Comments on: The Prophetic Imagination by Brueggemann

By: Walter Brueggemann on the ‘Prophetic Imagination’ for our Political: Homebrewed Christianity ep.27 | Homebrewed Christianity

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:12:34 +0000

[...] biblical texts and our situation today. Walter discusses community organizers, the Daily Show, voting & political participation, and the “shabby avoidance of the issues” by George [...]

By: crystal

crystal — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:00:02 +0000

what a fantastic quote. Society and totalitarian cultures are not the only ones afraid of the artists…so are our churches (which I suppose are at times totalitarian in themselves).

I like that the role of the prophet is not to implement. I think that’s why people are afraid – they assume that when a prophet speaks of something to come that it must be done right now. And at times that is true, but so often it is the future and the prophet themselves have little if anything to do with the vision coming to fruition.

It’s like when my husband says he wants to buy new tools. I assumer he means immediately and I get very stressed about budget and bills and all the rest. When actually he is thinking into the future and not planning for immediate purchase (thank God).
It might seem a silly analogy but it is true of how prophets are perceived. If only we could take what they say and weigh it with discernment of timing instead of assuming it’s impossible or improbable and shun the word and gift.

Is it not a role of the apostolic to implement vision anyway? How can we learn to process these gifts together?

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:41:47 +0000

This book was the first book I read upon seriously preparing for theological studies 25 years ago. It is superb.

By: Random Acts of Linkage #70 : Subversive Influence

Random Acts of Linkage #70 : Subversive Influence — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 10:55:35 +0000

[...] Walter Brueggemann in The Prophetic Imagination: The prophet engages in future fantasy. The prophet does not ask if the vision can be implemented… The imagination must come before the implementation. Our culture is competent to implement almost anything and to imagine almost nothing… Every totalitarian regime is frightened of the artist. It is the vocation of the prophet to keep alive the ministry of imagination, to keep conjuring and proposing alternative futures. [...]

By: Administrator

Administrator — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:35:15 +0000

Good to hear that Ben and Ry. Looking forward to the full read.

By: R.O. Flyer

R.O. Flyer — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:03:14 +0000

This is a great book, indeed. I highly recommend it.

By: Ben Sternke

Ben Sternke — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:59:29 +0000

I read The Prophetic Imagination a few years ago and it really shook me up a bit (a good thing). I wrote a couple posts about it, and would highly recommend it for artists and Christian leaders of any type.