Session 8: Virtue in Action: The Royal Priesthood

Session 8: Virtue in Action: The Royal Priesthood (pp. 219-255)

1. According to Wright, what is the importance and purpose of worship? What does worship have to do with virtue?

2. What does Wright mean when he claims that Christians are meant to be “rulers”? What would it mean for us to take this “royal” Christian vocation seriously?

3. What do you think about the way Wright connects good works to Christian virtue? Have you thought of it this way before? Is it helpful or not?

4. How did Paul argue for a Christian form of the ancient pagan theory of virtue?

5. How are Christians meant to act as “angled mirrors”?

6. How do you respond to what Wright has to say about humility, patience, chastity and charity? 

Coming this Fall!

Our next book will be one that we've mentioned this summer: Paul Among the People: the Apostle Reinterpreted and Reimagined in His Own Time by Sarah Ruden.

Here's how the publisher describes the book:

In Paul Among the People, Sarah Ruden explores the writings of the evangelist Paul in the context of his time and culture, to recover his original message of freedom and love while overturning the common—and fundamental—misconception that Paul represented a puritanical, hysterically homophobic, misogynist, or reactionary vision.
               
By setting famous and controversial words of Paul against ancient Greek and Roman literature, Ruden reveals a radical message of human freedom and dignity at the heart of Paul’s preaching. Her training in the Classics allows her to capture the stark contrast between Paul’s Christianity and the violence, exploitation, and dehumanization permeating the Roman Empire in his era. In contrast to later distortions, the vision of Christian life Ruden finds in Paul is centered on equality before God and the need for people to love one another. 
 
A remarkable work of scholarship, synthesis, and understanding, Paul Among the People recaptures the moral urgency and revolutionary spirit that made Christianity such a shock to the ancient world and laid the foundation of the culture in which we live today.

We will be discussing the book over the course of four sessions in the library beginning at 7:30pm.
We will meet on the following Wednesdays: 10/10, 10/17, 11/7 and 11/14.

Here's a link to bn.com for more information: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paul-among-the-people-sarah-ruden/1102392032?ean=9780385522571

Session 7: Three Virtues, Nine Varieties of Fruit, and One Body

Session 7: Three Virtues, Nine Varieties of Fruit, and One Body (pp. 181-218)

1. Why does Wright claim that love (as understood by Paul) is a virtue?

2. What does Wright mean by this: “Love is not a ‘duty,’ even our highest duty. It is our destiny” (pg. 188)?

3. How does Wright interpret “If you are led by the Spirit you are not under the Law” (Galatians 5:18)?

4. What is the “fruit of the Spirit” that Paul lists in Galatians 5:22-23? What insights does Wright offer about the fruit of the Spirit? Does anything here strike you as interesting, surprising or important? What?

5. What does Paul mean (or what does Wright think that Paul means) by the notion that the three virtues of faith, hope and love abide? What are the implications for how we live our lives?

6. How do you respond to this: “Personal morality is enormously important, but overconcentration on it can function as a displacement activity when we don’t want to address the larger, equally important issues” (pg. 209)?

7. What is Wright’s understanding and vision of Christian unity? Why does he think it is essential?

Session 6: Transformed by the Renewal of the Mind

Session 6: Transformed by the Renewal of the Mind (pp. 135-179)

1. How does Wright summarize St. Paul’s vision of Christian virtue? Do you have any ideas about what that might look like in our daily lives?

2. Summarize Wright’s interpretation of Colossians 3:2.  According to Colossians, what are the virtues that we are called to “put on”?

3. Why is Abraham so important for Paul? How might Abraham be a model for us as we strive to have our minds renewed and think in a different way?

4. According to Wright, what is Paul’s view of the conscience? How or why might conscience be or become unreliable?

5. According to Wright, Paul’s whole vision of Christian virtue is about being remade in God’s image or, in other words, becoming truly human. (pg. 168). How does Paul and/or Wright think that we can achieve this? How do you think it might be achieved?

6. What do you make of Ephesians 4:13-5:20? Do you agree with Wright that “Paul” is offering “habits of heart and mind, ways of learning how to think Christianly about the ultimate future and about the pathway toward it – the pathway which is, as it were, a daily resurrection”?

7. For Paul, what is the role of suffering in the development of Christian character?

Session 5: The Kingdom Coming and the People Prepared

Our reading group resumes on Wednesday, but only the evening session. The morning session is canceled because of Vacation Bible School.

Here are the discussion questions for Chapter 4:

Session 5: The Kingdom Coming and the People Prepared (pp.101-133)

1. What is Wright referring to when on page 103 he writes, “The fact that it’s all been selected and arranged doesn’t mean it’s all been made up”? According to Wright what is the “larger truth” that modern scholarship seems to miss?

2. What is Jesus’ “program” for God’s kingdom as found in the Beatitudes? How is this program to be put into effect?

3. Why does Wright quote (on pg. 115) Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s summary of Jesus’ call, “Come and die”? What does this mean in the context of Jesus’ death and the Christian life?

4. Summarize Wright’s interpretation of Jesus’ saying about clean and unclean foods. According to Wright, what is Jesus’ purpose in teaching people that uncleanness comes from within?

5. On page 126 Wright claims, “Jesus as a ’moral example’ is a domesticated Jesus, a kind of religious mascot.” What does he mean by this? How does he believe Jesus should serve as an example for us? Do you agree or not? Why?

Session 4: Priests and Rulers

Session 4: Priests and Rulers (pp. 73-100)

1. What do you make of Wright’s understanding of creation and the role of “Human” in it? What does he see as the role of Jesus and his followers?

2. What does Wright mean when he writes that humanity has both a royal and priestly vocation? How does he support this notion by drawing on Scripture? Is this a vocation that you might feel called to? What would that look like in your life?

3. Pay close attention to Wright’s summary on pp. 84-85 of the “large slowly-developing story” of God’s interaction with the world. How do you respond to this telling of the story?

4. How does Wright describe the function and meaning of the Temple? How do you respond to his description of Jesus as “fulfilled Israel”?

5. According to St. Paul, how do we prepare for the goal of our “glorification”?

"Moral Dystopia"

Very relevant piece from Maureen Dowd in last Sunday's NY Times.

Dowd quotes from James Davison Hunter, professor at the University of Virginia and author of "The Death of Character":

"We've moved from a culture of character to a culture of personality. The etymology of the word character is that it's deeply etched, not changeable in all sorts of circumstances. We don't want to think of ourselves as transgressive or bad, but we tend to personalize our understanding of the good."





Check out the whole piece here:
"Moral Dystopia" by Maureen Dowd

Video of NT Wright Discussing After You Believe

At last night's discussion, a member of the group mentioned that he had watched a You Tube video of Wright discussing After You Believe at the Ethical Culture Society in New York.

Here is the video (which is about 45 minutes long):

Session 3: The Transformation of Character

Session 3: The Transformation of Character (pp. 27-71)

1. What do you make of Wright’s description of Human character: “…the pattern of thinking and acting which runs right through someone, so that wherever you cut into them (as it were), you see the same person through and through” (pg. 27)?

2. According to Wright how is Christian character transformed? What is the goal we should be aiming for? Do you agree?

3. On page 51 Wright describes the “general position” that many people believe “Christian living ought to be about.” According to Wright, what are the sources of this thinking? What are the problems he sees with it? Is this how you or others you know think or have thought Christian living is all about? Is Wright correct in criticizing this point of view?

4. Why has virtue been out of fashion in much of Western Christianity since the 16^th Century Reformation? How does Wright counter this Protestant discomfort with virtue by tying it to the famous verse John 3:16? Do you find this convincing and/or appealing?

5. What are the two visions of the Christian goal described on pg. 66? What do you think of them? What does Wright think of them? What does Wright offer in their place?

Session 2: What am I Here For?

Session 2: What Am I Here For? (pp. 1-26)

1. Have you ever asked yourself, what am I here for? What kinds of answers have you come up with?

2. Have you found it true that many Christians think that you can believe in Jesus and then really do nothing else? Do you believe that transformation is necessary and/or possible?

3. What does Wright mean by, “In the last analysis, what matters after you believe is neither rules nor spontaneous self-discovery, but character?” (pg. 7)

4. What do you think of the examples Wright uses to describe the damage done when people lack character? What examples would you add to his list?

5. How does Wright define virtue? What do you think of the example he gives? Would you have thought of Capt. Sullenberger as virtuous? Can you think of other examples of virtue in this sense?

The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone - Especially Ourselves

There is a new book out about dishonesty written by Dan Ariely, a professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke. It seems like Ariely and N.T. Wright would have some interesting conversations.

Listen to Leonard Lopate's interview with Ariely on WNYC:



And David Brooks writes about Ariely's book in his column in today's NY Times:

The Moral Diet We all commit little indiscretions, just enough to keep from feeling too bad about it. Should we be active in curtailing this inevitability, and if so, how?

N.T. Wright would probably like what Brooks concludes in his column:

"I’d add that you really shouldn’t shoot for goodness, which is so vague and forgiving. You should shoot for rectitude. We’re mostly unqualified to judge our own moral performances, so attach yourself to some exterior or social standards."

Discussion Questions for Introduction and Chapter 1

Session 1: Introduction

1. In two previous books Wright asserted what he describes as a basic principle of early Christianity: “…that God the creator intends to bring heaven and earth together at last, and that this plan has been decisively inaugurated in Jesus Christ.” (pg. ix) Without having read those earlier books, what do you think of this assertion? Do you believe God has a plan for creation and is actively carrying it out? Why or why not?

2. Here is how Wright describes the basic point of After You Believe: “Christian life in the present, with its responsibilities and particular callings, is to be understood and shaped in relation to the final goal for which we have been made and redeemed. The better we understand the goal, the better we shall understand the path

toward it.” (pg. ix) Have you thought of your (Christian) life as having a “goal”? What might that be?

3. How would you define character? Virtue? Ethics?

4. On page x, Wright claims that God means for us to be concerned primarily with worship and mission. How do you respond to that? Do you think that’s really what God wants from us?

5. On page xi Wright declares, “I have assumed, for the present purpose, that Jesus of Nazareth did and said more or less what the four gospels in the New Testament say he did and said.” Can you agree with this assumption? Why or why not?

Session 2: What Am I Here For? (pp. 1-26)

1. Have you ever asked yourself, what am I here for? What kinds of answers have you come up with?

2. Have you found it true that many Christians think that you can believe in Jesus and then really do nothing else? Do you believe that transformation is necessary and/or possible?

3. What does Wright mean by, “In the last analysis, what matters after you believe is neither rules nor spontaneous self-discovery, but character?” (pg. 7)

4. What do you think of the examples Wright uses to describe the damage done when people lack character? What examples would you add to his list?

5. How does Wright define virtue? What do you think of the example he gives? Would you have thought of Capt. Sullenberger as virtuous? Can you think of other examples of virtue in this sense?

Prayers Before and After Reading and Reflecting

A Prayer Before Reading and Reflecting

Almighty and Eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray you, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, pg. 832)

A Prayer After Reading and Reflecting

Almighty and Everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, pg. 235)

Here is a link to a recent interview with N.T. Wright, mixing both the theological and personal. Worth a look...

http://frankviola.org/2012/01/23/ntwright/

Harper One maintains an official N.T. Wright page on facebook! Check it out here:


https://www.facebook.com/pages/N-T-Wright/260878103965254

Here is a link to an article in the current issue of The Christian Century magazine that refers to an earlier N.T. Wright book and gives some background on issues he deals with in After You Believe.


http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2012-05/life-after-life-after-death

Grace Summer Reading Schedule 

Wednesdays: 10:30am – 12:00pm (Library) 
                      7:30pm – 9:00pm (Grace Hall)


Online: gracesummerreading.blogspot.com 

6/6: Introduction

6/13: Chapter 1: What Am I Here For?

6/20: Chapter 2: The Transformation of Character

6/27: Chapter 3: Priests and Rulers

7/4: INDEPENDENCE DAY – no session 

7/11: No Session

7/18: Chapter 4: The Kingdom Coming and the People Prepared

7/25: Chapter 5: Transformed by the Renewal of the Mind

8/1: No Session

8/8: Chapter 6: Three Virtues, Nine Varieties of Fruit, and One Body

8/15: No Session

8/22: Chapter 7: Virtue in Action: The Royal Priesthood

8/29: No Session

9/5: Chapter 8: The Virtuous Circle

Here is a link to information on the book found at bn.com: After You Believe