Walter Wink

Walter Wink (May 21, 1935 – May 10, 2012) was an American Biblical scholar, theologian, 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. 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 described here: Breaking with Christian hermeneutic tradition of Christian demonology, 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". Provided by Wikipedia