I’ve read about a dozen books by N. T. Wright, and I am sorry to say that Small Faith, Great God is not his best. Of course, even a “bad” book by N. T. Wright would be better than most other books on the market. So if you have never read anything by N. T. Wright, this might be a good introduction to some of his themes and ideas. Of course, it appears this book was his own introduction to his own ideas, since it was originally published in 1978, before he had become one of the leading New Testament scholars in the world.
The book seems to be loosely arranged around the topic of faith, and nearly every chapter seems like it might originally have been a sermon or homily. This isn’t a bad thing, as most published pastors follow the same practice. I just wish that N. T. Wright (or his editor) had made better connections between the chapters, or simply chosen different chapters to include.
Of course, the weakness of the book is also its strength. Though the chapters are loosely connected, this allows each individual chapter to be enjoyed on its own merit. There is not an extended argument to follow from chapter to chapter. Instead, most chapters focus on explaining and applying a single passage from Scripture. And N. T. Wright’s insights on Scripture are always worth reading.
So as with the rest of N. T. Wright’s books, this one is also worth reading.
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