A Social Reading of the Old Testament: Prophetic Approaches to Israel's Communal Life

by Walter Brueggemann, Patrick D. Miller (Editor)

In this book Walter Brueggemann raises a variety of contemporary and intriguing questions on the relation of society and text in the Old Testament, among themthe hidden agendas that underlie the making and reading of Scripture the conflictual tension in ancient Israel the cry to God of the oppressed and God's response the political dimension of mercy theodicy, violence, horses, and chariotsBrueggemann opens to a variety of readers a compelling picture of subversive paradigm and social possibility in the Hebrew Bible.

Genres: Theology

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

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

[J.D.]

While a lot of it was over my head, I still found that there were a lot of amazing nuggets in this that I was able to glean much from. As always, you know what to expect when you're reading Brueggemann and yet he never ceases to bring a fresh perspective to the table.