What St Paul Really Said

What St Paul Really Said
by Tom Wright
Lion Publishing

When I began reading What St Paul Really Said I was determined not to like it. In fact I was resolute that I was going to hate it, find it heretical, say so in a scathing review and then chuck it in the nearest bin.

The truth was a bit different. Not quite a Damascus road experience, but I finished the book convinced that far from being the heretic that some have caricatured the author as, Tom Wright has more in common with the spirit of the Reformers than some of his opponents, even if he fails to always come to the right conclusions. His sole concern, it seems to me, is to find out what the Scriptures say, over against any traditions, even those of evangelicalism. However, that does not settle the question of whether he does, in fact, succeed in finding out what the Scriptures say and in showing that his view is the correct one and the more traditional interpretations of say Romans and Galatians are in error.

"What St Paul Really Said" is his popular-level treatment of Paul's place in Christian theology. It is an engaging read, extremely well-written and easy to read. In fact, it is a fine example of how interesting prose by theologians should and could be.

I am not convinced by everything he says. In fact, I strongly disagree with some of his conclusions - he does not always give enough credit to 'old perspective' Reformed theology, its emphases, and the arguments of its greatest theologians. Justification is certainly not just about ecclesiology it is also about soteriology and I think Wright vastly overplays his hand in that regard. It is about salvation, about how I as a sinner can stand before a holy God, not just about me as a Gentile being allowed to eat with Jews as a member of the covenant people.

On the other hand, I think Wright is on to something when he emphasises those aspects of justication that Reformed and Lutheran theology has traditionally downplayed. To put it another way, I think the Old Perspective is fundamentally right on the substantial points regarding justification, but the New Perspective has valuable insights to offer regarding the implications of the doctrine of justification for the Church's and the individual Christian's life. Our fellowship with other Christians, our being the church, our being the covenant people of God is, after all, on the basis of this justification we have received through faith.

I got the impression Wright has an at times unhealthy fascination with the 'newness' of his project and this may be one of his weaknesses.

Even so, this work really demands to be read by any evangelicals serious about New Testament theology, particularly the New Perspective on Paul, because I believe there are insights here that are valuable and can be taken on board by evangelicals without throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Thoroughly recommended reading for the thinking, if discerning, Christian.