The Covenanted Self [Paperback]

Walter Brueggemann (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 5, 1999

The leading Old Testament theologian confronts issues of faithfulness, responsibility, and justice.

These exciting studies on the first five books of the Bible cover a wide range of topics, challenging the reader to confront the issues of faithfulness, responsibility, and justice in an every-changing world. Brueggemann sets the issues of praise and lament, grace and duty, truth and power in new frames of reference that call for a response. He demonstrates that the Christian reader of the Bible cannot blithely pass over the Pentateuch as simply pre-Christian and without relevance. His creative use of metaphor and imagination invite the reader to encounter freshly in these biblical texts God's call and the work of justice.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Walter Brueggemann is William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia. Patrick D. Miller (Editor) is Professor of Old Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Fortress Press (January 5, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800631765
• ISBN-13: 978-0800631765
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #396,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Walter Brueggemann is William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament Emeritus at Columbia Theological Seminary. He is the world's leading interpreter of the Old Testament and is the author of numerous books, including Westminster John Knox Press best sellers such as Genesis and First and Second Samuel in the Interpretation series, An Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Christian Imagination, and Reverberations of Faith: A Theological Handbook of Old Testament Themes.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This COULD be good as one's intro to Brueggemann, August 22, 2000

By 

John K. Joachim (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Covenanted Self (Paperback)

Although the first section moves just a little slow for the lay reader (he speaks of pyschological backgrounds in family relationships), the rest of the book is typical profundity as one would expect from Brueggemann.

In fact, this book is probbaly the most quotable Brueggemann to date (I've read about a dozen of his books).

Among the discussions: *The "dialectic" between PRAISE and COMPLAINT in the Christian life; *The concept of "othering" as the risky, demanding, dynamic process of relating to one who is not us; *Approaching God as EROS

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding study of the Covenant with Israel, December 8, 2009

By 

Dina Fulgoni - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Covenanted Self (Paperback)

For too long, we have lost sight of what the Law is really about. Since Martin Luther, people have started to view it as a means to personal salvation, rather that what it really intended. This book takes us back to what the Law really says to us, first by helping us understand the Exodus story, and how a new society was envisioned, in direct contrast to the Pharoah who enslaved the Hebrews. Then the author applies this to our lives and our situation. If we think about it, the Law calls us to a radical reordering of our government and all of our affairs. The ideas, such as total dept relief after 7 years, and concern for the marginalized have profound implications for our structuring of society today. This may be why we have chosen to ignore it for so long. What I really enjoy is how this is applied to the reign of God that Jesus also espoused. An excellent book! But be careful, it may forever change how you view government policy, and even vote!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This COULD be good as one's intro to Brueggemann, August 22, 2000

By 

John K. Joachim (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Covenanted Self (Paperback)

Although the first section moves just a little slow for the lay reader (he speaks of pyschological backgrounds in family relationships), the rest of the book is typical profundity as one would expect from Brueggemann.

In fact, this book is probbaly the most quotable Brueggemann to date (I've read about a dozen of his books).

Among the discussions: *The "dialectic" between PRAISE and COMPLAINT in the Christian life; *The concept of "othering" as the risky, demanding, dynamic process of relating to one who is not us; *Approaching God as EROS