and then, very quickly, Jesus' people--were now the true Temple, and the actual building in Jerusalem was thereby redundant."

Written with refreshing clarity and passion, The Challenge of Jesus serves as an excellent introduction to the thinking of this influential New Testament historian. --Doug Thorpe --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

"[NT Wright] writes eloquently, stating the importance of a historical interest in the Gospels from the perspective of Christian faith."

This text answers the scepticism about the need for a historical understanding of Jesus and shows how this can affect Christian discipleship today. It explores Jesus' preaching, his Messiahship and death, and his self-understanding in relation to God. The book goes on to ask: what does this imply? What should this mean for us? What, in fact, is the mission of the church grounded in this Jesus and this resurrection, to our postmodern world?