Jesus the New Way (DVD, 1998 - featuring N.T. Wright) One of the most important things we can do in our efforts to rediscover what it means to be a follower of Jesus in our world is to revisit the issue of who Jesus was as a first century Jew and who he is now in the 21st century.

New Testament scholar, N.T. Wright, Bishop of Durham, UK, is an invaluable resource in this quest.  His books, The New Testament and the People of God and Jesus and the Victory of God, explore the historical account of Jesus’ life and ministry and show how the oft misunderstood meaning in his familiar words and deeds remains an unavoidable summons to our world and our way of thinking and living. The DVD, Jesus: the new way, is a very concise presentation of his views.

Ken Curtis, Director and Producer of this resource says:

“Dr. Wright has indeed done ground-breaking work, and he is regarded as one of the leading New Testament scholars alive today. His contribution has been invaluable in countering the cynical skepticism that has held such sway in much of the world of scholarship over the past two hundred years. The title we have chosen for the series, we hope, is suggestive of that which you are about to experience. When we refer to Jesus: The New Way, there is a double intention. First, there is the awareness developed so capably by Tom Wright, that Jesus indeed fulfilled the deepest hopes and prayers of Israel, but in a new way that they did not expect. (Thus, we are eager to show this series to Jewish friends with the expectation that they will see who Jesus was and what he said in perhaps a “new way.”) But there may also be treasures for Christians who have been followers of Jesus for many years. There is much here for you to consider that will deepen and enrich your understanding of and relationship with Jesus. As we were preparing this series, we were constantly reminded that it was like seeing someone you have loved for years with new eyes.” (from the leaders guide on the DVD)

The DVD is organized into six 30-minute programs making it very adaptable to a number of settings.  The six presentations are entitled: Getting the Kingdom Started, Startling Surprises, Longing for a King, Why Did Jesus Die?, Who Was Jesus?, and The New Claim. Also on the DVD are printable materials: a 96-page leader’s guide with background information, discussion questions, and program scripts, a 16-page participant’s workbook, and a series of questions and answers by Bible teacher Dr. Ted Coleman.

Read a review on Amazon.com - http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-New-Way-N-Wright/dp/1563642646. 

N.T. Wright is the author of many important books ranging from scholarly material to works geared for a more popular audience.  One of Elaine’s favorites is The Challenge of Jesus: rediscovering who Jesus was and is.  For a list of Wright’s books visit http://www.ntwrightonline.com/.