The Possibility of Contemporary Prophetic Acts

Is it possible to speak of prophets and prophetic activity in today's world? If so, who determines whether the prophetic acts are authentic? Is this role, formerly filled by faith communities, now being done within the secular community? Randall Bush explores these questions from biblical, theological, and historical perspectives, looking at examples from the prophet Jeremiah, the writings of Paul Tillich, and the modern civil rights movement work of Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This compelling discussion touches on issues as old as scripture and as current as today's news headlines, and the topic remains as relevant now as it ever was for those with eyes to see and ears to hear.The literature of biblical prophecy is a classic, and the mark of a classic is perpetual contemporaneity. In the able hands of theologian Randall Bush the spirit and words of the prophets are as relevant, livable, and urgent as if they had been written yesterday.--Daniel Maguire, Marquette University The modern study of the Hebrew Prophets often treats these fascinating and provocative figures as relics of the past, as representatives of an institution of another age and culture. In this book, Randy Bush adeptly brings the Prophets close so we can see their enduring significance, namely, to call forth in every age prophetic acts, acts that transform the human understanding of what God demands and desires for our world. We are indebted to Bush for revealing the possibility of prophetic acts in our time.--Jerome Creach, Pittsburgh Theological SeminaryThe Occupy Movement, placing a flower in the barrel of a soldier's gun in Beijing, mass protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square, bereaved Amish parents caring for the family of the person who shot their children . . . can any of these public actions count as prophetic? Here is a lucid analysis of prophetic action that is biblically rooted, theologically rich, and irresistibly compelling. Bush provides here powerful criteria for discerning genuine prophetic action in the contemporary world. --Gordon S. Mikoski, Princeton Theological SeminaryRandall Bush has taught at Carthage College and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Currently he serves as Senior Pastor at East Liberty Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has also published a wide range of scholarly articles and reviews in periodicals such as Theology Today, The Christian Century, Koinonia, and Theological Studies.