Walter Brueggemann Explained

Walter Brueggemann
Birth Date:	11 March 1933
Birth Place:	Tilden, Nebraska, US
Occupation:	Professor of Theology
Offices Held:	Professor of Theology, Eden Theological Seminary (1961-1986); Professor of Theology, Columbia Theological Seminary (1986-2003); William Marcellus McPheeters Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary (2003-present)
Education:	Elmhurst College, Eden Theological Seminary, Union Theological Seminary, Saint Louis University
Ordained:	United Church of Christ
Writings:	Over one hundred books, dozens of scholarly articles, largely on rhetorical criticism

Walter Brueggemann (born March 11, 1933) is an American Protestant Old Testament scholar and theologian who is widely considered one of the most influential Old Testament scholars of the last several decades.^[1] His work often focuses on the Hebrew prophetic tradition and sociopolitical imagination of the Church. He argues that the Church must provide a counter-narrative to the dominant forces of consumerism, militarism, and nationalism.^{[2] [3]}

He has contributed to Living the Questions.^[4]

Career

Brueggemann was born in Tilden, Nebraska in 1933. He received an A.B. from Elmhurst College (1955), a B.D. from Eden Theological Seminary (1958), a Th.D. from Union Theological Seminary, New York (1961), and Ph.D. from Saint Louis University (in 1974). The son of a minister of the German Evangelical Synod of North America, he was ordained in the United Church of Christ. He was professor of Old Testament (1961–1986) and Dean (1968–1982) at Eden Theological Seminary. Beginning in 1986, he served as William Marcellus McPheeters professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary, from which he retired in the early 2000s. Brueggemann currently resides in Traverse City, Michigan (2020). He and Erskine Clarke were the founding editors for Journal for Preachers for more than 40 years, and the Pentecost 2022 edition marked his transition from Editor to Editor Emeritus.^[5] The current editor is Theodore Wardlaw.

Thought

Brueggemann is an advocate and practitioner of rhetorical criticism. He has written more than 58 books, hundreds of articles, and several commentaries on books of the Bible. He is also a contributor to a number of the Living the Questions DVD programs and is featured in the program "Countering Pharaoh's Production-Consumption Society Today."^[6] Brueggemann participated in Bill Moyers' 1990s PBS television series on Genesis (documented in Genesis: A Living Conversation. Main Street Books, 1997.).

Originally a strong supporter of modern day Israel and its biblical claims, Brueggemann later repudiated Israel for its exploitation of "ancient promises" to create a "toxic ideology," and now affirms his belief that it is not anti-Semitic to stand up for justice for Palestinians.^[7]

Brueggemann is known throughout the world for his method of combining literary and sociological modes when reading the Bible. V. S. Parrish categorized Brueggemann as being an exegete and theologian.^[8] As an exegete he has composed several commentaries (Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, 1 and 2 Samuel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah). His most notable work was on the book of Psalms, and he has written many monographs and articles on specific portions of the Hebrew Bible. For example, he believes that lament is lacking in current religious faith and practice with detrimental results according to the subject.^[9] As a theologian he has been an editor for the Fortress Press series "Overtures to Biblical Theology". His development of Old Testament theological methods consists of literary mode, social function, and dialectical approach. Titles such as "David's Truth in Israel's Imagination and Memory" (1985), "Power, Providence and Personality" (1990), "1 Kings and 2 Kings" (1982c), "The Prophetic Imagination" (1978), and "Hopeful Imagination" (1986) reflect his interest in the prophetic corpus.^[10]

Honors

Among his honors are:

• LL.D., DePauw University, 1984
• D.D., Virginia Theological Seminary, 1988
• D.H.Litt., Doane College, 1990
• D.D., Jesuit School of Theology, 1993
• D.Litt., Colgate University, 1997
• D.H.Litt., Elmhurst College, 1997
• D.D., Huron University College, 2014

There is also a festschrift in his honor: God in the Fray: A Tribute to Walter Brueggemann (eds. Tod Linafelt and Timothy Beal, Minneapolis: Fortress Press).

Publications

• Book: Abiding Astonishment: Psalms, Modernity, and the Making of History. 1991. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-25134-5.
• Advent/Christmas; Proclamation 3: Aids for Interpreting the Lessons of the Church Year, Series B. Edited by Elizabeth Achtemeier. Fortress Press, 1984.
• Book: An Unsettling God: The Heart of the Hebrew Bible. 2009. Augsburg Fortress, Publishers. 978-1-4514-1953-5.
• Book: Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: Prayers of Walter Brueggemann. 1 December 2002. Fortress Press. 978-1-4514-1954-2.
• Belonging and Growing in the Christian Community. Edited by Elizabeth McWhorter. General Assembly Mission Board, Presbyterian Church in the United States, 1979.
• The Bible Makes Sense. St Mary's College Press, 1977.
  • ---. 2d ed. Franciscan Media, 2003,
• Book: Biblical Perspectives on Evangelism: Living in a Three-Storied Universe. 1 July 2011. Abingdon Press. 978-1-4267-2214-1.
• "The Book of Exodus". In The New Interpreter's Bible. Vol. 1. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994. ISBN.
• The Book That Breathes New Life: Scriptural Authority and Biblical Theology. 2005. ISBN.
  • Book: The Book that Breathes New Life: Scriptural Authority and Biblical Theology. 1 January 2011. Fortress Press. 978-1-4514-1955-9. 171–.
• Book: Cadences of Home: Preaching Among Exiles. 1997. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-25749-1.
• Book: The Collected Sermons of Walter Brueggemann. 2011. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-23445-4.
• Book: A Commentary on Jeremiah: Exile and Homecoming. January 1998. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. 978-0-8028-0280-4.
• Confirming Our Faith, Chapters 4,5,7,8,9,18; edited by Larry E Kalp. United Church Press, 1980.
• Confronting the Bible: A Resource and Discussion Book for Youth. United Church Press, 1968.
• Book: The Creative Word: Canon as a Model for Biblical Education. registration. 1 January 1982. Fortress Press. 978-1-4514-1957-3.
• Book: David's Truth in Israel's Imagination and Memory. Fortress Press. 978-1-4514-1958-0.
  • ---. 2d ed. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002. ISBN.
• Deuteronomy: Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries. Abingdon Press, 2001. ISBN.
• Divine Presence amid Violence: Contextualizing the Book of Joshua. Cascade Books, 2009. .
• Easter; Proclamation 4 (Series A). Fortress Press, 1989.
• Ethos and Ecumenism: The History of Eden Theological Seminary, 1925-1970. Eden Publishing House, 1975.
• The Evangelical Catechism Revisited, 1847-1972. Eden Publishing House, 1972.
• Fatal Embrace: Christians, Jews, and the Search for Peace in the Holy Land. Synergy Books, 2010. . Foreword to the book by Mark Braverman.
• Book: Finally Comes the Poet: Daring Speech for Proclamation. registration. 1 January 1989. Fortress Press. 978-1-4514-1961-0.
• Book: First and Second Samuel. 1990 . Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-23741-7.
• I Kings (Knox Preaching Guides). Edited by John H Hayes. John Knox Press, 1982.
• II Kings (Knox Preaching Guides). Edited by John H Hayes. John Knox Press, 1982.
• 1 & 2 Kings: Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary. Smyth & Helwys Publishing, 2000.
• Book: Genesis. 1982 . Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-23733-2.
• Book: Hope Within History. registration. 1987. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-8042-0918-2.
• Book: Hopeful Imagination: Prophetic Voices in Exile. 1 January 1986. Fortress Press. 978-1-4514-1962-7.
• In Man We Trust: The Neglected Side of Biblical Faith. John Knox Press, 1972. .
• Book: Interpretation and Obedience: From Faithful Reading to Faithful Living. 1 January 1991. Fortress Press. 978-0-8006-2478-1.
• Book: An Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Christian Imagination. 2003. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-22412-7.
• Book: Isaiah: 1-39. 1998. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-25524-4.
• Book: Isaiah: 40-66. 1998. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-25791-0.
• Book: Israel's Praise: Doxology Against Idolatry and Ideology. 1988. registration. Fortress Press. 978-1-4514-1965-8.
• With George R Beasley-Murray, Jeremiah: Faithfulness in the Midst of Fickleness. The Newell Lectureships II edited by Timothy Dwyer. Warner Press, Inc, 1993.
• Book: Journey to the Common Good. 1 January 2010. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-1-61164-008-3.
• The Land: Place as Gift, Promise, and Challenge in Biblical Faith. Fortress Press, 1977,
  • ---. 2d ed. Overtures to Biblical Theology. Fortress Press, 2002. .
• Living toward a Vision: Biblical Reflections on Shalom. United Church Press, 1976, 1982.
• Mandate to Difference: An Invitation to the Contemporary Church. Westminster John Knox Press, 2007.
• Many Voices, One God: Being Faithful in a Pluralistic World. Co-Edited with George Stroup Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998.
• Book: The Message of the Psalms: A Theological Commentary. registration. 1984. Augsburg Publishing House. 0-8066-2120-6.
• Book: Old Testament Theology: An Introduction. 1 September 2010. Abingdon Press. 978-1-4267-2340-7.
• Book: Old Testament Theology: Essays on Structure, Theme, and Text. registration. Fortress Press. 978-1-4514-1969-6. Patrick D Miller. 1992.
• Book: Out of Babylon. 2010. Abingdon Press. 978-1-4267-1005-6.
• Book: Peace (ubt Series). 2001 . Chalice Press. 978-0-8272-3024-8.
• Book: Power, Providence, and Personality: Biblical Insight Into Life and Ministry. registration. 1990. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-25138-3.
• Book: Prayers for a Privileged People. 1 March 2010. Abingdon Press. 978-1-4267-1370-5.
• Praying the Psalms. St Mary's College Press, 1982.
  • Book: Praying the Psalms, Second Edition: Engaging Scripture and the Life of the Spirit. 1 May 2007. Wipf and Stock Publishers. 978-1-55635-283-6.
• The Prophetic Imagination. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1978. ISBN.
  • Book: The Prophetic Imagination. 2001. Fortress Press. 978-0-8006-3287-8.
• Book: The Psalms and the Life of Faith. Fortress Press. 978-1-4514-1971-9. Patrick D Miller. Fortress Press. 1995.
• Reality, Grief, Hope: Three Urgent Prophetic Tasks. Eerdmans, 2014.
• The Renewing Word. Edited by Elmer JF Arndt. United Church Press, 1968.
• Revelation and Violence: A Study in Contextualization; 1986 Pere Marquette Theology Lecture. Marquette University Press, 1986.
• Book: Reverberations of Faith: A Theological Handbook of Old Testament Themes. 2002. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-22231-4.
• Book: Sabbath as Resistance. January 2014. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-23928-2.
• A Social Reading of the Old Testament: Prophetic Approaches to Israel's Communal Life. Edited by Patrick D Miller. Fortress Press, 1994.
• Book: Spirituality of the Psalms. Fortress Press. 978-1-4514-1973-3.
• Book: Testimony to Otherwise: the Witness of Elijah. 2001. registration. Chalice Press. 978-0-8272-3670-7.
• With Charles Cousar et al., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV-Year A. Westminster/John Knox, 1995.
• With Charles Cousar et al., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV-Year B. Westminster/John Knox, 1993.
• Book: Texts Under Negotiation: The Bible and Postmodern Imagination. registration. 1993. Fortress Press. 978-0-8006-2736-2.
• The Theology of the Book of Jeremiah. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2006. ISBN.
  • Book: The Theology of the Book of Jeremiah. 2007. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-60629-5.
• Theology of the Old Testament. Fortress Press, 2005. ISBN.
  • Book: Theology of the Old Testament: Testimony, Dispute, Advocacy. 1 June 2012. Fortress Press. 978-0-8006-9931-4.
• Book: Walter Brueggemann, Charles Campbell. Threat of Life. 1996. registration. Fortress Press. 978-1-4514-1979-5. 166–. Charles L Campbell.
• To Act Justly, Love Tenderly, Walk Humbly. (With Sharon Parks and Thomas H. Groome). Paulist Press, 1986.
  • ---. WIPF & Stock, 1997.
• To Build, to Plant: A Commentary on Jeremiah 26–52: International Theological Commentary on the Old Testament. Continuum International Publishing Group, 1991.
• To Pluck Up, to Tear Down: A Commentary on the Book of Jeremiah 1–25: International Theological Commentary on the Old Testament. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988.
• Tradition for Crisis: A Study in Hosea. John Knox Press, 1968.
• Book: Truth Speaks to Power: The Countercultural Nature of Scripture. 2013. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-23914-5.
• Book: Using God's Resources Wisely: Isaiah and Urban Possibility. 1993. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-664-25460-5.
• The Vitality of Old Testament Traditions. John Knox Press, 1975.
  • Book: Hans Walter Wolff. The Vitality of Old Testament Traditions. 1982. Westminster John Knox Press. 978-0-8042-0112-4.
• What Are Christians For? An Enquiry into Obedience and Dissent. Pflaum-Standard, 1971.

External links

• A look at Walter Brueggemann on biblical authority
• About Walter Brueggemann
• Walter Brueggemann and the role of imagination in Biblical theology
• Walter Brueggemann Website
• Faculty Emeriti Directory, Columbia Theological Seminary

Notes and References

1. Web site: 33rd G. Arthur Keough Lectures. Washington Adventist University. 13 October 2013.
2. Web site: Walter Brueggemann's 19 Theses Revisited: A Clarification from Brueggemann Himself. Paperback. Theology. April 15, 2014.
3. Web site: The Word That Redescribes the World: The Bible and Discipleship. The Christian Century.
4. Web site: Home .
5. Inside the Current Issue . Journal for Preachers . June 2022 . 9 June 2024.
6. Web site: Countering Pharaoh's Production-Consumption Society Today - Digital Edition . 2023-11-16 . Living the Questions . en-US.
7. Walter Brueggemann, Foreword to "Fatal Embrace: Christians, Jews and the Search for Peace in the Holy Land", Mark Braverman, Synergy Books, 2010
8. Book: Historical handbook of major biblical interpreters . 1998 . Downers Grove, Ill. . InterVarsity Press . 978-0-8308-1452-7 . 571.
9. Boda, Mark J. (2003). "The Priceless Gain of Penitence: From Communal Lament To Penitential Prayer in the "Exilic" Liturgy of Israel". Horizons in Biblical Theology. 25 (1), 51-75. Brill Online
10. Book: Mckim, Donald . Dictionary of Major Biblical Interpreters . IVP Academic . City . 2007 . 978-0-8308-2927-9 . 242–247.