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 16th 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?
Yesterday there was no morning session, but here are my notes from our evening gathering:
ReplyDelete- Wright seems to assume that we all believe in "justification by faith" but the consensus was that we don't. There was a feeling that his claims are too generalized.
- We noted that Wright latches on to "virtue" - a concept that reformers like Luther had little use for, but an important concept for Roman Catholic thinkers such as Thomas Aquinas.
- One person mentioned that prior to reading the book she hadn't equated "virtue" with "good works" yet that's what Wright seems to be doing. She pointed to this on page 67:
"Christian living in the present consists of anticipating this ultimate reality through the Spirit-led, habit-forming, truly human practice of faith, hope, and love, sustaining Christians in their calling to worship God and reflect his glory into the world."
- Many of us are starting to get annoyed by Wright's habit of pointing out what he's going to discuss later in the book. There was a sense that it's time for him to get to the point. On the other hand, we acknowledged that this is only Chapter 2!
- Some of us expressed trouble with Wright's basic premise - his focus on the "new creation" or "life after life after death." We wondered if that's true what difference does it make in our daily lives? There was a sense that it's important to live in the here and now and not be concerned with whatever comes after we die. One person noted that he believes that heaven has already started here and now (We did, however, think that Wright might go along with that idea.).
- We noted that so far Wright is very focused on the individual. He does not seem to be interested in ethics, virtue, character on the societal level.
- Wright has been insisting that there is a distinctive Christian ethic but he hasn't (yet) proposed anything that is so different from secular ethics and virtue.
- We wondered if it makes any difference if we're motivated by our Christian faith to do good or if we simply care about our fellow human beings.
- So far Wright is better at pointing out what he's again than what he's for.
- We liked Wright's look at brain science, particularly the example of the London taxi drivers.
- One person described virtue as "moral muscle" but muscle that can be broken by a new situation - leading "good" people to do bad things. This "moral muscle" is not as automatic as a physical muscle.
- Finally, we noted that Wright does suggest a definition of Christian virtue beginning on the bottom of pg. 71:
"Christian behavior is basically about 'good works' in the sense of doing things which bring God's wisdom and glory to birth in the world."
Your thoughts?