Book Review: Out of Babylon

Out of Babylon by Walter Brueggemann

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


how does empire fit with faith in God? this book dives deep into the old testament (and i mean deep), particularly with the apparent constant struggle with those who empowered their will and rule over them. For many years God's people spent time in exile - in captivity - courtesy of the Babylonians. The Babylonian empire displaced the Israelites.



Walter Brueggemann explores this struggle and draws comparisons to 21st century christians living in the midst of the American empire.



i won't lie, this book is heady. Brueggemann is heady. i probably missed some of the main points of the book. they probably went way over my head.



i still liked the book - but i wished i would have enjoyed it more.



i was drawn to the book because i am drawn to the Old Testament stories of when the Israelite were in captivity - in exile - particularly the story found in Jeremiah 29. God gives them interesting instructions (vs. 1-14), often missed by Christians who focus on the popular Jer. 29:11 passage.



i am also drawn to the commentary on how christians aught to live in the midst of the current empire of which we reside: America.



i get frustrated that too many christians appear to follow political parties and/or the constitution OVER the Word of God. i was hoping that this book might shed light on that.



Brueggemann subtly discusses and brings to light comparisons from OT empires to current, modern day western empires. I wish it would have spent more time on the present. maybe it did and i missed it.



over all, there are a few chapters that make this book worth reading (the first and last chapters were phenomenal). perhaps you'll get more from the middle parts than i did.



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