BOOK: Chosen?: Reading the Bible Amid the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

By Walter Brueggemann | Amazon.com | 114 pages
Published in September of 2015

SUMMARY: In Chosen? Reading the Bible Amid the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict, Walter Brueggemann, one of the most formidable theological voices of our time, delivers a rigorous, incisive, and unsettling critique—not just of political realities but of the ideological readings of scripture that often fuel them. This is not a book that offers comfortable reassurances. Rather, it demands an unflinching reexamination of how theology is wielded in geopolitical struggles.

Brueggemann is acutely aware that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not static. Early in the book, he reminds us that it is “a dynamic historical reality that is dramatically changing and being redefined over time.” This is a crucial insight because it warns against rigid theological positions that refuse to account for evolving political realities. As he further argues, a fixed, uncritical stance quickly deteriorates into ideology, which he calls “quite unhelpful for real problems on the ground.” If theology is to serve justice rather than power, it must remain dynamic, open to revision, and attuned to the facts.

Brueggemann does not shy away from calling out the vast asymmetry of power in the conflict. He observes that Israel has become “an immense military power, presumably with a nuclear capacity,” and that it has “escalated (and continues to escalate) its occupation of the West Bank by an aggressive development of new settlements.” More damningly, he critiques Israel’s “massive indifference to the human rights of Palestinians,” linking this impunity to U.S. policy that provides Israel with “a blank check along with commensurate financial backing.”

What emerges is a sobering realization: the U.S. support for Israel, often couched in religious terms, is not merely a matter of geopolitics but also of theological misappropriation. Brueggemann insists that “it will not do for Christian readers of the Bible to reduce the Bible to an ideological prop for the state of Israel,” urging them instead to become “vigorous advocates for human rights.” His appeal is for political realism over ideological dogmatism, for ethical accountability over uncritical allegiance.

One of Brueggemann’s most compelling arguments is his rejection of the idea that the Bible speaks with a single, unambiguous voice on the land question. He asserts that “the Bible refuses to speak in a single voice,” warning against “any ‘straight-line’ reading from ancient text to contemporary issues.” Such readings, he argues, often stem not from genuine exegesis but from “vested interests, hopes, and fears.” This is particularly evident in his discussion of the land promise, where he notes that “the land is given to Israel unconditionally, but it is held by Israel conditionally.” This tension, embedded within the biblical tradition itself, defies simplistic interpretations.

The danger of ideological readings is especially pronounced in the case of Christian Zionism. Brueggemann draws a crucial distinction between Jewish and Christian Zionism, pointing out that while Jewish Zionism is rooted in “the nonnegotiable status of Israel as God’s chosen people,” Christian Zionism is often fueled by eschatological fantasies about the end times. The uncritical support it generates for Israeli policies—regardless of their ethical implications—is, in Brueggemann’s view, deeply problematic.

Brueggemann’s critique extends beyond Israel to the broader issue of religious nationalism, particularly in the United States. He highlights how American exceptionalism has fostered “a confused sense of state and church”—a misplaced fusion that often manifests in the zealous display of American flags in church sanctuaries. This belief in divine chosenness, whether applied to Israel or the United States, distorts theological discourse and entrenches ideological commitments immune to critique.

Ultimately, Chosen? is a call to conscience. Brueggemann urges Christians to be “zealous, relentless advocates for human rights” and to resist ideological readings of scripture that obscure the ethical demands of justice. The resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he argues, hinges on recognizing and guaranteeing “the human rights of the other.” Anything less, he warns, will only perpetuate cycles of violence and destabilization.

Brueggemann’s Chosen? is not an easy read, nor is it meant to be. It is a book that unsettles, provokes, and forces a rethinking of deeply held assumptions. It is not merely a critique of Israeli policies or U.S. foreign policy—it is a challenge to the ways in which theology can be co-opted in service of power rather than justice.

For those willing to engage, Chosen? offers a crucial, theologically rigorous framework for thinking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict beyond the confines of ideology. And for those who might be resistant to its message, Brueggemann offers a prayer that encapsulates the spirit of the book: “Calm our hearts, open our minds, guide our time together so that we all might learn something we did not know, reflect on something we had not thought, and listen to one another with respect and love. Amen.”

KEY QUOTE: “In my judgment, Christians must be zealous, relentless advocates for human rights. This means exposing the violations of human rights by all parties and recognizing the imbalance of power that make Israel’s violations of human rights all the more ignominious.”

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BONUS: Listen to Brueggeman discuss his book on the Pulpit Fiction Podcast.

DID YOU KNOW? Sunday to Saturday has a Good Reads page where we post all of the books we have read – even the ones that didn’t make the cut.

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