Review:

Surprised by hope

I recall as a young preacher being gently corrected for referring to the Holy Spirit as ‘it’ not ‘he’. Albeit somewhat embarrassed, this surprising discovery of the person of the spirit liberated me into a deeper relationship with God. This unmissable book has had the same impact on me. Bishop Tom Wright argues persuasively from careful exposition of the sweep of scripture, gently correcting us for referring to the Christian hope as ‘going to heaven when we die’. His convincing case shows what it means to look forward to a resurrected life in the new heavens and the new earth. This surprising doctrine could have a profoundly liberating effect on every aspect of Christian discipleship.

The Bishop of Durham is undeniably Anglican in his application and illustrations are more likely to be from dead poets than MTV. But this book, as with so much of Wright’s work, is a must-read.

High: A powerful challenge to revisit views on heaven.

Low: Somewhat repetitive and very slightly smug last chapter, plus a strange idea about people being transformed into subhuman beings in hell.

Reviewed by Krish Kandiah, executive director: churches in mission at the Evangelical Alliance.

Published by: SPCK
Price: £12.99
ISBN: 9780281056170