In this first in a series on Walter Brueggemann’s Out of Babylon, I discuss the role of Babylon and how Brueggemann sees the United States as a Babylon analog. I hopefully set the stage for discussing Brueggemann’s view that US Christians who hew to the “City on the Hill” ideology are committing idolatry and are aligning with Empire and not with God, the two being ultimately opposed. This is not to establish a mere negative argument (as in, this is what a Christian is not), but rather to begin to point to a positive pronouncement (this is what a Christian or other person faithful to God is) .
