The New Testament book of Revelation remains one of the Bible’s most troubling texts. Some read it as a prediction of the Antichrist while others dismiss it as a bizarre historical relic. Many choose not to read it at all! This course will argue that Revelation does in fact have an important message for the contemporary church, but not in the way it is commonly understood. Rather, Revelation presents its readers with a call to resist Empire in all its forms, both ancient and modern, having faith in Christ alone. Beginning with its ancient Roman context, we will explore what that resistance meant in its own time, and what it might mean for us today.
Join us for the following four sessions:
Session 1: “Revelation Then and Now: The Seven Churches of Asia and Fort Hill Presbyterian Church”
Sunday, October 26 – 9:15-10:15 am
Hosted by the Sojourners Sunday School class in the Club Room, Administration Building
Session 2: “The Heroine and the Whore: Reading Gender in John’s Apocalypse”
Sunday, October 26 – 7:00-8:00 pm
Hosted by the Presbyterian Student Association at the Presbyterian Student Center, College Avenue
Session 3: “Apocalypse against Empire: Revelation in its Roman Context”
Monday, October 27, 7:00-8:00 pm
Hosted by the Monday Evening Study Group in Room 210, Education Building (across from Library)
Session 4: “Reading Revelation for Today: Possibilities and Perils”
Tuesday, October 28, 7:00-8:00 pm
Hosted by the Christian Education Ministry in the Club Room, Administration Building
The Seminary at The Fort is pleased to welcome Dr. Robert Williamson, Jr., as our Visiting Scholar for the Fall of 2014. Dr. Williamson is the Margaret Berry Hutton Odyssey Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Hendrix College in Conway, AR. He holds a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible from Emory University, as well as a diploma in Jewish Studies from the University of Oxford. A graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary and Clemson University, Dr. Williamson was nurtured in the faith at Fort Hill Presbyterian. He is currently co-editing Imagination, Ideology, and Inspiration: Biblical Studies after Walter Brueggemann, anticipated publication in 2014.