Tom Wright and the Search for Truth: A Theological Evaluation

by Tom Holland

Overview

Tom Wright and The Search for Truth is an impressively comprehensive critique of Tom Wright's scholarship. It covers his theological method, the controversy over his theology of justification, and even his Christology. Not only that, but Holland also provides a rival constructive theology and narrative substructure in his new exodus motif. There are very few scholars who could have written this book, but Tom Holland has risen to the challenge, and he has left the church and the academy a wonderful gift that will prove to serve as a useful guide for years to come. Whether you are relatively new to the current debates in Pauline theology or are well versed in the field, you will gain much theological fruit and edification from the time spent reading Tom Holland's The Search for Truth. Mark Baker in Books at a Glance Tom Holland provides a long overdue and thorough critique of the biblical scholarship of Tom Wright. Holland poses many excellent questions that point to fundamental, unrecognized, and potentially very damaging flaws in many of Wright's methods and arguments. In an uncomfortable number of instances, Holland argues, Wright is just plain old wrong! Holland particularly identifies how the Second Temple Literature, as well as Hellenism as a whole, provides an unnecessary and unjustified foundation for Wright's interpretations, especially of Paul. Holland does more than simply show how and where he believes Wright is in error; he presents numerous constructive and viable alternatives that merit further consideration. Regardless of whether one accepts these alternatives, if Holland is right in his fundamental criticisms, then Wright has a lot of explaining (and revising) to do! Stanley E. Porter, President and Dean, Professor of New Testament, Roy A. Hope Chair in Christian Worldview, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada I have long felt that someone ought to write a comprehensive, probing critique of N. T. Wright's theological thought. I'm very grateful to Tom Holland for tackling this challenging, yet much-needed task. Holland rightly, I believe, raises serious concerns regarding Wright's methodology, which tends to elevate Second Temple literature above the Hebrew Scriptures. While Wright is correct in his efforts to peel back layers of Reformation tradition in reading Paul, Holland shows that Wright's own methodology does not always live up to the noble aims of the critical realism he espouses. No doubt there is much to learn from Wright's scholarly contribution. The way forward, however, I believe, is subjecting Wright's work to the kind of constructive critique Holland has provided. It is my hope that this volume marks the beginning of an even more thoroughgoing scrutiny of Wright's reconstructed synthesis-with the result that Paul's thought can be discerned more cogently from the New Testament documents against the most important ancient background, which surely must be the inspired canonical contributions of the Old Testament writers. Even the most ardent followers of Wright, not to mention Wright himself, will want to take note of this measured, yet pointed and sustained interaction. Andreas J. Kostenberger, Senior Research Professor of New Testament & Biblical Theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr Holland presents a careful, eirenic, and thorough examination of the influences and assumptions that have shaped Tom Wright's approach to the theology of Paul. He treats his arguments to critical but fair scrutiny. It is important that widely popular claims are made accountable in an informed manner. In achieving this Dr Holland provides us with a resource that will prove invaluable for reaching a coherent evaluation. Dr Robert Letham, Director of Research, Senior Lecturer in Systematic and Historical Theology, Union School of Theology

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781912445066
Publisher:	Apiary Publishing Ltd
Publication date:	11/22/2017
Pages:	498
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Tom Holland was born in Liverpool during the second world war. When he left school, he trained to be an engineer. Early in his training he became a follower of Christ and started to prepare to eventually take the message of Christ to the unevangelised people of the world. He went to university to obtain an engineering degree that he thought would give him an opening to share the gospel but found himself persuaded to turn from his engineering studies and commence theological studies. He eventually obtained a BD degree from London University as a result of his studies through what was then called the London Bible College. On graduation, he took a teaching post in a London school and soon after was invited to accept a call to work with a church that wanted to start a daughter work. He led a church plant in North Hertfordshire, twenty-five miles from Cambridge, and went on to plant another, both of which continue to bear witness to Christ.
During this time of ministry, he began to research issues that he felt the commentaries that he used seemed to miss. From this study, he received a PhD from the University of Wales. He was appointed a lecturer in what is now Union School of Theology and taught New Testament while also heading the schools' biblical research programme. He supervised eighteen students who received PhD.s from a number of universities. Much of this research built on his own unique theological contributions in which he demonstrated the profound influence the exodus event had on the teaching of the New Testament.
Tom has retired from teaching but continues his involvement in research and writing as the Senior Research Fellow of Union School of Theology
Early in his pastoral ministry, Tom met Barbara, a biology teacher who worshipped at the parent church that had called him. They married and had three daughters who have gone on to have between them, six children.
Tom has in his retirement continued his research into Pauline Theology and has had further books published. His first was what became the groundbreaking Contours of Pauline Theology, published by Christian Focus. He wrote Romans The Divine Marriage (Wipf and Stock) and another on Romans called Hope for the Nation (Apiary Publishing. He has completed his latest project in his retirement which is Tom Wright and the Search for Truth (Apiary Publishing) which has received high acclaim from a number of the worlds leading scholars.