A theologian whose views are becoming very prominent today is Bishop N. T. Wright. His views are different from the mainstream denominational views in the sense that they align with the New Perspective on Paul, which teaches that Paul never criticized those who continued in Judaism for works righteousness, the need for works being compulsory in order to be saved, but that he criticized them for continuing in following the Old Covenant, and even there, following it erroneously. They only followed "works of the law", those requirements that identified Jews, that made Jews different from others: circumcision, dietary restrictions and ritual purification like washing of hands. They reasoned that since promises were made to Abraham to bless his children, whoever could be identified as such would receive those promises. However, each rabbi had a different set of requirements, as seen by the discovery of parchments in the Dead Sea caves, which listed out requirements taught by a person called "The Teacher of Righteousness". These requirements were needed to be followed, were halakhah, upon which a believer would be recognised as a true follower of God, be justified.
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Halakhah, (Hebrew: “the Way”) also spelled Halakha, Halakah, or Halachah, plural Halakhahs, Halakhot, Halakhoth, or Halachot, in Judaism, the totality of laws and ordinances that have evolved since biblical times to regulate religious observances and the daily life and conduct of the Jewish people.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halakhah
Even in the New Testament, Jews were seen to be making choices of which rabbi to follow, because not only was the result of a wrong choice a bad future judgement, it also meant a bad present outcome. To avoid wrath, perishing from a tower collapse at Siloam and being used as sacrifices that contaminated the Temple by Pilate, Jews were running to John the Baptist. The axe was even then falling at the root of the bad trees.
However, there are many versions of the New Perspective being taught. Wright's version is even being seen as heretical, unorthodox, by the Reformed Community, because the Old Perspective originated with Luther, the Reformer. He, Wright, has been accused of reverting back to Papist doctrine, teaching that works were required to be saved. Fellow Anglican Bishop Paul Helm is particularly critical about him on this issue.
Basically, Wright says justification is God's acknowledgement that some one is clean, can remain in the Camp of the People of God, based on which he will inevitably produce good works, which in turn will assure a good future judgement. In other words, justification is not a description of how to get into the group called the People of God, or how to stay in, but how believers will know whether to have table fellowship with a person or not. Yes, Wright can be difficult to understand, you need to unpack many of his statements. Maybe even question them, because he is still an observant Calvinist, and some of his denominational bias may still be influencing his views, even if he does not believe that they may be contradictory of those views. He tends to deflect or seemingly be obfuscatory when questioned.
However, there are some theories he puts forward that can be framed to compare with mainstream models to check if they are good changes, in relationship to what Scripture teaches. After all, the Reformation, following Barth, who followed Augustine, recommended ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda, the Reformed Church, always reforming, right?
Wright says the Gospel is not that Jesus has now created a Way for believers to go to Heaven, but a Way for them to have the right Vocation. He states that the idea of going to heaven is a Platonic deviation from the faith taught by Scripture, which says Creation was good. Platonism, which influenced Christianity when the power center shifted from Jerusalem to Rome, teaches a dualism of treating the world as material and bad, and heaven as spiritual and good, which by the way is common with all other pagan faiths.
God made a Temple,and the last step was placing Man in it, so that he could reflect His image into the world, in turn causing Creation to be drawn to submit to God. In this, Wright says he was influenced by the interpretation of Genesis by Prof John H. Walton, emphasing God declared His Creation as good.
Which view follows Scripture better, Wright's NPP or mainstream, considering the following?
Mainstream: The Gospel is the news we can finally go to Heaven, escaping the evil material bonds of the body.
Wright: The Gospel is the news we can finally be pleasing to God through perfecting, subduing, Creation, which God declared as good.
Quote
Halakhah, (Hebrew: “the Way”) also spelled Halakha, Halakah, or Halachah, plural Halakhahs, Halakhot, Halakhoth, or Halachot, in Judaism, the totality of laws and ordinances that have evolved since biblical times to regulate religious observances and the daily life and conduct of the Jewish people.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halakhah
Even in the New Testament, Jews were seen to be making choices of which rabbi to follow, because not only was the result of a wrong choice a bad future judgement, it also meant a bad present outcome. To avoid wrath, perishing from a tower collapse at Siloam and being used as sacrifices that contaminated the Temple by Pilate, Jews were running to John the Baptist. The axe was even then falling at the root of the bad trees.
However, there are many versions of the New Perspective being taught. Wright's version is even being seen as heretical, unorthodox, by the Reformed Community, because the Old Perspective originated with Luther, the Reformer. He, Wright, has been accused of reverting back to Papist doctrine, teaching that works were required to be saved. Fellow Anglican Bishop Paul Helm is particularly critical about him on this issue.
Basically, Wright says justification is God's acknowledgement that some one is clean, can remain in the Camp of the People of God, based on which he will inevitably produce good works, which in turn will assure a good future judgement. In other words, justification is not a description of how to get into the group called the People of God, or how to stay in, but how believers will know whether to have table fellowship with a person or not. Yes, Wright can be difficult to understand, you need to unpack many of his statements. Maybe even question them, because he is still an observant Calvinist, and some of his denominational bias may still be influencing his views, even if he does not believe that they may be contradictory of those views. He tends to deflect or seemingly be obfuscatory when questioned.
However, there are some theories he puts forward that can be framed to compare with mainstream models to check if they are good changes, in relationship to what Scripture teaches. After all, the Reformation, following Barth, who followed Augustine, recommended ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda, the Reformed Church, always reforming, right?
Wright says the Gospel is not that Jesus has now created a Way for believers to go to Heaven, but a Way for them to have the right Vocation. He states that the idea of going to heaven is a Platonic deviation from the faith taught by Scripture, which says Creation was good. Platonism, which influenced Christianity when the power center shifted from Jerusalem to Rome, teaches a dualism of treating the world as material and bad, and heaven as spiritual and good, which by the way is common with all other pagan faiths.
God made a Temple,and the last step was placing Man in it, so that he could reflect His image into the world, in turn causing Creation to be drawn to submit to God. In this, Wright says he was influenced by the interpretation of Genesis by Prof John H. Walton, emphasing God declared His Creation as good.
Which view follows Scripture better, Wright's NPP or mainstream, considering the following?
Mainstream: The Gospel is the news we can finally go to Heaven, escaping the evil material bonds of the body.
Wright: The Gospel is the news we can finally be pleasing to God through perfecting, subduing, Creation, which God declared as good.
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