The Gospel Coalition

10 Comments

1. Richard

   September 30, 2009 at 10:22 pm

   Tom Wright is supposedly a hyper calvinist according to this talk

2. Horton Contra Wright « Heidelblog

   September 30, 2009 at 10:45 pm

   [...] ps. Here’s audio from Gerald Bray on the argument between Piper and Wright (HT: Justin Taylor). [...]

3. Richard

   September 30, 2009 at 11:00 pm

   This talk is actually appalling-not only is its tone smug and arrogant, but Bray actually has a really poor grasp of the Pauline texts themselves and especially the Old Testament-he never ever wrestles with the concept of servant as Israel’s representative (Isaiah 40-55) and simply goes on about his abstract systematic theology while arguing that Wright is some sort arrogant self obsessed prick. He never actually discusses biblical the texts themselves but rattles of a bunch of attacks on people.
   I would have other more frank words which would be unacceptable on this blog with which to call Gerald Bray. Justin Taylor-stop posting such vitriolic rubbish

4. Bruce Russell

   September 30, 2009 at 11:11 pm

   N.T. Wright is a hypercalvinist who uses the holocaust give the Jews a prominent place in the salvation narrative?

   Huh?

5. Justin Taylor

   October 1, 2009 at 10:00 am

   Bray doesn’t say that Wright is a hyper-Calvinist, certainly not that he is one now; rather, Bray believes that Wright is retaining the hyper-Calvinist penchant for thinking schematically. His view is that rather than Christ being the Lord and Master of the covenant, Wright makes Christ the servant of the eternal plan of God.

   Hope that helps.

6. Aaron

   October 1, 2009 at 10:55 am

   N.T. Wright is a brilliant man and one that I would be very likely to mis-understand or not understand completely with my limited knowledge of these issues.

   However, does it seem to anyone else that there are many scholars who either a) don’t understand him either, or b) that Wright doesn’t understand the implications of what he proposes?

   I realize that’s a harsh thing to suggest. But, at some point there would need to be a broad understanding of his points and either acceptance or rejection. I have seen so many try to interact with his new works on justification and have consistently heard “obfuscation, confusing, ironic, not-charitable, etc. . . ”

   A leader without followers is just a guy taking a walk. At some point he would need to be well understood. I wonder if Wright has “out-kicked his coverage”, or if we’re all still just in the dark on these issues.

   Aaron

7. Evan

   October 1, 2009 at 11:18 am

   I haven’t finished the talk yet, but based on the definition he gave for hyper-calvinist thus far it sounds like he means to say that wright is a hyper-covenantalist.

8. Gim Anderson

   October 1, 2009 at 12:08 pm

   It is amazing what twaddle can be said so long as it is anti-Tom Wright. Has this guy ever read anything Wright ever wrote on Paul? Complete nonsense.

9. Josh Gelatt

   October 1, 2009 at 2:48 pm

   Richard,

   Could your impression of Bray be a product of cultural difference? The British style tends to come across (to American ears) as smug and arrogant, though in its own context it is not seen that way. I have several British friends (mostly intellectual guys….so I guess I can only speak of the intellectual British culture), and they all speak and act the same way. The speak about each other in the same manner and get along “smashingly”, so to speak.

   Perhaps your American bias is coming through a bit.

10. Saint and Sinner

    October 1, 2009 at 3:32 pm

    I’m going to have to agree with Richard on this one. Bray completely overlooks Isaiah 42, 49, 50, 52-53 and how the two servants, Israel/Jacob and the Messiah are contrasted. He also overlooks the temptation in the wilderness parallel with Israel. Christ succeeded where Israel failed.

    Of course, a possible argument the other way could be that Wright misses the Adam/Christ connection. But I haven’t read enough of Wright to know that.