Revelations

Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation

De: Elaine Pagels

Narrado por: Lorna Raver

Duración: 6 h y 27 m

Resumen del Editor

Elaine Pagels explores the surprising history of the most controversial book of the Bible. In the waning days of the Roman Empire, militant Jews in Jerusalem had waged an all-out war against Rome’s occupation of Judea, and their defeat resulted in the desecration of the Great Temple in Jerusalem. In the aftermath of that war, John of Patmos, a Jewish prophet and follower of Jesus, wrote the Book of Revelation, prophesying God’s judgment on the pagan empire that devastated and dominated his people. Soon after, Christians fearing arrest and execution championed John’s prophecies as offering hope for deliverance from evil. Others seized on the Book of Revelation as a weapon against heretics and infidels of all kinds.

Even after John’s prophecies seemed disproven - instead of being destroyed, Rome became a Christian empire - those who loved John’s visions refused to discard them and instead reinterpreted them - as Christians have done for 2,000 years. Brilliantly weaving scholarship with a deep understanding of the human needs to which religion speaks, Pagels has written what may be the masterwork in her unique career.

©2012 Elaine Pagels (P)2012 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Revelations is a slim book that packs in dense layers of scholarship and meaning . . . One of [Elaine Pagels's] great gifts is much in abundance: her ability to ask, and answer, the plainest questions about her material without speaking down to her audience . . . She must be a fiendishly good lecturer." (The New York Times)

"One of the significant benefits of Pagels's book is its demonstration of the unpredictability of apocalyptic politics . . . The meaning of the Apocalypse is ever malleable and ready to hand for whatever crisis one confronts. That is one lesson of Pagels's book. Another is that we all should be vigilant to keep some of us from using the vision for violence against others." (The New York Times Book Review, Editors' Choice)

"Pagels is an absorbing, intelligent, and eye-opening companion. Calming and broad-minded here, as in her earlier works, she applies a sympathetic and humane eye to texts that are neither subtle nor sympathetically humane but lit instead by fury." (Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker)

How New Testament was built

Terrific insights regarding church’s early decisions regarding doctrine, ecclesiastical hierarchy and fear. We benefit from Pagel’s research and insight regarding what I should know about early Christianity

great history and very well written

as a devote christ follower I enjoyed this book. it dives deep in biblical history specifically surrounding the final book of the new testimate. it get a little long in the tooth but I enjoy the in depth research and background surrounding the bible and the context in which it was written.

Grandma?!?

The narrator sounds like someones 75 year old grandmother who smokes 3 packs of cigarettes a day for the past 50 years, . Never could get used to her narration and the narrator seem to me to have read the book with a sort of disdain or contempt for Christianity, which I don't believe the author intended. It was in a sort of sarcastic tone. Hard to explain.

The book however, is very enlightening on the history of Christianity. I have learned a great deal about early Christians and the initial movement. Loved the descriptions of the early monastic life of many christian sects, very moving.

END TIMES

Elaine Pagels is a Professor of Religion at Princeton University. One can draw different conclusions from Pagels’ history of religion but end times holds a high place in Pagels’ research and opinion about “Revelations”.

“Revelations” is the second Elaine Pagels’ book reviewed in this blog. From her chosen profession and the previous quote, one presumes Ms. Pagels is a spiritual person but a review of her work seems to challenge bed-rock Catholic beliefs. The first review in this blog, “The Gnostic Gospels”, shows Catholic religion and its hierarchical organization as more man-made than divinely inspired. That sentiment is equally drawn from her history of “Revelations”; which is not to diminish Pagels’ spirituality but to infer that her scholarly histories of religion are interpretations of mankind’s divine belief rather than manifestations of a supreme being.

Are Pagels’ books an endorsement of humanism or religion? One draws their own conclusion; however, her scholarly pursuit of religious’ history is, at the very least, fascinating and informative.

Moldable visions to suit troubled times

What did you like best about this story?

Elaine Pages does an excellent job at explaining Revelations as it pertained to the time in which it was written, as well as how how pliant its visions have been to those looking for relevance in their own time. More than just pointing out common misconceptions of authorship, Pagels' goes into detail about the historical and political circumstances leading to the inclusion of Revelation to John in the Christian canon. As in her book, The Gnostic Gospels, we are presented with a picture as to why other texts didn't make it into the canon. Good read for those interested in early Christian history.

Pagels does the scholarly work so I didn't have to

Excellent scholarship and well presented. The narrator's deep voice was a bit irritating, but the CONTENT of the book was fascinating. Of course, if one is a bible-literalist, this will not be the book for you. I can see myself reading (listening?) to this book again, and still getting something out of it, it is so packed with information and dates, etc.

Revealing "Revelations"

Elaine Pagels' books on early Christianity introduce the lay reader to a concept familiar to almost any seminarian or graduate student of religion--that is, that the development of early Christianity into modern doctrinal mainstream Western Christianity was far from inevitable. Certainly many readers will be aware of much later fissures within the body of Christianity, including the 11th century split between the Western Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church, the 15th century rise of Protestantism, the 19th century birth of Mormonism and the 20th century advent of Pentecostalism. What may not be so well known is the wide diversity of belief and practice that existed within the growing Christian movement during its first few centuries.

Recent archeological discoveries, most notably the Nag Hammadi library and the Dead Sea Scrolls, both discovered in the mid-20th century, have just begun to reveal the diversity within Judaism and the beginnings of Christianity in the centuries immediately preceding and after the time of Christ. Pagels relies on these texts, as well as canonical Christian scripture, to explore in a highly accessible manner the historical context within which the the book of Revelations was written and the choices made at the many forks in the road along the way to the establishment of modern creedal Christianity.

Among the issues discussed in this book are: the eventual conflation (very probably erroneous) of the author of the book of Revelations with the apostle John; likely sources of the use of imagery in the book; the undercurrent in Revelations of antipathy towards the apostle Paul's inclusion of Gentiles in the Christian movement without requiring Torah obedience on their part; changing understandings of what was meant by "the beast"; the use of the book to suppress perceived heresies in order to consolidate Christianity in a Constantinian world; the controversial nature of the book from the time of its writing and the fact that it only made it into the Christian canon by the narrowest of margins. Pagels explains how John's was only one of many apocalyptic writings extant at the time, analyses the differences and similarities between his and examples of the others, and describes the process which ultimately led to John's book's inclusion in the canon

Pagels, a Christian herself, does not write with the intention of discrediting or diminishing Christianity, but rather to open up our understanding of the faith as a living and dynamic process. Those who have become disillusioned with established Christianity may find new inspiration here and those committed to modern Christian doctrine may find food for thought as well as a new appreciation for the complexities that went into the development of their religion. Whatever one's background, this book offers a fascinating insight into the growth of what was essentially a spiritual movement into the established global religion with which we are familiar today.

Revelations about Revelations

If you could sum up Revelations in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating, informative, well-told

Any additional comments?

Pagels provides the historical context to make this rather different book of the Bible comprehensible. She shows how the creation of this book and its inclusion in the Bible are part of the early development of Christianity. In the process the listener learns some very interesting history. It is surprising how much the conflicts, concerns, and events of those earlier times correspond to what is happening today. The book is very well-written, easy to listen to, with just enough information, but not so much as to overwhelm. The only downside to listening rather than reading is that the written version provides a wealth of footnotes.

Narration is Divine, the Information? Not So Much

First I'll start by saying that Lorna Raver is the best narrator - man or woman - working today. She is incredible, and perfect for this book.

I enjoyed the book itself, immensely at the start and then less so as the author strays into apocrypha that most listeners will likely consider irrelevant.

Still, I enjoyed the listen. The dug up some gem scriptures that I want to follow up on. I'll likely buy the paperback version.

Great summary of early church history.

I was really struck by the importance of Athanasius and Constantine in the developing history of early Christianity.