n.t. wright on ‘the task of our generation’

The last part of the N.T. Wright’s book Surprised by Hope is the ‘so what now’ application section of the book. He understands that if we are to truly understand what the resurrection means means to us, then it will be transformational to our lives, in the here and now. Here a great paragraph on what he sees as the major task of our generation:

As far as I can see, the major task that faces us in our generation, corresponding to the issue of slavery two centuries ago, is that of the massive economic imbalance of the world, whose major symptom is the ridiculous and unpayable Third World debt…I simply want to record my conviction that this is the number one moral issue of our day. Sex matter enormously, but global justice matters far, far more. The present system of global debt is the real immoral scandal, the dirty little secret—or rather the dirty enormous secret—of glitzy, glossy Western capitalism. Whatever it takes, we must change this situation or stand condemned by subsequent history alongside those who supported slavery two centuries ago and those who supported the Nazis seventy years ago. It is that serious.

I can’t imagine anyone not feeling the force of that statement. I’m sure many would like to argue against the importance or even simply dismiss the problem. If that is the case I would ask that you read the pages following where he backs up this statement with argument. Part of his argument is aimed directly at us American Evangelicals; how sad is it that he has to focus on us. We have such a great responsibility; being the one nation able to lead so many other, and we simply have lead in digging the hole deeper instead of the ladder out.

I know that many would point of individual efforts of aid, and I know that many people are so very thankful for those efforts. But that doesn’t mean that we can continue to ignore the huge elephant even if we are continuing to tidy up around it.