The Last Word

N.T. Wright's The Last Word: Beyond the Bible Wars to a New Understanding of the Authority of Scripture is the American version of Wright's book Scripture and the Authority of God. From what I understand, the books are identical aside from a different preface.

N.T. Wright, for those unfamiliar with his works, is a British theologian famous for quite lengthy volumes containing great analysis of the New Testament. Wright fits neither in mainstream Christian circles nor fundamentalist Evangelical circles. One might describe Wright as a "moderate liturgical Evangelical," if that term even makes any sense.

I love N.T. Wright's writing. He digs into Scripture at a depth that very few modern day writers do. He is not content with the status quo and always seeks new insight and new perspectives to enlighten his knowledge and understanding of the Bible - even though very few living people possess such an overwhelming grasp of Biblical history and theology. His writing requires great focus from the reader, but harvests many rewards for the patient reader. I also appreciate his (relatively) moderate stance. By this I mean that Wright does not allow petty politics (government or church) to inform his study of the Bible. It's a refreshing stance, and one that is largely absent in modern publication, at least in publications that make it on the shelves of major bookstores and libraries. "Liberal" theologians and "conservative" fundamentalists dominate the scene.

This is precisely the point where this book steps in. Wright takes an in-depth look at what the authority of scripture entails. Of course, he quickly points out, "the authority of scripture" is really shorthand for "the authority of God as expressed through scripture." He attempts (and largely succeeds) to express in great detail what this means, and refute popular "liberal" and "conservative" views. Mainstream churches grant very little authority to scripture (and honestly seem to be hardly Christian at all), while conservative fundamentalist churches weigh heavily on certain passages while completely ignoring others. Wright is looking for some sort of middle/other ground where God's authority reigns supreme and all of scripture is held in high regard.

It's nearly impossible to summarize Wright's points in a paragraph or two. He sketches a nearly complete argument over the course of about 140 pages. I also don't want to give away too much - it really is a fantastically interesting book. His approach to studying scripture and regarding its authority is one of balance. However, if you want to know more - you'll have to read the book. It's really quite wonderful.

My only criticism (and the part that keeps this book from its fifth star) is that Wright does show some Anglican bias. Wright held the position of Bishop of Dunham for nearly 8 years within the Anglican church, and his preference for their liturgy shines through in a few spots near the end. It comes off as less genuine than the rest of the book - as if he's saying "I really like these several things the Anglican church does, so they are the best practice for going through scripture." Just a small criticism that really only impacts a few pages towards the end.

If you yearn for scriptural study that goes deeper than your typical book, then you definitely need to check out the work of N.T. Wright. This book is among his shorter works and would serve as a fine introduction to his theology. Be warned, though, that reading this will require great focus and while short, is not an easy read.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

book 50 of 100...halfway there 19 days before my halfway point!