Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright: Book Study for Epiphany / Lent 2023
Beginning on Thursday, Jan. 18, and continuing irregularly through Apr. 18, we as a parish will be reading N.T. Wright’s book Surprised by Hope, which explores the Church’s doctrine of heaven and eternal life in the context of the Church. Most of us are intrigued by these topics and it is important to understand what the Bible actually teaches, and also what popular ideas may be prevalent in the Church even though though they are not scriptural. We will conclude this study just before Holy Week, and my hope is that the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ will bless us even more greatly after we have more carefully considered the implications of His death, atonement, and resurrection.
During Lent, we will meet an hour earlier for Lenten soup supper. I also plan to livestream our studies for those who aren’t able to attend in person.
We will read 1-2 chapters a week (under 30 pages except for a couple of weeks), and the audiobook is also available. There are hardcover and softcover formats available as well as an audiobook. When purchasing, be sure that you don’t buy the participants guide by mistake.
Format:
6:45 pm family prayer
7:00 pm brief lecture on the material in the readings
7:30 pm group discussion
8:00 pm conclusion and dismissal
Jan 18: Chp 1,2
Jan 25: Chp 3
Feb 1: Chp 4
Feb 8: Chp 5,6
Feb 15: Chp 7,8
Mar 7: Chp 9,10
Mar 14: Chp 11,12
Apr 4: Chp 13
Apr 11: Chp 14
Apr 18: Chp 15