The Bible - Act 6
17 11 2006
Paul Fromont (a Kiwi friend of Alan Jamieson, who has written a couple of great book - A Churchless Faith, and Journeying in Faith) has an interesting addition to NT Wright’s 5 Act theory on the Bible. He suggests that we should add a 6th Act, to the original 5 suggested by NT Wright (Creation, Fall, Israel, Jesus, and the 5th Act we are now living). The 6th Act is Christ’s return and a new heaven and a new earth.
So we live out the 5th act, consistent with the first 4 acts, and in light of what we know about the 6th Act. I like it. It allows us to be creative, innovative and contextualised in our current culture, but in light what has gone before, and what is coming ahead. What has been done in history wasn’t wrong or to be replicated, but was that generation’s attempt to live the story in their way and that time. We now have to play our part in the ongoing story.
So I guess the question I have: in 10 - 20 years time, what kind of church will best live the 5th act in our time?
I very much agree, after reading an essay by Wright on this very subject, it struck me that the return of Jesus and the new heavens and new earth was very much missing!
I agree too! I find it very helpful to think that I am living in light of the first 4 acts, but also the view of the 6 act to come. It is something reasonably new for me, but is for example changing the way that I care the evironment, for example.
[...] 1 - 4 are found in the Biblical narrative (creation, fall, Israel, Jesus & early church), and I like to think that we also have Act 6 … the end of the story, the end of history, the return of Christ, the beginnings of a new [...]
[...] Following on from the 5 Act theory on NT Wright, or the 6 act adaptation I suggested in another post, I wanted to help us become part of the parable, to be part of the story, that would help us as we [...]