About

Who is this guy?!?

You do not need or want to read my life story or all the details – so let me try to give a quick description.

“Just the facts, ma’am”

Richard M. Wright

• born 1967 in western Massachusetts
• son of Richard M. (d. 2000) and Alice M. Wright
• one younger brother and two younger sisters
• lived in Great Britain from 1978-1983
• graduated from Nashoba Regional High School in eastern Massachusetts
• B.A. (1989), M.A. (1992), and Ph.D. (1998) from Cornell University (Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Literature, Hebrew Bible)
• married the supremely awesome Armetta Wright of northeast Tennessee
• M.Div. (1999) from Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (but I must mention Union-PSCE Seminary across the street where I took the maximum of 6 cross-registered courses)
• have published a mere two articles and one book
• two brilliant and amazing daughters
• taught Biblical Hebrew and Freshman Writing at Cornell University (instructor); two courses on Hebrew Bible at Tulane University (adjunct)
• since 1999 I have been the pastor of Church of the Nations – a small ministry with internationals (mostly students and scholars and their families) which partners with University Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

But we are more than our resumes…

I have been a follow of Christ since age 16. Although currently serving within the Baptist tradition I am passionately ecumenical. I believe that we can and should learn about and learn and adapt from – as well as share with – other Christian traditions. I admit to a special fondness for and interest in Anglicanism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

I am a nerd. (This is official. I used to think I belonged to the phylum geek – and maybe I still do – but was devastated when listening to “White and Nerdy” by Weird Al Yankovic to discover that most of that song describes me.) Science fiction. Computers. Cooking. (Running – when I can. Time and foot problems often hinder.) And quite recently – gardening (mostly herbs and veggies for cooking – I hope… not much success so far…) Love nearly all styles of music except country and rap/hip-hop (sorry) – but probably classical and international music the most.

“Live the Trinity”?

Ah I was hoping you would bring that up. That simple expression has become the heart of nearly everything I believe and (try to) do. Let me put it this way. I have become increasingly convinced that the classic Christian teaching of the Trinity is the single most important teaching of the Christian faith. Everything (Life, the Universe, and Everything) flows from that central teaching – or to be more precise that central reality. Why creation? Why humanity? Who and why is Jesus? What and why is the Christian church? All Christian faith and practice (not meaning to separate those two) are rooted in and arise out of the Trinity. One God – who is somehow also Three Persons. And Jesus Christ is the second person of this Trinity who became fully human and was fully God. (Okay that second bit is not the Trinity. It is the dual hypostatic union. Which only makes sense in light of the Trinity. You see where this is going.)

The purpose of the Christian church is to participate in the life of the Trinity. The purpose of the Christian life is to participate in the life of the Trinity. God the Father sent God the Son in the power of God the Holy Spirit… God the Father sends the Church (who is the Body of Christ) in the power of God the Holy Spirit (John 20:21). The English word mission comes from Latin mittere “to send”; sending is mission(al). The sending (mission) of the Church mirrors(?) the sending (mission) of God the Trinity. Perhaps better we can say, “The Church participates in the life of the Triune God – which is mission (sending)”. Hence we articulate a Trinitarian missiology.

At a very fine pastor’s retreat in Texas last year a classmate (who now works with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship) said, “There are really just two things (we want to emphasize). Spiritual formation. And missions.” (In other words – everything the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship tries to be and say and do has to do with one or the other or both.) I like that. But it occurred to me that “condensing” Christian faith and practice to these two emphases itself can be condensed to – or really these two emphases express – an even more fundamental reality. The Trinity. Our purpose is to Live the Trinity.

I think that is enough for now.