Book Review: Surprised by Hope (N.T. Wright)

There is a truth about our faith that might come as a surprise to many Christians today - salvation is not about going to heaven when we die! In fact, heaven is not our final destination in Scripture. What does Biblical salvation then mean, and what does it look like in the pages of the New Testament? These are the questions that NT Wright, a renowned New Testament scholar and church leader, answers in this book (which happens to be one of my all-time favorite books on theology).

Surprised by Hope centers around the truth that salvation in the Bible is about a restored earth and creation. Our hope is not to go somewhere else, to some heavenly destination, but for Christ’s return and our bodily resurrection in a world that will be restored to its original state. Wright shows that this reorientation is no small adjustment, but instead one that completely revolutionizes the way we go about every area of our lives. Our perspective on this life and the world completely changes in light of this more earthly focus. If Jesus is coming to restore this world, and we are to reign in it with him, then our embodied earthly existence is the way we are supposed to be, and will be what Jesus restored us to in the end.

NT Wright first establishes the biblical case for this view of salvation. This portion of the book explains clearly why we should think more in terms of the resurrection and restored creation, and how Scripture makes this very clear from Genesis to Revelation. From here, he dedicates the latter portions of the book to the consequences and ramifications of this realization. He shows how this focus should inform how we view justice, earthly stewardship, and all areas of our lives today. This is all explained in a clear, engaging style of writing that is witty and approachable, without being overly academic or hard to grasp.

This book is perfect for any believer who wants to dive deeper into what Biblical salvation looks like. Surprised by Hope is a great resource for church members, pastors, or even academic scholars. And as we step into this sermon series exploring the very topic of the new heavens and the new earth, this is an incredibly informative and helpful resource.