Imperial Cult and Commerce in John's Apocalypse

Imperial Cult and Commerce in John's Apocalypse PDF Author: J. Nelson Kraybill
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 0567339289
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 267

Book Description
Drawing evidence from ancient literature, coins, inscriptions and artwork, Kraybill points to the penetration of the Roman imperial cult (emperor worship) into commercial settings as a primary concern of the Apocalypse. By the time John was on Patmos, people in Asia Minor could not 'buy or sell' without giving idolatrous allegiance to Rome. Imperial cult and commerce blended in guild halls, the banking industry and the market place. John calls readers to 'come out from' pagan loyalties of Roman imperial society and give full allegiance to a New Jerusalem of justice and equality under the rule of Christ.

Imperial Cult and Commerce in John's Apocalypse

Imperial Cult and Commerce in John's Apocalypse PDF Author: J. Nelson Kraybill
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1850756163
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 267

Book Description
Drawing evidence from ancient literature, coins, inscriptions and artwork, Kraybill points to the penetration of the Roman imperial cult (emperor worship) into commercial settings as a primary concern of the Apocalypse. By the time John was on Patmos, people in Asia Minor could not 'buy or sell' without giving idolatrous allegiance to Rome. Imperial cult and commerce blended in guild halls, the banking industry and the market place. John calls readers to 'come out from' pagan loyalties of Roman imperial society and give full allegiance to a New Jerusalem of justice and equality under the rule of Christ.

Apocalypse and Allegiance

Apocalypse and Allegiance PDF Author: J. Nelson Kraybill
Publisher: Brazos Press
ISBN: 1441212558
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 224

Book Description
In this lively introduction, J. Nelson Kraybill shows how the book of Revelation was understood by its original readers and what it means for Christians today. Kraybill places Revelation in its first-century context, opening a window into the political, economic, and social realities of the early church. His fresh interpretation highlights Revelation's liturgical structure and directs readers' attentions to twenty-first-century issues of empire, worship, and allegiance, showing how John's apocalypse is relevant to the spiritual life of believers today. The book includes maps, timelines, photos, a glossary, discussion questions, and stories of modern Christians who live out John's vision of a New Jerusalem.

Imperial Cults and the Apocalypse of John

Imperial Cults and the Apocalypse of John PDF Author: Steven J. Friesen
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0195131533
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 300

Book Description
After more than a century of debate about the significance of imperial cults for the interpretation of Revelation, this is the first study to examine both the archaeological evidence and the Biblical text in depth. Friesen argues that a detailed analysis of imperial cults as they were practiced in the first century CE in the region where John was active allows us to understand John's criticism of his society's dominant values. He demonstrates the importance of imperial cults for society at the time when Revelation was written, and shows the ways in which John refuted imperial cosmology through his use of vision, myth, and eschatological expectation.

Silence and Praise

Silence and Praise PDF Author: Ryan Leif Hansen
Publisher: Fortress Press
ISBN: 1451484429
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 173

Book Description
Cosmology is a central focus in John’s Apocalypse, Ryan Leif Hansen argues, but not in the sense that John envisions a stable cosmos. Rather, John employs cosmological themes for persuasive purposes that include a critique of Roman imperial cultic discourse. Hansen’s argument requires a discussion of the apocalyptic genre and rhetoric, the ways in which apocalyptic literature makes meaning especially through the construction of symbolic worlds, and then a comparison of this means with cosmological themes in which eternal Rome lies at the center of the cosmos. John seeks to persuade his hearers that the world, as governed and sustained by Caesar and the Roman gods and perpetuated through the Roman cult and economy, is a false order, passing away in order that God’s new creation, narrated by truthful worship and costly witness to the Lamb, can emerge as gift. The book concludes with suggestions for fruitful conversation with recent work in apocalyptic theology.

The Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation PDF Author: Simon Patrick Woodman
Publisher: Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd
ISBN: 033404104X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 273

Book Description
This textbook identifies the sections of Revelation in a sensible and helpful way, as well as identifying the key theological themes with a view to their context and interpretation

Thinking Sex with the Great Whore

Thinking Sex with the Great Whore PDF Author: Luis Menéndez-Antuña
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351392492
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 225

Book Description
Many scholars in Biblical and Revelation studies have written at length about the imperial and patriarchal implications of the figure of the Whore of Babylon. However, much of the focus has been on the links to the Roman Empire and ancient attitudes towards gender. This book adds another layer to the conversation around this evocative figure by pursuing an ideological critique of the Great Whore that takes into account contemporary understandings of sexuality, and in so doing advances a de-moralization of apparent sexual deviancy both in the present and in the past. Offering an emancipatory reading of Revelation 17-18 using Foucauldian, postcolonial and queer historiographies, this study sets out alternative paths for identity construction in Biblical texts. By using these alternative critical lenses, the author argues that the common neglect of the ethical and political impact of Biblical texts in the present can be overcome. This, in turn, allows for fresh reflection on the study of the Bible and its implications for progressive politics. Situated at the intersection of Revelation Studies, Biblical Studies and Hermeneutics, as well as Contextual/Liberationist Theologies and Queer and Postcolonial Criticism, this is a cutting edge study that will be of keen interest to scholars of Theology and Religious Studies.

Spirituality According to John

Spirituality According to John PDF Author: Rodney Reeves
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830853499
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 193

Book Description
Through all of John's works, a consistent message is woven: being a Christian is about abiding in Christ and in his words. Combining exegesis with spiritual reflection, this accessible introduction on the Johannine literature from Rodney Reeves helps readers envision how to follow Jesus—as disciples, in community, and even at the end of the world.

The Cross in the Johannine Writings

The Cross in the Johannine Writings PDF Author: John Eifion Morgan-Wynne
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1610972511
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 319

Book Description
This book offers a rigorous analysis of the theme of "the cross" in the Johannine literature. After reviewing previous scholarship on the issue, Morgan-Wynne examines evidence that prima facie suggests that the evangelist, while maintaining the role of Jesus as revealer of the Father in his incarnate ministry, also saw something decisive for the salvation of human beings happening in the cross. Having established this, the work looks at John's understanding of sin and his concept of the purpose shared by the Father and Jesus, before reflecting on themes associated with the meaning of the cross. Of special importance is John 12, which connects the cross to the judgment of the world, the ejection of Satan, and the drawing of all to Jesus. The author examines what John considers to have been objectively achieved at the cross. A further section examines the meaning of the death of Jesus in the Epistle of 1 John, seen as the work of someone different from the evangelist but belonging to the same Johannine circle. The similarities and differences between Letter and Gospel are explored.

One Upon the Throne and the Lamb

One Upon the Throne and the Lamb PDF Author: Russell S. Morton
Publisher: Peter Lang
ISBN: 9781433100710
Category : Bibles
Languages : en
Pages : 266

Book Description
One upon the Throne and the Lamb: A Tradition Historical/Theological Analysis of Revelation 4-5 is an analysis of the tradition history underlying Revelation 4-5 and the way John employed these traditions. The hypothesis is that John incorporated themes from the Hebrew Bible and Jewish tradition, especially apocalypticism and Greco-Roman themes, to present his vision of God and Christ. In the process, John has transformed the traditions to present a unique and exalted vision of both God and Christ.