<p>What if our common understanding of heaven and the afterlife misses the plot of the biblical narrative? In this episode, Ed Stetzer connects with biblical scholar and theologian N. T. Wright to talk about his book, <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Homecoming-Forgotten-Promise-Renewal/dp/006256417X" target="_blank"><i>God’s Homecoming</i></a>. Wright explains how popular Christian ideas about escaping the physical world to live in a disembodied heaven are rooted more in Platonism than the text of Scripture.</p><p></p><p>Tracing themes from Genesis to Revelation, Wright highlights God's design for heaven and earth to work together, culminating in a future resurrection and a renewed creation. He discusses the current role of the Holy Spirit in looking after believers between death and the final resurrection, and how the church can act as a local model of this new creation today. For leaders navigating modern ministry, this conversation provides a challenge to align our language, hope, and social action with a historic, biblical framework.</p><p></p><p><b>ABOUT OUR GUEST</b></p><p>N. T. Wright is a leading New Testament scholar, theologian, and former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England. He is widely known for his work on the historical Jesus, the Apostle Paul, resurrection theology, and the kingdom of God. Wright has taught at Oxford, Cambridge, and McGill University and currently serves as Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford.</p><p></p><p>He has written influential books including <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060872705/" target="_blank"><i>Simply Christian</i></a>, <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.com/Surprised-Hope-Rethinking-Resurrection-Mission/dp/0062089978" target="_blank"><i>Surprised by Hope</i></a>, and <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Faithfulness-God-N-Wright/dp/0800626834/" target="_blank"><i>Paul and the Faithfulness of God</i></a>. Wright is respected for making complex theology accessible to pastors, students, scholars, and everyday Christians around the world.</p>