Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: Prayers of Walter Brueggemann

by Walter Brueggemann, Edwin Searcy (Editor)

This thoughtful and inspiring collection of prayers by Walter Brueggemann emerged from his more than forty years of teaching. Full of reflection, faith, and dialogue, they reveal another side to this gifted author.

Genres: Poetry, Prayer, Theology, Christian, Spirituality, Devotional, Religion

176 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 2002

About the author

Walter Brueggemann was an American Christian scholar and theologian who is widely considered an influential Old Testament scholar. His work often focused on the Hebrew prophetic tradition and the sociopolitical imagination of the Church. He argued that the Church must provide a counter-narrative to the dominant forces of consumerism, militarism, and nationalism.

Reviews

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

My love affair with 'The Brueg' continues.

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comfort In Troubled Times

I found a strange comfort reading through Brueggemann’s prayers during my stay in hospital these past few months. The words for God seemed at first difficult to find as I struggled for understanding & hope. Yet Awed to Heaven kept me rooted in a prostrated desire for God. Deeply indebted for Brueggemann’s inspiration at these times. Thank you!

[Jacob Padgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book. The prayers are beautiful and will most certainly return to them.

[Jackson Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, profound prayers, great for devotions. A few of them are a little sketchy, but use your judgment informed by Scripture and tradition.

[Jason Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book. These prayers are rich. I hope to return to them often.

[Luke Hillier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book slowly, using it off and on as a sort of devotional for a year and a half, and am sad this morning to finally complete it, even knowing I'll be revisiting it many times over.

Brueggemann is one of my favorite theologians because 1. you can tell he is genuinely, passionately in love with and in awe of the God he writes about 2. he emphasizes elements of God that are critically important and deeply resonant for me (particularly related to justice, freedom, and resurrection) 3. he writes with a beautiful, gorgeous poetic lyricism.

All three of those qualities are burning more brightly on display here than anywhere else, particularly the first and third point given the context (this is a book of prayers). It is a rich, vibrant treasure that I am so grateful to have as a spiritual resource now and in the years to come.

[Raicheal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've returned to this book over and over again in the past several years. It reaches far and deep, drawing on 44 books of the Bible, the liturgical calendar, and the mysteries of interaction with a text. These prayers apply the Old Testament God to 21st-century stalemates, asks the Risen God to cover it, and "deliver us from our bafflement and our many explanations." Brueggemann writes with context and expertise, repurposes terminology, and (I think) holds no thing back.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Power. Enlightening. Imaginative. Just the kind of prayers you would expect from Brueggemann. If you are a fan of his work, or if you simply desire material with which to enhance and stir your own prayer life, then this book will repay you well.

[Cate Tedford · Rating 5 out of 5]

God I love Brueggemann.

“We trust the great truth of your wondrous love, but we will not sit still for it, UNTIL you hear us. Our truth—heard by you—will make us free. So be the God of all truth, even ours, we pray in the name of Jesus, who is your best kept secret of hurt. Amen.”

[Griffin Swihart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This small collection of assorted prayers by Brueggemann made me want to be a better prayer—not in a showmanship kind of way, but in a way that roots my life and my language more deeply in scripture and causes me to pause in my praying to remember that while I’m talking to a friend, I’m also talking to the Creator of the universe who is worthy of all honor and glory and reverence forever and ever

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I have deep respect for the author, his faith and his work, in all honesty I simply didn't like this book. I had high hopes and deep interest when I began it, but I found the style of the prayers didn't move me to prayer, and there was a repetitive You God/we humans contrast that I grew tired of quickly. It was a relief to put it down.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love "borrowed" prayers I can use to articulate issues and beliefs I don't always have the words to describe. Brueggemann is a master at turning complex issues into simple prayers that do not impugn the character of God. This will be a go-to prayer book when the chaos of this world feels unmanageable. I always end with new hope after praying one of these prayers.

[Betsy Schwarzentraub · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Brueggemann said these amazing poems to begin every seminary class he taught over decades of teaching. His carefully chosen words lift up questions and humble adoration in a worshipful combination of head and heart. I am sure I'll return to these poems again and again.

[Sue Whitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prayers

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartfelt, profound, theologically and biblically-informed psalms from the inner yearnings and experience of one of our lifetime's greatest biblical scholars. Highly recommended.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brueggemann's word choice and use of syntax is often unconventional and thought provoking.

[Yvonne Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this book for a few years, and I still randomly pick it up on days and just re-read the whole thing. Highly recommend.

[Bob Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterful prayers!

[Mary Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profound prayers. Every one of them is a call to conscience.

[Hazael Madalinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

i couldn’t recommend this enough.

[Graydon Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love that Dr. Brueggemann wrote original prayers for the start of every lecture. This collection will stir you and inspire you to write your own prayers as you read Scripture!

[Daniel Seifert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brueggemann prays like the Hebrew people he interprets using lively poetic language that conveys the human cyclical evolution of orientation, disorientation and reorientation. He posses a prophetic ethos and spirit that names evil done under the sun while reveling in the hope and promise that comes from Yahweh.

[Sam Blades · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I have intended these prayers to be modestly venturesome, not to call attention to the prayers themselves but because prayer is characteristically a dangerous act, and dangerous rhetoric is required to match the intent of the act. It is an awesome matter to voice one’s life before God, and our lives should therefore be awesomely uttered.”

[Eric Daryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profound prayers that can be spoken from the heart in every season of life--from the tops of mountains and from underneath the dung-pile. Brueggeman enables, encourages, and exemplifies the life of the church wrestling with God.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book of prayers from one of the foremost scholars of the Hebrew Scriptures -- and theologian. They are not your average prayers -- they challenge us at every level.

[Richard W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvelous collection of the prayers of contemporary biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann. Lots here to feed your soul and mind.

[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book of various prayers by Brueggeman. So theologically rich.

[Linda Tiessen-Wiebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also Spirituality of the Psalms by Brueggerman, which isn't on Goodreads.com

[Milton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this a long time ago.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

These powerful prayers were just what I needed to read during a time of great difficulty.Brueggemann has a poetic gift coupled with a humble commitment to God.