Brueggemann? Oh, Yeah!

Folks, I am not a morning person. It's not getting out of bed that's difficult, although that is becoming harder, but it's getting presentable enough to meet the public in the great world outside my house. Grandpère is accustomed to my scary morning appearance, but others are not.

Our adult Sunday school class begins at 9:15, that's AM. It was tough, but I arrived this morning at the parish hall with a few minutes to spare. I had to go, because my rector arranged to introduce us to a series of lectures by Walter Brueggemann, Professor Emeritus at Columbia Theological Seminary. He said that the parish congregation consists of conservatives and liberals and those in between, with most of the congregation in the middle. He was offering this series to represent the more liberal side. (My rector may not know it, but I'm closer to a radical than a liberal.)

In recent classes, we've had the more conservative view presented to us, the Alpha series from Trinity Church Brompton, in London, and N. T. Wright's Simply Christian. I did not like the Alpha series. The DVDs were shown during Lent, and I stayed with the course as a Lenten discipline and just to be able to speak with some authority about them, in the event the subject came up.

The N. T. Wright series was fine, but the motivation to rush to get to the parish hall at 9:15 AM petered out, and I did not complete the entire course. I don't agree with Bishop Wright's views on a number of issues, but I had no objection to what I saw of the teachings in the series.

The offer of Brueggemann for Sunday school was, at least in part, for me, so I felt I had to make the effort. Others had recommended his books to me, including my blog friend, Doorman-Priest, but I never got around to buying one. I was actually looking forward to the class.

Well, am I glad I went! For me, Brueggemann's lecture was like a glass of cool water, after I'd been wandering in the desert. He was terrific - definitely my cup of tea, right down my alley, every possible positive platitude that you can imagine. Plus, we had a lively and interesting discussion along with the lecture. Brueggemann is subversive, and I love him. And what a learned scholar! What brilliant insights! I remember one statement he made, right at the beginning, and I hope I'm getting this close to right, "The Old Testament is a work of imagination and memory." He went on to compare the Israelites' period of slavery in Egypt to our present day society, reminding us that in both situations, productivity was primary, but that those who produced did not profit from their production. Goals were set for the producers, and their only reward was to have the bar raised for them to produce even more, from which they would never profit.

I do not know even the name of the lecture series, or any details to give you. I searched online and did not find the series of lectures that we watched, partly because I did not know what I was looking for. I will get that information later and pass it on.

Brueggemann's denomination is the United Church of Christ. If I were not a member of the Episcopal Church, and if I did not desire with all my heart a church with frequent Eucharists, and if I did not love the liturgy in the Book of Common Prayer, I could be attracted to the UCC. Yes, that a lot of "ifs". Then, too, it's a congregational church, and, as much grief as bishops can sometimes give us, I prefer a church with a line of authority to having the congregation itself being the final authority.

All in all, a lovely day. Thanks be to God.