Walter Brueggeman & the Prophetic Imagination

 

The theologian Walter Brueggeman has died at the age of  92. He was a "is he still alive?" person having a remarkably long and prolific career. He wrote 58 books, many essays and articles, and he spoke in many settings.

He was a fearlessly challenging voice calling Christians out of complacency and compelling us to be biblical and honest in our modern society. Perhaps his best known book was The Prophetic Imagination, written nearly 50 years ago, and a million seller, no small feat for a religious book. Drawing on the witness of Moses, Jeremiah, and Jesus he invites readers to go beyond notions of prophets as fore-tellers or even social agitators. These figures challenge us to move beyond numbness in the face of oppression, whatever the cost, even to the cross. 

Long a supporter of the modern state of Israel Brueggemann changed his mind. According to Wikipedia:  

Originally a strong supporter of modern-day Israel and its biblical claims, Brueggemann later repudiated Israel for what he believed to be its exploitation of "ancient promises" to create a "toxic ideology," and then affirmed his belief that it was not anti-Semtitic to stand up for justice for Palestinians.

I would have to agree. As we learned that Walter had died we also heard that Greta Thunberg, the environmental activist was arrested with others while on a ship headed for Gaza and the tragedy in progress there. Once again the right-wing media has expressed contempt for Greta and Trump says she's in need of anger management classes. She responded by saying that the world needs more women like her, both true and hilarious, especially given Trump's never-ending anger issues.

I wonder what Walter Brueggemann thought about Thunberg and her at times strident voice, calling the world to account? Did he consider her prophetic even though she doesn't seem to have much interest in God? 

We llve in a moment when we need fewer tyrant wannabees and more prophets. 

Here is a paragraph from a 40th anniversary review of The Prophetic Imagination by Nathan Brown:

Prompted by one of his students, Brueggemann’s focus is sharpened in “A Postscript on Practice” in the second edition, bringing together specific examples of what prophetic imagination looks like in contemporary culture. Key to faithfully living out the call to prophetic imagination is resistance to the dominant culture, its assumptions, and its supposed inevitability. Prophetic imagination will insist on seeing, feeling, and responding differently to people and society around us. And leaders with prophetic imagination will seek to build communities in which this imagination is shared, fostered, and lived out in ways that change society and culture.