How Do You Pick Who To Read

I have been doing some light defense on my paper on the New Perspective on Paul. I actually try to make peace between the two sides of the issue in some small sense by showing the strengths of biblical theology and systematic theology and how they address different issues. There have been two criticism of my paper so far, one is that I don't understand justification and the other is that I should read NT Wright in order to write a paper like that. I guess I don't feel compelled to talk to every sales person, watch every television program, read every article in the newspaper in order to understand their wares. Not that NT Wright is a salesman or entertainment, but he is one voice among many. A summary of his ideas done by a competent friend or critic may be enough to tell me if I do want to read further. In preparing my paper I decided to give my brother in Christ NT Wright a listen. I listened to one of his sermons done at Calvin College. It was not bad, I sort of enjoyed it. However, I was not intrigued. No biggie.

I once heard a someone say that they only read books that their friends recommended as a way of sorting who to read and not read. I'm still not convinced that NT Wright is on the top of my list but perhaps others could give me solid reasons as to what I would learn from reading him.