Wait, Witness, Worship: (Limited) Human Agency as Resistance in the Book of Revelation
Recent approaches to apocalyptic literature suggest that the purpose of such literature is to exhort its audience toward subversive resistance-a now common interpretation of the Book of Revelation. However, as the cosmic events depicted in the text are usually either divinely or demonically initiate...
Auteur principal: | |
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Type de support: | Imprimé Article |
Langue: | Anglais |
Vérifier la disponibilité: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Publié: |
[publisher not identified]
2022
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Dans: |
Australian biblical review
Année: 2022, Volume: 70, Pages: 101-115 |
Sujets / Chaînes de mots-clés standardisés: | B
Bibel. Offenbarung des Johannes
/ Apocalyptique
/ Résistance
/ Subordination
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RelBib Classification: | HC Nouveau Testament NCD Éthique et politique ZC Politique en général |
Résumé: | Recent approaches to apocalyptic literature suggest that the purpose of such literature is to exhort its audience toward subversive resistance-a now common interpretation of the Book of Revelation. However, as the cosmic events depicted in the text are usually either divinely or demonically initiated, human agency seems to be limited. A closer examination of human activity in the text demonstrates a clear binary distinction made between humans who side with God (the "faithful"), and humans who side with evil (the "worldly"); whilst the worldly are shown to have a degree of agency and power, their actions inevitably lead to further cosmic imbalance. This is a deliberate authorial move to prevent overt acts ofresistance from the faithful-whilst the worldly's actions push the world further into disaster against the backdrop of cosmic struggle, the faithful are provided a limited set of actions that assist in the culmination of God's plan: they are told to wait, witness and worship. These three actions function as a strategy of resistance, allowing the faithful agency in combating evil within their own contexts, whilst limiting overt resistance to avoid further scrutiny from the powers that be. |
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ISSN: | 0045-0308 |
Contient: | Enthalten in: Australian biblical review
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