Internet Monk reviews N.T. Wright’s Jesus and the Victory of God…my thoughts exactly.

I have been reading the Bible since I was a child. I’ve been reading the words of Jesus for at least 40 years of my life. I have clear memories of reading those “red letters” in my KJV Bible as a child. Ive listened to thousands of sermons. I’ve majored in religion in college. I did almost 5 years of seminary and graduate study. I’ve taught the Gospel of Mark at least 50 times, and I have a passion for that particular Gospel. I’ve read ??? books on Jesus and the Gospels. I’m in my second year of teaching the Gospel of John now. I’ve preached many many hundreds of times from the Gospels.

I am at home in the Gospels. Too much at home. It is hard for me to feel the excitement and power of the New Testament. I have lived in the New Testament so long, I am innoculated against much of its Good News. Jesus is there, but he is not living, breathing and real.

The effect of Wright’s book is inestimable. Speaking for myself, it has done a remarkable job of shaking my notion of Jesus loose from the museum display where it tends to end up. Perhaps you can relate.

By the way, IM has sent me an email interview that I promise I will finish in the next day or so!