Meat for the soul

By Martha Thomsen and ChristianWeek | June 15, 2010

This book, which the author describes as "a kind of sequel to Simply Christian (2006) and Surprised by Hope (2007)," addresses the all-important issue of how followers of Jesus are to live once they believe. This is rich "meat" for the Christian.

Succinctly put, Wright states believers must understand the final goal for which humankind has been made and redeemed, the path that will get them to that goal and the habits that enable them to walk the path. Decrying the two alternative road maps frequently proposed for Christian living––rule keeping and authentic spontaneity––Wright proposes a third option: character building, which he describes as a long process involving hard work and discipline. According to Wright, Christian character does not "just happen" or automatically become second nature.

Far from proof-texting, Wright pulls together his theology from throughout Scripture––the Old Testament, John's writings, the epistles of Paul and Peter, like tracing deeply embedded roots through the earth and back to their source. Chapter upon chapter builds as the author develops his case, and what begins as a relatively simple premise grows in complexity. The master teacher that he is, Wright approaches the same issues from varying directions, always coming back to the core premise. Just as he insists that repetition is necessary for character building, so he employs repetition to promote learning.

I was disappointed, though, not in Wright's emphasis on the need for believers to think, but in his diminishment of the role emotions play in Christian growth. This seems surprising from one so emphatic about humankind being made in the image of God, and the renewal of that image being the process in which believers are engaged. Has Wright forgotten that God made humans as thinking, doing and feeling beings, that all three work in tandem in order to prevent a lopsided character? (Maybe I judge him too harshly since Wright does not discuss emotions per se, but talks about thoughts couched in feeling words.)

After You Believe is meat: engaging, thought-provoking, challenging. Sadly, it may tend to choke some whose spiritual digestive systems aren't yet developed enough to handle such nutritious food. If this is true, it may be important that readers who can digest and internalize it are willing to share it, bite by bite, with others who would benefit and grow through such nourishment.