Theology: N. T. Wright's Simply Christian

Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense
By N. T. Wright
HarperSanFransisco, 2006
(256 pages, $22.95, hardcover)

reviewed by Dr. Darrell Cole

On the back cover of N.T. Wright’s new Christian primer one finds this blurb by noted fiction author, Anne Rice: “ Simply Christian goes beyond C.S. Lewis’s great classic Mere Christianity.” This is a true but unfortunate statement—true because Wright, as a trained biblical scholar, covers certain biblical themes in his primer with more depth than Lewis, unfortunate because it invites comparison with the incomparable. Considered on its own merits, Wright’s book is a thoroughly enjoyable read that will benefit both those thinking about becoming Christian and those Christians who wish to strengthen their faith by revisiting the excellent reasons for holding it.

Wright’s book is divided into three sections. In the first section he discusses the deep longings human beings have for justice, spirituality, relationships with others, and beauty. Because these longings are shared by all human beings, we should not be surprised to find that humans have been “authored” as the sort of characters who find their true fulfillment in having these longings fulfilled. Christianity makes sense precisely because it offers the true explanation of why humans feel the way they do and the true way of how to achieve the fulfillment of these desires.

The second part of the book is an excellent presentation of the Christian belief about God—the only God, who made the world as a free outpouring of his love, who delights to remain in close contact with his creation, particularly his human creations who are given the task of taking care of the rest of God’s creation and remaining in loving communion with the creator himself. Unfortunately, his human creations made a bad job of it, but God, because of his gracious love, desires to rescue his good creation. The biblical account of God’s contact with Abraham, the Patriarchs, Moses, and the Prophets, and finally and definitively, the account of the coming of Jesus Christ, is the grand story of how God has put his rescue operation into effect. Some may be put off by Wright’s decision to say little about the idea of the atonement, which plays so large a role in Western Christianity. He opts instead to emphasize the Eastern Orthodox idea of Jesus inaugurating a new creation which creates a new potential for human beings, who can now be revived and commissioned to go into the world and make the new creation happen throughout the world.

The third part of the book finds Wright discussing what it looks like to follow Christ, to be one of those humans revived and commissioned by God. Humans who follow Christ will be marked by worship (because you become like what you worship), reading scripture, prayer, communion with other Christians, and participating in the sacraments of the church. In one sense, the third section might be described as Wright’s ecclesiology, for all of the “marks” can be had only in the church which is, as Wright quotes Calvin, “our Mother.” The church exists to form people who know how to worship, pray, and read scripture to their own profit and the profit of the world.

One of the main themes that Wright carries throughout the book is the difference between pantheism, dualism, and theism. In contrast to pantheism’s insistence that God is in everything (which demolishes the distinction between good and evil) and dualism’s insistence that the God of creation exists on an entirely different plane than his creation (and may only contact his creation by “breaking in” on normal operations), Christian theism (even more so than the other two great monotheistic religions—Judaism and Islam), insists that there is an overlap of heaven and earth and that God does not “break” into our existence but exists with us while remaining distinct. Thus Christian theism, unlike pantheism, is able to make sense of a world where good is distinguishable from evil, and, unlike dualism, is able to make sense of a world where God’s presence is felt both in the longings “hardwired” in us and in providing a path of progress toward the fulfillment of those desires.

Finally, Wright’s book provides a refreshing example of how a modern biblical scholar can say something that is actually of use to a practicing Christian. Those new and old to Christianity will find Wright helpful in explaining why the Bible is authoritative and what it is to be used for. The Bible is the authoritative description of God’s saving plan and is given to equip us for every good work. The good work expected of Christians is that they, as the church, announce to the world that Jesus is Lord and work to make the world what it can be now that Jesus Christ has come.

Dr. Darrell Cole is Assistant Professor of Religion, Drew University.