Virtue Reborn

by Tom Wright

What am I here for? How should I behave? Most Christians, faced with those questions, think in terms either of 'rules' or of 'living authentically'. Both lead to problems. In this book, full of fresh biblical exploration, Bishop Tom Wright proposes instead that we inhabit the ancient tradition of virtue once again -- but from a thoroughly Christian, not just a philosophical, perspective. The virtues are the strengths we need to get to our goal. Following on from his popular best-selling books Simply Christian and Surprised by Hope, he sees the goal in terms of the whole new creation, with humans renewed to look after it.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Religion, Nonfiction, Christianity

358 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2010

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

He also publishes under N.T. Wright.

Reviews

[Anusha Atukorala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Tom Wright as always makes one think deeply about life and the scriptures in an amazing new way. A challenge to think, to be and to do. To understand the Word better and to live authentic Christian lives.

[Robbie Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complicated to rate this one.

I appreciate Tom Wright’s efforts on a difficult topic but in the end I think he didn’t quite achieve what was intended.

Huge amounts of graft was undertaken in this work to clarify the concepts he was advocating for which made it feel way too theoretical for the layman.

I also really struggled with his style. Other works I’ve read of his are far more lucid and cogent, whereas this book meandered in ways that at times felt like after he posed the question he came up with four more before he answered the first….with this in mind, don’t read John Stott just before you read Tom Wright - polar opposites!

As a thinker, Tom Wright in unparalleled; but this book didn’t quite cut it this time round.

[Glenn Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to be good?
How to live a good life?

Tom Wright's book interrogates both the New Testament and the classical Greek understanding of virtue to come up with what he presents as the Christian vision. Roughly it's this (I think). Being good means 'developing character traits whose radical novelty is generated from within the life, vision, achievement, death, and resurrection of Jesus himself.' (p222) We develop these traits not by our own efforts only, but renewed and guided by the Holy Spirit freely choosing to build new habits.

This gives us all this:
- We become truly human and fruitful
- The classical virtues are taken through a kind of death and resurrection, and reborn. So there's both a discontinuiy and a continuity with them.
- Goodness is not attained through rule-keeping, or through just following your (new) instinct, but by repeated decisions to build new habits

Wright suggests that the way we nourish this practice of building good habits which slowly coalesce into virtue, into 'second nature' is through scripture, stories (which can teach us wisdom), examples, community, and action or practices. In other words, stuff we do corporately and individually as Christians.

This is a good book, the sort that stirs all kinds of prayerful and devotional impulses as you read it.

If you were being critical, you might say that, in his keenness to dialogue with the classical tradition, and with other ethicists, he makes his subject a little more complex than it actually is. And us ordinary joes who just want to be good, and, sad to say, have gone through life without being troubled what dead Greeks thought about the matter, possibly find a bit more detail than we really need. Maybe. But Wright's thinking is stimulating throughout the book.

The book is better edited than some others of his, though he repeats the large error that he's also documented elsewhere, that there are more people alive than those who have already lived. Look it up, Tom, you're wrong. The dead outnumber the living by by about 11 to 1 and I have yet to find a serious theologian who has thought about that. But I'm nitpicking.

I like having a thoughtful, stretching, devotional book on the go and this latest Tom Wright outing was excellent.

[Tim Suffield · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wants to be a popular exposition of the idea that the Christian life is about developing "virtue"; when it is this, especially the first and last chapters, there are some compelling ideas that will stimulate personal reflection even as you disagree with details. That in itself would be a great book. Unfortunately, the middle half of the book is a moderately academic development of the similarities between the Greek philosophical tradition of virtue and the New Testament. Interesting? A little. Stimulating or challenging? Not really. It's two different books, I was hoping (particularly after the first chapter) for the former and mostly found the latter.

The most frustrating part was that in the opening Wright introduces a conundrum to illustrate why 'developing virtue' is a better model than 'doing the right thing'. Fine as far as it goes (though I think the problem was overly simplistic), except that he never returned to it to solve it.

Ultimately it didn't deliver on the promise of the premise.

[Alan Fricker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as part of my AKC qualification where we spent a semester considering different philosophers positions on god. I was particularly interested in virtue ethics as advanced by Plato and this book considers virtue ethics in a Christian context. It was heavy going in parts as the author is (quite reasonably) very much coming at this from his particular Christian position - this did make the language a barrier at times. If I could have jettisoned some of the stuff round the edges to concentrate on the elements specifically about virtues as a way of living that would have been great. But then I guess a virtue needs to be worked for so I should probably welcome the task.

[Colm Alton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book in clarifying the vision in the New Testament regarding character and moral development. I like how Wright frames moral prohibitions in the New Testament around the new creation. God is not scruples, but He has outlined the kinds of characters and behaviours that are in accordance with the new creation which we can experience now through the work of the spirit. However the reason why I wouldn’t give it five stars is because I was frustrated by the lack of concrete practical application. I am still puzzled with the how in relation to developing Christlike character. However this book has captured my vision for the why of Christian character development.

[Jill Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb book, which really gets to grips with what being a Christian is all about. If you thought Christianity is about keeping rules and regulation, or about accepting salvation as a free gift and then behaving however you like, think again! This book is about developing character, something very few people seem to think about any more. We're obsessed with personality, but personality and character are not the same thing. Tom Wright shows how a deep but realistic faith can change us profoundly, from the inside out.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Has some great sections in it and give a good overview of the idea of Christian virtue, although, with other NT Wright books I’ve read, it can seem a bit rambling at times, with too many ideas jumbled together. I think I was also hoping for something more practice, dealing with how to practice virtue in our modern context, whereas this dealt more with theory, basic principals and how the idea of virtue was reshaped by Jesus teaching, death and resurrection. Still, it had plenty of good insights and I’m glad I read it

[Jérémie Cascales · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book for building a Christian long living character!
Wright re-used the virtue from Aristotle, which was used already from the NT writers.
An incredible book allying biblical theology and the virtue’s concept to give a sense of the Christian vocation.
Wright writes a lot around human vocation, and this book is THE book where he constructs and presents this all idea
You will not waste your time!

[Christina Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned lots about our telos, our end as Christians - the notion of being a royal priesthood who will one day reign with Christ! And he explains how this understanding and belief in Gods Kingdom transforms. To the core of our characters; it's a much better vision than seeking to obey rules or seeking to be true to our spontaneous selves. Found the book refreshing in our licentious and confused culture, to see that true flourishing lies in following the path of the suffering saviour.

[Alina]

I really liked the book. Very challenging. It is this kind of book you need to re-read because there are too many things to learn.

[Fantine Cascales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. Very practical, but also very deep. Highly recommend to any person who is looking for some meaning hidden behind the life we have in Christ.

[Victoria Venmore-Rowland]

Read as part of our cluster group, to mixed reviews. Not just doing what is right, but looking at the underlying reasons of why we do it too. Will be worth a re-read.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a great fan of N.T.Wright's work. He is a rare combination of both readability and intellectual depth - so often theological works are either one or the other, but not both. I think I can fairly say that his works on Romans and Paul in general have profoundly affected my understanding of the meta-narrative of Scripture and Paul's place within it; 'Surprised by Hope', 'Justification' and 'Romans for Everyone Part One & Two' in particular.

With this in mine I approached this work with great anticipation. Whilst the previous works were very much God focussed, this promised to be the application of his theology for our lives; the practice of virtue in response to the promise of God's reconciling redemption of the world, the fulfillment of his covenant through Jesus.

In the end I was a little disappointed. Somehow the book never seized me in the way his previous works did. It felt to me as if it repeated itself, going over the same ground again and again and only adding a little more each time. The basic premise I agree with wholeheartedly, if God is going to renew creation and we are to be part of that renewed existence, then we should play our part in striving to live that future life today, practicing the character traits and responses that will mark it so that they gradually become instinctive - this gets over the question of what does it matter how we behave if we live under grace and not law. Having said that I must confess that my reading was broken up with large gaps of time between sessions, and my experience may have been different if I had more of a single run at it. I shall have to read it again sometime! I must also add that the last chapters which I read yesterday and today were useful. I greatly appreciated his description of worship and mission being co-joined twins with a single heart, and his outline of the tools which are available for developing virtue in the last chapter helpful.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding book, a book every Christian should read, mark, learn and inwardly digest. It tackles the question: Between 'giving my life to Jesus' and 'going to heaven', how should I live? Tom Wright's contention is that far too many churches have concentrated so much on the need for initial conversion, and have had so limited a view of our final destiny, that they have lost sight of the great vision of God's purpose for humanity and the whole of creation. Consequently they give their adherents little to 'do' other than hang around vaguely waiting to die and go to heaven. But God's huge purpose (as Wright has spelled out in other titles such as Surprised by Hope is the summing up of all things in Christ, the bringing together of the whole universe in the new heaven and new earth. We aren't going to spend eternity as disembodied spirits wafting about in an ethereal heaven: we believe in the resurrection of the body and the recreation of all things.

Our calling, in that scenario, is to be 'a royal priesthood', sharing in Jesus' own pioneer calling as King and Priest. So in this book, Wright sets out the ways we can cultivate the virtues, or acquire the character as a kind of second nature, that befit that calling. That we should practise to become the faithful reflecters of God's image that we shall ultimately be. A key set of words is telos and telaios - goal, and perfect - which describe the end to which God's work of salvation is directed.

I read this book when I first bought it, probaby when it first came out. But it definitely gains from a second and closer reading, and probably from further readings in the manner of lectio divina. I can't recommend it highly enough.

[Daniel Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Wright sells himself - quite rightly - as a populariser of academic ideas, someone who can tell ordinary people about complicated things without jargon and help them understand. I am instinctively sceptical towards the very idea that this is possible (maybe I'm just a snob), and I am always, frankly, astonished by Wright's ability to do so.

The lofty idea which he is trying to communicate here is Virtue Ethics. This is a theory of moral philosophy that was practically universal from Aristotle onwards, was gradually replaced by Mill's utilitarianism in the post-Enlightenment period, until experiencing something of a revival in recent years, rallying around Alasdair MacIntyre's book After Virtue, a marmite work in scholarship if there ever was one.

In this book, Wright not only has a bit of a customary stab at modernity, but runs through the Biblical case for a soul-centred ethics, referring also to a raft of examples from popular culture, current affairs and even modern neurology to make his case. He is both convincing and inspiring.

On the other hand, I'm afraid this is not Wright on his absolute top form. The writing lacks some of the originality and flair which I have become accustomed to expecting from him. With regard to his argument, he is rather polemical and one-sided; the more one thinks about the topic, the more one realises that there is a sensible and Christian case for utilitarianism, and that ethics is, well, not as simple as many people would like it to be.

Despite this, you could still do much worse for an introduction to the radical way in which Christians are expected to look at the world.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wright tackles the question of what occurs between bowing your knee to Jesus as king, and the grave.

He unpacks a need for growth in what he describes as 'virtue', a word that is out of vouge these days. He is discussing Character that is formed by the movement toward a 'telos', or goal - that goal being the Kingdom of God, and Gods redemptive purposes upon the earth.

He sees the concept of Aristotles 'virtuous person' as one glimpsed through dark glass, but fully made manifest in the person of Christ - and in His cross and resurrection we find our invitation into that virtue.

I enjoyed this book, and while I find myself wishing he went further on some points, it has given me a great deal to ponder and practice.

[Toby · Rating 3 out of 5]

An accessible introduction to virtue ethics from the renowned Biblical Scholar Tom (N.T) Wright. I wasn't left entirely convinced, however, with how well virtue ethics sits within the New Testament worldview. After all, the word virtue doesn't even appear in the Greek text. I believe that Paul sees the transformative work of the Spirit (eg. Galatians 5) as the way in which Christians grow into virtuous living.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Redefining the biblical understanding of virtue, Tom Wright in fact embarks on redefining how Christians view their whole purpose on Earth and its relation to heaven. This book will guaranteed change your views on what Christians are meant to live like here on Earth!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, Wright manages to challenge the reader in the deepest ways, but in a way which inspires the reader. I was excited while reading this, and I'm excited to put it in practice.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

. Basically a treatment of virtue ethics through the gospel/ Pauline framework that he's described in more detail in earlier books. Smart, lucid, reasoned theology, as most of Wright's books are

[Mung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much needed fresh way of understanding Christian living.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenged and transformed my way of thinking about growth and learning as a human being.

[Andy Gore · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my most favourite Tom Wright books. Magisterial in scope and thought that inspires heart, mind, spirit and life.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

No-one could say Tom Wright does not know what he is talking about. As the most prolific writer in the church today, Wright has filled our shelves with books on Jesus, the New Testament and a myriad of theological subjects and demonstrated continuously both his depth of knowledge and insight and ability to write with passion on every subject he chooses. This is his book on ethics and a welcome contribution it is. He quickly moves away from the two big ideas of living according to Christian principles / values / rules or living differently because you have become a Christian to the idea that character is formed in a number of different ways such as scripture, practices, stories, being part of a community and because of positive examples of people living the life around you. Central to his thinking is this sene that if you are genuinely following Jesus you are going to change. I was left reflecting more on the importance of responding to what God is doing in my life than upon what I would like him to do in my life, realising God’s job is to transform me into someone who reflects God to creation, the world and the church; my job is to keep out of the way.