In the popular view, the book of Revelation, or the Apocalypse, is about cataclysm, death, and destruction. The original meaning of the Greek word apocalypsis is ‘unveiling’, the ‘revelation’ of divine secrets about the end of the world, which are deemed essential for the salvation from an alien and threatening world.
During the first three Sundays of the course we will read excerpts from the book of Revelation and will learn about its composition, major themes and theology. On the fourth Sunday we will read the first volume of the popular Left Behind series and discuss contemporary forms of apocalypticism in America. The class will meet on May 2, 9, 16, and 23 at 9:45 a.m.