From the author of Apocalypse Now & Then, a timely new reading of Revelation
MARYKNOLL, N.Y. — Over the centuries Saint John’s Apocalypse, or the Book of Revelation, has maintained its climactic position in the Christian canon. The final book of the Christian Bible, it has fascinated readers, artists, and scholars with its terrifying imagery and portents of earth’s final days.
Today, threatened with our own distinctively “apocalyptic” moment, Catherine Keller, George T. Cobb Professor of Constructive Theology at Drew University, Madison, NJ, offers a reading of John’s text through the lens of impending climate havoc, with all its systemic social intersections.
While the synchronicity of the ancient imagery with the ecological breakdown of our own time might give one pause, as Keller notes, the meaning of “apocalypse” is not “the end,” but “unveiling.” Facing Apocalpyse unveils a “dreamreading” of our current global crisis—particularly the threat of climate change and ecological devastation.
In an enthusiastic recommendation noted biblical scholar Jürgen Moltmann says “Catherine Keller succeeds in confronting the terminal forces of destruction of our present time with the message of the mysterious and terrifying Book of Revelation. A brilliant work taking the apocalypse in the double sense of the word as revelation and end-time seriously, full of surprising discoveries.”
Facing Apocalypse shows how John’s text is not a foretelling of future events, but a parable of our present reality, which exposes the deep spiritual roots of these threats. What does this new reading reveal—and how will we respond?
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Facing Apocalypse: Climate, Democracy, and Other Last Chances
Catherine Keller
Orbis Books: April 21, 2021 $26.00
ISBN 978-1-62698-413-4 softcover
Founded in 1970, Orbis Books publishes works that enlighten the mind, nourish the spirit, and challenge the conscience. Orbis seeks to explore the global dimensions of Christian faith and mission, to invite dialogue with diverse cultures and religious traditions, and to serve the cause of reconciliation and peace. Learn more at OrbisBooks.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter @OrbisBooks.
Contact:
Bernadette Price
Orbis Books
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