Moyise, Steve (ed.) Studies in the Book of Revelation. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 2001. xvii + 206 pp. ISBN: 0567088146 (hb.), 0567088049 (pbk.).

Essays included:

• The Words of Prophecy: Reading the Apocalypse Theologically, by Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza (pp. 1-20)
• Seventh-Day Adventism: Self-Appointed Laodicea, by Robert Surridge (pp. 21-42)
• The Enthroned Christ of Revelation 5:6 and the Development of Christian Theology, by Jonathan Knight (pp. 43-50)
• The Many Faces of Babylon the Great: Wirkungsgeschichte and the Interpretation of Revelation 17, by Ian Boxall (pp. 51-68)
• Praise and Politics in Revelation 19:1-10, by Jean-Pierre Ruiz (pp. 69-84)
• The Millennium and the Second Coming, by R. Jack McKelvey (pp. 85-100)
• Waiting for the End that Never Comes: The Narrative Logic of John’s Story, by David L. Barr (pp. 101-112)
• Criteria and the Assessment of Allusions to the Old Testament in the Book of Revelation, by Jon Paulien (pp. 113-130; also available here)
• The Book of Revelation: Image, Symbol and Metaphor, by Ian Paul (pp. 131-148)
• Out of the Wilderness: Feminist Perspectives on the Book of Revelation, by Alison Jack (pp. 149-162)
• The Apocalypse and Its Ambiguous Ethos, by Greg Carey (pp. 163-180)
• Does the Lion Lie down with the Lamb, by Steve Moyise (pp. 181-194; also available here)

Christopher Rowland has written the Foreword (pp. ix-ixvii). The back matters consists of Indices of Bible and Ancient Sources, Modern Authors, and Subjects.

“This is a specially commissioned set of state-of-the-art studies on the most important aspects of Revelation and its significance for the 21st century–by the world’s leading scholars. The studies can be grouped in relation to three main themes: strategies of interpretation (theological, literary, feminist, metaphorical); the nature of the violent imagery; and passages of particular interest (the letter to Laodicea, ‘praise and politics’, Old Testament allusions, the second coming of Christ).This book will provide an invaluable resource for researchers and students alike,” according to the publisher.

Reviewed by John M. Court, in Journal of Theological Studies 54, no. 2 (October 2003): 726-729.

Stenström, Hanne. The Book of Revelation. A Vision of the Ultimate Liberation or the Ultimate Backlash? A study in 20th Century interpretations of Rev 14:1-5, with special emphasis on feminist exegesis. Doctoral dissertation publicly defended at Uppsala University April 10th, 1999 for the Degree of Doctor of Theology (New Testament Exegesis)

This 355 page study takes exegetical interpretations of Rev 14:1-5 as the point of departure for a discussion of how biblical scholars have understood their tasks and responsibilities. The study describes and participates in the discussion of the ethical and political dimensions of biblical scholarship. Special attention is paid to works by Pablo Richard, Adela Yarbro Collins, Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza and Tina Pippin.

As a presupposition for the examination of interpretations, it is shown how the female/sexual imagery and purity language used in Rev 14:1-5 functions as basic structuring elements and carriers of meaning throughout Revelation and in the symbolic universe of the text. Rev 14:1-5 it is also shown to be a key text in Revelation’s androcentric construction of Christian identity. Although the female/sexual imagery has been subjected to numerous earlier studies, the function of purity language has often been neglected.

A major concern is to describe and participate in the current feminist exegetical discussion about feminist interpretation and evaluation of Revelation. In the feminist discussion of the interpretation of Revelation, basic differences within feminist biblical scholarship come to the fore, such as the question whether the feminist exegetical task may be limited to critique or if it must also be constructive, making it possible to reclaim the biblical texts for women. In her proposals for further feminist work with Revelation, the author argues that the primary feminist exegetical task in relation to Revelation must be analysis and critique. In response to claims that such a feminist exegetical work is in danger of being depoliticized, the author suggests how it can contribute to feminist work for social change.

Revelation mailing list: Dissertation Abstracts 4.001: Stenström: The Book of Revelation
Date of original posting on Revelation mailing list: July 7th, 2000; corrected July 7th, 2000

Fiorenza, Elisabeth Schüssler: Revelation. Vision of a just World. Edinburgh: T&& Clark, 1993 (= Augsburg Fortress 1991).

Fiorenza’s 150 page commentary contains an index of scriptural passages and a bibliography and three parts: Introduction, Commentary and a part about Theo-Ethical Rhetoric.

Although I personally and many others with me do not agree with Fiorenza’s liberation and feminist theology, this commentary is the result of many years scrutiny of Revelation and is in fact very familiar with Revelation scholarship, rhetoric and communication strategies, and so should be carefully read whether you agree with her on her methodology and interpretation or not.