Towering behind the work of both Woodman and McKelvey is the influence of Richard Bauckham. Written for an academic audience, his books may be less accessible to the general reader. 
Even so, his The Theology of the Book of Revelation (Cambridge University Press, 1993, 169 pages) is a brilliant introduction to the themes and issues and to the overall theology of the book of Revelation. Bauckham sees Revelation as a Christian prophecy, an apocalypse and a circular letter. It “does not predict a sequence of events, as though it were history written in advance” (150). Rather it is interested in the nature and meaning of history in the time before the end. It is a call to the church to live a counter-cultural life in imitation of Christ.
Worship, which is so prominent in the theocentric vision of Revelation, has nothing to do with pietistic retreat from the public world. It is the source of resistance to the idolatries of the public world. It points representatively to the acknowledgement of the true God by all the nations, in the universal worship for which the whole creation is destined (161).
The only problem with this book is that it is almost better than the real thing. If it is difficult to understand, it reads more easily than the book of Revelation itself! It transformed my understanding of the millennium and restored my appreciation of Revelation as not only palatable but vital for the church’s witness in the world today. This book is brimming with insight and understanding.
Filed under: books | Tagged: books, Church, Revelation |
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