Preaching the Old Testament: Learning from Walter Brueggemann

Preaching the Old Testament: Learning from Walter Brueggemann

Poling J. SUN

Preaching the Old Testament is a formidable task for most Christian ministers. Such a difficulty is subtly built into the understanding of the Christian Canon. The very notion of the Christian Canon, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, automatically assumes a relationship between the two collections of writings. The relationship is hermeneutically constructed under the pattern “promise” and “fulfillment”. Although this hermeneutical principal is sound, it could result in a neglect of the Old Testament text in its own right if care and labor are not exercised. Aspiring an Old Testament text too much and too quickly from a New Testament perspective could only silent the text's own voice.

The renowned Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann has made significant contribution to this concern and has demonstrated the possibility of preaching the Old Testament rightly in its own Hebrew scriptural context and also canonically, within the Christian traditions. By introducing Brueggemann's effort and examples from his recent works , this essay wishes to visit once again the issue of preaching the Old Testament.