N.T. Wright

Dear Tom,

I'm digging your book.

Yes, I know you've written a lot of them.  I'm speaking specifically about the one on Galatians.  Good stuff my British chum, good stuff.

I was actually thinking about writing this letter/post a while ago, because I liked your book then too. But, I never got around to it because I was spending so much time reading your wonderful book.  (Okay, okay, about 4% of that last sentence is true .... the part about "not getting around to it" ...)

But I'm GLAD I didn't write this little post a few months ago because it would have looked a lot different than it does now.

Because, you see I liked your book then because I agreed with it. I thought I had you figured out then.  I figured that you fell in the same area on the spectrum of faith ... spirituality ... Christian doctrine ... Jesus-following .. that I did. You know the "area" I speak of: the generally reasonable, always unselfish, truly caring for others, abhorring judgement or criticism, only loving area.  So really, I thought that you agreed with me and therefore WE were right.  And thank goodness for reasonable, unselfish, loving people like us to keep all those other judgmental crazies in line and in orthodoxy.  Phew.

That was then.

And then Chapter 8 came along.

And I didn't feel like writing you a complimentary letter .... But then I did.

You remember the whole part about "being a slave to each other in love"?  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Tommy, but uh, that's not exactly p.c. around here.  Now, I know that you folks across the Atlantic might not be up on the latest fads here in the great US of A, but let me tell you, this business about "slave" isn't cool.  At all.  Have you seen the news lately??  I'm assuming you have because we're both so reasonable and intelligent - and we probably both get our global updates from the same reasonable and intelligent nonpartisan source.  Egypt?  Libya?  Tunisia?  Are any of these ringing bells?!  Slavery.  Essentially that's what these uprisings, protests, clashes, whatever-you-want-to-call-thems are all about!  These people have been oppressed (read: enSLAVEd) by power-hungry dictators for decades and are finally saying enough is enough: we deserve freedom.

So, as you can well imagine, I prickled a little when you decided to exegete some of Paul's exhortations to "Become one another's slaves (or servants) through love."  I was totally on board for the section leading up to this one (you remember, the one about freedom), but then you had to go and be all counter-cultural, offense-of-the-crossish on me and throw out words like slave and servant.  Ugh.

You see, I've had a really long day, week, year, going on four years now, and I really just needed some encouragement (I'm slowly realizing much like the word "gossip" often gets hidden behind words like "processing" and "venting"; "tickling one's ears" hides behind the much more acceptable: "encouragement".) Like the whole Freedom bit - that was encouraging.  But this whole considering-others, servants/slave-in-love stuff is just plain exhausting.  I don't really think I have capacity for it right now due to some significant life circumstances, not to mention it's absurdity.

And just when I had calmed myself down after your terribly offensive suggestion that I willingly make myself lower than someone to serve them amidst all the responsibilities and obstacles of my very important life, this terribly stubborn voice that sits deep within my soul decided to throw in its two cents:

it just might be true.  


stay open.


you've been set FREE to do this.



So, way to go, Tom.  Way to, you know, awaken the Spirit, speak the hard truth, not succumb to culturally accepted norms.  All things that people like you and I so admire. 


Your #1 Fan,
Julie