by Mark Allen Dejong<\/p>\n
\u201cThe day will come when people will once more be called to speak the word of God in such a way that the world is changed and renewed. It will be in a new language, perhaps quite nonreligious language, but liberating and redeeming like Jesus\u2019 language, so that people will be alarmed and yet overcome by its power.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014Dietrich Bonhoeffer<\/p>\n
Introduction<\/p>\n
These prophetic words of Bonhoeffer, penned from a prison cell in Nazi Germany, come from the depths of his anguish and despair over the German church\u2019s utter loss of credibility during his time. Though on the surface they continued their liturgy and baptisms, they had sold their soul to Hitler and the Nazis and failed to live as authentic disciples of Christ. When God is honored in name during worship services, but injustice, hatred, violence, racism, and oppression go unquestioned and unchecked by those claiming to be God\u2019s people, the prophets boldly announce God\u2019s hatred of our worship and reiterate God\u2019s call: \u201cTake away from me the noise of your songs\u2026but let justice roll like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream\u201d (Amos 5:23-24). Amos shows us that when our words about God (theo-logia) become worn-out expressions, emptied of practical meaning and ethical consequences, not only is this displeasing, but God actually hates this (v. 21). Thus, when this happens, God raises up prophets to speak the Word anew, powerfully and profoundly addressing the pressing concerns of the current time. This is why prophecy is so intimately connected to poetry\u2014it becomes a vehicle for transcending language through language itself, of getting beyond the restrictive rigidity of common and conventional expression and point to a greater truth and to pronounce God\u2019s word anew.<\/p>\n