Ask NT Wright Anything

Can Christians challenge the decisions of historic church councils? What did Paul mean by the “righteousness of God”? And what actually happened when Jesus ascended into heaven?
Tom Wright joins Mike Bird to explore three major questions from listeners.
Tom explains why the great Christian creeds remain important while insisting that Scripture, not any theological system, has primary authority. He then unpacks the rich biblical meaning of righteousness, from Abraham and Phinehas to Romans and 2 Corinthians, and explains why no single English translation captures everything the biblical words convey.
Finally, Tom tackles the physical reality of Jesus’ Ascension. Rather than imagining heaven simply as somewhere above the clouds, he argues that the Ascension points towards the biblical joining together of heaven and earth in Christ.
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Is the Rapture really biblical? And if friends or family strongly believe in it, should you try to change their minds?

Tom Wright and Mike Bird revisit one of the most debated ideas in modern Christian eschatology. Tom explains why he believes 1 Thessalonians 4 has often been misunderstood, and why the New Testament points instead towards the return of Jesus, resurrection, renewed creation and Christ coming “to rescue, to rule, to reign”.

They also ask whether apostles and prophets still exist today, with Tom warning against spiritual authority becoming authoritarianism.

Plus, does it matter whether Christians call baptism and communion “sacraments” or “ordinances”? Tom explores why these practices point towards the biblical hope of heaven and earth coming together.

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How can the God revealed in Jesus command acts of violence in the Old Testament? And what should Christians do with some of the Bible’s most troubling passages?
Tom Wright and Mike Bird tackle three major biblical puzzles in today's episode. First, why does Mark’s Gospel appear to end so abruptly, with the women fleeing the empty tomb in fear? Tom explains why he believes Mark’s original ending — and perhaps even its original beginning — may have been lost.
Then, what is the book of Acts actually for? Is it simply a history of the early church or a manual for mission and church planting? Tom argues that its real hero is the gospel itself, as the message of Jesus travels from Jerusalem all the way to Rome.
Finally, they confront violence in the Old Testament. Tom considers divine judgment, Israel’s own failures and why these disturbing stories ultimately have to be read within the larger biblical story that reaches its climax in Jesus and the cross.
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What does Jesus mean when he says we must be “born of water and Spirit”? Should Christians feel guilty if they pursue an ordinary career rather than full-time ministry? And why does Paul seem to blame Adam rather than Eve for the entrance of sin?
In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird begin with John 3 and the relationship between baptism, the Holy Spirit and new birth. Tom places Jesus’ words within the wider biblical story of creation, Exodus and the renewal of God’s people.

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Tom Wright and Mike Bird tackle three big questions: Which Anglican tradition is most faithful? Does Genesis 1 leave room for the “gap theory”? And does 2 Peter really teach that the earth will be destroyed by fire?
They explore church tradition and biblical faithfulness, creation and Genesis, and whether the Christian hope is the destruction or renewal of the world.
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Are people basically good, or fundamentally sinful? Did Jesus teach salvation by works in the Sermon on the Mount? In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird explore what the Bible really says about human nature, arguing that our primary identity is not simply "good" or "bad" but people created for God's vocation. They also examine one of the New Testament's enduring mysteries, the identity of the "beloved disciple" in John's Gospel, and ask whether we can know who he really was. Finally, Tom tackles a common misunderstanding of the Sermon on the Mount, explaining why Jesus' teaching is not legalism but a vision of what life looks like when God's kingdom breaks into the world.
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What if you genuinely want to love God, but find yourself more excited by your work, hobbies or a good novel than by reading the Bible? Does that mean something is wrong with your faith?
In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird respond to a listener wrestling with fear, assurance and what it really means to desire God. Tom offers a refreshingly different way of thinking about prayer, Scripture and ordinary human passions — including why loving your vocation or even enjoying a crime novel need not compete with loving God.
They also tackle the difficult ethical question of whether Christians can work in the defence industry, asking where personal conscience, national defence and responsibility for how our work is ultimately used should meet.
Finally, they turn to the trial of Jesus: where exactly did Pontius Pilate judge him, how public would the proceedings have been, and could the Gospel accounts realistically preserve what happened during that extraordinary night?
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How does Jesus reveal the glory of God? Is the Trinity really the best way to understand Father, Son and Holy Spirit? And what should you do when you think your church is getting the Bible wrong?
In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird explore how the New Testament reveals God’s glory through Jesus and whether Christians need a better way of explaining the Trinity. Tom argues that rather than beginning with an abstract idea of God and trying to fit Jesus into it, we should look at Jesus to discover what God is truly like.
They also respond to a listener who feels increasingly isolated after rejecting the dispensationalist end-times theology of his church, asking how Christians can remain biblically faithful while disagreeing with their community, with both conviction and humility.

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Are near-death experiences genuine glimpses of heaven and hell? Has Jesus always been the Son of God? And could Satan have prevented him from completing his mission? In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird explore three substantial questions about death, the identity of Jesus and spiritual evil.
Tom explains why Christians should remain open but cautious about near-death experiences, before tracing the biblical meaning of “Son of God,” from Israel and the Davidic king to the New Testament’s extraordinary claim that God’s eternal Son became human in Jesus. Finally Mike and Tom consider Satan’s role in the Gospel story. 

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Can you forgive yourself? Were the Samaritans really Israelites? And what actually happened at Jesus' Ascension?
In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird answer three thoughtful listener questions about forgiveness, biblical history and one of the most overlooked events in the life of Jesus. Along the way they explore healing from guilt, the relationship between Jews and Samaritans, and why the Ascension is central to understanding Christ's reign today.
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