Revelation Brief Essay

Requirements:

1. Your exercise/essay should be word-processed, double-spaced, one-inch to one and one-half inch margins.

2. It should be spell-checked.

3. Your name and the page number should be on each page.

4.  The exercise/essay should be approximately 2 to 3 pages long.

6. Be sure to cite all sources used. You must include a Works Consulted section at the end of the essay or on a separate page which contains all works cited and/or consulted. You do not have to use any sources except those we have read for class. I will assume that you have read and understood Harvey, Writing with Sources on how to cite sources.  You may also consult Citation for Biblical Studies for information related to citing biblical studies sources. CAREFUL AND CORRECT CITATION IS REQUIRED. WHEN IN DOUBT, CITE. Remember that simply paraphrasing or changing every third word is not OK. Quote and cite or radically summarize and cite. Use quotation marks when quoting or indent if quote is five lines or longer. Guessing at where your information comes from is not OK. Use page numbers in your in-text citations, footnotes or endnotes.

CHOOSE ONE of the following:

1. Describe the characteristics of the three basic strategies for interpreting Revelation that Barr discusses on pp. 430-34 . Complete your survey with a description of Barr’s approach described on pp.433-434 . What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the various approaches now that you have read the entire book?

2. Choose one of the dramatic scenes from Revelation 12-22. Unpack the symbolism and imagery involved relying on Barr and the annotations in the New Oxford Annotated Bible. What would the overall message of the scene have been for a first or early second century Christian audience?

3. Trace the use of symbols related to Rome throughout Revelation. Describe the perspective of Revelation on dominant social and political structures.

4. Trace the use of female figures throughout Revelation. How are various females portrayed? In the closing chapters, explore how male and female gender plays a role.

5. Barr argues that Revelation transforms images of violence into images of faithful suffering (pp. 465-66). Describe at least two passages that illustrate his thesis. Are there any passages in which violence is elevated or promoted? What are the pluses and minuses of Revelation’s use of images of violence and suffering in your view?

6. Pick a work of art, music, philosophy, or literature that Revelation has strongly influenced. Describe that influence. Be specific about the connections drawn between the biblical text and the work. Why were the themes, images, etc. taken up? Are there any parallels between the original cultural context of Revelation and that of the work in question?

7.  ***Wild Card.  Pick a topic and have it approved by the instructor.