Reality, Grief, Hope: Three Urgent Prophetic Tasks
Digital Verbum Edition
Overview
Walter Brueggemann is one of the most highly regarded Old Testament scholars of our time; talk-show host Krista Tippett has even called him “a kind of theological rock star.” In this new book Brueggemann probes the tasks performed by the ancient prophets of Israel and points out striking correlations between the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BCE and the catastrophic crisis of 9/11 in AD 2001.
Brueggemann identifies a characteristic ideology of “exceptionalism”—chosenness, entitlement, privilege—which must be countered by prophetic realism and truth-telling. Denial must give way to honest grief. And, finally, widespread despair must be overcome by a buoyant hope. This sequence of ideology-realism, denial-grief, and despair-hope corresponds to Brueggemann’s unpacking of the books of Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Isaiah.
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Want similar titles? Check out Eerdmans Old Testament Studies Collection (16 vols.) for more!
- Unpacks the books of Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Isaiah
- Presents the sacred legends and spiritual reflections of authors whose works were lost, neglected, or suppressed for many centuries
- Provides english translations as well as authoritative and accessible introductions
- Three Urgent Prophetic Tasks: An Introduction
- Reality amid Ideology
- Grief amid Denial
- Hope amid Despair
- Living amid Empire as Neighborhood
- Concluding Summation
Top Highlights
“Isaiah 40–55 is often thought to be as ‘answer’ to the laments of the book of Lamentations.” (Page 92)
“two matters, the abuse of neighbors, especially vulnerable neighbors, and the dishonoring of God” (Page 20)
“The prophets are voices of unrelenting realism in the face of deceiving ideology” (Page 19)
“is not derived from or informed by the dominant ideology” (Page 16)
“Karl Marx took ‘ideology’ to refer to ‘false consciousness,’ a misconstrual of reality to serve particular interests” (Page 7)
Walter Brueggemann through his teaching, lecturing, and writing, has effectively demonstrated the significance of the Old Testament for our fractured world today. Recognized as the preeminent interpreter of the ancient texts in relation to questions posed by a variety of academic disciplines, he has shown the way toward a compelling understanding of the major components of the faith and life of ancient Israel, especially in the Psalms, the prophets, and narrative texts of the Hebrew Bible. His award-winning Theology of the Old Testament quickly became a foundational work in the field. Some of his many books include David’s Truth: In Israel’s Imagination and Memory, Spirituality of the Psalms, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching First and Second Samuel, The Prophetic Imagination, and The Threat of Life: Sermons on Pain, Power, and Weakness.