What is There Between Minneapolis and St. Andrews?

Abstract

"John Piper and N. T. Wright are two of the most in0uential 1gures in the English-speaking church today. The attraction is easy to see. Piper combines a majestic vision of divine glory with his Christian hedonism and a neo-Puritan theology. Wright wonderfully combines together the big picture of the biblical meta-narrative with a historical sensitivity to Scripture, plus an entertaining panache for theological synthesis within a broad evangelical Anglicanism. Both are able authors, committed pastors, and stimulating speakers. However, there are many di2erences between them as seen in their respective books on justi1cation that engage each other. 1 It seems that many young evangelicals have been polarized around the Piperazi and the Wrightonians on theology in general and justi1cation in particular. 2 I do not think this polarization is necessary or helpful. It may be the case that on any given issue one author has it over the other in terms of the soundness of their argumentation. There again, on some topics, the biblical truth may lie somewhere between Piper and Wright. What I want to do in this study is to look at 1ve points of contention between Piper and Wright and o2er some adjudicating thoughts with a view to establishing a modi1ed Reformed view that acts as a middle way between the two"