In this challenging collection of his best recent sermons and speeches, Tom Wright provides a series of case studies that show how the Bible can be applied to pressing contemporary issues, including: • How it is possible to love the Bible and affirm evolution • Why belief in heaven means we should be at the forefront of the environmental movement • Where Christians today have lost focus, and why it is important for them to engage in politics Helpful, practical, and wise, Surprised by Scripture demonstrates how to affirm the Bible in today's world—as well as mapping out new ways of applying its principles and engaging effectively with the world around us.

Tom Wright

Cover

Title page

Imprint

Dedication

Preface

1. Healing the Divide Between Science and Religion

2. Do We Need a Historical Adam?

3. Can a Scientist Believe in the Resurrection?

4. The Biblical Case for Ordaining Women

5. Jesus Is Coming – Plant a Tree!

6. 9/11, Tsunamis, and the New Problem of Evil

7. How the Bible Reads the Modern World

8. Idolatry 2.0

9. Our Politics Are Too Small

10. How to Engage Tomorrow’s World

11. Apocalypse and the Beauty of God

12. Becoming People of Hope

Acknowledgements

Scripture search items

Tom Wright provides a series of case studies that show how the Bible can be applied to pressing contemporary issues, demonstrating how to affirm the Bible in today's world - as well as mapping out new ways of applying its principles and engaging effectively with the world around us.

A thoughtful and provocative book, in the vein of C. S. Lewis's classic The Weight of Glory. Tom Wright was recently acclaimed by Newsweek as 'the world's leading New Testament scholar'. For all who've read Wright's Scripture and the Authority of God, and would like to see how the principles he explores there can be worked out in practice. In this challenging collection of his best recent sermons and speeches, Tom Wright provides a series of case studies that show how the Bible can be applied to pressing contemporary issues, including: How it is possible to love the Bible and affirm evolution Why belief in heaven means we should be at the forefront of the environmental movement Where Christians today have lost focus, and why it is important for them to engage in politics Helpful, practical, and wise, Surprised by Scripture demonstrates how to affirm the Bible in today's world - as well as mapping out new ways of applying its principles and engaging effectively with the world around us.

Tom Wright is Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews. He is the author of over seventy books, including 'For Everyone' guides to the New Testament and the best-selling Simply Christian, Surprised by Hope, Virtue Reborn, Simply Jesus, How God Became King and Creation, Power and Truth.

In Surprised by Scripture, the highly readable author of Surprised by Hope and the For Everyone Series, Tom Wright, reveals what the scriptures really say about some of today’s hottest and most controversial topics.

In straightforward, no nonsense style, Tom Wright brings his unparalleled biblical knowledge to bear on the most critical matters for today’s active Christian mind. The result is some genuine surprises all supported by in a deep biblical study and a wide appreciation of contemporary needs.

In Surprised by Scripture, the Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity the University of St. Andrews gives his insightful and well informed view on subjects including women’s ordination, science and religion, biblical ecology, the problem of evil and the resurrection of Jesus - and examines them all in the searching light of Scripture.

This compact and readable book is intended for all levels of today’s church from the pulpit to the pews. With his well known direct style combined with his compassionate and serious biblical interpretation, he puts forward new perspectives and dismantles dangerous old ones that have given rise to divisive and destructive misunderstandings within the Church.

As with all his widely read and acclaimed writing, the widespread anticipation of this publication is a measure of Tom Wright’s experience and the respect he has earned over many years in all strands of church tradition.

Serious scholars, interested lay people, and even critics of the church will find something unexpected and enlightening in this book in which Tom Wright adheres to his own stated purpose: “To allow the biblical writers to set the agenda rather than forcing on them a scheme of thought that does not do them justice.” Let the Bible speak for itself, and let Tom Wright help you to be genuinely and enduringly surprised by scripture.

Tom Wright maps new ways of engaging effectively with the world around us simply by living out Bible principles

\["Want to cut through conflicting voices in Christianity?","This book explores what scripture says about some of today's hot topics","You'll be equipped with a Biblical response to contemporary issues"\]

The Good Book Stall

I am always challenged to think more deeply by Tom Wright's teaching, and this book was no exception. He addresses some contemporary issues from a Biblical perspective in his usual dense but readable style. Each 'chapter' is in fact a reprint of a lecture or sermon or seminar topic which he presented in various places in the States and the UK between 2004 and 2013. He notes in his preface that in almost all cases, he did not take the initiative to write or speak on these subjects but responded to questions that others had raised.

Given this background and the nature of the topics he addresses, there is obviously some overlap and repetition of material. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. The subjects I found most helpful were 'The Biblical case for ordaining women' and 'Do we need a historical Adam?'. The first because I have thought about it a lot, and the second because it had never before crossed my mind as a question to ask!

Among other questions he tries to answer are 'Is it possible to love the Bible and affirm evolution?' and 'Can a scientist believe in the Resurrection?'.

You can dip into this book and read the essays that interest you most. But I think you will read it all in the end!

Surprised by Scripture

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