How God Became King - The Forgotten Story of the Gospels

We have grown used to the battles over Jesus—whether he was human or divine, whether he could do miracles or just inspire them, whether he even existed. Much of the church defends tradition, while critics take shots at the institution and its beliefs. But what if these debates have masked the real story of Jesus? What if even Jesus’s defenders have been so blinded by their focus on defending the church’s traditions that they have failed to grapple with what the New Testament really teaches?

Bible scholar, Anglican bishop, and bestselling author N. T. Wright summarizes a lifetime of study of Jesus and the New Testament in order to present for a general audience who Jesus was and is. In Simply Jesus, we are invited to hear one of our leading scholars introduce the story of the carpenter’s son from Nazareth as if we were hearing it for the first time.

“Jesus—the Jesus we might discover if we really looked,” explains Wright, “is larger, more disturbing, more urgent than we had ever imagined. We have successfully managed to hide behind other questions and to avoid the huge, world-shaking challenge of Jesus’s central claim and achievement. It is we, the churches, who have been the real reductionists. We have reduced the kingdom of God to private piety; the victory of the cross to comfort for the conscience; Easter itself to a happy, escapist ending after a sad, dark tale. Piety, conscience, and ultimate happiness are important, but not nearly as important as Jesus himself.” As the church faces the many challenges of the twenty-first century, Wright has presented a vision of Jesus that more than meets them.

Analyzes the various New Testament conceptions of God and suggests how they can best contribute to a contemporary constructive theology.

In this important new volume in the Library of Biblical Theology, Larry W. Hurtado introduces the different understandings of God that arise in the books of the New Testament, and explores the ramifications of those views for contemporary theology. 

Questions covered include:
Why has the subject of God received comparatively little attention in much contemporary New
Testament scholarship?
Is the Christian God of the New Testament the same deity described in the Old Testament?
What impact does the New Testament's emphasis on Jesus have for its discourse about God?
How do New Testament references to the Divine "Spirit" affect its understanding of God?
Given the diversity of the New Testament writings, is it possible to speak of a sole New Testament view of God?
How should contemporary theology understand the triadic shape of New Testament discourse about God in light of the later development of the doctrine of the Trinity?

The Holy Bible New Revised Standard Version

The NRSV Standard Bible utilizes a unique blend of text formats that are designed for ease of reading and greater reader comprehension of the various literary forms embodied in the scriptures. This resource features a single column text in the prose sections and double columns in the poetic sections (Psalms, Proverbs, wisdom books, and Minor Prophets). The NRSV is the most trusted, most accepted, and most accurate English translation of the Bible available today.

"But what does scripture say?”

That question has echoed through a thousanddebates in the life of the worldwide church. Allchurches have officially endorsed strong statementsabout the centrality of scripture and itsauthority in their mission, life, doctrine, anddiscipline. But there is no agreement on whatthis might mean or how it might work in practice.Individuals and churches struggle with howto respond to issues such as war, homosexuality,and abortion, and especially how to interpretbiblical passages that discuss these topics. Thesedisagreements often serve to undermine ourconfidence in the authority of the Bible.

Bishop and Bible scholar N. T. Wright deliversa new model for how to understand the placeof scripture and God’s authority in the midstof religious confusion. Wright gives new life tothe old, tattered doctrine of the authority ofscripture, delivering a fresh, helpful, and concisestatement on how to read the Bible today,restoring scripture as a place to find God’s voice.

In this revised and expanded edition of thepreviously titled book The Last Word, Wrightprovides two case studies that delve into what itmeans to keep Sabbath and how Christians candefend marital monogamy. These studies offernot only bold biblical insights but also showcaseWright’s new model for how to interpretscripture and restore its role as the church’smain resource for teaching and guidance.Removing the baggage that the last 100 yearsof controversy and confusion have placed onthis doctrine, Wright renews our confidence inthe Bible and shows how it can once again serveas the living Word of God for our lives.

Why do we expect justice? Why do we crave spirituality? Why are we attracted to beauty? Why are relationships often so painful? And how will the world be made right? These are not simply perennial questions all generations must struggle with, but, according to N. T. Wright, are the very echoes of a voice we dimly perceive but deeply long to hear. In fact, these questions take us to the heart of who God is and what He wants from us.

For two thousand years, Christianity has claimed to solve these mysteries, and this renowned biblical scholar and Anglican bishop shows that it still can today. Not since C. S. Lewis's classic summary of the faith, Mere Christianity, has such a wise and thorough scholar taken the time to explain to anyone who wants to know what Christianity really is and how it is practiced. Wright makes the case for Christian faith from the ground up, assuming that the reader has no knowledge of (and perhaps even some aversion to) religion in general and Christianity in particular.

Simply Christian walks the reader through the Christian faith step by step and question by question. With simple yet exciting and accessible prose, Wright challenges skeptics by offering explanations for even the toughest doubt-filled dilemmas, leaving believers with a reason for renewed faith. For anyone who wants to travel beyond the controversies that can obscure what the Christian faith really stands for, this simple book is the perfect vehicle for that journey.