Walter Bruggemann
provides a set of reflections that in his usual way challenge and
inspire.
Taking Advent as a
season expectant for the transformation of the world, not just
“getting ready for Christmas”, he shares the message of the
“Kingdom values” of the Gospel.
Giving 2 pages for
each day, these are concise but fully formed reflections.
However the
inclusion of a set of “prayers” for the 12 days of Christmas is
less successful – in part because they feel too contrived, taking
some small feature of the nativity and twisting it to make a
contemporary political point. I found his decision to pay off a male
Inn keeper who refused to host the Holy Family with his wife who had
compassion for them and made room in the stable a rather weak play on
historic gender stereotypes – something I wouldn’t expect from
Bruggemann. Also, if you are following the liturgical calendar don’t
tie in particular well with the reflections that might be prompted by
the Saints days that fall just after Christmas.
Having really valued
the book during Advent I ended somewhat irritated by it during
Christmas… If you read it stop on Christmas Day!
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