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ADULT
EDUCATION
Revelation is a book politely
ignored by many mainstream Christians, who consider it the eccentric cousin in
the canon, best kept at a discrete distance. It has but a small presence in the
lectionary, although its imagery has found a way into many beloved hymns. Its
visions have spawned numerous interpretations through the ages. Some see it as
a book of encoded prophecy that can be unlocked to reveal future happenings;
others as poetic descriptions of timeless truths; and still others as oblique
descriptions of past events. The book is an example of an established literary
form foreign to most modern readers known as apocalyptic literature, in which a
seer ascends in a heavenly journey, receiving visions interpreted by angelic
guides.
We are studying Revelation using
the video series by Professor Craig Koester of Luther Seminary,
Is This the Time. Interpreting the Mystery
of Revelation, Luther Productions, St. Paul, Minnesota, 2003; supplemented
by Dr. Koester's book,
Revelation and the
End of All Things, W.B. Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids / Cambridge,
2001, ISBN 0-8028-4660-2.
The planned sessions this month
are:
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Jan 25: Session 2. Christ
and the Churches (Revelation 1-3)
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Feb 1: Session 3. The
Scroll Unsealed (Revelation 4-7)
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Feb 8: Session 4.
Trumpets of Terror and Hope (Revelation 8-11)
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Feb 15: Session 5. The
Beast and the Lamb (Revelation 12-15)
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Feb 22: Session 6. The
Harlot and the Bride (Revelation 15-19)
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Feb 29: Session 7. The
End (Revelation 19-22)
Our
meetings are held in the Parlor from 10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. Everyone is
welcome!
The
St. John in the Wilderness Adult Education and Formation web site
www.StJohnAdultEd.Org
has information on past, present and upcoming series and the latest schedule.
If you ever want to review the overhead transparencies or PowerPoint slides of
a presentation, you can simply download them from the web site.
Anyone
with any comments, questions or suggestions, or who is interested in joining
the Adult Education and Formation Committee, please feel free to talk with me
or drop me a note,
David Monyak.
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