23. Apocalyptic and Resistance

Introduction to New Testament (RLST 152)

The Apocalypse, or the Revelation of John, shares many of the traits found in apocalyptic literature: it operates in dualisms--earthly events contrasted with heavenly ones, present time with the imminent future, and it calls for cultural and political resistance. Its structure is like a spiral, presenting cycle after cycle of building tension and reprieve, so that the reader who experiences the text also experiences crisis and then catharsis. Politically, Revelation equates Rome with Babylon and the empire as the domain of Satan.

00:00 - Chapter 1. The Revelation of John and the Genre of Apocalyptic
12:49 - Chapter 2. The Structure of Revelation
28:00 - Chapter 3. Crisis, Catharsis, and Politics in Revelation
42:02 - Chapter 4. The Social Context of Revelation

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses

This course was recorded in Spring 2009.