Walter Brueggemann 1933-2025

Tuesday 17th June 2025

Walter Brueggemann passed away on the 5th June 2025 at the age of 92.

We were saddened to learn of the death of Walter Brueggemann. Walter was an author, academic and speaker. He wrote over 100 books which included Theology of the Old Testament (1997), a rhetorical-critical look at the Old Testament through the lenses of “testimony, dispute, and advocacy.” Many have come to know Brueggemann through his book The Prophetic Imagination, originally published in 1978. His best-known work, however, may be with the Psalms and his book Message of the Psalms.

Many of you may have come across his as part of the Living The Questions series, to which he contributed.

Walter Brueggemann was a significant influence on many people, including Brian McLaren, who says of the first article of Walter’s that he read:

Walter’s knowledge of the text, combined with his respect for the text, combined with his attention to details of the text, combined with his refusal to pretend that tensions didn’t exist between voices in the text, combined with his ability to welcome and listen to all those voices in dynamic – and revelatory – tension … all that was something completely new to me at that moment.

I immediately went out and bought a bunch of Walter’s books. Finally Comes the Poet was first, and later came The Prophetic Imagination and many more.

I felt as though I was experiencing my own personal Exodus, leaving a certain kind of bondage to a flat, coercive, and unimaginative way of reading the Bible, and moving toward an unknown but highly promising new way. I’ve been on that journey ever since.

Walter is survived by his wife, Tia, his sons, James and John, and his grandchildren. We offer our sincere condolences to all who loved him and mourn his absence.

There will be a live-streamed memorial service on Saturday 19th July at 2pm EDT (7pm BST) please visit the Walter Brueggemann website for more information as it becomes available.