Includes bibliographical references.

The oppressed break silence (Exodus 2:23) -- Prophets refuse to be silenced (Amos 7:13) -- Silence kills (Psalm 32:3,5) -- Jesus rudely interrupted (Mark 7:28) -- Casting out silence (Mark 9:17-18) -- The crowd as silencer (Mark 10:47-48) -- Truth speaks to power (Luke 18:2-3) -- The church as a silencing institution (1 Corinthians 14:33-35).

Silence is a complex matter. It can refer to awe before unutterable holiness, but it can also refer to the coercion where some voices are silenced in the interest of control by the dominant voices. It is the latter silence that Walter Brueggemann explores, urging us to speak up in situations of injustice. Interrupting Silence illustrates that the Bible is filled with stories where marginalized people break repressive silence and speak against it. Examining how maintaining silence allows the powerful to keep control, Brueggemann motivates readers to consider situations in their lives where they need to either interrupt silence or be part of the problem, convincing us that God is active and wanting us to act for justice.