He helps us see heaven and hell, sin and salvation, and the powers that shape our lives as tangible parts of our daytoday experience, rather than as mysterious phantoms. Wright populates my entire reading list i have finished five of his books since december, i decided to interrupt my wright project with a little liberal theology, and i must say, i loved it. What follows is a brief summary of the book and highlights of a conversation about the text. This volume is described by its author as a digest of his 1992 book engaging the powers and as incorporating some of the material from the two earlier volumes in the trilogy he devoted to the study of spiritual powers.
The call of walter wink is for followers of jesus to return to a proper and biblical understanding of the powers that are around us, in us, and through us, and which share creation with us. Christianity highlights that we are born good, then we fall and later redeem. The powers that be quotes showing 112 of 12 faith requires at times marching into the waters before they part. In our fastpaced secular world, god and theology are secondc. The powers trilogy by walter wink has certainly done both. Walter wink, a methodist theologian and bible scholar, has helped modern minds appreciate the new. Wink s theology is shaped as much by his study of the bible as by his involvement in the civil rights movement and the fight against apartheid in south africa. Unmasking the domination system 87 the delusional apparatus according to revelation 12 the manufacture of idolatry according to revelation the delusional assumptions liberation from the delusional system part 2 gods new charter of reality 6. The bible claims that jesus fought against these powers, and that his followers will continue the fight, but religionists today differ as to.
In the powers that be, walter wink helps us reformulate our ancient concepts such as god and satan, angels and demons, principalities and powers in light of our modern experience. Old religious images such as a heaven above and a hell below have lost their value as a way of understanding the spiritual realm. Mar 04, 2019 walter wink has written many books on the powers in the new testament and in our lives. Share walter wink quotations about enemies, killing and jesus. Walter wink was a professor of biblical interpretation at auburn theological seminary in new york and author of many books, including the powers that be, when the powers fall, and most recently. The language of power in the new testament, 1984, and unmasking the powers. She said that his work was of profound importance to activism, and especially nonviolent ac tivism, because it took the understanding of power into realms deeper tlian she had ever previously encountered in theological writing.
In 19891990 he was a peace fellow at the united states institute of peace. The ology for a new millenni um, wal ter wink, 1998. He cuts through that modern portion of scholarship that rejects the reality of satan and demons with a both and rather than either or conclusion the reader will understand. Writings on nonviolence from the fellowship of reconciliation.
May 24, 2012 new testament theologian walter wink, noted for relating the biblical phrase principalities and powers to the dominating sociopolitical structures of the modern era, died may 10, leaving a legacy of books, teachings and nonviolent resistance to apartheid in south africa. I had a hard time writing the paper as i kept wanting to contemplate other aspect of wink s book that didnt relate directly to the paper. Volume 2 of the powers trilogy, unmasking the powers is one of the most powerful and incisive treatments of the evils which afflict our society and our church that i have ever read. For instance, in order to encourage people to stand up for themselves nonviolently, he interprets the sermon on the mounts turn the other cheek passage to mean people should proudly assert their. Only in this way can we truly worship god with all of creation. He was well known for his advocacy of and work related to nonviolent resistance and his seminal works on the powers, naming the powers 1984, unmasking. Walter wink 19352012 was an influential american biblical scholar, theologian, and activist, and was an important figure in progressive christianity. Wink s theology is shaped as much by his study of the bible as by his involvement in the civil rights movement and the fight against. Walter wink s style is compelling, his research is overwhelming thorough, and his conclusions are world shattering. Walter wink and the rise of satan mortalsandangels.
Walter wink was a professor of biblical interpretation at auburn theological seminary in new york and author of many books, including the powers that be, when the powers. In our fastpaced secular world, god and theology are secondclass citizens. Walter wink reformulates ancient concepts, such as god and the devil, heaven and hell, angels and demons, principalities and powers, in light of our modern. Jesus did not advocate nonviolence merely as a technique for outwitting the enemy, but as a just means of opposing the enemy in such a way as to hold open the possibility of the enemys becoming just as well. Jan, 2018 father stephen freeman recommends walter winks book naming the powers. Walter wink has been on my radar screen for many years but in reading recently from n. Many otherwise devout christians simply dismiss jesus teachings about nonviolence out of hand as impractical idealism. Aug 26, 2015 using the theology of walter wink, we unmasked the spiritual forces that rule this world. In this popularized abridgment of naming the powers, unmasking the powers, and engaging the powers, biblical scholar walter wink radically reorients this perspective on life by creating new lenses through which. Response to walter winks book naming the powers copious. On monday this week, i read, from cover to cover, walter wink s the powers that be.
Walter philip wink american theologian and biblical scholar. Money, politics, sports, and science seem better suited to the hard realities. The powers that be reclaims the divine realm as central to human existence by offering new ways of understanding our world in theological terms. Sep 09, 2012 walter wink s introduction to engaging the powers the following are exceprts from this chapter to stimmulate discussion. Many otherwise devout christians simply dismiss jesus teachings about nonviolence out of. Of the three books, it may be the most practical, though the other two lay the biblical and theological groundwork for the ideas in this book. He often fails, however, on basic exegetical grounds. By illustrating turn the other cheek, offer your coat as well, and go the second mile with lively demonstrations, dr. Loving your enemy enabling them to see their sin and offering them the opportunity to change repent originally meant to turn, to change direction. Wink spent much of his career teaching at auburn theological seminary in new york city. Theology for a new millennium, and jesus and nonviolence. Walter wink s groundbreaking work gives us a new way to examine the ideas of evil and salvation in the bible. Wink also believes in a demonic realm that is real and active in the worldbut from a different perspective than gregs. In the powers that be, theologian and biblical scholar walter wink helps us reformulate our ancient concepts such as god and satan, angels and demons.
It is, in other words, an attempt to abbreviate and popularise the approach to this subject for which walter wink has become well known in recent years. Jesus third way of nonviolent resistence walter wink. The third book in the series is engaging the powers. Walter wink reformulates ancient concepts, such as god and the devil, heaven and hell, angels and demons, principalities and powers, in light of our. We engage the powers, not just to understand them, but to see them changed. Unless you read the first two, the ideas of this book may sound outlandish, unsupported. Faith requires at times marching into the waters before they part. Questions of conscience for the churches minneapolis. Walter philip wink, american theologian and biblical scholar born may 21, 1935, dallas, texasdied may 10, 2012, sandisfield, mass. Im not saying i agree with everything in them, but the concepts in these books are so otherworldly that it will take me some time to grasp and process what he says. P1 one of the most pressing questions facing the world today is, how can we oppose evil without creating new evils and being made evil ourselves. Discernment and resistance in a world of domination, 1992, with elements from the previous two naming the powers.
The powers are good ix the powers are fallen the powers will be redeemed 5. Jesus third way of nonviolent resistence compiled from the works of walter wink. Jul 26, 2016 the first book we read was the powers that be by the theologian walter wink. See all books authored by walter wink, including the powers that be. The first book we read was the powers that be by the theologian walter wink. They were discerning the actual spirituality at the center of the political, economic, and cultural institutions of their day. Discernment and resistance in a world of domination. Then we examined the spiritual realm and beings that inhabit it, and we talked about what happens after we. As successive volumes of this came out, i thought it got a bit strange, but i remember this volume as very much worth the read. Sep 05, 2011 winks theory of principalities and powers resonates with our world quite accurately. By condensing and popularizing the core ideas from his seminal trilogy on the powers into one highly readable volume, walter wink has done for theology what e mc2 did for physics he has transformed our conception of the universe. In the first two chapters of walter wink s the powers that be, weve established.
My thesis is that what people in the world of the bible experienced and called principalities and powers was in fact real. The powers that betheology for a new millennium the. Money, politics, sports, and science seem better suited to the hard realities of our world. Not all powers are badtherefore we call powers back to their divine purpose.
With wisdom, scholarship, and evangelical zeal, walter wink deals with the many ways that the powers of evil infiltrate our lives. Walter wink has been an active campaigner against violence and injustice that the earthly powers that be perpetrate. It enshrines the belief that violence saves, that war brings peace, that might makes right. Part one of walter wink s explanation of the third way of jesus. Apr 26, 2017 as walter wink points out in his groundbreaking book naming the powers on which i rely pretty heavily, though not uncritically there is fairly strong evidence in canonical and extracanonical books for an israelite and, later, christian belief in angels of the nations.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The powers trilogy by walter wink are three of the most challenging books ive read in a while. Mar 22, 2011 except as it is packaged by walter wink. Discernment and resistance in a world of domination, fortress press, 1992. The invisible forces that determine human existence, 1986. T wright, greg boyd and rob bell and their references to walter wink, i had to get this book. In 1993, engaging the powers and the powers trilogy won several awards. Based on his understanding of the bible, wink creates a whole new way of viewing the world, and offers us a language for talking about and to god.
May 28, 2011 the powers trilogy by walter wink are three of the most challenging books ive read in a while. Wink suggests that the powers and principalities mentioned in the new testament are the psychological underpinnings of complicated systems that is, that every corporation, church, government, etc. We are summoned to pray for our enemies transformation, and to respond to illtreatment with a love that not only is. Jun 01, 2000 walter wink has been on my radar screen for many years but in reading recently from n. Jesus urged us all to love our enemies and this site attempts to show us how to do that, when faced with injustice and oppression. In 2016 concrete formed a theology and youth ministry reading group. Jesus third way by walter wink the followi ng t ext is taken from pa ges 98111 of the powe rs that be. This trenchant theological work is a digest of the third volume of walter wink s trilogy on the powers engaging the powers. T wright, greg boyd and rob bell and their references to walter wink, i had to buy this and get started on his books.
In the powers that be, theologian and biblical scholar walter wink helps us reformulate our ancient concepts such as god and satan, angels and demons, principalities and powers in light of what we now know. The powers that be quotes by walter wink goodreads. Walter wink is professor of biblical interpretation at auburn theological seminary in new york city. It is one of the oldest continuously repeated stories in the world. Discernment and resistance in a world of domination by wink, walter isbn. Walter wink and greg boyd on the problem of evil roger e. The aim of the group is to read something thought provoking every 6 weeks and meet to reflect on it in light of urban youth ministry. This trenchant theological work is a digest of the third volume of walter winks trilogy on the powers engaging the powers. Previously, he was a parish minister and taught at union theological seminary in new york city. In his remarkable trilogy on the principalities and powers, walter wink has biblically verified what more and more of us have come to realize intuitively. Walter wink may 21, 1935 may 10, 2012 was an american biblical scholar, theologian, and activist who was an important figure in progressive christianity. Walter wink books list of books by author walter wink.