theophiliacs

While it was William Barclay who first got me excited about the Scriptures, his commentaries generally stay shelved (though I still make recourse to those lovely gems).  Rather, I am quick to grab something of +Wright’s anytime I have an itch.  Be it the Christian Origins Series (the Paul book cannot come fast enough), his incredibly dense but rewarding The Climax of the Covenant or his own Barclay’esque New Testament for Everyone commentaries (there used to be a page where you could subscribe to the series and get a book or two a month, but I can’t find it).  I have yet to procure his commentary on Romans and I’ve hesitated to get his “little” Paul books with his larger one pending.

My debt becomes especially clear when Easter rolls around.  Reading his Resurrection book was no easy task, his middle section on Paul was at times laborious, but that and Surprised by Hope first suggested that perhaps Easter is the single most important celebration of the Christian year and the key to the Gospel – as opposed to a single-minded focus on the Crucifixion.  As the last few years have come and gone, tired and stressed though I always am from school, I find myself anticipating the Easter celebrations and welling up with overwhelming joy at the first Alleluias after Lent and at the proclamation that  ”Alleluia. Christ is risen! - The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!”

So this is sort of a fluff post, but I was compelled merely to note that I find myself extremely grateful to the good bishop every Easter.