The Book that Changed Everything

Here’s another excerpt from Conrad L. Kanagy’s upcoming biography entitled Walter Brueggemann’s Prophetic Imagination: A Theological Biography.

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The Prophetic Imagination’s appearance in the 1970s is a mystery even to those closest to him, as is the answer to the question of just what “makes Walter Brueggemann tick?” Responses of “inexplicable,” or “I’ve never thought about it,” or “he reads so much outside of his field,” or “he is just so damn smart” are typical. For many, the riddle of Walter Brueggemann remains unsolved. Most are so astonished by the quality and quantity of the man’s work that the thought of how this all came to be is rarely uppermost in their minds. Why worry about the ingredients in the secret sauce as long as the sauce keeps making the cuisine taste so fine? Most are too much in awe to seriously imagine that an answer is discernible.

Interestingly, even among those who share Walter’s faith commitments, few seem to consider that the Holy might be credited for what occurred in 1978 that changed everything. In other words, few apply to this prophet the tools of interpretation he so deftly applied to the biblical text and the prophets. Few imagine that turning a prophetic imagination upon the prophet himself might yield some answers. Few consider that the call and gifts of the prophets of old just might be expressed among them today in their professor, teacher, colleague, and dean.