Visions of the Apocalypse: Receptions of John's Revelation in Western Imagination - Paperback

by Bruce D. Chilton (Author)

John's Revelation has led to countless diverse and divergent interpretations. Readers' cryptic notions of violent end-time scenarios, strict prophetic truths, and encouragement for the faithful have undeniably colored the book's reception through the centuries. In Visions of the Apocalypse, Bruce Chilton maps the ways in which the text has been read through the centuries and introduces these main interpretations of Revelation, such as Papias' millenarian kingdom, Augustine's vertical ascent to heaven, Origen's transcendent message, and Dionysius' belief in Revelation's hidden message. Visions of the Apocalypse provides the ways in which Revelation has been read and suggests to today's readers the strategies for understanding John's Revelation in a contemporary context.

Author Biography

Bruce Chilton is Bernard Iddings Bell Professor of Religion at Bard College in Annandale, New York. He is the author or editor of several volumes, including The Targums: A Critical Introduction and In Quest of the Historical Pharisees.