In the last several years, Walter Brueggemann's writings have directly addressed the situation of Christian communities in today's globalized context, with its consumerist lifestyles, vast inequalities, and near-imperial exercises of power. His insights, forged in rugged encounters with the texts of the Old Testament, are sharp, painful, and indispensable. In the People of Israel Brueggemann finds a model of an alternative community — anchored in YHWH, ever exploring new possibilities, and prophetically bent against empire.

Walter Brueggemann, through his teaching, lecturing, and writing, has effectively demonstrated the significance of the Old Testament for our fractured world today. Recognized as the preeminent interpreter of the ancient texts in relation to questions posed by a variety of academic disciplines, he has shown the way toward a compelling understanding of the major components of the faith and life of ancient Israel, especially its Psalms, the prophets, and the narratives. His award-winning Theology of the Old Testament (Fortress Press, 1997) quickly became a foundational work in the field.

Patrick D. Miller is Charles T. Haley Professor of Old Testament Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary and the author of two Fortress Press volumes: They Cried to the Lord: The Form and Theology of Biblical Prayer (1994) and Interpreting the Psalms (1986).