N. T. Wright

From the author of the acclaimed Simply Christian and Surprised by Hope comes a book that addresses the question that has plagued humans for centuries—what is our purpose? As Christians, what are we to do with that ambiguous time between baptism and the funeral? It's easy to become preoccupied with who gets into heaven; the real challenge is how we are going to live in the here and now.Wright dispels the common misconception that Christian living is nothing more than a checklist of dos and don'ts. Nor is it a prescription to "follow your heart" wherever it may lead. Instead, After You Believe reveals the Bible's call for a revolution—a transformation of character that takes us beyond our earthly pursuit of money, sex, and power into a virtuous state of living that allows us to reflect God and live more worshipful, fulfilling lives.We are all spiritual seekers, intuitively knowing there is more to life than we suspect. This is a book for anyone who is hoping there is something more while we're here on Earth. There is. We are being called to join the revolution, and Wright insightfully encourages readers to find new purpose and clarity by taking us on an eye-opening journey through key biblical passages that promise to radically alter the work of the church and the direction of our lives.

If there is such a thing as reason, it has to be universal. Reason must reflect objective principles whose validity is independent of our point of view - principles that anyone with enough intelligence ought to be able to recognize as correct. But this universality of reason is what relativists and subjectivists deny in ever-increasing numbers. And such subjectivism is not just an inconsequential intellectual flourish or badge of theoretical chic. It is exploited to deflect argument and to belittle the pretensions of the arguments of others. The continuing spread of this relativistic way of thinking threatens to make public discourse increasingly difficult and unproductive. . In The Last Word, Thomas Nagel, one of the most influential philosophers writing in English, presents a sustained defense of reason against the attacks of subjectivism, delivering systematic rebuttals of relativistic claims with respect to language, logic, science, and ethics. He shows that the last word in disputes about the objective validity of any form of thought must lie in some unqualified thoughts about how things are - thoughts that we cannot regard from outside as mere psychological dispositions. His work sets a new standard in the debate on this crucially important question and should generate intense interest both within and outside the philosophical community.

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. - Publisher.

"Joining other recently found and publicized "gospels," the Gospel of Judas has found its way into the limelight. The ancient manuscript appears to be genuine-so what are we to make of the claims therein? Claims such as: Judas was doing what Jesus asked him to do when he betrayed Jesus, Jesus came to offer secret knowledge of how to escape this earthly world, rather than to usher in God's kingdom on earth, Jesus felt no pain on the cross, and more. This timely response to the Gospel of Judas is the authoritative, orthodox word on what the Gospel of Judas really tells us-and does not tell us-about Jesus, Judas, early Christianity, and Gnosticism. Book jacket."--BOOK JACKET.

With every earthquake and war, understanding the nature of evil and our response to it becomes more urgent. Evil is no longer the concern just of ministers and theologians but also of politicians and the media. We hear of child abuse, ethnic cleansing, AIDS, torture and terrorism, and rightfully we are shocked. But, theologian Wright says, we should not be surprised. For too long we have naively believed in the modern idea of human progress. In fact, evil is more serious than either our culture or our theology has supposed. Can we possibly envision a world in which we are delivered from evil? How might we work toward such a future through prayer and justice in the present?--From publisher description.

"After more than two centuries of research on the historical Jesus ("The Old Quest" and "The New Quest"), scholars have reinvigorated the discussion under what has been called the "The Third Quest." N.T. Wright has been an important contributor to this new impetus; and in this volume, he provides a brief overview of the discussion and concisely explores what he sees as the six major questions Jesus research must always address."--BOOK JACKET.

"All Christians worship God, but many do not fully understand what 'worship' means. This insightful book by N. T. Wright explores both the meaning and the results of worship ... In Part 1, titled 'The God Who Is Worthy of Praise,' Wright focuses on God and on what worshipping God actually means. Wright celebrates the greatness and love of God as the ground and reason for worship and shows how reflection on who God actually is, especially as revealed in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, leads to true worship from both the heart and the mind. 'Worship' derives from 'worth-ship': it means giving God all he's worth ... In Part 2, 'Reflecting God's Image in the World,' Wright addresses a range of church-related issues that arise from the activity of worship. Because worship can never remain isolated from the task of the church, Wright here explores how true worship leads to the mission of the church in various specific ways"--BOOK JACKET.