Bio
Nicholas Thomas Wright FRSE, also familiar to audiences as Tom Wright, was born on the 1st of December in the year of 1948, in Morpeth, Northumberland, United Kingdom. He is an English author, New Testament scholar, Anglican bishop, and Pauline theologian.
Marked
From the earliest youth, Nicholas says that he felt an acute sense of God’s presence and God’s love. He has gone on record saying that when he was merely four of five, all of a sudden, he broke down in tears over the love that God had for him, going so far as to die for his sins.
Best N. T. Wright Books
Education
The bishop was educated at Sedbergh School in the Yorkshire Dales, where he specialized in classics. During the latter years of the 1960s, Wright took part in a folk club, where he sang and played guitar.
From ’68 to ’71, he studied Literae Humaniores at Exeter College, Harvard, earning his Bachelor of Arts in 1971. He acquired his Master of Arts in 1975 and subsequently was awarded a Doctor of Divinity by the University of Oxford. With that said, let’s see what the best N. T. Wright books are.
Surprised by Hope
Life and Death
Life and DeathSurprised by Hope is one of the most popular Wright books, perhaps even at the top of N. T. Wright’s best books for many of his readers. One cannot do without making mention of Surprised by Hope on our list of N. T. Wright’s recommended books. The book was published in the year of 2007, spanning three-hundred or so pages.
In Surprised by Hope, the writer wrestles with a very old question regarding death and what occurs once we pass away. He examines how it is that the average Christian gets the facts wrong pertaining to this period of one’s life.
Common Misconception
The author educates us that we don’t just go to paradise or heaven, but that we are revived and resurrected, with heaven coming down to Earth for us.
This assertion makes everything that the average Christian man thinks about the afterlife fall on its head. Now, taking a closer look at topics like spirituality, death, life, and survival, the author has one mighty volume for us. We cannot recommend this book just enough.
Simply Christian
Few Important Questions
Few Important QuestionsSimply Christian is one of the best books by N. T. Wright that we’ve ever had the joy of reading. It is a two-hundred-odd page book, though significantly heftier in regard to the contents, that was published in the year of 2006.
In Simply Christian, the Anglican bishop tackles many issues and tries to answer many questions. Why is it that humanity is so in need of spirituality? Why is it that beauty is a source of allure to man? Why can relationships end with so much suffering? Why is it that man is seemingly made to anticipate some kind of justice, be it divine or manmade? And, how is it that we can make the world a better place?
The Answer
For the better part of two millennia, Christianity was successful in its assertion that it can put an end to these kinds of mysteries, which is showed true with the writing of Wright.
Simply Christian is a book that focuses on each little question and each little step on the way to explaining the reason why Christianity is so grounded in reason. One of the best N. T. Wright books on the whole N. T. Wright books list.
Christian Origins and the Question of God Series
Four Titles
The best Wright book series that we’ve ever had the joy of picking up and dutifully reading is the Christian Origins and the Question of God series. The series is comprised of a total of four titles, the order of the books goes as follows:
- The New Testament and the People of God
- Jesus and the Victory of God
- The Resurrection of the Son of God
- Paul and the Faithfulness of God
Origins of Christianity
The books inside of this series focus on several things, but initially, the concentration is pushed in the direction of the many theological questions regarding the nature and the origins of Christianity. It is here that the author brings in his own opinions, all of which are supported by many factual claims that he makes.
Different Perspectives
Taking a look at the many readings of the New Testament, be it from a theological, historical, or literary point of view, the writer asserts that what we need is a single, grounded, and agreed-upon form that takes into account all of these readings. The author also looks at the semantics and the etymology of the word god within the Christian and Jewish cultures. An easy pick for the top Wright books.
Simply Jesus
The Lord and Savior
The Lord and SaviorSimply Jesus is not just here to pad the list of Wright’s books, but it’s one of the author’s most important works to date. As such, this is one of the easiest Wright bible study books to recommend. It was published in the year of 2011.
In Simply Jesus, the author takes it upon himself to begin the laborious endeavor and toil-demanding task of giving the biblical answer to many questions. What is our role in God’s kingdom? Has God any leniency towards certain kinds of government?
Role of Jesus
Accordingly, Wright gives an elaboration and an account of what the role of Jesus was, what he is known for, what the Bible tells us that he did throughout his three-decade life, and why we ought to care for his doing. You can find answers to these questions and many more in this one of the best-rated N. T. Wright books.
God and the Pandemic
Needing God
Needing GodGod and the Pandemic in another entry in our N. T. Wright book reviews that is considered the best N. T. Wright book for many. The book at hand was published in the year of 2020, spanning a little under one-hundred pages.
Surely, when distressful, disconcerting, and uncertain times come, the common man is inclined to turn towards the transcendent, the spiritually above God for wisdom, for answers, for help, and direction. There have been many such times in the course of history, but the closest period to us that involved such things is without a doubt the COVID-19 or Coronavirus Pandemic that is still going strong.
Timely Book
In God and the Pandemic, the author takes a look at what is happening with the pestilence currently afflicting mankind. He, as a Christian, gives answers to how he thinks the pandemic came about, what is the role of God in the whole ordeal, and more. In our honest opinion, it is a very important book in these uncertain times.
The Challenge of Jesus
The Man
The ManAmong the best books by Wright, one cannot do without mentioning The Challenge of Jesus. The book was published in the year of 1999 and it spans some two-hundred pages, give or take a few.
In this volume, the brilliant scholar and terrific author analyzes many things, but the main focus is put on the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. However, it is more closely looked at from the lens of history, than from a strictly religious or Christian position. While some authors content themselves with undermining Jesus, N. T. gives his own fresh account of what the man did.
Pointing Out the Flaws
The author notes that many Christian contemporaries speak sloppily about Jesus and that too little respect is given to the historical figure. Just by pronouncing the name, you aren’t completely aware of what he did, what he was about, and how important he is. Luckily for us, the author has prepared one terrific book on the topic of Jesus Christ and we wholeheartedly recommend picking it up as soon as possible.
How God Became King
Misunderstanding
MisunderstandingAmong the books by Wright, we must come to the one titled How God Became King. It stands as one of Wright’s books recommended first to us, but now we are recommending it to our readers, as well. It was published in the year of 2012.
In How God Became King, the author states that he is very much aware of how often misconceptions arise regarding the Gospels of God, whether by misreading, whether by intentionally misquoting, or just by not getting the point of what is written down. What the writer set out to do here was to bring back the crux of the Scripture’s story.
Enlightening Us All
Years, decades, centuries, and even a millennium to boot are not enough to muddy the waters enough to make the Anglican bishop unable to enlighten and illuminate the true story. Going from the very first narrative of Adam and Eve in the garden, then all the way to Abraham, and all the way to Jesus, and further along to today, the author is prepared to stop at nothing on his journey towards setting everything right.
Scripture and the Authority of God
In Regard to Our Time
In Regard to Our TimeTaking a look at N. T. Wright’s books ranked from the best to worst, one invariably comes to perhaps the N. T. Wright’s best book, Scripture and the Authority of God. It was published in the year of 2005, spanning a tad over two-hundred pages, all in all.
In Scripture and the Authority of God, the New Testament scholar comes to a head with how the holiest of man’s Scriptures, the Bible, is looked upon by both the youth and, more generally, the world. Knowing well the dangers that can arise, he has given us here a book featuring how it is that we can live the life that the Scripture entails for us in a time that is quite modern.
Getting Closer to the Word
The author’s main goal is to bring back the time when the Scripture was regarded as the number one place for searching for the voice of God. However, by no means is this an attempt at making anachronistic sentiments.
Additionally, the author takes a look at how liberals and evangelicals are misinterpreting the Scripture while providing a new means for understanding what is written therein. The book is also one of the best-selling Wright books out there.
Paul: A Biography
The Apostle
The ApostlePaul: A Biography is one of the most important works that the brilliant author has ever penned. It is, along with one of the entries on the Christian Origins and the Question of God series, one of the books on St. Paul by N. T. Wright. The book was published in the year of 2018, spanning about four-hundred pages.
Paul: A Biography is an attempt by the scholar to bring about a brand-new way to look at the life, the work, and the legacy of one of the leading figures in Christianity and one of the most important apostles, namely Paul. Paul is regarded as the one that saw the light upon the Damascus Road when he converted a Pharisee persecutor into a loyal follower of Christianity.
A Key Figure
As such, the apostle Paul is viewed as having a paramount influence upon not just the Christian religion, but also the life and work of saints, in general. Paul is also one of the most cited figures in Christianity, which is why the author here is so interested in him. There are certain peculiarities that N. T. has noticed and would like to speak of, only if the readers are willing to give him the benefit of their time.
Everyone Bible Study Guides Series
Brilliant Series
Brilliant SeriesThe N. T. Wright for Everyone series is doubtlessly one of the best N. T. Wright series that anyone can get. Worth noting is that the series is also co-written by Tom Wright for a few entries. It is comprised of a total of nineteen books, all of which are equally brilliant, and the order for reading them goes as follows:
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke for Everyone
- John
- Acts
- Romans
- 1 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians & Philemon
Understanding
In Everyone series N. T. Wright penned, the reader is subjected to the various studies on the many key figures or key passages in the whole of the Christian faith. We first begin with Matthew, as N. T. Wright’s Everyone series cannot be complete without this entry in its composition.
Utilizing the inductive method along with reflection, the author is determined to give a proper and honest account of the life and work of Matthew, which will aid the reader in his or her comprehension of the Holy Word. Evil and the Justice of God is a book that we think you ought to pick up, too.
Alissa Wynn
Alissa is an avid reader, blogger, and wannabe writer. (She's a much better cook than a writer actually). Alissa is married, has one human, one feline, and two canine kids. She always looks a mess and never meets a deadline.
