Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship and Witness: Following the Lamb Into the New Creation

Reading Revelation Responsibly is for those who are confused by afraid of and/or preoccupied with the book of Revelation. In rescuing the Apocalypse from those who either completely misinterpret it or completely ignore it Michael Gorman has given us both a guide to reading Revelation in a responsible way and a theological engagement with the text itself. He takes interpreting the book as a serious and sacred responsibility believing how one reads teaches and preaches Revelation can have a powerful impact on ones own--and other peoples--well-being. Gorman pays careful attention to the books original historical and literary contexts its connections to the rest of Scripture its relationship to Christian doctrine and practice and its potential to help or harm people in their life of faith. Rather than a script for the end times Gorman demonstrates how Revelation is a script for Christian worship witness and mission that runs counter to culturally embedded civil religion. With an exceptional blend of scholarly insight and confessional grounding this book restores Revelation to relevance for the mission of the church. Gorman joins John of Patmos to inspire us with a risky and lofty vision of following the Lamb in radical and nonviolent witness in the world. This accessible volume is a theological wellspring for preachers teachers and any disciples seeking a reliable alternative to the scare-mongering eschatology that clogs airwaves and bookstores. --J. Nelson Kraybill author of Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship Politics and Devotion in the Book of Revelation Sometimes I think there are only two kinds of Christians in America: those whove never read Revelation and those who read almost nothing else. This book can help either kind. With careful use of scholarship and an evident love for the Lamb who was slain Michael Gorman demystifies a book thats meant to clarify whats at stake when we say Jesus is Lord. --Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove author of The Wisdom of Stability: Rooting Faith in a Mobile Culture Michael J. Gorman is Professor of Sacred Scripture and Dean of the Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Marys Seminary & University in Baltimore Maryland. His recent books include Reading Paul (Cascade 2008) and Inhabiting the Cruciform God (2009).