Small Faith - Great God

by N.T. Wright

In the midst of life's challenges, so often our faith feels small and weak. In this book one of the world's premier Bible teachers, N. T. Wright, reminds us that what matters is not so much our faith itself as Who our faith is in. Faith, says Wright, is like a window. The point is not for part of the wall to be made of glass. The point of a wind...

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Faith, Nonfiction, Biblical Studies

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

N. T. Wright is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England (2003-2010) and one of the world's leading Bible scholars. He is now serving as the chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews. He has been featured on ABC News, Dateline NBC, The Colbert Report, and Fresh Air, and he has taught New Testament studies at Cambridge, McGill, and Oxford universities. Wright is the award-winning author of Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, The Last Word, The Challenge of Jesus, The Meaning of Jesus (coauthored with Marcus Borg), as well as the much heralded series Christian Origins and the Question of God.

He also publishes under Tom Wright.

Reviews

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of biblically based reflections on Christian discipleship hit the perfect balance of challenging head and heart. I often buy highly discounted books, read them, then donate them to my parish library. That was my intention with this volume. But, these highly accessible essays are too good to let go of; I will want to read them again and again. This book is an easy 4 stars and then some.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, don’t let the three star rating fool you. This was a good book. If you were just starting out with NT Wright, this just might be a good introduction to him. His thoughts were fairly succinct and his examples were poignant. A couple of reviewers have pointed out that if you have read much of his later work then you have already encountered most of the ideas in this book—but not everything. This is true and it’s at that point that I would give this a 3 1/2 star rating. It’s good, I liked it, but it didn’t blow me away. That’s less of a problem with the book and speaks more to where I am at the moment, I realize, but if I’m having to review this book…I would give it a solid 3 1/2 stars.

[Karen (Living Unabridged) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this one twice the week of Thanksgiving 2024: once on my own and once with my husband on a road trip. Good narrator.

[Jared Totten · Rating 3 out of 5]

InterVarsity Press' latest offering from N.T. Wright's, Small Faith—Great God, is in fact one of his oldest books, first released in 1978. Amazingly, I would not have noticed the book was over 30 years old had I not read the preface. Wright seems to write and think in a timeless fashion that does not grow dated very quickly.

Small Faith—Great God focuses on the faith of the Christian, Who we look to and what we hope for and look forward to. It is part devotional, part apologetic, highlighted by N.T. Wright's vast knowledge of biblical history. Most of the chapters were originally sermons given in and around Oxford University and they fall roughly into three parts. The first part focuses on the object of our faith, God and his character. The second looks into the lives of various biblical characters and how their faith impact their lives. And finally, the third portion addresses how our faith can likewise enable us today to live faithfully through every period and challenge of life.

While I admittedly haven't read much from Wright and despite the theological debate he has sparked of late, this small book has got me looking forward to reading a lot more of his work.

[Frank Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the most accessible book by NT Wright that I have yet read. Since the book was formed from the written versions of talks given by the author this is even more reasonable (as the authors talks are much more gentle than his typical books). The chapters are arranged as essays in the book and are put together in a loosely related sequence. As the title suggest, the book contains reflections on what our faith should look like as children of a great God. The last section on hope: Faith to walk in the dark, was especially valuable. I liked the book, and have already recommended to several people.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great collection of sermon's that Wright gave many years ago, when he was still quite young. The second edition was published 2010, but I don't think much has changed at all.

The chapters are very short (ca. 8 small pages), and the book itself is a very quick read if you want to read it straight through. This book will be particularly helpful for pastors and academics who want to improve their preaching. It would also be a great book for lay-people. Wright is accessible, theologically rich, and pastoral throughout.

[Nancy Peifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of Wright’s shorter books, but still so potent—we can’t be reminded too often that it is our “great God” who is the major part of our journey. Faith is necessary, but even a very small faith in our great God is what gives us true life.

[Kay Mcgriff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of essays explores the theme set out in the title: While our faith may be small, the God we have faith in is great.

[Christian Wermeskerch · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have any affinity toward NT Wright, I'm tempted to put this book in the "must read" list. A beautiful look at the God we put our faith in, how that faith turns to love and into hope.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rev. 5:13, Creation is worshipping, the church is saying amen. The question of faith is whether or not we stop eavesdropping and join in the song.
When life is the same over and over, a steady walk, it is not always so easy, that’s when we need to know about the God who never faints (Isa. 40:31)God’s providence undergirds our perseverance. (Eph. 3:14-21) Suffering with endurance is God’s ways of making us saints.
It’s like a current that helps us go further and faster than we could swim in our own strength/power. So it is when our weakness swims in the stream of God’s mighty power. Faith is not a general trust it is looking at our situation in the light of who God is and what God has done for us.
The life of Christian is not its own faith, but its based on the character of God and what God is like.
The new parable, The publican/tax collector prayed, Oh God, I thank you that I am not like others, two-faced, holier-than-thou, proud, arrogant, self-righteous, even as this Pharisee. The Pharisee said, Lord have mercy on me, a hypocrite.
I love you (I am yours, committed to you, determined to help you, support you, comfort you, even suffer for you as long as we both shall live) not I feel good when I think about you.
E. B. Puesey, O God fountain of love, pour your love into our souls that we may love those that you love with the love that you give us, and think and speak of them tenderly, meekly, lovingly, and so loving our brothers and sisters for your sake may grow in your love and dwelling in your love may dwell in You. For the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

[Tyler Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read a decent bit of N.T. Wright during my time in seminary. I know him to be a brilliant New Testament scholar and one who regularly flirts with false teaching (most of my engagement with him was surrounding his work on Paul/Justification/New Perspective/etc.). So picking up this book, I was ready to engage critically and learn a ton.

But alas, this was more of a devotional (it's hard to believe these were sermons, being so short) and not a particularly stimulating one. That being said, this was probably just a case of unmet expectations. The central theme is a beautiful truth about the Christian doctrine of faith: for us, faith is not primarily a virtue in and of itself, but faith is only as good as its object. More important than a strong, brash faith is faith in the true, Almighty God.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

5/10

This seems more like a condensed Wright reader than anything else. It's not a bad book by any means, but much of it classic Wright, and therefore largely repeated in his later works and talks, as he builds on these themes throughout his career. The core of this book revolves around God's faithfulness in light of our faithlessness, a fact which differentiates Christianity from every other religion. More than this, the little faith we can muster is taken as credit for a much larger deposit that God himself guarantees in lieu of our inability to fully rely on Him. God himself holds up both sides of the bargain, as He empowers us to remain faithful to Him over the course of our lives. This reciprocal faithfulness, weak on our side and overpowering on His, is what we call Christianity.

[Andy Dollahite · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sermon collection is from Wright’s early days in the 1970s. There’s nothing particularly cutting edge, which was frankly perfect. Sure, he has an occasional side comment I thought wrong, but there was solid and simple encouragement and exhortation throughout. I particularly enjoyed his homilies on Ruth 1 & Revelation, as well as the wedding address. His repeated insistence that what matters most is not the strength or purity of our often feeble faith, but the majesty of the object of our faith — our great God! Also, I think his emphasis on the distinction but necessary connection between faith and works bears constant repeating.

[Andrea Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A happy easy to read book with a lot of spiritual depth and many opportunities to reflect on teachings of the gospel. N.T. Wright is of the Anglican church of England and I am a Latter-day Saint. We believe in the very same God, a God of mercy. In chapter 3 he speaks of Isaiah and the hot coal touching his lips and cleansing him and how this is an important lesson, the hot coal representing judgment and refining but becoming mercy and forgiveness. I enjoyed each sermon and learned a bit of theology along the way. Lovely lessons and a beautiful message of hope in Christ.

[Glenn Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good easy to read book that takes you through out Scripture, examining Faith. In particular, looking that our faith - though small - is in a Great God. As I often say to my congregation, it is not the size of your faith that matters, rather in whom you place that faith. Needless to say I found this book quite encouraging and a worthwhile read.

The 20 chapters work well as 20 daily devotional - or as part of your devotional time. Most of the chapters would also make a good small group Bible study.

Highly recommended for Christians of all ages :)

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collection of small expositions (mostly derived from sermons) on the nature of the faith we are called to. Each is also an excellent reflection on different attributes and promises of God that our faith can look to when life wants to whittle away at us. Unlike some of the other books by Wright that I have read, this one has some Old Testament expositions, making me wish that there was more he wrote about that. Very good. Worth picking up again.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very much worth reading. Wright says he was pleased to find seeds of his later thought here, but not so developed as to trouble the more traditional protestant reader. I especially appreciated the chapters on faith, Isaiah, Christian hypocrisy, and the falling out of Paul and Barnabas. These early sermons from Wright are of a type with some C. S. Lewis essays and John Webster sermons, though perhaps a bit less mature than either (the earliest dates from the author's early twenties). I suggest the reader take them at face value for edification rather than back-reading into them the author's later developments.

I would recommend it, and I would love to read it again some day.

[Luke Tappen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but I have an idea of Wright’s further work and have a feeling it will continually get better as I study more of it. I’m (rather slowly) making my way through The New Testament In Its World but wanted to complete a smaller body of his writing in the meantime. This isn’t all I was expecting but it has great stuff in it and I’m looking forward to learning more from him in the future.

[Brian Virtue · Rating 3 out of 5]

very much enjoyed it, but as a book not trying to cover new ground. For what it is, a collection of short sermons, I very much enjoyed going through it.

[MJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5! some of his thoughts were hard for me to understand

[Melanie Mansfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a slower start, but then became very convicting. At first I wasn’t so sure I was seeing how it was exactly about FAITH, but he began to deepen my understanding of faith and its results.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been meaning to read this for a long time. While it wasn't a 5 for me, it was a solid read. It was a gift meant to encourage me, and it did.

[DP · Rating 4 out of 5]

An older book of Wright’s, stumbled onto recently. Fascinating to see some themes in embryonic stage here that would develop in later works. Several interest points through too.

[Todd Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mehhhh

[Jacek · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thought-provoking and challenging book about the various aspects of what faith means for Christians.

[Callie]

All other religious systems tell humans how to improve themselves, to better their own position b moral effort, to seek their own salvation in greater personal piety or detachment from the world. God's gospel stands all that on its head. Human wisdom is simply not required.....The person who finds the truth is the one who looks at the crucified Messiah- a corpse on gallows to the pagan- and who sees there God's way of salvation....

Gospel isn't the sort of thing that appeals to humans as they are....God needs to perform a miracle in our understanding, open our eyes to see properly....

Knowing that the gospel is a mystery saves us from two opposite dangers as we try to tell people about it. There is no reason to think that people will come to believe in Jesus simply because of our clever arguemnts. Not that we must not think hard about our faith...Nor must we fail to enter into careful and sympathetic discussion and debate with those who do not believe. But the work must be God's, not ours.

[Chauncey Lattimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small Faith - Great God, by N. T. Wright, is a collection of twenty sermons that Wright says he delivered as early in life as his '20's. The book is divided into three sections - faith in a great God, faith to live and love, and fait to walk in the dark. The individual chapters are very short; because of this structure, I found this book to be an excellent book for personal devotions/reflection/meditation.

One of my favorite quotes came inthe very first chapter: "Christian faith -- biblical faith -- is not a matter of putting a brave face on things and trying our best. It is a matter of looking away from ourself and seeing the world as God sees it, as it really is."

His reminder as to the nature of faith is well taken: "faith in the Bible is always determined by its object... what matters is not so much the faith itself as what it is faith in."

[Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a series of messages that have been revised from several decades ago, the author shapes a Biblical image of the faithful creator God who lovingly covenants with his creation to be in redemptive relationship for eternity. In revealing the greatness, holiness and faithfulness of God the Scriptures provide us with the invitation to trust in Him instead of anything else. I enjoyed the deep understanding of faith in this context in contrast to the very subjective false hoping in the idea that things will somehow be okay. Faith is only as secure as what it is trusting in. Biblical faith is sure and secure in its trusting in the one creator God who is love. Recommended for a deeper exploration of what Christian faith means.

[Adam Shields · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short Review - This isn't a bad book. I actually like it. But if you have read much of Wright previously then this is mostly repeat. It is a re-issue of a 1978 book and then it was a collection of his earlier sermons. It is surprising how many of his main ideas are here, but they are not as fully developed as later books. So while it is a decent intro to Wright, it is not as good as some other books of his. And its biggest weakness is that it isn't tightly organized, so it feels like a bunch of disperate sermons more than a cohesive book.

My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/small-faith-great-god/