Like Fire in the Bones: Listening for the Prophetic Word in Jeremiah [Hardcover]

Walter Brueggemann (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2006

"No scholar of this generation has had a greater fire in his bones for communicating the word of God than Walter Brueggemann. These essays on Jeremiah exemplify his insistence that criticism should lead to interpretation, and remind us again why prophets like Jeremiah still matter in the 21st century." - John J. Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament, Yale "Like Fire in the Bones is a gift to the churches and to anyone interested in prophetic literature with its harsh rhetoric, blazing visions, and demanding yet merciful God. Jeremiah may have had fire in his bones, but Brueggemann sets fires with his pen. He shows how Jeremiah speaks into the abyss of historical catastrophe with speech that matches experience. He underlines the disputatious political character of theological speech. He reiterates Jeremiah's call to covenant loyalty even in the face of religious and government forces that suppress and silence words of life. He illuminates Jeremiah's bare-boned hope for a world in the thrall of empire and social amnesia. If ever there was need for imaginative rereading of Jeremiah and of the texts of common life, it is now. At this, Brueggemann is a master." - Kathleen M. O'Connor, William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary "Jeremiah, the longest book in the Bible, is neglected much too often by preacher and teacher alike. That neglect is due, in significant part, to the prophet's often-sharp words that strike too close to home, in his own generation and in ours. It is telling that the prophet Jeremiah, the focus of these essays that span much of Walter Brueggemann's prophetic ministry, has been in his head and heart for such a long time. Again and again, Brueggemann's own words have mirrored Jeremiah to us, and the times in which we presently live could profit from hearing them again." - Terence E. Fretheim, Elva B. Lovell Professor of Old Testament, Luther Seminary

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Walter Brueggemann is Emeritus Professor of Old Testament in the William Marcellus McPheeters chair at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia, and the author of Theology of the Old Testament (1997; CD-ROM 2005, 0-8006-3765-8).

Patrick D. Miller is Charles T. Haley Professor of Old Testament Theology Emeritus at Princeton Theological Seminary. His Fortress Press books include Interpreting the Psalms (1986; 0-8006-1896-3), They Cried to the Lord (1994; 0-8006-2762-8) and The God You Have (2004;0-8006-3662-7).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 255 pages
• Publisher: Fortress Press; 1 edition (September 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800635612
• ISBN-13: 978-0800635619
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,338,047 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

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, but Political, August 8, 2008

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Anonymous - See all my reviews

This review is from: Like Fire in the Bones: Listening for the Prophetic Word in Jeremiah (Hardcover)

To start, know that this is not a straight-forward commentary on Jeremiah, but rather a collection of essays about the book. If you want a chapter-by-chapter commentary by Brueggemann, one of the most astute Jeremiah scholars, see his book "Exile and Homecoming."

That said, it is evident that Brueggemann writes about Jeremiah and connects this book to our day with beautiful prose, passion, and insight. He spends quite a bit of time analyzing the trends in interpretation and criticism in Jeremiah, which I personally did not find useful, but also at times delves deeply and creatively into the soul of the book. Nevertheless, he does take opportunity to use Jeremiah to heavily criticize the culture and politics of the United States, and particularly the Bush administration. His analysis of American faults is insightful and clear, but his criticisms of the Bush administration are distant and murky--he chooses to take quick jabs with no details rather than explaining why the current administrations policies are contrary to the Word. He for example, quickly mentions that "the Dick Cheneys of this world" are constantly trying to stop conversations of power to hold on to the current status quo, with no real explanation or evidence that this is true. Brueggeman is a theologian, not a policy maker, and should follow his own advice in sticking to his own field rather than using his tiny insight into politics taint this otherwise good book.

If you're pressed for time, I recommend reading only chapters 1, 10, 12, and 13.