A Way Other Than Our Own: Devotions for Lent

by Walter Brueggemann

Lent recalls times of wilderness and wandering, from newly freed Hebrew slaves in exile to Jesus' temptation in the desert. God has always called people out of their safe, walled cities into uncomfortable places, revealing paths they would never have chosen. Despite our culture of self-indulgence, we too are called to walk an alternative path� "one of humility, justice, and peace. Walter Brueggemann's thought-provoking reflections for the season of Lent invite us to consider the challenging, beautiful life that comes with walking the way of grace.

Genres: Devotional, Nonfiction, Faith, Theology, Religion, Spirituality, Christian

95 pages, Paperback

Published December 15, 2016

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

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a former Catholic, I’ve always associated Lent with giving things up: meat, candy, whatever. What I love about Walter Brueggemann is that he focuses not on taking away, but adding. I’ve never understood how giving up chocolate could make anyone understand Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross. They’re different not just in degree, but kind, and the comparison is ridiculous.

What is a wonderful idea is adding a good habit to replace a bad one or taking on a cause that makes the world a better place. The 40 days of Lent provides enough time to create a new, more productive habit or to eliminate a destructive or counterproductive habit or to find a new outlet for our Christian love and compassion. Now that’s something that will make us better Christians for the rest of the year.

[Singalongalong · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out strong. The social/political commentary started feeling tiresome, general, and superficial by the end, and the one-off bible verse toss-ins at the start of each day's text felt merely the foot-stool for spin-off brueggemann reflections (which js fine, but.. but then rather have it not be called a lenten devotional). Perhaps my openness felt tampered given weightiness and urgency of current events around us, including the very knotted spiritual questions posed by the realities of "a lenten year", none of which I felt this devotional addressed as sophisticatingly as I would have preferred (just felt very theoretical and removed and repetitive).. compared to let's say, conversations occurring right now in faith and advocacy communities.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book was part of my Lenten study this year. It reminded me again and again that from out of today's chaos, I must find an alternative...not in hostility, but in compassion; not in abandonment, but in solidarity; not in isolation, but in covenant; not in estrangement, but in well-being...a way other than my own. The cross is the clue to living an alternative life in the world. It always requires an expenditure of self.

[Natalie Herr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book was a Lent companion this year. There were many compelling ideas to ponder and truths to re-claim. Most compelling was the way he juxtaposed the ways of the world (and self) and the way of Jesus, and emphasized that Jesus always offers us an alternative to the trappings of the current age. He has a way with words that is succinct and impactful as well as poetic. Though I did not agree with every theological assertion, I think it was a helpful And thought-provoking Lenten guide that grew me in my love for and allegiance to Christ.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed something this Lent, with great tragedy in my personal life. Brueggemann never disappoints. I was reminded of the challenge of following Jesus and of what God wants to do in this broken world. Small readings with a prayer helped me process and articulate my own pain and occasionally lift my head above the mire.

[Corrie Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally finished my Lenten devotional a few months before advent… 💃🏼

[Pierce Gillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brueggemann has a handle on several ways that Christ is certainly counter to our culture and explores those counter offers well. I got this from the library, but this is one I’ll look to buy to have at hand and to annotate for myself.

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

Walter Brueggemann is an imposing figure, who brings deep scholarship together with a deep spiritual vision. He speaks with a prophetic imagination (to make use of one of his book titles), inviting readers (and listeners) to recognize God's compassionate commitment to creation. Those of us who have had the opportunity to sit with him know the power of his vision.

In this small book, Brueggemann brings a daily word to the Lenten journey. The compiler of this collection notes that Brueggemann "is an excellent, if occasionally disruptive, companion for the Lenten journey" (p. 1). That he is.

What do you say about a book like this? It's intended to be a daily companion for the Lenten journey. Each day is marked by a scripture reading, a reflection written by Brueggemann, and a prayer that is written by Richard Floyd, the compiler of the collection.

To get a sense of the tonality of the collection, I share this word from the first devotion, the one set for Ash Wednesday. The text for the day is Isaiah 55:6-7, a text that calls us to "seek the LORD while he may be found." Brueggemann writes: "I believe the crisis in the U.S. church has almost nothing to do with being liberal or conservative; it has everything to do with giving up on the faith and discipline of our Christian baptism and settling for a common, generic U.S. identity that is part patriotism, part consumerism, part violence, and par affluence" (p. 2-3). That is the tone found through out. He doesn't allow either liberal or conservative to have the high ground. He's equally unsparing in his critique, even as he points us to Christ as hope.

Consider this word from the third Thursday of Lent. The text is Psalm 23:6, a passage that declares that "goodness and mercy pursue me." He writes: "Lent is a time to quit running, to let ourselves be caught and embraced in love, like a sheep with safe pasture, like a traveler offered rich and unexpected food" (p. 32).

Each day's devotion is just two pages in length. They don't take long to read. But, these do speak powerfully to our lives at this time and place. So, if you're looking for a Lenten companion, this might be just the right choice.

[Caleb Ingegneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walter Brueggeman was a good guy to have around every morning this Lent. I expect I'll bring him around next year too.

[Kaylyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d lean more toward 3-1/2 stars...
Some of the devotions were especially meaningful and thought-provoking during this extended Lenten season of 2020.

[Alex Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute gem from Brueggemann.

[Ellis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this devotional collection disappointing. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Brueggemann in other contexts, especially commentaries, so I expected to find this small book rich and fulfilling. The devotions were short, which is fine, but after a few days they all seemed to run into each other and as another review mentioned, the Scripture included seemed to be used primarily as a prooftext for Brueggemann's theology. I appreciate his theology, but I wanted something fresh and thoughtful, grounded in the narrative of Scripture and/or the rich theology behind Lent. Instead, these devotions often felt disorganized and almost unrelated to Lent...or at least like a constant reach to reinforce Brueggemann's ideas, which I had tired of by the middle of Lent. I did not finish the book, so perhaps I am missing some excellent content from the second half.

I will not be keeping this book in my personal library, but it did encourage me to try more Brueggemann and hopefully appreciate his theology in a more robust and appropriate context.

[ShaunMS · Rating 4 out of 5]

This year I decided to look for an author I'd never read before. Brueggeman is a well-known Old Testament scholar, a theologian, and a pastor in the United Church of Christ. This was a beautifully relevant set of readings for Lent 2021, when we have been given the opportunity to push back on extreme nationalism, and while the whole world waits to see what will come from the trial of the murderous policeman Derek Chauvin. As a scholar of the prophetic books, Brueggeman is especially good at establishing the grounds for hope and, through that hope, encouraging readers' active participation in building the Beloved Community.

[Amy Jacobsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great daily reading guide to help me remember, reflect, repent and renew faith in Jesus and his work on the cross. It is finished!

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the few devotional books I've actually been fairly consistent in reading. I wanted to understand Lent in a new way (it's never really been a part of my church tradition). I have a high opinion of Walter Brueggemann.

About 2/3 of these were really good, and the other 1/3 fell flat for me. I'm not sure why.

I appreciate this book that's in a form that makes it accessible to many readers who wouldn't read other deep theological Brueggemann works.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 2nd attempt at a Brueggemann and the first I've managed to finish. This was a struggle to but there were times he absolutely nailed it. I read this during Covid19, and although the book was written 3 years previously, some of his writing was extremely appropriate.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This daily guide through the season of Lent is unlike any other I have followed. Most devotionals lean heavily on personal piety, but Brueggemann, true to his nature, directs our attention to the collective struggle of God's beloved community and the tension that exists between the Kingdom of Heaven and the empire of the world. In this wilderness journey, the earthly powers of greed, exclusivity, and security forged by violence toward the enemy or neglect of the vulnerable are met by the strange and mysterious divine powers of servanthood, sacrifice, openness, and love.

The themes that Bruegemann presents at the beginning of the books surface and resurface throughout, but rather than becoming rote or repetitive, they are re-presented from new angles and with different emphases. The imagination of the prophet, which is Bruegemann's most consistent expressive medium, is both a comfort and a challenge to all of us who seek to follow Jesus on the way that leads to the cross, which also happens to be the only way that leads to true, full, and everlasting life.

I recommend this to anyone who hungers for a little more theological depth than most daily devotionals seem to offer. And don't take this journey alone...find some companions to walk this Lenten road with you!

[Karl Kloeden · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bounced off this book quite hard. I know nothing of Walter Brueggemann or his works before this, and still know nothing more than what I've read in the first week or so of readings, but I was generally favourable towards this book as I started reading. But as I continued it just wasn't sitting right with me.

This might well be unfair of me, and I might well have picked up wrongly his intentions or misinterpreted what I was reading, but I was left feeling that WB had specific worldly concerns that he intended to confront and sprinkled just enough Jesus/Bible snippets to support his viewpoint. I'm not saying that any of these concerns are wrong, or invalid, but I came wanting to be drawn deeper into Christ this Lent (which would in turn naturally draw me deeper into caring for the world), but instead I found more of this world and political/social buzz words that distracted me instead of nourishing me. And the book might get more Lentish as it goes on, but so far it didn't stand out as anything but a devotional that could have been read any time of the year.

I hope I'm wrong in all of this, and I was just reading at the wrong time of day/wrong mindset/etc/etc, and I hope that others get much more out of it than I did. Unfortunately here and now, for whatever reason, it just wasn't for me.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Brueggemann's Advent devotional which I adored so it was very easy for me to grab this one for Lent.

Like the Advent one, each day's devotional starts with a Bible verse which then Brueggemann reflects on in about one page and then finishes with a prayer. Brueggemann doesn't shy away from the tougher aspects of Easter and I particularly appreciated his prayers, some of which I'd put in the 'dangerous' category which is always a good thing to do in our prayers. And Lent is a little dangerous or should be ... Jesus dies as we should and then He rises from the dead calling us to walk with Him through the dangers of this modern world.

'A Way other than our Own'! It's an apt title for a Lenten devotional as laying down our lives so we can follow Him is a fundamental message of the season. One that is perhaps been lost in much of the modern church.

But Jesus is such a wonderful friend and Lord that he continues to pursue us encouraging us to choose His Way as it's the best way.

I'd encourage readers to try this or the Advent devotional as Brueggemann is provocative and a little dangerous. But always draws us back to Jesus.

[Kyle McFerren · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I'd never read anything by Walter Brueggemann before, and to be honest I found this Lenten devotional to be pretty disappointing. Brueggemann's basic premise sounded interesting and promising: that we should use Lent as a time to turn from the ways we are walking in to follow Jesus in his way. Unfortunately, he rarely made clear what this way of Jesus actually looks like in practice, other than just repeating the same thing every day about turning from the 'brutality of the empire' and turning to Jesus' 'alternative'. I found the whole thing kind of vague, and at times he verged on implying that we need to turn from orthodoxy to follow his brand of progressive Christianity. I think it's helpful for evangelicals to sometimes switch their focus from individualistic sins to societal sins as Brueggemann does, but I wish there were more devotionals that focused on both rather than making it an either/or thing. I would advise skipping this devotional next Lent; I'm sure there are more helpful ones out there.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the better devotionals and readings for lent I've read. WB was concise, focused, and on theme through out the journey he created.
He helps the reader reflect on the themes of lent, the cross, Jesus' experience towards it, and the implications of it for life in our secular society. He also passionately calls the reader to think prophetically of American culture - specifically - the anxiety, fear, greed, and violence that he feels are rampant and consuming of both liberals and conservatives, Christians and non-Christians. These themes come up through out the book and cause the reader to pause and welcome this critique.
Too often it seems that Christians have their radars up for general morality (which is important) within the Scriptures, but fail to acknowledge that we have been sucked up into the the larger stories of anxiety, fear, greed, and violence - sometimes promoting them ourselves.

[Scott Meadows · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this Lenten devotional to be very hit-or-miss each day. Short and great little meditations, Brueggemann writes in a way that is outside of my usual circle of writers which is something that I found enjoyable. It is easy to see that he has somewhat of a vendetta against government and consistently focuses on unity and shalom between "conservative and liberal."

Would I recommend this devotional to someone who does not have a foundational experience or understanding of the gospel? Probably not.

Would I recommend this devotional to someone who has a belief and grasp of the orthodox gospel and is interested in an alternative view to the lenten season? Most definitely.

I personally read this book side-by-side with Paul David Tripp's new 2021 Lenten devotional and found Tripp able to pick up the slack when Brueggemann focused too much on politics or the occasional bunny trail in the text.

[Dirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful book that makes you think about the otherness of Jesus’ kingdom

The rulers of this age crucified Jesus. We, his followers, need to discover the deep impact of his cross and resurrection for ot just our souls but our existence before God in this world.

After helping you discover this need, Brueggemann meets your need through his careful explanations of Scripture and his thoughtful reflections about Jesus’ impact on the world and ourselves.

This book will not leave you untouched.
You will not regret the hours you spend with it.
Don’t wait until Lent to read it!

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed opinions about this book. Some parts I really liked, others I found harder to absorb or access. I’m also in a weird place right now so it’s possible I just can’t absorb it all right now.

Brueggeman guides the reader through Lent with short readings for each day, and the compiler adds a closing prayer. He draws on a wide variety of scriptures and focuses on the themes you might expect from him: God’s kingdom versus the empire, and uniting liberals and conservatives in our mutual need for repentance and transformation.

[DR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking, digestible, and re-centering daily Lenten devotion

In just a few words each day we are prompted to rethink what drives our lives, to contemplate whether we are allowing God to be at the center of it, whether we are carrying forward Jesus’s ever pertinent and radical message. I looked forward to the succinct but profound daily reading, it really challenged me to stop and reflect on what it means to be a Christian.

I highly recommend reading with a partner, to help you reflect on those deep, existential questions that will surely come up.

[Lee Bertsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book for spiritual direction during Lent this year and was not disappointed. This quote from the Maundy Thursday reading summarizes the thrust of the book: "In his great act of humility and washing, he broke with all the models of humanity that are visible in our own time and place - the rat race of productivity, the fear for survival, the frenzy of accumulation, and the deathly sense of self-sufficiency."

[Kathryn Wickward · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book because Brueggemann is so highly regarded as a theologian. But this devotional for Lent is so full of word salad and mushy "calls to action" to serve the poor in some general vague sense that I found his intent to challenge me left me in agreement but without any great insight into how to move forward.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are used to Brueggemann, there are some days which will feel redundant. But others shook me. If you haven't read much Brueggemann, I think this is a short, but up front introduction. If I am honest, I reacted based on what I was ready to give, and clearly it isn't everything...yet.

[Tj Luoma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great devotional!

I found these entries to be greatly inspiring and challenging. I found myself sharing many of them with friends throughout Lent, and I’ll definitely miss having some “daily Brueggemann” to look forward to. I guess it’s time to start another of his books!

[Marc Washburne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brueggemann writes with passion and clarity. This small book offer 40 reflections for Lent. His reflection for Holy Thursday is quite remarkable. The 'drama of the towel'....'know that the space between you and others...is filled with towel'. This is one book to buy and keep.