Over at Hesed we ‘emet, John has posted his interview with Dr. Walter Brueggemann. He is an Old Testament scholar and this site is mainly devoted to New Testament studies, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t get pulled off of that track from time to time when there is something as important as an interview with such a remarkable scholar. This is my favorite part of the interview:
The Old Testament invites the church to a narrative reality that is open, pluralistic, and beyond all codifications. The God to whom it witnesses continues to break open our best ideologies. In worship the church needs to hear and think through much, much more text, especially the parts we find implausible and unacceptable. But that depends upon interpretation that takes seriously the complex refusal of the text to be ‘explained.’
Go over and take a look at the rest. It’s well worth it.
MSE
Filed under: Interview, Old Testament, Worship
Many thanks, Matt! Brueggemann is truly one of a kind. Probably one of the most seminal OT scholars in the last 100 years, if not THE. It was sad to read his final response, noting he doesn’t know if he will even finish those final two manuscripts. At a little shy of 80, he is a wonderfully intelligent, kind, and sharp, hilarious figure. I am tremendously appreciative for his work, and for his willingness to read and engage mine.