Walter Wink (May 21, 1935 – May 10, 2012) was an American
biblical scholar,
theologian
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
, and
activist who was an important figure in
Progressive Christianity. Wink spent much of his career teaching at
Auburn Theological Seminary in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. 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 the Powers'' (1986), ''Engaging the Powers'' (1992), ''When the Powers Fall'' (1998), and ''The Powers that Be'' (1999), all of them commentaries on the
Apostle Paul's ethic of
spiritual warfare
Spiritual warfare is the Christian concept of fighting against the work of preternatural evil forces. It is based on the biblical belief in evil spirits, or demons, that are said to intervene in human affairs in various ways. Although spir ...
described here: Breaking with christian hermeneutic tradition of
christian demonology
Christian demonology is the study of demons from a Christian point of view. It is primarily based on the Bible (Old and New Testaments), the interpretation of these scriptures, the writings of early Christianity philosophers, hermits and t ...
, he interprets Paul's hierarchy of "rulers" to refer to imperial powers, with corresponding and
political theologies and ideologies of state violence. Giving examples from ancient Babylon through the popular media of today, these are supported by, in a phrase he coined "the
myth of redemptive violence".
Career
Wink earned a B.A. from
Southern Methodist University
, mottoeng = "The truth will make you free"
, established =
, type = Private research university
, accreditation = SACS
, academic_affiliations =
, religious_affiliation = United Methodist Church
, president = R. Gerald Turner
, ...
in 1956, majoring in history, and minoring in philosophy and English. He completed his Master of Divinity in 1959 and his Ph.D. in 1963, both from
Union Theological Seminary in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. Ordained as a
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...
minister in 1961, he served as Pastor of First United Methodist Church, in
Hitchcock, Texas
Hitchcock is a city in Galveston County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,961 at the 2010 census.
History
Hitchcock was created as a station of the railroad between Galveston and Houston in 1873 and around the turn of the 20th century ...
from 1962–67. He then returned to Union Seminary as an Assistant Professor of New Testament, then Associate Professor of New Testament, from 1967–1976. After being denied tenure at Union, he began teaching at
Auburn Theological Seminary, remaining there until his death, when he was Professor Emeritus. His faculty discipline was
Biblical interpretation
Biblical hermeneutics is the study of the principles of interpretation concerning the books of the Bible. It is part of the broader field of hermeneutics, which involves the study of principles of interpretation, both theory and methodology, for ...
. In 1989–1990, he was a Peace Fellow at the
United States Institute of Peace
The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is an American federal institution tasked with promoting conflict resolution and prevention worldwide. It provides research, analysis, and training to individuals in diplomacy, mediation, and other pea ...
.
He was known for his work on
power structure
In political sociology, but also operative within the rest of the animal, animal kingdom, a power structure is a hierarchy of competence or aggression (might) predicated on power (social and political), influence between an individual and other ...
s, his commentary on current political and cultural matters, and his contributions to the discourse on
homosexuality and religion,
pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...
, the relationship between
psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between ...
and
biblical studies, and research related to the
historical Jesus
The term "historical Jesus" refers to the reconstruction of the life and teachings of Jesus by critical historical methods, in contrast to religious interpretations. It also considers the historical and cultural contexts in which Jesus lived. ...
.
Neal Stephenson likens some of Wink's ideas to "an
epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population.
It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evide ...
of power disorders", a
phenomenology
Phenomenology may refer to:
Art
* Phenomenology (architecture), based on the experience of building materials and their sensory properties
Philosophy
* Phenomenology (philosophy), a branch of philosophy which studies subjective experiences and a ...
of
oppression
Oppression is malicious or unjust treatment or exercise of power, often under the guise of governmental authority or cultural opprobrium. Oppression may be overt or covert, depending on how it is practiced. Oppression refers to discrimination ...
. Author
Philip Yancey
Philip Yancey (born November 4, 1949) is an American author who writes primarily about spiritual issues. His books have sold more than 15 million copies in English and have been translated into 40 languages, making him one of the best-selling con ...
references Wink frequently in his work.
One of Wink's major avenues for teaching has been his leadership of workshops to church and other groups, based on his method of Bible study (''The Bible in Human Transformation'', 1973), and incorporating meditation, artwork, and movement. These workshops were often presented jointly with his wife, June Keener-Wink, a dancer and potter.
One of Walter Wink's sons—Chris Wink—is known as a founding member of the
Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group is an American performance art company formed in 1987. It was purchased in July 2017 by the Canadian company Cirque du Soleil. Blue Man Group is known for its stage productions, which incorporate many kinds of music and art, bot ...
.
Power Disorders and Christian Response
Partial bibliography
*''John the Baptist in the Gospel Tradition'', Cambridge Univ. Press, 1968. (out of print)
*''The Bible in Human Transformation'', Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1973. (out of print)
*The Powers Trilogy:
**''Naming the Powers: The Language of Power in the New Testament'', Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984.
**''Unmasking the Powers: The Invisible Forces That Determine Human Existence'', Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986.
**''Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination'', Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992.
*''Violence and Nonviolence in South Africa'', Philadelphia: New Society Publishers, 1987. (out of print)
*''Transforming Bible Study'', second edition, Nashville: Abingdon, 1990. (out of print)
*''Proclamation 5: Holy Week, Year B'', Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993. (out of print)
*''Cracking the Gnostic Code: The Powers in Gnosticism'', (Society of Biblical Literature Monograph Series), Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1993.
*''When the Powers Fall: Reconciliation in the Healing of Nations'', Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1998. ; Swedish edition: ''Healing a Nation's Wounds: Reconciliation on the Road to Democracy'' (Uppsala, Sweden: Life and Peace Institute, 1997)
*''The Powers That Be: Theology for a New Millennium'', New York: Doubleday, 1999.
*''Homosexuality and Christian Faith: Questions of Conscience for the Churches'' (editor), Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1999.
*''Peace Is The Way: Writings on Nonviolence from the Fellowship of Reconciliation.'', (editor), Orbis Books, 2000.
*''John the Baptist in the Gospel Tradition'', Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2001.
*''The Human Being: Jesus and the Enigma of the Son of the Man'', Fortress Press, 2001.
*''Jesus and Nonviolence: A Third Way'', Augsburg Fortress, 2003.
*''Just Jesus: My Struggle to Become Human'', Image, 2014.
*''The System Belongs to God DVD'', UMCom Productions, http://secure.umcom.org/Store/the-system-belongs-to-god.
References
External links
Personal website*
Walter Wink, Presente!" obituary by Richard Deats,
Fellowship of Reconciliation
The Fellowship of Reconciliation (FoR or FOR) is the name used by a number of religious nonviolent organizations, particularly in English-speaking countries. They are linked by affiliation to the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR). ...
, 11 May 2012
Review of ''The Human Being,'' by D. Seiple, ''Union Seminary Quarterly Review,'' Vol 55 (3-4), 2001, pp. 178-183
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wink, Walter
American non-fiction writers
Christian writers
American Christian theologians
American biblical scholars
Peace and conflict scholars
Nonviolence advocates
American Christian pacifists
American Methodist clergy
Union Theological Seminary (New York City) alumni
Christian radicals
1935 births
2012 deaths
Auburn Theological Seminary faculty
Southern Methodist University alumni
People from Dallas
20th-century Christian biblical scholars
21st-century Christian biblical scholars
Methodist biblical scholars
Methodist pacifists
Methodist theologians
Members of the Jesus Seminar