Christians and non-Christians alike have been debating the message of the book of Revelation ever since it was first written. What are we to make of it? These 24 thought-provoking and enlightening lectures are your authoritative guide to this extraordinary work. In them, you'll explore the historical and intellectual background of the Apocalypse; enjoy a close reading of John's text, focusing on the meaning of its images; and consider the wide-ranging impact of the book on Christian and Western history. Throughout these lectures, Professor Koester focuses on what John actually wrote in the Apocalypse, what his situation tells us about his meaning, how that meaning can be applied to our own lives, and how contemporary biblical scholars relate Revelation to the modern world. He also introduces major figures in history who have been powerfully drawn to the Apocalypse, among them St. Augustine, Martin Luther, and Sojourner Truth. And as you read between the lines of this important piece of biblical literature, you'll find that the Apocalypse you've heard about pales beside the real one. “People tell me time and time again,” says Professor Koester, “that when they actually read the book, study the book, reflect on the book, it really doesn't look much like all of the impressions that are generated by the popular media, the Internet, the contemporary discussions. You find something much more life-giving.”
