★★★★★ 3
Helpful, But Better Treated Elsewhere
N. T. Wright's God in Public is a collection of lectures spanning nearly twenty years on God, public life, politics, the Bible, and Christian witness in our time. These thoughts are relayed in Wright's signature style, which combines academic and intellectual insight, accessible illustrations, and plain speech, and definitely have the character of the spoken word given not only to address broad themes but specific events. Some essays are more occasional than others.
While each essay is engaging and informative, Wright has touched on many of these themes more fully and more profoundly in other works. You won't find much new here, only different angles on much discussed subjects like postmodernism, virtue, the atonement, the significance of the life of Jesus, and the problem of evil. Wright's reminders about the meaning of the kingdom of God, his exposition of power, and the victory of Christ and on the cross (and how our view of the atonement has implications for public service and prophetic witness) are all helpful, even where they have been explored at more depth and greater clarity elsewhere.
The oldest lecture in this collection was first offered in 1999, and the most recent in 2015. The political landscape, and Christian witness therein, has shifted somewhat since Wright's last lecture, not only in the United States but across the globe. In my estimation the challenges are even more daunting. I hope Wright will continue to apply his intellect to the challenges we face today, calling the church back to Scripture and to prayer for guidance and wisdom in how best to proclaim and to embody the good news of and about Christ.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2018
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