Current Lessons from Revelation

In a post back in March [Reflection on Revelation], I shared the interpretation Marcus Borg offers for the Book of Revelation, one based in historical and cultural context, with a comment that Revelation provides some insight into domination systems in the world as illustrated by the Roman Empire over 60 years after the death of Jesus. A friend in my Christian Fellowship lent me a book of another interpretation published in 1983 which is also based firmly in historical and cultural context.

Pheme Perkins, The Book of Revelation, Collegeville Bible Commentary, New Testament 11. The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1983

This short treatise is only 87 pages long, but includes the text of Revelation at the top of each page while below, the author discusses that content. The  layout is easy to follow and the content fascinating. In his book Perkins offers this observation on how the Roman Empire presented itself in its conquered countries, and it struck me as being relevant to our situation today in the US. 

The self-glorifying and even self-divinizing inscriptions and proclamations of the imperial rulers presented the empire as beneficient. So does the literature written by those who benefited from the opportunities given by imperial expansion. We have seen that those local, civic authorities who sought favor with the empire joined the proclamation of benefits of the empire through the various cultic activities in honor of the emperor. Clearly, the local citizenry did not have a universally agreed upon assessment of the empire.[Italics mine]. Pg 57.

Our current administration and the administration of Rome offer a similar message: the imperial administration is here for the good of the people, in modern parlance, to make America great... again. Imperial Rome had no need to make itself great again, because it already was. [ASIDE: I personally feel that the US has always been great. Flawed of course, but grounded on a constitution, and a strong system of processes, law, and checks and balances that make it great.] In both cases, all of the people who have something to gain from the position of the administration join their voices to the chorus. And as in Rome, the US citizenry does not agree upon the truth in the message being propagated.  

This is where Bible study is helpful, if considered in the historical and cultural context in which it was written. The Book of Revelation was written for the Jesus sect of Jews who had by this time separated from the Jewish community and called themselves Christians. Their land was occupied by leaders who wanted to dominate the people and the land. Rome had been successful, so the underclass in Palestine felt the "boot" of imperial rule with great strength and little mercy. In the US -at this writing-, the "boot" has also struck with little compassion. In Rome, many were in such awe of the Empire that no one thought it could be beaten. The underclass of Palestine had little recourse except rebellion, mostly unsuccessful.  In the US, there are many who are working daily through the court system, on the ground with targeted groups, and through constant communcation through government channels to push back and use whatever system checks and balances are available.

Revelation reminds us that Domination is a quest that is still sought by people in any regime of any time, and it is our call, as descendents of the Jesus sect, to be attentive, and "wise as serpents [sometimes misquoted as foxes, but sends the same message] and innocent as doves" [having no self-serving agenda] (Matthew 10:16). If there is something or someone within our reach that is under threat from the harm domination can inflict, then we are called to speak up, to act, to step into the light. 

This is not easy by any means, and I have struggled with how to respond, how to prepare. But a focus on those issues within your reach and your passion will help you make wise choices while working without a self-serving agenda. A note: if your self-serving agenda includes the fact that you are one of the "targeted" and the agenda will in fact serve the good of targeted others, move forward.  To see some examples of how others have done this, watch the movies "Spotlight" about the uncovering of pedophilia in the Catholic Church, and "The Toxic Town" about mothers fighting back against the power structure that covered up toxic waste in their town. I know that here in North Carolina, our Governor and Attorney General are working as buffers while the Federal government reshapes. 

Are there other examples of people in your sphere who are working to protect rights, the rule of law, and compassion as a way of life? Share in the comments, please. I'd love to hear more. As Krista Tippett suggests (Taking in the Good) , we all need to "take in the good."

Blessings on your day.

Taking in the Good

 I've heard several comments about hope over the years: 

• Hope is the most dangerous thing in a human; 
• Hope can be a driving force, a source of strength, and a beacon of light in the darkest times; 
• People with higher levels of hope tend to have better mental health outcomes and a higher quality of life.

The American Heritge Dictionary defines HOPE as "The longing or desire for something accompanied by the belief in the possibility of its occurrence."

One of the books my therapist recently gave me to study was Krista Tippett's Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living. She has a whole chapter on Hope as one of five virtues-- raw materials we humans can use to become wise. Here is something I learned for Krista's book to help me escape the "breaking news" and fill it with "fixing news."

"Hope is distinct, in my mind, from optimism or idealism. It has nothing to do with wishing. It references reality at every turn and reveres truth. It lives open-eyed and wholehearted within the darkness that is woven ineluctably into the light of life and sometimes seems to overcome it. (pg.232)

Hope inspires goodness to reveal itself. Hope takes goodness seriously, treats it as a data point, takes it in. This is a virtue for living in and of itself: taking in the good… (pg.259)

Our world is abundant with quiet hidden lives of beauty and courage and goodness. There are millions of people at any given moment, young and old, giving themselves over to service, risking hope, and all the while ennobling us all. To take such goodness in and let it matter - to let it define our take on reality as much as headlines of violence - is a choice we can make to live by the light in the darkness, to be brave and free… Taking in the good whenever and wherever we find it, gives us new eyes for seeing and living.” (pg. 265)

May you take in the good today. 

Reflection on Revelation

Harry Dresden fights demons and werewolves. He's a character from a Jim Butcher series and is regularly in save-the-world mode. Nicodemus is an evil opponent bent on stoking the fires of destruction...and a deadly plague. When Harry asks why, Nicodemus says, "Have you read Revelation?" Harry answers that he doesn't think Nicodemus is wanting to touch off the Apocalypse. Nicodemus gives this answer:

...The Apocalypse, as you refer to it, isn't an event. At least, it isn't any specific event...Apocalypse is a frame of mind...A belief. A surrender to inevitability. It is despair for the future. It is the death of hope."

Harry's friend responds, "And in that kind of environment, there is more suffering. More pain. More desperation..."

So Harry and his friend are skeptical of the Nicodemus interpretation. And so is Marcus Borg.

My fellow Christians and I have been reading Marcus Borg's READING THE BIBLE AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME. His chapter on the Book of Revelation is... well, a revelation.  Borg reminded me that in my upbringing as a Catholic, the Book of Revelation was rarely preached. In the Episcopal Church, Revelation was read as part of the seasonal lectionary, but again, rarely preached. Better to ignore it than dive into the deep waters of apocalyptic interpretation. 

In his clear history of the origin and the author of the book, Borg makes a few points: 

• It was not the last book of the Bible to be written, but placed last so that the Bible, taken as a whole, gives us the story of Paradise Lost (Genesis) to Paradise Restored (Revelation).
• The Greek word apokalypsis means both apocalypse and revelation, and can refer to a genre of literature.
• Revelation would have been read aloud to the audience in a liturgical/church setting. Borg suggests reading the entire book all at once aloud, or to find a recording that will give you the audio experience.

Borg describes two ways to interpret Revelation as scripture. 

1. The "Futuristic Interpretation." Reading the book as if it contains coded messages that guide us to the end of the world sometime in the future. The interpretation has several premises:
• What is described has not yet happened.
• As the inspired Word of God, the Bible cannot be wrong.
• Therefore, what Revelation describes is in the future.
• So if this about the future, why worry about the condition of the world now; it's all going to be destroyed anyway.
2. The "Past-Historical Interpretation." This approach takes seriously that the visions in Revelation were meant for a specific time period and to a specific audience who are living in a Domination system in a specific place. There is still a message for us, not about the "end times." Some notes:
• A Domination system is a "web of political oppression, economic exploitation, and religious legitimation."
• Look at the systems under which we live, watch for signs of an arising or present Domination system (a "Beast" as named in Revelation), and understand that God is Lord, not any leader of an earthly government. 
• If a Domination system is arising and/or present, keep the faith as taught by Jesus, and don't give up hope; the future will be better.
• John's message is much like that of the entire Bible:
• "radical affirmation of the sovereignty and justice of God"; and
• "radical criticism of an oppressive domination system pretending to be the will of God."

Hm-m-m. Sounding vaguely familiar. Strange times we live in.

I encourage you to get a copy of Borg's book, not just for Revelation, but also for all his other well-written and inciteful introductions. They've really been a revelation for me, and I hope his work supports you in your spiritual journey. 

Read the Bible again-- For the First Time. 

Any comments about your study of the Book of Revelation? What have you learned?

Blessings on your study!

Five Steps to Your Story of Now

On the first Sunday in January, our minister at the Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (ERUUF) gave a sermon related to the month's theme: The Practice of Story. He made the case that before one makes a resolution in the New Year, it is prudent to take a measure of where you are now. He presented this self-reflection in a very simple way: the way of five. I have used this for my own reflection as I contemplated what direction I should take this year, and I offer it to you.

Rev. Daniel explains how story helps us make sense of life, to understand it. Our own story may help us learn what we're "awake" to (or not) and what we want.   Early in the year is a good time to tell our own  "Story of Now" - how we got to this moment, what gifts we've gathered, what did we learn, and now, what is wanting to be created.

Template for Reflection

FIVE: Reflect on five key moments in your life - crossroads, enlightenment, new directions, reflection on the path not taken.

FOUR: Four Beliefs under which you operate. These are ways in which you view the world. How do you approach life? Core values. In what do you put your faith?

THREE: Three people who have most impacted your life. Why and how did they make a difference?

TWO: Two intentions for the new year. What is a gift you have that you would like to share more fully? What quality of love would you like to add to the world? Hint: Love can be manifested in many ways... listening, giving, volunteering, donating, hugging, stop doing. How can you make your part of this world a better place?

ONE: One action step you will take this week to put your intentions into practice. Every week, rinse and repeat.

I encourage you to listen to the sermon so you can pick up any nuances that speak to you. Below is the link to the full sermon on YouTube. I've bookmarked the recording so it starts at the beginning of Rev. Daniel's sermon, instead of the beginning of the service, but if you want to watch the entire service, please do.

CLICK NOW!

  STORY OF NOW SERMON.

In the comments, let us know if you thought this exercise

 was valuable for you and why.

Blessings on your day!

Thomas Jefferson on the Jefferson Bible

It has been almost 2 years since I last posted, and I have in my planning schedule a stockpile of ideas to carry me through this year. For 2025, I am re-committing to this blog for my own spiritual health. Hope you will join me. 

Back in March 2024 my Christian Fellowship was deep into Karen Armstrong's book The Case for God, specifically Chapter 9: The Enlightenment.  Which doesn't seem to be very "enlightened" for the plethora of descriptions of God and Christianity that arose during that time. Clearly a discussion for another blog.

The Jefferson Bible

What did arise in conversation was the Jefferson Bible. This document was printed by the Government Printing Office and handed out to every new member of Congress between 1904/5 to 1957. Between then and now, several private citizens and organizations have occasionally revived the practice. In 2013, for example, the American Humanist Association distributed a free copy to every member of Congress and Barack Obama. (Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Bible#Publication_history )

This past week, I've been reading a book I picked up in Williamsburg, VA : BECOMING JEFFERSON: My Life as a Founding Father by Bill Barker. 

Background: Mr. Barker is an actor and loves history. He began his career as an historical interpreter in 1980 when a friend noted that he looked like Thomas Jefferson and asked if he would portray Jefferson at Independence Hall for photo ops and celebrations. And he did... for over a decade at events across the country. He came to Colonial Williamsburg in 1993, and what had been a summer gig became a full-time vocation, due in large extent to Mr. Barker's urging and dedication. To do his job, he has read everything he can of Jefferson's writings, both public and personal, as well as the many histories written about Jefferson. He has portrayed Jefferson in Colonial Williamsburg for over 25 years and is now retired. My husband and I have had the very good fortune to see him many times over the years when we vacationed in Williamsburg. 

Given his extensive and intimate familiarity with Jefferson, I think he can give us a good perspective on the "Jefferson Bible" and how Jefferson might have reacted to it. 

Mr. Barker writes:

Another victim of "twistifications" (a word coined by Jefferson) of historical fact is what has become known as the "Jefferson Bible." Mr. Jefferson did not write his own version of the Bible... The project is the result of Jefferson's study of translations of the four Gospels in Greek, Latin, French, and English to compile the life and words of Jesus by way of the eyewitness accounts in the Gospels. Jefferson began his study in the first years of his presidency, and later titled it "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth." Jefferson's purpose was for his better understanding of the teachings of Jesus... It did not denigrate the moral lessons taught by Jesus. Rather it was an effort to get at what Jesus actually said. [Becoming Jefferson, pg. 159.

I do love the word "twistifications," don't you? Given this background of what lay behind Jefferson's motivation, I appreciate how Barker answers anyone who asks him (as Jefferson) "Tell me about your Bible."

"I beg your pardon. I trust I am not so presumptuous as to write a Bible. What you are perhaps referring to is my scholarly investigation of what Jesus was known to have said."  Many people will say, "What do you mean by 'what he was known to have said'? It's all in the Bible." To which I then answer, "Which one? the Catholic Bible or the Protestant Bible? The teachings of Jesus have been published in many different versions, translations, and languages. And Jesus himself did not write down his own words."  (Becoming Jefferson, pg. 160)

Jefferson wrote to Richard Rush in May 1813:  "The subject of religion, a subject on which I have ever been most scrupulously reserved. I have considered it a matter between every man and his maker, in which no other, and far less the public, had a right to intermeddle." (Becoming Jefferson, pg. 160)

Kurt Smith, a younger interpreter, has assumed the role of Jefferson with skill and dedication, and shows us Jefferson's perspectives from his earlier years in government. But I am especially grateful for Bill Barker's magnificent legacy to give us a perspective on Jefferson and on the religion of one of our Founding Fathers. 

I feel in touch with Jefferson's approach. I want to soak up everything I can about Jesus, this charismatic, itinerant preacher who taught his followers "The Way" within Judaism in a manner that generated an entirely new religion within two centuries of his death. I've been on a lifelong journey with this... and I feel I'm just getting started.