Noted Protestant Author’s New Book is about the Sabbath
by Monte Sahlin
By AT News Team, February 4, 2014
One of the most widely read contemporary Christian authors, Walter Brueggemann has released a new book that focuses on the meaning of the Sabbath. In Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now, Brueggemann argues that Christians have distorted the meaning of the Sabbath with moralistic laws and arguments over whether or not a person should be able to play cards or purchase liquor on Sundays. These views, he contends, sap the life-energy out of the Sabbath, which is not about keeping rules but breathing new life and community into our anxious and competitive world.
Brueggemann speaks to a 24/7 society of consumption, a society in which we live to achieve, accomplish, perform, and possess. Keeping the Sabbath, he contends, helps people break the cycle of anxious acquisition and competition and opens them to new ways of living every day of the week. Although he ignores the Adventist concern with precisely when is the Christian Sabbath, his approach does connect not only with Sabbath-keeping, but also Adventist concern for health.
“In our own contemporary context of the rat race of anxiety, the celebration of Sabbath is an act of both resistance and alternative," Brueggemann writes. "It is resistance because it is a visible insistence that our lives are not defined by the production and consumption of commodity goods. Such an act of resistance requires enormous intentionality and communal reinforcement amid the barrage of seductive pressures from the insatiable insistences of the market, with its intrusion into every part of our life from the family to the national budget."
"Sabbath is not only resistance," he continues. "It is alternative. It is an alternative to the demanding, chattering, pervasive presence of advertising and its great liturgical claim of professional sports that devours all of our ‘rest time.’ The alternative on offer is the awareness and practice of the claim that we are situated on the receiving end of the gifts of God.”
Brueggemann is William M. McPheeters Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary. An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, he is the author of dozens of books and hundreds of articles. The book was published by Westminster John Knox Press, the publishing house of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in Louisville, Kentucky.
"There are many new books coming out on the topic of the Sabbath," a retired Adventist theologian told Adventist Today. "There is really unprecedented interest in the Sabbath both among Evangelicals and Oldline Protestants. I don't think Adventists have yet really figured out how to related to this."
This story includes information from the publisher's news release distributed by Religion News Services (RNS).
'In Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now, Brueggemann argues that Christians have distorted the meaning of the Sabbath with moralistic laws and arguments over whether or not a person should be able to play cards or purchase liquor on Sundays.'
It depends on what one considers 'moralistic.' What is interesting about the Sabbath is not merely the command on Jews to keep it, but rather that they also not require others to work as well: servants, the 'alien' and even their domestic animals!
Anyone who works in high-pressured professional environment (I am a lawyer), with its increasing amount of unpaid overtime and 6-7 day working weeks, will no having time-off certainly is a 'moral issue'. In fact, it was one of the first major social justice issues of the Industrial Revolution period, and something trade unions struggled very hard to acheive.
But yes, I know where Brueggemann is coming from.
I find it ironic that a Sunday-keeper is schooling Sabbath-keepers about God's real purpose and intent in the Sabbath.
Who says he is schooling us? The article is simply telling something we Adventists like to hear about – non-Adventists who are interested in the Sabbath. In fact, it was Jesus who did the most schooling about true Sabbath-keeping.
It's probably time for some Adventist scholars to start working on some articles and books focusing on a non-legalistic theology of the Sabbath and the 7th day. Our traditional literture is stuffed with a legalistic theology, and this is not good.
Another big challenge is to be able to prove that our current 7th day of the week is actually the same 7th day of the creation week. There are too many problems with the cronology that it becomes basically impossible to prove it.
Therefor, Adventists theologians and schollars, there is work to do!
"A big challenge is to be able to prove that our current 7th day of the week is actually the same 7th day of the creation week."
Really, George, I fail to understand the relevancy of this issue, especially in a round world. It is a memorial of creation and symbol of rest in Jesus, not a legalistic duty. It is to be celebrated on the 7th day in whatever community we are in, even if the time line is moved.
I see it as resistence to the materialistic world around us in that it differs from the usual manmade Sabbath. Sunday, if one follows it to its roots, symbolizes working for salvation and pagan religious concepts of a divinity.
I have a Jewish calendar, dated 5773 (at the end of 2012). Apparently this order of days hasn't changed since Jews started keeping track of time, and I don't see any reason to go farther back than that.
Ella,
I am not challenging the Sabbath rest, I am a Sabbath keeper myself for over 60 years.
But in my opinion the issue is not as simplictic and black & white as some people pretend. There are many problems involved. But those who don't see any problem will certainly not be concerned with anything in this respect – and it's fine.
This is not a sudden interest of Walter's. He has been working with these themes (empire, resistance, etc.) as an Old Testament scholar for much of his career and has discussed the Sabbath a number of times publicly (including at the SDA Seminary) before the launch of this book. He was asked to address the Sabbath with Adventist pastors specifically because his emphasis touches upon a neglected area in our own Sabbath theology. We have often focused on the personal issues of rest and redemption while overlooking the corporate issues of Sabbath justice, economics and equality before God. We can and should learn from each other – especially on an issue as important as the Sabbath! I'm so happy to see Walter's book highlighted here.
Agreed.
Am I the only one who is reading Sigve K. Tonstad's epic "The Lost Meaning of the Seventh Day"?
Here is what has been correctly reviewed as "a broad and serior treatment of the Sabbath" that "explores themes usually not addressed." This Norwegian Adventist theolgian/scholar who happens to practice medicine on the side surely meets the needs expressed above for renewed evaluation of the Sabbath from within Adventism. I own a very old copy of J.N. Andrews' "History of the Sabbath" the first scholarly approach to the Sabbath by Adventists. While Bruggeman's book and insight's are welcome, Tonstad's book is surely deserving equal respect from serious and grateful Sabbitarians. (And I think today is Sigve's birthday?)
AT has published two book reviews of Tonstad's magnificent and important work, as well as a feature story specifically about the new ideas that he brings to the topic. And the current issue of the AT print magazine has a major article by Tonstad. Use the search engine at the top of the page and type in "Tonstad" and you will see additional listings that are not so directly related as well as the four mentioned here. Clearly, your suggestion is a good one!
Matthew Sleeth has also published a book called 24/6, in which he "lays out a plan for living a healthier, happier, more God-centered life by simply and faithfully honoring the Sabbath." (emphasis in original) While I was in Canada, my multi-denominational church had him here for four weeks to present his concepts. I told them I was very disappointed they'd had this while their token Adventist was gone, and they laughed and said, "You didn't need it!" I haven't read it yet, but I assume he doesn't hold to any particular day, since I know that some members have chosen various days to keep as Sabbaths, and have talked about how hard it is to stay faithful to that. I'm hoping to be able to have some groups to explore the concept further.