The transformative potential of the Apocalypse of John

The transformative power of the Apocalypse of John is not situated in its prophetic predictions in the sense of information about the future but in its offer of divine wisdom by means of the symbolic scenes. The four types of symbols drawn by Gregory Baum from sociological traditions help to unders...

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Main Author: Paul B. Decock
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2011-06-01
Series:Acta Theologica
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2423
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author Paul B. Decock
author_facet Paul B. Decock
author_sort Paul B. Decock
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description The transformative power of the Apocalypse of John is not situated in its prophetic predictions in the sense of information about the future but in its offer of divine wisdom by means of the symbolic scenes. The four types of symbols drawn by Gregory Baum from sociological traditions help to understand the transformative power of the symbols through which the possibility is offered to the hearers to see themselves and the world in new ways, to be able to discern between the ways of Babylon and the ways of Jerusalem. The transformation in view is not merely an individual and temporary one, but a cosmic, social and divine-human one in which perseverance in doing the works of Jesus to the end and holding on to the witness to/of Jesus (Rev 2:26; 12:17) play a crucial role.
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spelling doaj-art-447333f7525e4fdab7fc96c4ae78b26a2025-02-11T10:03:04ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892011-06-011510.38140/at.v0i15.2423The transformative potential of the Apocalypse of JohnPaul B. Decock0University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa & St Joseph's Theological Institute The transformative power of the Apocalypse of John is not situated in its prophetic predictions in the sense of information about the future but in its offer of divine wisdom by means of the symbolic scenes. The four types of symbols drawn by Gregory Baum from sociological traditions help to understand the transformative power of the symbols through which the possibility is offered to the hearers to see themselves and the world in new ways, to be able to discern between the ways of Babylon and the ways of Jerusalem. The transformation in view is not merely an individual and temporary one, but a cosmic, social and divine-human one in which perseverance in doing the works of Jesus to the end and holding on to the witness to/of Jesus (Rev 2:26; 12:17) play a crucial role. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2423
spellingShingle Paul B. Decock
The transformative potential of the Apocalypse of John
Acta Theologica
title The transformative potential of the Apocalypse of John
title_full The transformative potential of the Apocalypse of John
title_fullStr The transformative potential of the Apocalypse of John
title_full_unstemmed The transformative potential of the Apocalypse of John
title_short The transformative potential of the Apocalypse of John
title_sort transformative potential of the apocalypse of john
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2423
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