The American Academy of Religion is saddened to share that Walter Brueggemann, former AAR member, passed away on June 5, 2025 at the age of 92.
From the obituary:
“Brueggemann understood that the church’s task is one of resistance: “Our task is to be different because of our baptism. Our task is resistance as it has always been resistance. Our task is critical engagement that exposes sweet, pious, private religion as the handmaid of abusive economics.” His call was clear: to fast “for the sake of the hungry, the poor, the homeless, the naked,” a fast “powered by the self-giving love of God and invites us to self-give as did the One who became obedient unto death.”
Beyond his tireless professional activities of teaching, preaching, and writing, Brueggemann was a voracious reader, consuming multiple newspapers every day, being a familiar visitor to local libraries and bookstores wherever he lived, devouring scholarly work, magazines, journals, non-fiction and novels on a vast range of topics.”