Over his career, Walter Brueggemann published over 100 books and numerous scholarly articles that continue to influence the academy and broader society. His contributions to Christian theology and its intersection with postmodern society are immeasurable.
His 1978 book, “The Prophetic Imagination,” explores the two primary tasks of prophets: prophetic criticism and prophetic energizing. Brueggemann’s work is essential to Christian leadership because it emphasizes the responsibility of Christians to challenge the prevailing ways of thinking in the dominant culture, inspiring the church to be a vibrant and faithful witness to Christ in the world.
In chapter four, Brueggemann examines the key roles of prophetic communities, which are not only to challenge the dominant way of thinking but also to offer a new vision that inspires people toward fresh and faithful ways of living.
Brueggemann begins his argument by asserting: “The royal consciousness leads people to despair about the power to move towards new life. It is the task of prophetic imagination and ministry to bring the people to engage the promise of newness that is at work in our history with God.”
For Brueggeman, the “royal consciousness” is problematic because of its inherent inequities. Royal consciousness is a life for the privileged that excludes large swaths of the community. The task of the prophetic community is to focus on a promise of newness that is made possible by the power of the Divine.
As Brueggeman developed his argument, he exposed the fallacy of the royal consciousness.
Not all shared in the splendor and prosperity of Solomon’s kingdom. For those excluded from its prosperity, hopelessness set in, as many could not envision any positive change in the future.
What happens when large numbers of people are shut out of prosperity, not included in royal flourishing? Despair emerges among the disenfranchised!
The task of the prophetic imagination is to penetrate the despair of the community, stirring the smoldering embers of hope into flame once again. The prophet utilizes the symbols of word, spoken word and acted word to create new realities thought to be impossible. The prophet recognizes how hope-filled rhetoric can shape consciousness, define reality and produce amazement.
Brueggemann’s work fits well with the prophetic aspects of the munis triplex (the three offices of prophet, priest and king) in Christian leadership. It highlights the vital importance of the prophetic imagination in both critiquing the royal consciousness and energizing the people of God.
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Donald E. Williams is a United Methodist pastor and Duke University graduate. He completed his doctorate at Duke University in 2022 and is the author of An Investigation Into the Relationship Between Aristotelian Eudaimonia and Christian Discipleship: A Thomistic Perspective, Wipf and Stock Publishers.
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