Helm on Wright

Paul Helm has started a new series of posts interacting and responding to N.T. Wright’s new book on justification (Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision), which can be found here. The following quote I found very helpful. This critique of Wright goes far beyond Wright. The attitude Wright shows for tradition, according to Helm, is the predominant view held by most in the Church today, including those in the Reformed world.

"On tradition, the bishop has curious views. He routinely thinks of tradition as constraining what is thought in the present, and so anything ‘traditional’ must be rejected or at least viewed with suspicion. (eg 135, 223, and many other places.) But a rejection of all tradition seems unbiblical and in any case tends to lead to the reinvention of the wheel. Why does a traditional view, if it is a correct view, not inform and liberate? The resurrection of Jesus, is that not 'traditional'? He writes of ‘refreshing’ the tradition, and this could mean merely smartening it up, or replacing it with a fresh view. He does not say which. It is as if semper reformanda, together with the mantra that the Lord has yet more light and truth to break forth from his Holy Word, are phrases which warrant a never-ending research project. The idea that we need a continuous stream of fresh readings of Paul, newer and newer new perspectives, is both wearying and scary. (13)"