I hope you don’t mind that I share some of the things I am currently reading. It helps me to save some of the thoughts here that I want to remember.
Lately, I’ve been reading and listening to quite a bit of NT Wright. I am actually new to his work – a fact which totally irritates me – but that’s another topic. I love his understanding of the gospel and the kingdom within the larger frame of God’s story.
Paul’s Gospel and Caesar’s Empire
By N.T. Wright
Center of Theological Inquiry (1998)
For Paul “the gospel” is the announcement that the crucified and risen Jesus of Nazareth is Israel’s Messiah and the world’s Lord.
The gospel of the true God, then, unveils the covenant faithfulness of this God, through which the entire world receives health-giving, restorative justice.
If Paul’s answer to Caesar’s empire is the empire of Jesus, what does that say about this new empire, living under the rule of its new lord?
It implies a high and strong ecclesiology, in which the scattered and often muddled cells of women, men and children loyal to Jesus as Lord form colonial outposts of the empire that is to be.
…an advance foretaste of the time when the earth shall be filled with the glory of the God of Abraham and the nations will join Israel in singing God’s praises.
…modeling justice and peace and unity across traditional racial and cultural barriers…
It claims to be the reality of which Caesar’s empire is the parody.
You might enjoy this earlier post of mine about finding our identity within a proper understanding of the gospel of the kingdom.
kingdom grace 
I started reading the good Bishop’s work about a year ago. I started with Surprised by Hope which — well, read it if you can. Its really good. I just got the first book of the Origins series which I’m really looking forward to reading.
By the way, there are a lot of his articles and recordings of lectures at http://www.ntwrightpage.com. Good and free!
Nadine,
I just started Surprised by Hope, already knowing I would like it based on excerpts and what others have said.
Thanks for the link. That should keep me busy for awhile. ;)
I started reading some time ago as well… He blows me away!
He is a brilliant scholar. Have been reading him for several years and is shaping much of the way my theological defense for my dissertation is going.
let’s reframe the story, don’t let the dominant framing story add it’s meaning to the message of the Kingdom.
I too have been pondering the Kingdom a lot lately. It’s encouraging to see how God is moving within the Body of Christ.
I am an unabashed groupie with a kingdom soapbox. :)
Grace,
If you have not already, I think you would enjoy “The Gospel in a Pluralist Society” by Lesslie Newbigin