What's up theology nerds! This is a special episode. When we lost Walter Brueggemann, I knew we had to switch up our plans and do a proper tribute to one of the most influential biblical scholars of our time.
I'm joined by my usual Theology Nerd Throwdown co-host Bo and the one and only Rolf Jacobson from Luther Seminary. And here's the thing about Walter - he's probably the only biblical scholar I know who had both mega-nerd street cred in the academy AND pastors across the country who know his greatest hits because his books literally changed how they preach.
We explore how each of us first encountered Brueggemann's work. For me, it was that first phone interview back in the day when podcasting meant actually recording phone calls and uploading to iPods (kids, ask your parents).
For Bo, it was discovering Finally Comes the Poet and realizing scripture could be alive and dialogical - even "disputatious" at times. For Rolf, it goes way back to seminary with The Vitality of Old Testament Traditions.
But here's what makes this conversation so rich - we get into the theological meat of Walter's contributions. Rolf breaks down how Walter understood biblical authority: "These are the materials out of which we continue to process our reality. That's the authority. It's the script, the prism through which we read reality. But that leaves us all the hard work to do."
We explore Walter's on-going disagreement with his friend Terence Fretheim about the nature of God. While Terry emphasized God's fidelity, Walter was all about God's freedom and agency - because as he put it, "A truly free God is essential to marginal people if they are to have a legitimate standing ground against oppressive orders."
The conversation gets spicy when we talk about Walter's economic critique. This is the guy who pointed out that the golden calf sitting in front of Wall Street is basically God's way of letting American Christians know how deeply idolatrous we are. He'd go off about how we teach our kids to excel at the extractive, oppressive game and then throw parties when they get into schools that make them better at playing that game.
We spend serious time on The Prophetic Imagination - probably his most famous book - and how it's often misunderstood. People think being prophetic means scolding people, but Walter insisted it's about hope, about evoking and nurturing an alternative consciousness. Every ministry in the church can be prophetic if it's helping people see the kingdom of God that's drawn near.
Rolf shares some incredible stories, including how Walter showed up at the gates of Concordia Seminary in 1974 when students and faculty walked out during the fundamentalist-modernist controversy. He was just there to do pastoral care for whoever needed it - that's the kind of pastor-scholar he was.
We talk about his interdisciplinary brilliance - how he'd read Paul Ricoeur and apply it to the Psalms, or borrow from object relations theory to revolutionize our understanding of lament. The guy could read economic theory and then show you how the Exodus narrative critiques predatory capitalism.
And of course, we end with Walter's favorite Bible story to tell his grandkids - the feeding of the 5,000 and the manna story. Because as he'd say, "You are not children of scarcity, you're children of abundance. Don't forget it."
Look, Walter Brueggemann wrote over 150 books (reportedly every time he got on a plane), but what made him special wasn't just his scholarship. He had this gift for making ancient texts dangerous again, for showing us a God who takes sides, who's passionate and relational, not some distant philosophical absolute.
Whether you're a pastor looking to preach better, a student trying to understand why the Bible matters, or just someone who wants to see how faith can be both intellectually rigorous and deeply practical, Walter's work will mess with you in the best possible way.
Rest in peace, Walter. Thanks for teaching us that the God of the Bible is way more interesting, dangerous, and liberating than we usually dare to believe.
If you want to dive deeper, start with The Prophetic Imagination or check out Reverberations of Faith - his theological dictionary that's like a greatest hits collection. And, be sure to check out The Strange Fidelity of God: A Lecture by Walter Brueggemann.
Trust me, your preaching and your faith will never be the same!
Peace out, theology nerds. Go read your Bibles like Walter taught us - with eyes wide open to the subversive, life-giving word that refuses to be domesticated.
Rock on!
Tripp
If you appreciate the work of Tripp Fuller and Homebrewed Christianity, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the “Process This” Substack.
Special Tribute Episode in Honor of Walter Brueggemann
In this special tribute episode, we revisit three memorable conversations with Walter from across the years of Homebrewed Christianity, showcasing his remarkable ability to make ancient texts come alive with contemporary relevance. From his groundbreaking work on the prophetic imagination to his incisive analysis of money and possessions in scripture, Walter consistently challenged us to see God not as a distant, unchanging deity, but as a passionate, covenant-making partner deeply invested in justice and human flourishing. His gift was revealing how the Bible’s narratives of liberation, resistance, and hope speak directly to our modern struggles with empire, inequality, and the search for authentic community. Walter’s legacy lives on in every preacher who dares to let scripture speak its radical truth, every scholar who chooses particularity over abstraction, and every person of faith who embraces the beautiful, contested journey of fidelity with the God of the exodus. Thank you, Walter, for teaching us that the Bible is not a book of easy answers, but an invitation to wrestle with the living God who continues to disrupt our assumptions and call us toward justice
Get Access to “Intro to the Old Testament” with Walter Brueggemann
Check out this five-part online course with Walter Brueggemann - exclusively available on TheologyClass.com!
Share this post