Part 2: Walter Brueggemann on antisemitism, greed, ecology - Ministry Videos

Part 2: Theologian Walter Brueggemann on antisemitism, Christian violence and the environment

Old testament scholar and prolific author Dr. Walter Brueggemann spends a couple days in northern Michigan in early October 2007 speaking to the public, clergy, church leaders and Lutheran Campus Ministry students and board members.

Earth Keeper volunteer media adviser Greg Peterson has the second of a five part look at Dr. Brueggemann's opinions on how the Bible relates to protecting the environment and many other social issues like antisemitism.

Dr. Brueggemann's ecumenical public talks are reflected in his personal life.

Brueggemann is a member of the United Church of Christ, teaches at a Presbyterian Seminary, and worships in an Episcopal congregation.
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Brueggemann: "You can't just turn it (nature) into a commodity"
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Time: 9:55

Here is some of the verbatim from the theologian's talks in Marquette and Ishpeming.

Violence and antisemitism in Christian church history and denial:

And I think by sort of pretending about that - I think we invite people to engage in wholesale denial about their own lives. So what we communicate that way to people in church: "Well if you feel violent talk about it somewhere else - don't do that here because 'we are all nice people here.'

Better to say we have a long history of antisemitism - we've got to own that.

I think that good recovery of the Bible is like good psychotherapy."
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All the fundamentalists who want to talk about me and Jesus, and being saved by the blood and all that kind of business.

They have no understanding of creation at all - so you would never understand that our reception of the reality of God also has to do with honoring the Earth differently. Those Categories have almost been lost in the way the church conducts its teaching.
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"Solomon is popularly celebrated as a very wise king - until you read the text - if you read the text - which people tend not to do - you begin