This book is written not for academia but for popular reading. At
240 pages long, it seems awfully short compared to the huge
academic volumes I used to read. Responding to the increasing
anti-religious rhetoric from the atheist advocates, and lay
Christians seeking a renewed faith, this book gently reaches out to
the non-Christian seeker and the ordinary Christian reader with 4
broad themes; 1) longing for justice; 2) quest for spirituality; 3)
hunger for relationships; 4) desire for beauty. His aim is to
"describe what Christianity is all about" (ix) in a manner that is
simple and straightforward.
"Simply Christian" is a lighter read that CS Lewis's Mere
Christianity. This is probably because Lewis writes for the
audience in the 1950s while Wright's audience is post-2000. While
CS Lewis writes his book personally defending the Christian faith
and giving reasons for belief, Wright's work looks more like an
invitation to a person confused and disillusioned by the world, to
actively consider the Christian worldview as a viable alternative.
Wright is careful to recognize the negative climate surrounding
'church' and brilliantly ties the Old Testament Israel and the New
Testament church as one entity to be serving God in Christ. An
important contribution is the way Wright captures the cultural need
for order amid the chaos through the 4-movement framework.
Beginning where most readers are living in, and charting out a
melodious progression, Wright articulates the notes and chords of
Christianity harmonically, concluding with an invitation to all to
join the orchestra, conducted by the Triune God. This book is small
in pages, but big in substance. Sounds beautiful.
My Rating: 4 stars out of 5.