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A Critical Look at the New Perspective on Justification
(N.T.
Wright)
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N.T.
Wright is one of the foremost Jesus scholars of our day
recognizing that history has an important role to play in
theology. His impressive Christian Origins and the
Question of God series is an important advancement of
scholarship. With great fluidity he has integrated historical
inquiry and biblical analysis, with exemplary results. His
series clearly demonstrates how theology can benefit from
historical study. We have personally benefited from reading
N.T. Wright and have no qualms about recommending his series,
yet feel compelled nonetheless to provide this page which
critiques his definition of justification. continued
below...
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Justification:
God's declaration, from his position as judge of all the
world, that someone is in the right, despite universal sin.
This declaration will be made on the last day on the basis of
an entire life (Romans 2:1-16), but is brought forward into
the present on the basis of Jesus' achievement, because sin
has been dealt with through the cross (Romans 3:21-4:25); the
means of this present justification is simply faith. This
means particularly, that Jews and Gentiles alike are full
members of the family promised by God to Abraham (Galatians 3;
Romans 4).
- N.T. Wright (Mark for Everyone pg.
233).
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Definition
of Justification written by N.T. Wright for the New Dictionary
of Theology Edited by David F. Wright, Sinclair B. Ferguson,
J.I. Packer:
1. The question of justification is a
matter of covenant membership. The underlying
question in (for instance) Gal. 3 and 4 is: Who are the true
children of Abraham? Paul's answer is that membership belongs
to all who believe in the gospel of Jesus, whatever their
racial or moral background.
2. The basis of this verdict is the
representative death and resurrection of Jesus himself. In
view of universal sin, God can only be in covenant with human
beings if that sin is dealt with, and this has been achieved
by God himself in the death of his Son (Rom. 3:24-26; 5:8-9).
Jesus takes on himself the curse which would have prevented
God's promised blessing finding fulfilment (Gal. 3:10-14). The
resurrection is God's declaration that Jesus, and hence his
people, are in the right before God (Rom. 4:24-25).
4. Justification thus
establishes the church as a new entity, the renewed Israel,
now qualitatively distinct from Jew and Greek alike,
transcending racial and social barriers (Gal. 3:28). The sharp
edge of this point, for Paul, was the conviction not only that
pagan converts to Christianity did not need to become Jews in
order fully to belong to God's people, but also that the
attempt to do so was in itself a renunciation of the gospel,
implying that Christ's achievement was insufficient or even
unnecessary (Gal. 2:21; 5:4-6)...."
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Recommended Books on Justification New!
Sinclair Ferguson on the New Perspective(s)
Summarized by Ligon Duncan
Or
listen to the MP3 of
Sinclair Ferguson's recent lecture on the so-called New
Perspective(s) on Paul, and in particular the version of the NPP
promoted by Bishop N.T. Wright. Check it out here.
An Explanation of the New Perspective on Paul for
Friends of Covenant Theological Seminary by Dr. Bryan Chapell,
President and Professor of Practical Theology
Response to Bryan Chapell by Rich Lusk
N.T.Wright and the 'New Perspective' on Paul by J.
Ligon Duncan
SOME THOUGHTS ON COVENANT
THEOLOGY & JUSTIFICATION
The Attractions of the New Perspective(s) on Paul
By J. Ligon Duncan
A Transcript of a
paper given in Jackson, Mississippi and Glasgow, Scotland A very
well crafted, effective response to Wright
by Robert L. Reymond, Ph.D.
What’s Wrong with Wright: Examining the New
Perspective on Paul by Phil Johnson New!
A
Reformed Critique of The New Perspective by Richard Gaffin
Series
of Articles on the New Perspective by Cornelis P. Venema
Extensive series of essays which take a very close look at the
issues surrounding NPP
A
Pauline Take on the New Perspective by Douglas Wilson
Justified Hesitation? J.D.G. Dunn vs. The Protestant
Doctrine of Justification by Lee Gatiss
Sounding the Alarm: N.T. Wright and Evangelical
Theology by Travis Tamerius
Deja Vu All Over Again by Michael Horton
Rick Phillips has a three-part
series on the historical background and the NPP's teachings
on justification and imputation.
Guy Waters reviews Justification and
Variegated Nomism, vol. 2.
Jeremy Smith reviews Guy Waters' Justification
and the New Perspective on Paul.
Blurring the 'Federal Vision': A Response to
Michael Horton" by Rich Lusk.
Anglican Bishop N.T Wright: Full Transcript - The
Religion Report Nov 17, 2004
The Bishop of Durham, Tom Wright,
is one of the leading intellectuals in the Anglican Church today, a
New Testament scholar who describes himself as "a good Calvinist".
He speaks about what St Paul understood about homosexuality, and
what he meant by "Justification" and Christ being "the end of the
Torah".
Debating the Federal Vision by Anthony R.
Dallison
Tom Wright and the The New Perspective
Paul
Barnett takes a look at NT Wright’s views on salvation and
justification.
Honest Questions for the New Perspective By
Richard D. Phillips
Can anyone uphold the Westminster Standards
while also teaching the New Perspective on Paul?
The Eschatological Aspect of Justification Romans
4:25 by James T. Dennison, Jr
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"That we may not then fall
into false reasoning which has deceived the Sophists, we must take
notice of the two-fold meaning of the word justified. Paul means by
it the gratuitous imputation of righteousness before the tribunal of
God; and James, the manifestation of righteousness by conduct, and
that before men, as we may gather from the preceding words, 'Show me
thy faith,' etc." - John Calvin, Commentaries on the Catholic
Epistles
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Douglas Moo on New Perspective -- Excursus on Rom.
3:20 from Romans Commentary NICNT
Jesus' Active Obedience: Refuting Norman Shepherd
by Brian Schwertley
The New Perspective on Justification by Dr. James
White (Three Audio Lectures)
Covenant Confusion By Rev. Richard
Phillips
The Great Exchange by Philip Eveson
Justification by faith alone in the light of recent thought.
This essay will greatly aid in answering the attempt of Dr. N. T.
Wright to bring new insights to our understanding of justification.
At a time when the forensic or judicial dimension is increasingly
being dismissed as medieval we need to be on our guard. There is not
only a broken relationship, but a broken law and a new legal
position where God is now the Judge and all humanity face him as
guilty, condemned sinners. . . . The biblical truths concerning
God's punishment of sinners and the reality of hell emphasizes the
judicial in a very glaring and awesome way.. . . Justification has
to do with the removal of God's wrath which hangs over us and our
being constituted righteous in His sight. All of which takes place
in Christ our representative and substitute who kept the law on our
behalf and was punished in our place and thus we are pronounced by
the divine Judge to be in a right legal position before Him. (p.
150)
The New Perspective on Paul: Calvin and N. T.
Wright By J. V. Fesko
What makes the new perspective most
harmful to the church is its use of terminology.
Book
Review N. T. Wright, What Saint Paul Really Said: Was Paul of Tarsus
the Real Founder of Christianity? by Brian G. Hedges
Critique of the Teachings of Barach, Schlissel,
Wilkins, and Wilson
Rev. Michael J. Ericson
Report of thr Special Committee to Study Justification
in Light of the Current Justification Controversy Presented to
258th Synod of the Reformed Church of the United States May 10-13,
2004 Study of the teachings of Norman Shepherd on justification by
faith
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"...For I testify about them [the
Jews] that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with
knowledge. For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking
to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the
righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to everyone who believes." Romans
10:2-4
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N.T. Wright -
Sermons and Lectures from
Tom Wright himself.
Wright Lectures and Articles - extensive
archive
N.T. Wright, New Perspectives on Paul
(Rutherford House Lecture)
N.T. Wright, "Justification:
The Biblical Basis and its Relevance for Contemporary
Evangelicalism" (Excerpt from: The Great Acquittal:
Justification by Faith and Current Christian Thought, Ed.
Gavin Reid, London: Collins, 1980, p.13ff)
Anglican Bishop N.T Wright: Full Transcript
- The Religion Report New! Nov 17,
2004
The Bishop of Durham, Tom Wright, is one of the
leading intellectuals in the Anglican Church today, a New
Testament scholar who describes himself as "a good Calvinist".
He speaks about what St Paul understood about homosexuality,
and what he meant by "Justification" and Christ being "the end
of the Torah".
Future of the People of God talks - by Tom
Wright at the Future of the People of God conference These are
large mp3 files (around 8-9 MB
each).
Session 1: God's
future for the world has arrived in the person of Jesus
Session 2: Understanding
and implementing Jesus' gospel in the present
Session 3: Reimaging our mission as God's agents of new
creation in the world
Session 4: Fulfilling
God's Kingdom project for the world as a mission-shaped
church
Communion and Koinonia:Tolerance and
Boundaries by N.T. Wright
This paper was given at the
Future of Anglicanism Conference
Here you can read about
the NPP in Tom Wright's own words
Excerpt from the Commentary on Romans by
N.T. Wright
Justification: The Biblical Basis and its
Relevance for Contemporary Evangelicalism
by Tom
Wright
The
Shape of Justification by N.T. Wright
N.T. Wright Page Wright
Lectures, Articles, and Interviews
Coming
Home to St. Paul by N.T. Wright
Wright on Romans by Rich
Lusk |
A Defense of the Old Perspective on Paul: What Did St.
Paul Really Say?
by Phil Johnson
N.T. Wright on Justification by Charles E. Hill
Reformed Confessionalism & The New Perspective on
Paul by Kim Riddlebarger
The Current Justification Controversy O.
Palmer Robertson
Nineteen Errors in Norman Shepherd's Teaching on
Justification By O Palmer Robertson - A relevant critique of the
views of Norman Shepherd and those who hold to his teachings on
covenant, justification, and salvation. (.pdf)
Retreating to Rome: The New Battle Over
Justification by James W. Galyon
New Perspective of N. T. Wright on the Doctrine of Justification by David Linden
E.P. Sanders and N.T Wright: What is the orthodox
response to the "new perspective" on Paul? by Ra McLaughlin
Tom Wright's View of Justification: An Ecmenical
Interpretation of Paul by Dr. Sidney D. Dyer
A
Man More Sinned Against than Sinning? The Portrait of Martin
Luther in Contemporary New Testament Scholarship: Some Casual
Observations of a Mere Historian By Carl Trueman
Theology and Life: Pastoral Implications of the New
Perspective Part I, Part II, Part
III by Rev. Darren Middleton
Book Review: N.T Wright, “What St Paul Really
Said” By Rev Darren R Middleton
More Concerns about N.T. Wright and the New
Perspective(s) By J. Ligon Duncan III Divine monergism at
work in regeneration and justification has a vital role in
sanctification. Duncan Puts his finger on the critical problem. The
key to answering the question of sanctification is to first
understand the biblical teaching on monergistic regeneration.
New Approaches of Biblical Theology to
Justification By Douglas Kelly
The new perspective on Paul
offers us less than the gospel of justification by grace through
faith.
Has the Reformation misunderstood Paul? by Doug
Barnes
Justification by Faith Alone & Confessional
Confusion by Douglas R. Shivers
N.T. Wright and All That Douglas Wilson
The New Perspective is 'Another Gospel' By
Andy Webb
Justification by Faith in the Theology of Norman
Shepherd by Dr. David Van Drunen
Discussing Norman Shepherd by Dr. R. Scott Clark
Gaffin's Conference on Justification by Doug
Barnes
Tom Wright on Conversion by Brian Robinson
Justification: The Simplicity of Grace By Bill
Lamkin
The Unconditional Covenant in Contemporary Debate
- and the Protestant Reformed Seminary
A Historian's Perspective on the New Perspective A
Man More Sinned Against than Sinning? The Portrait of Martin Luther
in Contemporary New Testament Scholarship:Some Casual Observations
of a Mere Historian By Carl Trueman Associate Professor of Church
History and Historical Theology Westminster Theological Seminary,
Philadelphia
Levels of Theological Discourse and the New
Perspective By Jonathan Barlow
"Imputation" in our
systematic theological usage is the same idea as "reckoning."
The system of salvation by Covenant Nomism that Wright advances
is a different gospel.
Traditional Views - #1
Presbyterian Banner Rowland S. Ward
Modern Views -
#2 (Torrance etal) Presbyterian Banner
Rowland S. Ward
More Modern Views - #3 (N.T.
Wright etal) Presbyterian Banner Rowland S.
Ward
Honest Questions for the New Perspective By
Richard D. Phillips Can anyone uphold the Westminster Standards
while also teaching the New Perspective on Paul? New!
Justified Hesitation? J.D.G. Dunn vs. The Protestant
Doctrine of Justification By Lee Gatiss
SOME
THOUGHTS ON COVENANT THEOLOGY & JUSTIFICATION N.T.Wright and
the 'new perspective' on Paul The Presbyterian Banner, May
2002
Did Luther Hate the Law of God? Martin Luther,
Sermon on Galatians, 1532
The New Perspective on Paul: Calvin and N. T.
Wright By J. V. Fesko
Tom Wright and the The New Perspective Paul
Barnett takes a look at NT Wright’s views on salvation and
justification.
The Doctrine of Justification by Faith by
Bishop Robert Forsyth
Reformed Confessionalism and the "New Perspective"
on Paul A New Challenge to a
Why is Justification so Important? An
Interview with Peter F. Jensen
New Perspective on Justification by John G.
Reisinger
The "New Perspective" on Justification Part
Two John G. Reisinger
A Critique of the New Perspective on Justification
Part Three by John G. Reisinger
Long Before Luther: Jesus and the Doctrine of
Justification by John MacArthur
New Views regarding Legalism and Exclusivism in
Judaism: Is there a need to Reinterpret Paul? by Gerhard H.
Visscher.
Norman Shepherd and the Faith that Justifies by E.
Calvin Beisner
The Sanders/Dunn "Fork in the Road" in the Current
Controversy Over the Pauline Doctrine of Justification by Faith
by Robert L. Reymond
Justification and Sanctification: How Do They
Differ? By J. C. Ryle
Some Thoughts on Covenant Theology &
Justification #3 in The Presbyterian Banner
The Eschatological Aspect of Justification Romans
4:25 by James T. Dennison, Jr.
Tom Wright's View of Justification: An Ecumenical
Interpretation of Paul by Sidney D. Dyer
Undeserved Grace Versus Strict and Deserving
Obedience in Early Judaism by A. Andrew Das
N.T. Wright and the New Perspective on Paul By
Don Walker
Doctrinal Statement at the Trial of John O.
Kinnaird Arthur W. Kuschke
A Man More Sinned Against than Sinning? The
Portrait of Martin Luther in Contemporary New Testament Scholarship:
Some
Casual Observations of a Mere Historian By Carl Trueman
The New Perspective & Its Pastoral
Implications By Rev Darren Middleton
Has the Reformation misunderstood Paul? by
Doug Barnes
GAFFIN'S CONFERENCE ON JUSTIFICATION
“Reformed” is Definitely Enough: A critique of
Douglas Wilson’s book, “Reformed” is not Enough” By C. Matthew
McMahon
The History of the Interpretation of the Apostle
Paul By Dr. Peter M. Head
Justification: The Simplicity of Grace By Bill
Lamkin
The New Perspective on Paul and Justification
PCANews Monthly Umpired Debate
Several Articles on Norman Shepherd and N.T Wright
by The New Southern Presbyterian Review (Pdf)
A New View of
the Covenant Creeping in Largely Unnoticed
Joe Morecraft,
III, Th.D.
Norman Shepherd’s “Faith Alone”
David H.
Linden, M.Div. with Robert L. Reymond, Ph.D.
Justification by
Faith in the Theology of Norman Shepherd
David VanDrunen,
J.D., Ph.D.
N.T. Wright’s View of Justification:
An
Ecumenical Interpretation of Paul
Sidney D. Dyer,
Ph.D.
The Covenant of Redemption
Joe Morecraft, III,
Th.D.
The Covenant of Works
Joe Morecraft, III, Th.D.
The New Southern Presbyterian Review
Deviations from Historic Solafideism in the
Reformed Community by Andrew Sandlin
Justification by Faith Alone: An Exposition of
Galatians 2:15-3:14
by Joe Morecraft, III
Justification, Propitiation and Faith
by
Joe Morecraft, III
Faith and Works
by Joe Morecraft,
III
While in agreement with
much of what NTW affirms about the gospel, we must take issue with
certain things he openly denies, especially in some of his comments
about imputation. While we affirm with Wright that we should indeed
not fail to look at covenant membership as part of the gospel, but
we deny that this is an either/or thing as N.T.W
sometimes appears to do ... rather we believe these gospel elements
perhaps should be looked at it from a both/and
perspective. N.T.W's insights on covenant are helpful but
not if they abandon the concept of the imputation of Christ's
righteousness in the process. This conflict would not have arisen if
this "both/and" formula were acknowledged from the beginning. But
some of the language Wright used in WSPRS unfortunately seems to
rule this out and is rather disturbing. So with great respect to
N.T.W and what he has written we would ask that he clarify his
position on imputation so this conflict might perhaps end. This is
because there is much in the writing of NTW, we find, which would
seem to actually reveal that he does believe in imputation. So to what purpose
are his categorical statements that seem to deny the imputation of
Christ's righteousness? There is an inconsistency here which could
only tend to confuse people rather than bring about understanding.
As a result we must openly ask, do you affirm that justification
is BOTH covenant membership AND
imputation, or is justification defined simply as covenant
membership without any regard to imputation? Forgetting your
exegesis of Paul's menaing of the term justifcation, do you affirm
that as the Spirit unites us to Christ that His righteousness is
reckoned to us? From the many books by N.T.W. that I have read he,
by all appearances, believes that salvation is by
grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. A substitutionary
atonement is widely evident. So how can this be reconciled with his
statements making light of imputation? Clarification would
really help.
Wright derived much of his conclusion against
imputed righteousness by "discovering" (with James Dunn) that 1st
century Judaism was not a merit-based religion. However, Covenant
Theology has always affirmed that the covenant God made with
Israel is gracious and not merit-based. So this is nothing new to
Covenant Theology. A cursory view of historical theology will affirm
this. The real issue, rather, is one of human nature, since both
Jews and Christians have always had the natural tendency to trust in
their background or in what they do as the basis on which they
expect God's favor. We know many people who claim to be Protestants
who still fall into this error in spite of orthodox creeds in their
churches. We affirm that the 1st century Jews were the same. Jesus'
parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collecter alone should confirm
this to be true. - JWH of Monergism.com | _files/chnthresh.gif)
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