Truth and Hope: Essays for a Perilous Age

by Walter Brueggemann, Louis Stulman (Foreword)

In this varied collection of essays, Walter Brueggemann provides a lens into biblical teachings concerning the present age of fake news, lies, and alternate realities. Compiled and edited by Louis Stulman, professor of religion at the University of Findlay, these essays carry a common theme of truth and hope. As Brueggemann writes in the preface, there is no doubt that the prophetic tradition regularly engages in truth-telling in order to expose social reality as a systemic act of falseness that contradicts the purposes of God. The prophetic tradition of Jeremiah, for instance, is preoccupied with truth-telling that exposes falseness. The prophet exposes the deceit of dominant culture.

That same prophetic tradition (like many others) turns eventually to the work of hope-telling. Such hope does not doubt that the faithful God can create futures, a way out of no way. The sequence from truth to hope in the book of Jeremiah is characteristic of the prophetic books of the Old Testament. These several prophetic voices (that gave canonical shape to the prophetic books) knew that this sequence is definingly important. There can be no hope until truth is told. Our temptation, of course, is to do the work of hope without the prior work of truth.

Readers will find this collection of essays to be theologically rooted in the concept of prophetic tradition as a means of truth-telling. Brueggemann explores that, without God, truth-telling is nothing more than harping, and hope-telling is only wishful thinking.

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 18, 2020

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

[Conrade Yap · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an ideal situation, truth speaks to power. Truth overcomes everything every time. Truth reigns supreme. However, the world we live in is imperfect and unjust. Power often tramples any rising heads of truth. As a result, those who are weak, vulnerable, and powerless would be abused and disadvantaged. As author Brueggemann points out, none is as stark as what happened to Jesus on the way to the cross. Jesus spoke truth but the world spewed violence and inflicted wounds on Him. In spite of the grievous injustice, Christ rose again from the dead, giving all believers the reason to hope. In what is thought to be the last piece of work by the esteemed Old Testament professor, this book is a call for believers to rise up in spite of unjust and cruel trampling of the truth. With an eye on present day politics in America, a growing divide between the haves and have-nots; the powerful and the weak; and the deepening fission across all sectors of society, Brueggemann calls for an audacity to engage society boldly. It begins with Scripture. It continues with reflections on how some spiritual voices in the past have spoken up on the ills of society. It concludes with Brueggemann's exhortation for believers to stand up and be counted as contemporary voices who will be fearless in truth-speaking and Christ-bearing. He calls it a witness resembling the "prophetic tradition of Jeremiah."


Beginning with Scriptures, the author anchors each article on an Old Testament passage. From the book of Daniel, he shows us how we could tackle "alien hegemony" without losing our "baptismal identity." The prophet faces three royal confrontations, and each time he demonstrates a faith that is "entrusted, empowered, and knowledgeable." From the Psalms, he proposes "dialogic thickness" to nuance different perspectives of the same matter. He draws out an amazing "dialogic thickness" from the Psalms of lament, arguing that the "public processing of pain" can in fact be marvelously used toward "positive energy." Put it simply, it is an invitation to dialogue, with others and with our inner voices. From Isaiah, he reflects upon Helmut Richard Niebuhr's commencement speech at Elmhurst College for graduates to engage culture and not compromise. There are things that could be cultivated when the young are in college. On knowledge and college education, he takes the "knowledge is power" paradigm and warns about on how some manipulate this toward self-serving ways. We cannot claim to know God as if we ourselves are God. Holistic education involves the capacity to know with ample wisdom to help us discern the appropriate from the inappropriate. From the legacy of King Solomon, we are warned about the corruption that comes out of the marriage of religion and politics. Navigating these extremes of certitude is a required skill among leaders today. Brueggemann highlights other observations of culture and how faith could impact our witness to it. In a culture of secularism and anti-religious rhetoric, we need to be careful not to mine the Bible for nuggets to support our public policies. Otherwise, we head toward the direction of the vicious Assyrians and Babylonians who brutalized the Jews. When forced to choose between the "narrative of hope" or the "narrative of fear," we should let the former guide the way. Brueggemann speaks against materialism and the way we sway our theological and political viewpoints toward what benefits us economically. On unity, I am struck by Bruggemann's comment that "preaching that concerns the unity of the church must be dialogical preaching." That is indeed true. The moment we let our own views solidify into obstinate positions, we no longer leave room for negotiation toward unity.


Brueggemann also takes inspiration from three contemporary voices. From the Barmen confession, we are reminded of how the Barmen during WWII confronted mainstream Christian leaders who failed to see the problem with Nazi socialism. From the Kairos confession in South Africa, we see how Christians spoke up against apartheid. From the letters from Birmingham, Brueggemann shows us how Martin Luther King Jr was able to stir up "fence-sitters" to make a stand against the injustice happening in civil society. When this metamorphosed into some form of certitude to the level of doctrinal truth, it becomes a moral nightmare.

My Thoughts
Brueggemann has written another book that combines the richness of biblical literature, the pleas of contemporary voices, and the desire to make our society a more inclusive and accepting place to live in. Attitudes of certitude will only alienate those who don's share our points of view. He combs the Old Testament widely for moments we can learn about how to be a prophetic witness. On the richness of Bible, Brueggemann is particularly well-versed in the Old Testament genres. From the Torah to the Prophets; from history to the wisdom books, there is always some relevance we can draw from the ancient biblical texts. He also draws from the New Testament books to show us the timeless magnitude of biblical witness to the world. Using contemporary voices such as the Barmen, the Kairos, and the letter from Birmingham jail, to show the precedence of Christians speaking out against Nazi deceptions, against unjust apartheid, against racial discrimination respectively.

Brueggemann uses these familiar situations to cast alongside our modern conflicts. Do we choose the gospel or wear a gospel-like cloak to disguise our own sense of economic pragmatism? Are we manipulating the Bible as a form of "moral cover" to support our own self-serving interests? Are we using our own human-based ideologies to interpret biblical truth? Brueggemann's conviction is for us to preach, to teach, and to witness with urgency that faith is not just relevant but vital to stop further fragmentation of society based on untruths and to live with an attitude of trusting God.

Readers will also find many insights of modern cultural challenges and how biblical witness can speak into our lives today. For instance, prayer is relevant for us today and is a valid witness of our biblical faith. It is a way in which we love our neighbour. The author links prayer and justice together by explaining how they are central to the meaning of covenant. Prayer is that plea of lament that is mournful of the present state of brokenness, but mindful of a great future that is to come. He speaks on immigration and the need for inclusiveness. He has insights on education, on politics, on secularism, on Church unity, sin, suffering, poetry, the arts, white supremacy, xenophobia, racial bigotry, despotic leadership, and many more. This book will be a reference to be treasured for a long time.

If you are a fan of Brueggemann, buying this book is a no-brainer. If you are not, this book might make you one.

Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Westminster John Knox Press and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 4 out of 5]

We live in perilous times, and who better to listen to for a word of wisdom than Walter Brueggemann? At least in my circles, Brueggemann's name is as well known as that of Barth or Tillich. Though he is in the twilight of his career, books continue to pour forth. Most of these books are, like this one, composed of essays written for various occasions. Some are recent and some are not. Nevertheless, there are always words of wisdom to be found in each contribution.

The title is key -- truth and hope. We live in what some call a post-truth age. We have, as I record this, a President of the United States who lies constantly, or as his staff will say, offer alternative facts. While there are upsides to the move into postmodernism, including the recognition that there are multiple voices to be heard, the downside to this move is a sense of relativism, which allows for "alternate facts." Brueggemann argues for the essentialness of truth, as the foundation for hope.

Brueggemann is perhaps best known for his work with the Old Testament prophets, and in his preface, he notes that "the prophetic tradition regularly engages in truth-telling in order to expose social reality as a systemic act of 'falseness' that contradicts the purposes of God." (p. xiii). Thus, this is a book about truth-telling, about unmasking the falseness that is present in our systems. But, as he also states, the prophets also engage in "hope-telling." He writes that "hope is God-grounded in the convictions tat even our award resistance does not negate God's good resolve for fidelity in the creation of futures. Without that God-groundedness, truth-telling can readily become more than harping and hope-telling only wishful thinking." (p. xiv). In these essays, Brueggemann seeks to ground both truth and hope in God.

The book is composed of fourteen essays. They cover everything from holiness to certitude to prayer to justice. At least two of the essays, chapters 9 and 10, seem to have connections with each other. He speaks of them by chapter number as related. Chapter 9 focuses on prayer as neighbor love, while chapter ten is focused on justice as the love of God. These are the two great commandments, which are linked together by Jesus. The chapter on prayer as neighbor love is a reminder that justice requires love, which requires prayer.

It is hard to summarize a book that covers so many topics in so many different ways. However, as one would expect from Brueggemann, each chapter, each topic is rooted in his story of Scripture. These are biblical studies of important topics for our day, reminding us that while the Bible was written centuries in the past, the words found here continue to speak. The very first chapter, on "holiness as round for knowing mercy," is rooted in his work with the opening chapters of the Book of Daniel, which he suggests is "dramatically alive in agonistic ways." He suggests that the "Daniel narrative may be a resource for the church in the midst of the national security state in the United States" (p. 2). As a response, he points us to Daniel, whose "work is to practice his Jewish identity in generative ways in an alien hegemony, to protect that identity, and to impinge upon the hegemony in transformative ways" (p. 3). What is true for Daniel can be true for the church in the United States as it attempts to remain faithful in an alien context. This again is vintage Brueggemann, who can bring even the Book of Daniel, as well as books like Ezra and Nehemiah into the conversation about truth-telling and hope-telling that is grounded in God.

If you know Brueggemann and appreciate his wisdom, you will find this book worthy of your attention. If you're not as conversant you might first try elsewhere, such as with his The Prophetic Imagination as an introduction and then move into this book. Either way, you will find wisdom.

[Joel Wentz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of sharp and incisive writing from Brueggemann. Like most essay collections, it's a tad uneven and varied, but there is definitely some piercing writing here. What I appreciate about Brueggeman, and what's on full display, is his ability to synthesize important insights from postmodern philosophy into his keen biblical scholarship, as well as his deep and vigorous defense of prayer (which could otherwise be dismissed in his own liberal-mainline tradition). Some of the writing on the intersection of prayer and social concerns were my favorite aspects of the book.

If you like Brueggemann, there is more to love here. I can't say it's the best place to start with him, but it is a sharp and relevant collection of essays that displays a the craft of a master scholar, preacher, minister and wide-ranging thinker.

[Lisa Davison · Rating 5 out of 5]

One book could not hold all of the wise and challenging writings of Walter Brueggemann, but this collection of some of his essays is an attempt to present just a few that are built around the relationship with truth-telling and hope. Drawing from the prophets of the biblical tradition, Brueggemann provides insights on how speaking hard words of critique is necessary for the human community to move toward creating a more justice-filled world. A prophet in his own right, Brueggemann helps non-scholarly readers gain access to the biblical texts and be guided by his teaching. In a style reminiscent of the great Jewish writer, Abraham Heschel, Brueggemann makes the ancient writings relevant for a 21st century world.

[Tabitha McDuffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of Bruggemann’s essays is indeed sorely needed in this perilous age. He addresses contemporary realities in a way that is timeless and rooted in Scripture, rather than couched in the particularities of our time that may be seen as ridiculous or irrelevant in just a few short years (or months). This is a collection I will surely return to again and again to remind myself of the Christian’s role and calling in a culture that so quickly ties itself in knots over events both important and unimportant. The essays are also considerably academic as this is Bruggemann’s strength, so I know I could glean more from second and third readings. I would highly recommend this book to anyone serious about going beyond headlines and shallow trends to deeply understand how Scripture can be applied to our present realities.

[David Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy Brueggeman but I thought this was the most challenging of his books.

[Billy Hinshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog at https://boldtheology.blogspot.com/202...

For Christians in America, a massive difficulty exists in reconciling the hope of a faithful God with the turmoil rent by fake news, racial tensions and threats of nuclear war. In Truth and Hope, Walter Brueggemann unearths and relates messages from Scripture that speak to today's culture and society. Although well known for his Old Testament scholarship, Brueggemann is the quintessential pastor-scholar-theologian, breaking through the academia-church divide, providing suggestions and lessons that both academics and laymen will find beneficial and challenging.

Brueggemann sets the stage for his essay collection by echoing Jeremiah in identifying two main tasks for the church amidst growing social, political and religions tensions of today: "To tell the truth about the way in which our dominant way of consumer militarism (under the guise of American exceptionalism) will fail, because it contradicts the purposes of God, and to tell the hope that God is at work for an alternative world of peace with justice." Throughout the essay collection, Brueggemann points out harsh truths in order to direct readers towards optimistic hope. In one essay, for example, Brueggemann challenges pastors and congregations to pursue "dialogic thickness" in a society of growing "monologic thinness." In other words, he argues that biblical studies and pastoral care can both benefit from avoiding any sense of simplistic or narrow closure, pointing to numerous examples in the Psalms of ongoing and persistent restlessness, while maintaining that such lamentations can serve to benefit church congregations as they grow closer together and to God. Pursuing this activity, Bruggemann concedes, will require churches to possess a new energy and motivation, and yet this is all too crucial for countering a culture bent on finding easy answers to complex questions.

Concurrent to his practical exhortations for church life, Brueggemann puts on a master class of exegesis and interpretation. He cites, discusses and dissects various verses and passages from throughout the Old Testament, even connecting the New Testament, in further support of his exhortations. In another essay, Brueggemann sheds a new light on the life and times of Daniel in the service of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon during the exile period. Drawing from Daniel 1 through 4, he paints a portrait of Daniel as "a man undefiled, unseduced by empire, uncompromised in faith" (italics from original), fulfilling his public service commitments while never losing sight of his identity or faithfulness. Moreover, he shares an instance from Daniel 4 where Daniel's warnings of destruction lead to a change of heart in Nebuchadnezzar. Providing further historical context, he identifies the exiled Jews in Babylon as a sociological example of the "Fourth World," not in control of their own land or destiny, and it is not hard to make a similar comparison to the church in America. However, although this identification may follow the vein of recent works like The Church in Babylon by Erwin Lutzer or The Benedict Option by Rob Dreher, Brueggeman avoids the separatism and doomsday narrative those works infer. Instead, using Daniel's example, he suggests that churches can live out their identity in ways that remain sanctified and untangled, yet are transformative to the culture around them. Brueggeman stays faithful to the context of the biblical text, deriving examples, conclusions and timely messages, and enhancing their relevance for today.

It goes without saying that American Christianity is often complicit in the tensions within American society and culture. However, unlike the exiled Jews in Babylon, churches and Christians in America have control over their own ministry and how they interact with the society and culture around them. Brueggemann's essay collection, edited and compiled by Old Testament scholar Louis Stulman, provides a blueprint for Christians and churches to face the facts about their condition, but then moves towards a transformative attitude grounded in hope.

I received a free review copy of this book from Westminster John Knox Press via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
Walter Brueggermann has written a series of essays that are both deep and thoughtful. Each essay is Bible-based and very deeply thought out and written. I can see a large number of people appreciating and reading this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.