For All the Saints: Remembering the Christian Departed

Brief and brilliant. Wright points in the (w)right directions of belief in the afterlife.

Very comforting book that reminds the reader of our future hope. The author reminds us we can go to God with our love for our loved ones who have passed.

Leisure reading

I have seen some reviews stating that this is the true Anglican view of life after death, but no this is what the Bible actually teaches about life after death. This is an excellent little book with only one draw back and that is it gets too much into the Church calendar and discussing it as if Wright is reacting to a recent celebration of All Saints Day or All Souls Day. Regardless, this book is great for those who do not have the time (but I must say it is well worth the time) to read his larger work "The Resurrection of the Son of God." This book is very short (could be considered a long pamphlet) and can be read in a couple of hours.

I found this to be a good read. N. T. Wright is probably the foremost theologian of our time, and the book is his take on who the saints are and what likely transpires for them after death on this earth. Though his outlook is considerably different from the ultraconservative view I had been exposed to earlier, I found this an interesting read and intend to become more familiar with his writing and thinking.

N.T. Wright offers a clear and simple book that helps clear up some of the grey on Christian thought concerning death and the afterlife. An excellent and insightful read.

This little book packs a lot of information and insight in how to remember the Christian departed. It puts hope and glory in its proper perspective. Good for a study in a group format.

This was a very fast read. You can finish reading it in an hour. Its got more packed into a small space than most amy other book ive read. What is the Christian hope? Wright lays ot all out plain and clear.

This book is largely an opinion-piece about why Wright dislikes the tradition of All Souls' Day in Anglicanism. There's nothing wrong with opinion-pieces, but the book is presented as a scholarly argument, in which case it is a poorly-constructed one.Wright takes on one particular historical focus of All Souls' Day (prayer for the welfare of souls in Purgatory) and sets it up as the only possible reason for observing this day in the Church year. He tears apart Church of England publications and liturgical resources which do not focus on the idea of souls in Purgatory, seemingly ignoring the possibility that this may not be the only reason a church might want to ritually grieve and commemorate their dead. He does admit this latter point in a nearly thrown-away statement in the final pages of the book, but does not discuss the impact that ought to have on his earlier arguments.Amusingly, Wright suggests that poor liturgical planning for All Souls' Day services - odd readings, poor homilies, and hymns with bad theological content - is a reason to cease observation of the day. If bad liturgical execution is a reason to cancel days in the calendar, I'm afraid some places would be entirely without worship going forward.It would be unproductive to enumerate here the ways in which this book was unsatisfying. On the whole, Wright's arguments in this book read as a closed circle, rather than a well-researched, thoroughly considered discussion of the value of current ways Anglicans remember the dead. This feeling is not helped by the fact that the only dialogue partners he cites, beyond the liturgical resources mentioned above, are his own books.A disappointing tract which contains more of the character of an opinion-rant than a credible argument.

You may find the book most relevant if you are a member of the Anglican Church but it’s message is applicable to anyone who has lost loved ones.