Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, The Resurrection, And The Mission Of The Church

Surprised by Hope by N. T. Wright is a theological work that challenges common Christian assumptions about the afterlife, the resurrection, and the mission of the church. Wright, an Anglican bishop and prolific Christian scholar and commentator, argues for a transformative view of heaven, hell, and the resurrection. In particular, he argues that our ultimate destiny should be conceived not as “life after death” but “life after life after death” (148).

Wright bases his argument on an analysis of biblical history and early Christian writings, particularly the letters of St. Paul and the book of Revelation. According to Wright, early Christians believed that Jesus’ resurrection was a sign that God would transform the world into a “new creation” rather than simply that human beings would survive death. Jesus’ disciples saw resurrection as a phenomenon that affects the body as well as the soul and, consequently, that the life we live on earth is of great importance to the future world that God will create with our cooperation. Wright argues that many modern Christians have lost these foundational beliefs. Recovering them will enable the church to lead a more effective mission in both improving life on earth and leading people to God.

Surprised by Hope was published in 2008 and is based in part on lectures that Wright gave in various churches and colleges in England, the US, and Australia between 2001 and 2007.

This guide refers to the 2008 HarperOne edition.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss death and beliefs about life after death.

Summary

Wright declares his intention to examine the nature of Christian hope, centering on the promise of new life that comes from Jesus’ resurrection.

In the first part, Wright lays down the basis of his argument. He stakes his claim that Christian hope is widely misunderstood due to the influence of Platonism on Christianity. Platonism conceives of heaven as a “spiritual” place to which we go after we die, but the New Testament preaches a different message tied in with the ideas of new creation and renewal. Wright proposes that the misunderstandings of the Christian message have serious consequences for how Christians live their lives and that they should return to the “forgotten riches of the Christian tradition” (28).

Wright then examines the historical foundations for Jewish and early Christian belief about resurrection and the afterlife. Christianity took up and modified a number of Jewish beliefs about resurrection, and there was remarkable unanimity in these beliefs in the early Christian period. Wright stakes his claim that the rise of Christianity makes no sense without the bodily resurrection as a real event.

The author next delves into the specific details of the Easter accounts in the gospels. Based on a number of historical factors, Wright states his main argument that the accounts are trustworthy and are very early stories, not later inventions. Christians are compelled to believe in the resurrection, Wright argues, even though it goes against what they normally expect and poses a challenge to historical and scientific worldviews.

The second section is both philosophical and theological in nature. Wright delineates two common modern views of the world’s future: evolutionary optimism and Platonism, or “souls in transit.” The early Christians believed in a third option, which Wright terms “new creation” and “life after life after death” (148)—views that are laid out in Paul’s letters in particular. In discussing Jesus’ ascension, Wright argues that it is an essential Christian doctrine because it ensures that Jesus is in heaven ruling the world in anticipation of the new creation. Wright next addresses the controversial topic of the second coming. He argues that the doctrine embodies the idea of Jesus as the supremely just judge of the world. He critiques the idea of the Rapture as inconsistent with early Christianity.

Wright states that the early Christian view of life after death for the just was a two-step process: a period of “rest and tranquility” immediately after death and then the resurrection at the end of time. Based on the early Christian witness, especially the letters to the Corinthians, Wright argues for understandings of “heaven” and “soul” that are different from the norm and engages in a lengthy discussion of heaven, hell, and purgatory. He argues against the belief in purgatory and offers alternative ways of viewing hell as a person’s refusal to follow God.

In the final section, Wright presents his proposals for how the church should engage with the world in light of the reality of Jesus’ resurrection—a process that he calls a “hope-shaped mission.” He defines salvation as being about creation as a whole instead of being merely about the individual. He also stresses that God is in charge of building his kingdom but that this happens with our cooperation; everything we do in the present life counts toward the future life. Wright discusses justice, beauty, and evangelism as three areas where Christians can make a difference in light of their faith.

Finally, Wright offers more specifics about the “mission-shaped church.” He emphasizes the biblical foundations of the mission and outlines six central aspects of Christian spirituality that can help the church proclaim God’s new creation.