The Believer’s Heaven

Posted by admin on Feb 14th, 2008
2008
Feb 14

NT Wright talks about heaven with Time.

Or perhaps you prefer a different take:

25 Responses

  1. Phil Miller Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 10:18 am

    I’m actually reading this book right now. So far it’s very good. It’s kind of interesting, because it kind of gels a bunch of things together I’ve been reading from different people.

    I think the concept of “going to heaven” is so ingrained in our culture, both in the church and out, that it’s an uphill battle to get people to even see what he’s saying.

  2. Kevin I Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 11:35 am

    I can’t get the link to work.

  3. Phil Miller Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 11:41 am

    Hmmm, it’s working for me…

  4. Joe C Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 1:56 pm

    Ken Silva bashed what NT Wright said. He acted like what NT said wasn’t orthodox and that it’s only being ‘discovered now’.

    Funny thing is, I didn’t find anything heretical about what Wright said at all.

    Did y’all?

    Joe

  5. Joe C Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

    “If you died in an Earthquake today…where would you go?”

    Best line ever.

    That video was the cheesiest thing I’ve ever seen.

    Hyper-literal Revelation interpretation devoid of cultural context…always the best way to interpret prophecy since 1860!

    LOL =)

    Joe

  6. Tim Reed, Owosso MI Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 2:08 pm

    Ken Silva bashed what NT Wright said. He acted like what NT said wasn’t orthodox and that it’s only being ‘discovered now’.

    Gee, shocking. Now he can get busy condemning everyone who has ever been endorsed or endorsed NT Wright.

  7. Joe C Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 3:05 pm

    Yeah, I really couldn’t figure out Ken’s angle on this one. Is he saying that he disagrees with what Wright was saying? How could he? Unless of course…he’d rather believe a couple hundred years of traditions about heaven and hell than what the Bible actually says about them?

    I dunno…

    Joe

  8. Pastorboy Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 3:14 pm

    NT Wright is NT Wrong. He needs to go back to the Bible and Jesus’ clear teachings on it, instead of his hyper allegorization of it.

  9. Joe C Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 3:21 pm

    Are you kidding me?

    Disprove what he said, don’t just make statements. We’ll do it your way.

    Joe

  10. Phil Miller Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 3:22 pm

    PB,
    Have you ever read anything by N.T. Wright? To accuse him of hyper-allegorization just shows your ignorance of his writings. He actually takes the Bible quite seriously, and if anything is trying to get back to rid it of a lot of the Western cultural trappings that have been attached to it through the years.

    Hyper-allegorization…I’m still laughing about that one…

  11. merry Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    This looks like a very interesting book.

    This may be a dumb question, but does the Bible say if everything will be perfect for evermore after the new earth is established? Will everyone have free will? I remember wondering as a child what would happen if someone sinned and everything started all over again! Probably not something to worry about, but I was wondering!

    Anyway, I’ve never been a fan of the Left Behind books. Christians too often seem to believe every Christian book they read instead of turning to the Bible, and I think the Left behind books, though fiction, support a lot of misconceptions and theories that may not be true.

  12. opus Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 9:09 pm

    PB,
    how do you come to that conclusion?Wright is about as orthodox as you can get on this subject. Even TR Albert Mohlor said Wright was dead on when it comes to the subject of heaven. the only reason I can see for your displeasure is that its not towing the dispensationalist line.
    by the way I only live 35 miles from you in Sacred Heart MN. I would not mind having some coffee sometime.
    Opus

  13. opus Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 9:15 pm

    Merry,
    You are right.Left Behind is not only bad fiction it is also bad theology based on relatively new emerging theory from about 1860.
    Opus

  14. Tim Reed, Owosso MI Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 9:33 pm

    NT Wright is NT Wrong. He needs to go back to the Bible and Jesus’ clear teachings on it, instead of his hyper allegorization of it.

    PB’s words condemn him more than anything anyone else could write.

  15. Pastorboy Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 9:59 pm

    hyper allegorization=my best attempt at a Roger Clemensism

    I do not see NT Wright’s writings as those I would support, especially what he has written about heaven.

  16. Pastorboy Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 10:00 pm

    Opus,

    I would love to have coffee with you. We have a starbucks here!

  17. Paul C Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 10:01 pm

    NT Wright is absolutely right - with the exception that when you die you are in some sort of interim area with the Lord. The Bible clearly teaches that when you’re dead - you’re dead, not conscious. That’s the whole point of the resurrection: bringing to life that which was dead. And this will only happen at the first resurrection, when Jesus returns. Very clear, but religion has messed it all up.

    Amazingly, the resurrection was the principle hope of the early church.

  18. Phil Miller Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 10:10 pm

    I do not see NT Wright’s writings as those I would support, especially what he has written about heaven.

    You’re certainly entitled to your opinion, but why don’t you read them for yourself? Getting the information second-hand is a sure way to be mislead.

  19. Pastorboy Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 10:21 pm

    NT Wright is absolutely right - with the exception that when you die you are in some sort of interim area with the Lord. The Bible clearly teaches that when you’re dead - you’re dead, not conscious.

    So he is not absolutely right then…..

  20. opus Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 10:23 pm

    PB,
    Can you be more specific than” I do not see NT wright’s writings as those I would support,especially what he has written about heaven.”
    I have some business to do in marshall next week.Here is my email . bhuis_8@hotmail.com
    Opus

  21. iggy Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 10:58 pm

    PB,

    So you deny the Resurrection and think that chapters 20 and 21 of the book of Revelation are not true?

    Hmmmm….

    That is what Wright teaches and you are saying you disagree with…

    iggy

  22. Bruce Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 11:36 pm

    One of the major problems that we have in Christianity is that hardly anyone reads those they disagree with. We rely on “experts” to tell us what others have written.

    Another problem, writers like NT Wright are not easy reads. It takes slow, deliberate reading, and re-reading to get the gist of what he is attempting to say.

    I have certainly not read a vast amount of NT Wright, but I have read some of his shorter books. I have found him to be helpful and challenging.

    On the issue of heaven, I am of the opinion that his writing/comments on this are a welcome correction to the fantasy that is promoted in many Evangelical Churches. Things like: Clouds. Mansions in Heaven (except Dottie Rambo has a log cabin) Grandma looking over the portals. Grandpa with a perfect body. We’ll know everything. Fishing in the River of Life.

    Nice story but unfortunately it is a fantasy. It is all about the resurrection and the God’s eternal kingdom. There yet awaits a day………..

    I have oft said the Jehovah Witnesses are probably closer to the truth on the Eternal Kingdom than many Evangelicals.

    Kudos to NT Wright for speaking up for the truth. He had to know he was going to get attacked for his view. But then, by now he might be used to it.

    Bruce

  23. merry Says:
    February 15th, 2008 at 12:38 am

    “We’ll know everything.”

    This was always a big fear for me. Christians I know always are so excited about this, but I always was afraid that everyone would be enlightened about everything I ever did . . . lol!

    Also, attending summer camp in middle school, youth leaders told us that we would get a Q&A time/counseling session with God in heaven. This would be nice, and I hope it happens, but I wonder where they got that in Scripture. They sounded so sure about it!

  24. Brendt Says:
    February 16th, 2008 at 12:18 pm

    Bruce: One of the major problems that we have in Christianity is that hardly anyone reads those they disagree with. We rely on “experts” to tell us what others have written.

    And some of us even get published with little more than hearsay.

    Oops, did I say that out loud?

  25. Keith Says:
    February 16th, 2008 at 12:38 pm

    Bruce said: “One of the major problems that we have in Christianity is that hardly anyone reads those they disagree with…”

    I confess. I resemble that remark…although I have to admit, I read this blog and don’t agree with much. It’s still a fun place to hang out.