Now in an new and updated second edition, David's Truth: In Israel's Imagination And Memory by Walter Brueggemann (William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia) is a scholarly and informative examination of four different David texts. Professor Brueggemann accessibly offers a summary, interpretation, and blunt, unedited raw truths about the man and his era. A recommended addition to Old Testament studies shelves for scholarly studies, David's Truth is also highly recommended reading for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in Old Testament Studies in general, and biblical character and history of King David in particular.

This is the second book I have read by Brueggemann on the role of the Prophetic in the life of the Kingdom of God. He uses the books of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and what he terms 'second' Isaiah as his source texts, and with them he puts forward a highly plausable, and yet quite incredible argument for the legitimation of the prophetic role within the church.

His theme in dealing with Jeremiah is principally grief. If we want the new thing that God wants to bring about, we must first grieve over the old state. That old state of sin and rigid structure, where God has become a rubber stamp for the wishes of the "managers of the Status quo." God will not put new wine in old wine skins. To bring in the new he will first dismantle the old and then cause new birth and new life to occur.

This part I believe has some major things to say to the church of New Zealand (and possibly to the whole western church structure) right now. The church is coming to the end of a life cycle where the 'modern' style and structures are becoming redundant, along with those who try to support them. All too often the ministers and pastors of New Zealand churches are in their 50's and 60's, and they appear to have little understanding of the new structures required to cater for the up and coming 'post modern' mind set. Brueggeman contends that many of these church leaders are like those leaders in Jeremiah's time who thought that they could maintain the present religious structure of their day. But God had the exile in mind.

Brueggemann then looks at Ezekiel who was a priest. His concern is with holiness and purity and doing things God's way. These chapters are tough to read as they start with personal holiness (by implication) and then shine the spot light squarely upon the church. Ezekiel was sent to the people of God, and his criticism of the lack of holiness is aimed at them, and at us the church.

The last part of the book is one about memory, and remembering what God has done in the past andthen using those memories as a spark of hope for the future. We are not to live in the "eternal today", as the purveyors of maintaining the present structures would want. We are to remember our past, and hope for the future that God promises. Only then will change occur, when the church starts dreaming of a different future than the one presently presented.

The change from our ways to God's ways will hurt, cause grief, be about purity and refining, but will result in purpose and hope and a church that can fulfill her calling. Brueggemann contents that the function of the church is that of a holy community that models holiness and compassion, being governed by the will and methods of the Kingdom of God.

The book has been quite life changing for me. It has opened my eyes to so much of the purpose of the prophetic, it's hassles and joys, and has caused me to have hope for our church and our national church community. It has also given me understanding as to why so many churches (including my own) spurn the prophetic ministry. The prophet is one who stands up and challenges the status quo, and those who support it. Ie. the church leaders. Of course there will be conflict, and rejection and trial. But now that I understand it, somehow that makes it easier.

This book is for those who wish to see the church really become the community of faith that God desires, and for those damaged prophets who need some encouragement to carry on doing what God has called them to.

Sitting in the classroom of Prof Brueggemann, you would not expect him to seem as commanding or imposing of presence as he appears in the pulpit preaching or in these Princeton Lectures! He opens his first lecture with, "The question of what the church is doing and is to do when it stands before the biblical text is a complicated...endlessly important question." While he describes at length how he responds to his opening question, he brings the inclusion of his daily struggle with those in his company "who struggle together with that endlessly contested issue."
Much like his manner of teaching: "There is no doubt that this text intends connections to the Exodus narrative." Then off our favorite Professor goes into his themes of Power and Economic relations...While moving through those crucial themes he reverts to his use of humor: Using the Philistines as enemies of God's chosen people, "who know the credo news from Israel, perhaps having read Gerhard von Rad!" Of course our present day reading of von Rad would not have been possible in their timeline!
In the classroom he is never as imposing or threatening with his boundless resources of knowledge, wisdom and humor! In every visit to Columbia Seminary I am overwhelmingly impressed. Chaplain Fred W. Hood

I changed Dr. O'Connor's title to include what I strongly felt and believed as I peruse the first few chapters and her closing "Theological Betweeness" Summary. The Foreward by Prof Bruegge gives his seal of approval and names her as "my distingished and treasured colleague." He describes her growth in her own daring presentation in which "she carries readers to new depths of human anguish and human hope..." I agree totally with his way of including "her rich and shamelessly theological exposition."

Just as Prof O'Connor states in her Preface on the personal note of beginning the work while her husband was receiving infusions in the oncology room of Columbia Presbyterial Medical Center in NYC, one is quickly plunged into her personal search for Hope! Early reading her inspiring exposition...I was taken-up with her explicit combining of the depths of literary and psychological and theological themes discovered in Lamentations!

When she described Lamentations as a short book of five poems, "that expresses with searing clarity their fear, grief, and despair," I quickly remembered three families of professional friends who were all facing those same personal sufferings. She clearly articulates those issues which most of us faced in CPE!
Her calling the book "an artistic jewel, a theological enigma, and a courageous act of survival"...leads to the rich metaphoric poetry which is able to embrace the sorrows of the world!

Her summary begins: "Lamentations is a theological watershed, an in-between place where the old theology of a punishing God no longer holds..." Yet God's voice is largely missing from these poems and is not heard. I am eagerly looking forward to hearing Professor O'Connor as she teaches Cross Cultural Readings in the Old Testament at Columbia Seminary!
Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

If you, as a Christian, have wondered if the Old Testament held any other value than historicity, this book is for you. Professor Brueggeman expertly leads one back and forth from Old to New Testaments showing a continuing theme that continues to resonate with clarity; that being, "Who is in control." He gives ample scriptural reference to illustrate and authenticate his premise that neither God nor mankind have essentially changed, which leaves one with a sense of promise and hope. He presents, due to his depth of understanding of the subject, many different aspects of "Shalom" that non-jewish people would possibly overlook or be ignorant of. Each time I re-read this material, I am aware of new understandings which deepen my appreciation for the Bible in it's entirety, not just the New Testament or some of the prophets. I feel truly enlightened and indebted to the Professor, especially at this time in our current history which some would have us believe is teetering on the verge of extinction. This is most heartening, prophetic, and helpful. His interjection of personal droll remarks make this easy to read - and enjoy as well.

I was loaned this book at a very difficult time in my life. I could no longer trust a God who had allowed my son to die. But by no longer conversing with God, I also lost my source of sustenance and renewal.

This book describes how the Psalms document the changes/seasons of a believing community's life of faith: a movement of faith from orientation to disorientation to a new orientation.

It helped me to understand that my relationship with God changes with my experiences of life. And that although I may be experiencing a period of disorientation in respect to God, eventually I will arrive at a new orientation, as did the people of Israel.

This short, poignant, simple introduction to Praying the Psalms gives rare insights into the scholarly yet practical intro to many Psalms. I am familiar with the larger books from his pen: The Message of the Psalms, Psalms and the Life of Faith, Israel's Praise, Finally Comes the Poet. They each have their place in his progressive study of the Psalms. None are quite so direcly pointed to the power of his orientation, disorientation, reorientation in the movement of life. None are quite so simply focused upon the strength of the Psalms to relate their inherent "abiding astonishment" to the nuturing of good Pastoral Care.
This latest poignant reflection of Brueggemann gives us the pocket-size version of his distilled insights into the Praying of the Psalms. I love to use it frequently and with results!
Chaplain Freed W Hood

Having read and/or perused, Finally Comes The Poet, Israel's Praise, The Prophetic Imagination, I decided to wade thru the waters of W.B.'s "out of the depths" of The Psalms And the Life of Faith! Chapter One is remarkable for 81 footnotes, most from Westermann, Wink, Ricoeur, Gunkel, Heschel, Buber and Barth.

W.B. favors writing, speaking, thinking in pairs: "creation and Israel, sun and moon, prisoners and widows, loss of certitude and loss of power... On the one hand, the faithful power of God destabilizes, puts us at risk... On the other hand, the faithful power of Yahweh makes new and leaves us with abiding astonishment, healing, forgiven, restored..."

Skipping over chapters to Pastoral care in the one he describes, Covenanting as Human Vocation... "distinct from a narrowly based psychology or counseling, means nurturing persons... into a fresh metaphor that holds the possibility of making all things new!" (What a magical wordsmith!)

This description of Pastoral care illustrates W.B. as having researched Paul Tillich's Theology as basis for Pastoral Care. He most likely is familiar with the marvelous stories of Fred Craddock, Abraham Heschel and Martin Buber. All of the above are related qualities for good pastoral care. I am so convinced of W.B.'s genius for writing, teaching, thinking, preaching, relating, that I look forward to the possibility of auditing his fall class in the Prophet Jeremiah.

Hopefully and Imaginatively, Chaplain Fred W. Hood

As he gives Kathleen O'Connor credit for helping him to choose discrete entries that have some interpretative coherence, Professor Bruegge chose topics "which reflect a focused theological center to his listing." In order to connect our favorite Professor's Preface comments to my personal point of seeing this new Theological Handbook of Old Testament Themes alongside my other 8 copies of Bruegge's creations, I relate two other Gems: GENESIS and THEOLOGY Of The OLD TESTAMENT!

After becoming familiar with GENESIS, his Interpretation Commentary, I was transported back to his numerous books focused on Psalms. When I stopped over in his classes at Columbia Seminary, I quickly became entranced with his Survey of the Hebrew Bible and his next session with THEOLOGY Of the OLD TESTAMENT, his signature work!

Reverberations of Faith has for me a specific number of Seven topics which are the longest of over ninety: Deuteronomic Theology, Exodus, Image of God, Persian Empire, Priestly Tradition, Suffering and Theodicy. In the Image of God he moves from being "astonished in the priestly creation narrative of GENESIS" to the New Testament texts of John 14, Corinthians and Colossians. He lists ten pages of Scripture references with the most from Exodus, Deuteronomy and Psalms!

Not only is Bruegge a first class writer and research artist, he displays his fantastic memory in every class. He is constantly moving from one scripture to another with his endless naming of resources for future study of these memorable themes. From years of multiplied classes, I have discovered the unforgettable example of the consumate teacher! This ranks in the top of his long list of all-inclusive books for layman and scholar.
Retired Chaplain Fred W. Hood

Brueggemann combines his sociological and exegetical skills to provide an interpretation of Old Testament texts that is challenging and meaningful. He highlights the tension between institutionalisation and revolution, complacency and subversion which exists in the Bible. On the one hand, there are texts that glorify and support the establishment, which tolerate the oppression of the majority by the powerful. On the other hand, there is God's voice responding to the cry of the oppressed. This is a God who wants to enter a new, and transformative relationship with humanity.

Those of us who confine our interpretation of scripture to the literary or the historical, or who see the Bible as confirming a politically conservative view of the world, will find this book uncomfortable. Brueggemann is not neutral - nor should he be - and has obvious affinity for the voice of liberation, transformation, justice and peace that calls to us from the Biblical texts. Sometimes, his interpretation is a little forced (as in chapter 5) but such an interpretation is always easy to read and definitely worth considering.

As one who enjoys the wisdom literature of the Old Testsament, I found Brueggemann's critique of the sociological background of wisdom more than a little disconcerting. His words challenged me to reflect on my own position in society and to ask myself about the extent to which it influences my response to the Old Testament.

A final word: the second chapter of the book, "Covenant as a subversive paradigm", is inspirational.