Through the Eyes of N.T. Wright: A Reader's Guide to Paul and the Faithfulness of God

The church has received a great gift, a fresh vision of Paul’s theology given to us by N. T. Wright, the preeminent New Testament scholar of our generation. This gift is in the form of a massive two-volume book, the result of forty years of research, writing, and wrestling with central themes of the Christian faith. While Wright’s book is a gift, it may be a bit daunting for the majority of Christians to read. In this helpful reader’s guide, Derek Vreeland sums up the primary arguments and conclusions from N. T. Wright by creating a readable roadmap to help you navigate through Wright’s big book on Paul’s theology. Using this reader’s guide prayerfully will open your eyes to see new things in the ancient writings of Paul, things which will cause your faith to grow and the church to be strengthened. Wright has interpreted Paul for us; let this book sum up Wright for you. What people are saying about Through the Eyes of N. T. Wright: “...Derek Vreeland has given us a gift. As a pastor and a scholar, Vreeland has carefully worked his way through Wright’s magnum opus and synopsized it in a clear and readable way. Employing precise yet jargon-free language, Vreeland has given us a gateway into Wright’s world, a world where the stunning faithfulness of God is revealed in Jesus Christ.” — GLENN PACKIAM, Lead Pastor, New Life Downtown, Colorado Springs, Colorado “The best result of Derek Vreeland's summaries of the magisterial work of N. T. Wright, Paul and the Faithfulness of God, will be when readers read Derek with a view to dipping here and there for long spells in Wright's own book. Wright's book on Paul is very, very long — and probably too long for many who most need it — but the prose is accessible and the insights remarkable so this summary of Paul and the Faithfulness of God will open up the fullness of this new vision of the apostle Paul. I commend Derek's work because I commend Wright's work.” — SCOT MCKNIGHT, Professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary, Lombard, Illinois “Derek Vreeland's reader's guide is an excellent distillation of Paul and the Faithfulness of God and thus a true gift.” — BRIAN ZAHND, Lead Pastor, Word of Life Church, St. Joseph, Missouri “N. T. Wright's two-volume work on Paul is nothing less than mountainous—hugely formidable and intimidating. So, even those already familiar with Wrightian terrain can be glad for a guide, especially one as capable as Derek Vreeland. In this introduction, Vreeland thankfully does not restate Wright in simpler, briefer terms; instead, he identifies decisive concepts and themes and explains in his own words their significance for Wright's larger project. The result is a work that not only provides access to the height, depth, and width of Wright's work on Paul, but also draws us into fresh engagements with the sacred Scriptures themselves.” — CHRIS GREEN, Assistant Professor of Theology, Pentecostal Seminary, Cleveland, Tennessee “I often ask my friends what theologians will be remembered, 500 years from now, as the dominant voices of our era. I am convinced that N. T. Wright will stand at the top of that list. Whether you agree with him, or disagree, his influence is difficult to challenge. In this concise book, my friend Derek Vreeland has provided a genuine resource to help today’s church parse the words and theology of Wright. Even though I generally love Wright’s teaching, I do find a few areas of disagreement with his view of Pauline theology. Regardless, even in disagreement, the study of Wright is vital for all contemporary theologians and Vreeland has done the church a service by making Wright’s theology more accessible for every believer. You should read this book.” — MICAH FRIES, Vice President of LifeWay Research, LifeWay Christian Resources, Nashville, Tennessee