CourseGuide for Church History, Volume Two: From Pre-Reformation to the Present Day

Religion & Spirituality

Wright, Christopher J.H.

Christian Books & Bibles

Zondervan Academic

There is no easy answer to the meaning of life--even when you believe in God. 
The book of Ecclesiastes seeks to answer the question: "What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?" The book's central character is Qoheleth, who wants to understand the meaning of life as far as he possibly can with the tools of his own empirical observation and reason. He struggles to reconcile the beautiful world that we love and enjoy with the baffling world of injustice, suffering, and death. Qoheleth circles around an abyss of nihilism and pessimism. He lives with unanswered questions. Yet he remains a believer. 
Old Testament scholar Christopher J. H. Wright invites you to join Qoheleth on a journey through wisdom literature from centuries ago, because the message of Ecclesiastes can be strangely reassuring as we put our faith to the test in today's post-modern era. There will be disorienting twists and turns and the occasional complete impasse as complex topics are discussed, like: The meaning of life Mysteries of time and injustice Ambiguities of work, politics, worship, and wealth 
Hearing the Message of Ecclesiastes won't answer your questions about the meaning of life, but it will ultimately help you live in the tension of God's gifts in Genesis 1-2 and the fallen world of Genesis 3--and still go on trusting in the sovereign goodness of God.

Hearing the Message of Ecclesiastes: Questioning Faith in a Baffling World

Zondervan

Hearing the Message of Habakkuk: Living by Faith in a Violent World

Exodus, A Video Study: 32 Lessons on History, Meaning, and Application

If we are honest, we have to admit that there are many things we don’t understand about God. We do not have final answers to the deep problems of life, and those who say they do are probably living in some degree of delusion. There are areas of mystery in our Christian faith that lie beyond the keenest scholarship or even the most profound spiritual exercises. For many people, these problems raise so many questions and uncertainties that faith itself becomes a struggle, and the very person and character of God are called into question. Chris Wright encourages us to face up to the limitations of our understanding and to acknowledge the pain and grief they can often cause. But at the same time, he wants us to be able to say, like the psalmist in Psalm 73: “But that’s all right. God is ultimately in charge and I can trust him to put things right. Meanwhile, I will stay near to my God, make him my refuge, and go on telling of his deeds.”

The God I Don't Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith

In many corners of the world these days the climate of hostility hangs over any overt Christian faith commitment. Any kind of Christian commitment is now assumed to imply intolerance and often prompts reactions that range from a low-grade hostility and exclusion in the West to the vicious and murderous assaults on Christian believers in Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Syria and Iraq and elsewhere. 
Such issues are not new. Christians have faced them ever since Nero’s lions, and even before that. Jews also have faced the same questions all through their history, most tragically sometimes enduring horrendous persecution from states claiming to be Christian. So it is not surprising that the Bible gives a lot of attention to these questions. 
The book of Daniel tackles the problem head on, both in the stories of Daniel and his friends, and in the visions he received. A major theme of the book is how people who worship the one, true, living God—the God of Israel—can live and work and survive in the midst of a nation, a culture, and a government that are hostile and sometimes life-threatening. What does it mean to live as believers in the midst of a non-Christian state and culture? How can we live “in the world” and yet not let the world own us and squeeze us into the shape of its own fallen values and assumptions? 
The book was written to encourage believers to keep in mind that the future, no matter how terrifying it may eventually become, rests in the hands of the sovereign Lord God—and in that assurance to get on with the challenging task of living in God’s world for the sake of God’s mission.

Hearing the Message of Daniel: Sustaining Faith in Today’s World

In this honest and personal book a well-known biblical scholar and theologian faces up to real problems for Christian faith. There are many things we don't understand about God; Chris Wright is the first to admit that not only does he not have final answers, but that anybody who says they do is probably living in delusion. Together with the teacher of Ecclesiastes, Chris Wright affirms: 'When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe labor that is done on earth---people getting no sleep day or night---then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. People toil to search it out, but no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.' (Ecclesiastes 8:16-17) On the other hand, we are not left alone with tough and inexplicable questions. Chris Wright also teaches and offers encouragement from the Scriptures, so that those who are troubled by these questions can still sustain their faith by having perspectives and reflections of a theologian that at least lay to rest some of the erroneous theories and dogmatic fantasies.

Chris Wright’s pioneering 2006 book, The Mission of God, revealed that the typical Christian understanding of “missions” encompasses only a small part of God’s overarching mission for the world. God is relentlessly reclaiming the entire world for himself. In The Mission of God’s People, Wright shows how God’s big-picture plan directs the purpose of God’s people, the church. Wright emphasizes what the Old Testament teaches Christians about being the people of God. He addresses questions of both ecclesiology and missiology with topics like “called to care for creation,” “called to bless the nations,” “sending and being sent,” and “rejecting false gods.” As part of the Biblical Theology for Life Series, this book provides pastors, teachers, and lay learners with first-rate biblical study while at the same time addressing the practical concerns of contemporary ministry. The Mission of God’s People promises to enliven and refocus the study, teaching, and ministry of those truly committed to joining God’s work in the world.

The Mission of God's People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission (Biblical Theology for Life)

Reference

A new commentary for today's world, The Story of God Bible Commentary explains and illuminates each passage of Scripture in light of the Bible's grand story. The first commentary series to do so, SGBC offers a clear and compelling exposition of biblical texts, guiding everyday readers in how to creatively and faithfully live out the Bible in their own contexts. Its story-centric approach is ideal for pastors, students, Sunday school teachers, and laypeople alike. Three easy-to-use sections designed to help readers live out God's story: <ul> <li>LISTEN to the Story: Includes complete NIV text with references to other texts at work in each passage, encouraging the reader to hear it within the Bible's grand story</li> <li>EXPLAIN the Story: Explores and illuminates each text as embedded in its canonical and historical setting</li> <li>LIVE the Story: Reflects on how each text can be lived today and includes contemporary stories and illustrations to aid preachers, teachers, and students</li> </ul> Praise for SGBC: "The easy-to-use format and practical guidance brings God's grand story to modern-day life so anyone can understand how it applies today." - Andy Stanley "Opens up the biblical story in ways that move us to act." - Darrell L. Bock "It makes the text sing and helps us hear the story afresh." - John Ortberg "This commentary breaks new ground." - Craig L. Blomberg

Exodus (2) (The Story of God Bible Commentary)

Many preachers ignore preaching from the Old Testament because they feel it is outdated in light of the New Testament and difficult to expound. On the other hand, some preachers will preach from the Old Testament frequently but fail to handle it correctly, turning it into moralistic rules or symbolic lessons for our spiritual life. In How to Preach and Teach the Old Testament for All Its Worth, Christopher J. H. Wright proclaims that preachers must not ignore the Old Testament. It is the Word of God! The Old Testament lays the foundation for our faith and it was the Bible that Jesus read and used.
Looking first at why we should preach from the Old Testament, the author moves on to show the reader how they can preach from it. Covering the History, Law, Prophets, Psalms, and Wisdom Literature, interspersed with practical checklists, exercises, and sermons, Wright provides an essential guide on how to handle the Old Testament responsibly.
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How to Preach and Teach the Old Testament for All Its Worth

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Wright, Christopher J.H.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Wright, Christopher J.H.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Wright, Christopher J.H.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

CourseGuide for Church History, Volume Two: From Pre-Reformation to the Present Day

Hearing the Message of Ecclesiastes: Questioning Faith in a Baffling World

Hearing the Message of Habakkuk: Living by Faith in a Violent World

Exodus, A Video Study: 32 Lessons on History, Meaning, and Application

The God I Don't Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith

Hearing the Message of Daniel: Sustaining Faith in Today’s World

The God I Don't Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith

The Mission of God's People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission (Biblical Theology for Life)

Exodus (2) (The Story of God Bible Commentary)

How to Preach and Teach the Old Testament for All Its Worth