Ask NT Wright Anything

Why does the Old Testament sometimes appear to treat women unfairly in cases of adultery? What was the purpose of the Nazirite vow, and why would anyone choose it? And what does it really mean to say that Christ is “present” in the Eucharist? Today, N.T. Wright and Mike Bird dive in on Ask NT Wright Anything to answer your three challenging and deeply human questions about law, holiness, and sacra...

Do ordained ministers have “more” of the Holy Spirit than lay people? What exactly was John the Baptist doing when he baptised Jews before Jesus’ ministry began? And are the Thirty-Nine Articles still fit for purpose today? Tom Wright and Mike Bird tackle three questions that sit at the heart of church life, theology, and Christian identity in today's episode of Ask NT Wright Anything. Tom explain...

Where is the Garden of Eden? What did Paul mean by our “earthly tent”? And does Genesis contain later edits, and if so, does that undermine Scripture? In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird tackle three of the most frequently misunderstood biblical questions. Tom explains why Paul’s language in 2 Corinthians 5 isn’t Platonic escapism but robust resurrection hope; why t...

Was Jesus really born in Bethlehem, or did the gospel writers “invent” the story to fit prophecy? Did a Roman census ever force people to travel back to their ancestral towns? And what about Herod’s massacre of the innocents – pure theology, or plausible history? In this special Advent episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird respond to challenges raised by historian Tom Holland...

N.T. Wright and Mike Bird and reunited together in person in Premier’s new London studios for a big Ask NT Wright Anything episode. Tom tackles a huge listener question: has Christianity actually done more harm than good? From crusades, slavery and abuse scandals to hospitals, human rights and the end of infanticide, he explains how to face church failures honestly without ditching Jesus. They the...

Demonic activity in the New Testament, the surprising rise of “high church” worship, and whether Christians should be keeping Saturday as the Sabbath…This week on Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom and Mike tackle three big and very different questions. First: Did Jesus’ arrival trigger a surge in demonic activity, and should Christians today expect to encounter the demonic? Tom draws on decades of pasto...

Title: Real Church, the Lord’s Prayer & New Age? — N.T. Wright's wisdom for todayThis week Tom and Mike tackle three listener questions: • What is real church community—can online church count? • Why do we add “For thine is the kingdom…” to the Lord’s Prayer? • Have New Age practices slipped into Christianity today? A brisk, insightful conversation on worship, scripture and spiritual discernment....

In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Mike Bird and Tom Wright take on three big questions:First, a listener from Ohio asks how precise our beliefs must be to be “saved”. Tom reframes salvation away from “going to heaven when you die” towards God’s new creation and the defeat of death. They unpack Romans 10, baptism, assurance, and why faith is fundamentally entrusting yourself to Jesus rathe...

In this episode, Tom Wright and Mike Bird field three big listener questions that touch the heart of Christian hope and daily discipleship. First, they explore what happens when we die — where do our loved ones go before the final resurrection? Tom explains what Scripture actually says (and doesn’t say) about “souls,” “heaven,” and “waiting rooms for the dead,” and why our hope is not escape from...

Mike Bird and Tom Wright take on three weighty listener questions that dive deep into the Bible’s mystery, mercy, and meaning in this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, They begin by exploring the mystery of who wrote the Letter to the Hebrews, unpacking why the early church left the author anonymous and how that shapes our reading today. Next, they move to a deeply sensitive and much-debated topi...

Today on the Ask NT Wright Anything Podcast, Mike Bird and Tom Wright tackle three challenging listener questions that get to the heart of Christian theology and biblical imagination. Should we pray for Satan? Tom unpacks how centuries of Christian mythology have distorted biblical ideas of “the Satan” (the accuser), explaining why evil has no rightful place in God’s good creation,and what it real...

​What did Jesus mean when he said his followers would do “greater works” than him? Does the ancient Filioque Clause (“and the Son”) still divide the church today? And what does it really mean to love God more than your family? In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird tackle three deep and very human questions -  about miracles, the Trinity, and discipleship. Tom reminds...

Does the Bible teach gender hierarchy? What did Paul mean by quoting Habakkuk — “the righteous shall live by faith”? And did Paul actually write all the pastoral epistles? Today on Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom and Mike answer your questions about gender, faith, and authorship in the New Testament. They unpack the Greek word for “submit” in Ephesians, showing how Paul emphasizes mutual submission in...

What do bishops really do, and where does church authority come from? How do you find a faithful church community in a polarised world? And does universalism change how we think about salvation and damnation? Tom Wright and Mike Bird are looking at questions of leadership, community, and theology in today's episode of Ask NT Wright Anything. They trace the history of bishops and overseers, showing...

What does Ephesians teach us about God’s purpose for the church? Can we truly trust Scripture if it was passed down through oral tradition? And what role do public confessions of faith play in salvation? In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird dig into Tom’s new Book, The Vision of Ephesians, to explore Paul’s vision behind the text, the meaning of Sola Scriptura, and t...

What did Jesus mean by “the end of the age”? Does the New Testament teach salvation by faith alone, or do works matter too? And what will happen to the earth in God’s new creation? In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird tackle big questions on eschatology, faith, and new creation. They unpack Jesus’ teachings about the temple and the “end of the age,” explain why faith...

Mike Bird and Tom Wright take on three wide-ranging listener questions. First: should Christians work out? Tom reflects on how physical health connects with the life of the soul, and whether Scripture points toward a holistic vision of body and spirit. Next: why is the Bible authoritative? Is it the church’s decision, the content of its teaching, or the work of the Spirit? Tom unpacks how authorit...

Mike Bird and Tom Wright dive into another round of thoughtful listener questions. First: how do you go about choosing a church? Tom lays out wise principles for discerning a community rooted in the gospel, shaped by worship, and committed to mission. Next: catechisms. From centuries-old confessions to modern teaching tools, Tom shares which one has shaped him most and why. Finally: a weighty ques...

Mike Bird and Tom Wright take on three big listener questions. First: how do we actually cooperate with the Spirit in God’s plan for new creation? Tom reflects on what it means to anticipate heaven and earth being joined, and how our present faithfulness participates in that future hope. Next: ordination and church leadership. Are we in danger of over-structuring the body of Christ? Drawing from t...

Mike Bird and Tom Wright tackle three big listener questions. First: did Jesus know he was God—and if so, in what sense? Tom explores how Jesus reframes what we mean by “God,” drawing on the Gospels and Philippians 2. Next: contemplative practices. From the Jesus Prayer to the Daily Office, Tom offers gracious guidance on praying in ways that keep Jesus at the centre while avoiding rigid one-size-...

Why do churches split over theology? What does the Bible really say about covenants and dispensations? Why do some Christians skip sacraments altogether? And can you lose your salvation? In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird tackle church divisions, explain the differences between covenant theology and dispensationalism, and explore the Salvation Army’s unusual stance...

What is the Bible really — and who decided which books belong in it? Can we trust the Gospels if they don’t always agree? And when should tradition shape how we read scripture, and when should we challenge it? In this Big Bible Episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird dig into big, timeless questions about the canon of scripture, how inspiration works, and why apparent contradic...

What qualities should the Archbishop of Canterbury really have? How can spiritual practices help us deal with anxiety? And what does the Bible say about corrupted powers in our world? In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird unpack what it means to lead the Anglican Church, the role of the Archbishop as a unifier, and why true leadership needs spiritual depth, not just m...

Is biblical faith just “belief”? What does salvation really mean in the Old and New Testaments? And was Jesus talking about the end of the world or Jerusalem’s fall in the Olivet Discourse? In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird unpack the difference between faith and mere belief, showing how true biblical faith means trust, faithfulness, and allegiance to Jesus as Kin...

Will we ever see an OT Wright translation to match NT Wright's New Testament for Everyone? Tom explains why an Old Testament version isn’t on the cards—but offers a witty alternative involving his son! The conversation moves on to remarriage, exploring whether we’ll still relate to our spouses in the same way in the new creation, and how Jesus’ words in the Gospels shape our understanding of life...