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The Search for Truth is an impressively comprehensive critique of Tom Wright's scholarship. It covers his theological method, the controversy over his theology of justification, and even his Christology. Not only that, but Holland also provides a rival constructive theology and narrative substructure in his new exodus motif. There are very few scholars who could have written this book, but Tom Holland has risen to the challenge, and he has left the church and the academy a wonderful gift that will prove to serve as a useful guide for years to come. Whether you are relatively new to the current debates in Pauline theology or are well versed in the field, you will gain much theological fruit and edification from the time spent reading Tom Holland's The Search for Truth.
Mark Baker part of a review in Books at a Glance
Tom Holland provides a long overdue and thorough critique of the biblical scholarship of Tom Wright. Holland poses many excellent questions that point to fundamental, unrecognized, and potentially very damaging flaws in many of Wright's methods and arguments. In an uncomfortable number of instances, Holland argues, Wright is just plain old wrong! Holland particularly identifies how the Second Temple Literature, as well as Hellenism as a whole, provides an unnecessary and unjustified foundation for Wright's interpretations, especially of Paul. Holland does more than simply show how and where he believes Wright is in error; he presents numerous constructive and viable alternatives that merit further consideration. Regardless of whether one accepts these alternatives, if Holland is right in his fundamental criticisms, then Wright has a lot of explaining (and revising) to do!
Stanley E. Porter, President and Dean, Professor of New Testament, Roy A. Hope Chair in Christian Worldview, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
I have long felt that someone ought to write a comprehensive, probing critique of N. T. Wright's theological thought. I'm very grateful to Tom Holland for tackling this challenging, yet much-needed task. Holland rightly, I believe, raises serious concerns regarding Wright's methodology, which tends to elevate Second Temple literature above the Hebrew Scriptures. While Wright is correct in his efforts to peel back layers of Reformation tradition in reading Paul, Holland shows that Wright's own methodology does not always live up to the noble aims of the critical realism he espouses. No doubt there is much to learn from Wright's scholarly contribution. The way forward, however, I believe, is subjecting Wright's work to the kind of constructive critique Holland has provided. It is my hope that this volume marks the beginning of an even more thoroughgoing scrutiny of Wright's reconstructed synthesis-with the result that Paul's thought can be discerned more cogently from the New Testament documents against the most important ancient background, which surely must be the inspired canonical contributions of the Old Testament writers. Even the most ardent followers of Wright, not to mention Wright himself, will want to take note of this measured, yet pointed and sustained interaction.
Andreas J. Kostenberger, Senior Research Professor of New Testament & Biblical Theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Founder of Biblical Foundations (www.biblicalfoundations.org)
Dr Holland presents a careful, eirenic, and thorough examination of the influences and assumptions that have shaped Tom Wright's approach to the theology of Paul. He treats his arguments to critical but fair scrutiny. It is important that widely popular claims are made accountable in an informed manner. In achieving this Dr Holland provides us with a resources that will prove invaluable for reaching a coherent evaluation.
Dr Robert Letham, Director of Research, Senior Lecturer in Systematic and Historical Theology, Union School of Theology
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