638: ReadTheSpirit's N.T. "Tom" Wright Resource Page for Small Groups

We design ReadTheSpirit online magazine to help readers along their individual spiritual journeys—and to help the more than 1 million small groups that gather in connection with congregations.
    Among our other ReadTheSpirit Resources Pages are:
    Darwin Resources for discussing faith and science.
    And, Lenten Resources for the Christian season prior to Easter.
    Today, we're adding ...

Resources for Using N.T. Wright Books and Videos
... to Engage and Ignite Your Small Group:

Biographical Sketch:
N.T. WRIGHT often refers to himself as "Tom" to set people at ease. His full name is Nicholas Thomas Wright.
    He was born just after World War II (December 1, 1948) in Morpeth, Northumberland—a town in the north of England. Driving by car now, it's less than an hour's journey from his birthplace to his current home as the Bishop of Durham (consecrated as bishop in 2003).
    Wright gained his worldwide celebrity as a Bible scholar by arguing from a traditional perspective with scholars who take a more critical view of the scriptures as a historical record. In particular, his good-natured sparring with Bible scholar Marcus Borg sparked headlines across the U.S. for the unexpected size of their crowds. Before they were finished, the pair had talked to thousands of people. Later, Tom and Marcus published a book together about their two perspectives on Jesus.
    Because of that splash in American headlines, many Americans regard Wright as a conservative evangelical. However, in the UK, he's known as a leading light among "Open Evangelicals," Christians who celebrate church traditions but also engage in a progressive way with the larger world. This is crucial in understanding how some of Wright's books wind up raising points similar to those made by American emergent-church writers like Brian McLaren.
    The phrase "Bible scholar" is attached to Wright's name so frequently that it begins to sound like a formal title. Most people aren't aware of how he got that title, though. He first earned a reputation for combining his Christian faith and rigorous scholarship while studying as an undergraduate at Exeter College, Oxford, in the 1970s. His master's work for the Anglican ministry (ordained 1975) also was at Oxford (Wycliffe Hall). In 1981, he earned a doctorate specializing in New Testament studies from Merton College, Oxford. Later, he taught his specialty at McGill University, Montreal, and the University of Oxford (1986-1993).
    He moved from academia into the heart of the church, including a 2000 appointment as Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey. 
 
"AFTER YOU BELIEVE: Why Christian Character Matters"

    Find Out About This 2010 Book in Our In-Depth Interview with Tom: Here's our ReadTheSpirit Conversation with Wright focusing on "After You Believe."
    Read Our Review of the Book and a Brief Excerpt: Tom is famous for sharing stories from everyday life that illustrate his arguments, much like the style that made C.S. Lewis such a popular writer.
    Get the Book: Here is "After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters" via Amazon.
    Watch this resource page for updates. We'll tell you when additional resources are available—and we'll continue to share news about Wright's work.

"SURPRISED BY HOPE: Rethinking Haven, the Resurrection and the Mission of the Church"

    Find Out About This 2008 Book in Our In-Depth Interview with Tom: Here's our ReadTheSpirit Conversation With Wright focusing on "Surprised by Hope."
    Get the Book: Here is "Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church" via Amazon.
    View 2 Video Clips from the 2010 Group-Study Materials: The clips include a "Trailer" for the new DVD and a 3-minute sample from the DVD.
    Get the 2010 Study Guide: Here is the small-group guidebook, "Surprised by Hope Participant's Guide," also via Amazon.
    Get the 2010 DVD with Video Clips for 6 Sessions: For the DVD, jump to Zondervan's Web site.

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    (Originally published at http://www.ReadTheSpirit.com/)