M.A. (Bible Studies) / Recent New Testament research has proved that the Apocalypse should be treated as a full literary text. The application of narratological insights on plot development. focalisation/point of view and reader response as well as employing some insights from the socio-cultural milieu, enables the text as dramatic narrative to deliver its own message more dynamically. The reader becomes involved in this dramatic narrative in the performative use of language. With this in mind, the structure of Revelation can be compared with a music composition in three acts. The social context and rhetorical- situation are functionally reflected in the language which serves as a catharsis in assuring that God is in control of church, cosmos and history ...

Prof. H.P.P. Lotter

[pt] O objetivo central da presente investigação é o de ressignificar o lógos cristão de modo não metafísico. Para dar conta dessa proposta, assumimos a crise das metanarrativas metafísicas caracterizadas por Heidegger como narrativas onto-teo-lógicas. Com a morte de Deus tal qual anunciada por Nietzsche, os supostos ontológicos da ontoteo-logia se deterioraram. Porquanto historicamente a teologia cristã serviu-se das narrativas metafísicas para legitimar seus discursos, torna-se necessário um outro regime de verdade não onto-teo-lógico para estruturar, no tempo da morte de Deus, as narrativas cristãs. Vislumbramos na obra de Jean-Luc Marion uma possibilidade de reestruturação do lógos cristão, uma vez que ele se abre para a possibilidade de inscrever na filosofia a revelação divina para além da onto-teo-logia. Consequentemente, por meio dele, é possível não somente ressignificar de modo não metafísico o lógos cristão, como também relacionar-se criativamente com a tradição teológica cristã. Por um lado, tal possibilidade é garantida por meio do que entendemos por hermenêutica mística, a saber, a interpretação fundada na mística entendida como experiência fruitiva do mistério divino, experiência essa que desvela um novo horizonte (não metafísico) de inteligibilidade dos discursos teológicos da tradição cristã. A partir da caracterização da hermenêutica mística, ensaiamos um confronto interpretativo com as obras de Mestre Eckhart e Martinho Lutero, com o intuito de assinalar o poder interpretativo mística como hermenêutica. Desse modo, tanto Eckhart quanto Lutero desvelam-se à hermenêutica mística de modo não metafísico, o que exemplifica a possibilidade de ressignificação da tradição cristã no tempo da morte de Deus. / [en] The main objective of this research is to reframe the Christian logos of non metaphysical way. To account for this proposal, we assume the crisis of metaphysical meta-narratives characterized by Heidegger as onto-theo logical narratives. With the death of God as is announced by Nietzsche, the ontological assumptions of onto theo-logy deteriorated. Because historically Christian theology served up the metaphysical narratives to legitimize his speeches, it is necessary to another regime of truth not onto-theo-logical to structure, at the time of death of God, the Christian narrative. We see the work of Jean-Luc Marion a chance to restructure the Christian logos, since it opens the possibility to subscribe to the philosophy divine revelation beyond the onto-theo-logy. Consequently, through it, it can not only give new meaning not metaphysical way the Christian logos, as well as to relate creatively to the Christian theological tradition. On the one hand, such a possibility is guaranteed by means of what we mean by mystical hermeneutics, namely, the interpretation based on the mystical understood as fruitive experience of the divine mystery, experience this unveiling a new horizon (not metaphysical) intelligibility of theological discourses Christian tradition. From the characterization of mystical hermeneutics, we rehearse an interpretive confrontation with the works of Meister Eckhart and Martin Luther, in order to mark the interpretive mystical power as hermeneutics. Thus, both Eckhart and Luther unfold to the mystical hermeneutics of non-metaphysical way, which exemplifies the possibility of reinterpretation of the Christian tradition in the time of the death of God.

The thesis of this dissertation is that the picture of the New Jerusalem in Revelation draws upon antecedent Jerusalem/Zion theology to provide a meaningful depiction of the final state of believers in Jesus as both communion with God and life as a community. <p> This biblical theological study uses a canonical approach that includes an examination of extra-biblical Second Temple literature as an aid to accessing NT understandings of OT texts. Previous studies of Jerusalem do not cover the entire canon, focus on historical or literary issues rather than theology, or access only OT texts clearly alluded to in Rev 21-22 rather than the entire theological tradition about Jerusalem, which culminates in the "New" Jerusalem</p> <p> The Pentateuch foresees Jerusalem's role as place of contact between God and Israel. In the Historical Books, David completes the conquest of Canaan by taking Jerusalem and establishing YHWH's cult there. But because of the sin of the kings and people God abandons the city for a time. Jerusalem after the return from exile is still less than ideal. In the Psalms, Jerusalem is depicted as God's inviolable holy mountain. The prophets proclaim punishment for sinful Jerusalem but future restoration to the kind of ideal state described in the Psalms. Jerusalem/Zion can be seen as the ultimate goal of both the First and Second Exoduses. </p> <p> Non-canonical Second Temple literature emphasizes the pre-Davidic role of Zion as place of God's contact with humanity. The Babylonians could not have taken the city without God's co-operation, and even then, the Temple furnishings were secretly preserved. Zion's cosmic importance and eschatological role are often emphasized, with emergence of belief in a heavenly Jerusalem.</p> <p> eschatological role are often emphasized, with emergence of belief in a heavenly Jerusalem. In the New Testament, earthly Jerusalem rejects the Messiah, and so forfeits its role as link to glorious eschatological Jerusalem. Old Testament prophecies of renewal are instead fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus, emergence of the church, and ultimately the New Jerusalem.</p> <p> of deep intimacy with God, community among all believers, intense experience of life, and complete eternal safety from sin and evil. This was God's plan since creation. Jerusalem as the goal and focus of God's people on their journey towards him in the Old Testament foreshadows the New Jerusalem as their destination at the end of the age.</p> <p> The dissertation closes with suggestions for practical application and further study.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Images of pregnant women and women in childbirth play an important role in first-century apocalyptic literature. The embodied experience of labor pains and parturition captured the imaginations of male authors of apocalyptic eschatology as they envisioned how the eschaton might occur. These writers, while often critical of the present state of the world, were not isolated from it; rather, as active participants in the broader culture, their visions and fantasies are best understood within the literary and material context of the Roman Empire. Imperial and apocalyptic arguments alike employ discourses of gender, power, and futurity, engaging the reproductive body as a fundamental point of connection between humanity and the divine and between the present and future. At the same time, votive offerings and uterine amulets related to pregnancy and childbearing further illustrate the centrality of fecundity and childbearing to women and their families. Reproduction was a cultural imperative achieved, at least in part, by means of appeals to the divine. Medical writers also addressed successful pregnancy, in this case by associating feminine anatomical inferiority with the ability to become pregnant. Together, this evidence serves as a framework for this study of apocalyptic images of pregnancy and childbirth in the writings of Paul, the book of Revelation, and 4 Ezra. Each of these works employs images of pregnancy and childbirth to assert the power of God over humanity and creation, to emphasize the appropriate societal regulation of women’s bodies, and to describe the end of the known world. The reproductive bodies of women become the ground upon which claims of divine authority and human futurity are made and disputed.

Thesis advisor: Andrew L. Prevot / Thesis advisor: André Brouillette / The philosopher Jean-Luc Marion presents a phenomenological approach to the Trinity. He criticizes traditional trinitarian theology based on metaphysics in that it fails to resolve the intrinsic contradiction between the unicity of the one God and the plurality of the persons of the Trinity. He proposes, rather, 'trinitarian revelation'; in this, Jesus Christ, the par excellence revelation, unveils the Father, while the Holy Spirit guides the beholder to see the icon of the Son from the proper perspective. This anamorphosis model overcomes the limitations of the metaphysical theology of the Trinity; it stresses that the beholder sees the sole visibility of the Son and appreciates the communion of plurality in charity within the mutual relationships of the persons of the Trinity. One of the outstanding points of Marion's phenomenological approach to trinitarian revelation, moreover, is that the viewer is involved in triune God's unveiling. Believers can experience 'trinitarian revelation' through praying personally and participating in the sacraments of the Church. In this conversation of the perspective, they receive the gifts of sacrifice, forgiveness, and communion as the manifestation of the communion of charity among the persons of the Trinity. Paradoxically, as with the communion within the Trinity, these gifts are not directed inwardly to the individual believer, but they are gifts to be given out to others. This is how God reveals himself in Marion's trinitarian mode and how we participate in that revelation of triune God. / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2023. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

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Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2001 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims to investigate the structure of the Apocalypse from the narratological viewpoint, to further the adequate interpretation of the book. Throughout this work. three things are presupposed: (1) the Apocalypse follows an episodic, non-chronological pattern; (2) the Apocalypse is a coherent unit: (3) the Apocalypse. as a genre. should be defined by means of form. content. and function. To start with. earlier attempts to reveal the structure of the Apocalypse are briefly dealt with in chapter 2. in order to establish both their weak and strong points. With these in mind. this study attempts a three-dimensional approach consisting of syntactic structure (form). semantic structure (content). and pragmatic structure (function). In chapter 3. this approach is supported by Chatman's narrative paradigm (1980) as a model for narrative analysis. In chapter 4, to establish the syntactic structure. we started by delimiting the whole text into many small parts - "partial narrative units" - by using various narrative elements. and then assembled the small sections into "basic (or complete) narrative units (BNU or ULl )" by using several identifying criteria for them. and continued to identify the "bigger narrative units" (UL2.3.4) by using various integrating strategies until the biggest narrative. which comprises the whole text as a coherent unit ( L.5). emerged. As a result. the narrative-svntactic structure (viz. the surface-level svntactic structure) , ' and the fundamental-syntucnc structure (viz. the deep-level syntactic structure) of the book are disclosed at the end of chapter 4. In chapter 5, then. the content (the narrative theology) of the book i hown throuzh b both the narrative-semantic structure (viz. the theme-oriented concentric pattern) and {he [undamental-semantic structure (viz. the macrostructure). both of which are based on the syntactic structure (esp .. plot). Finally, in chapter 6, to show how the book functions to persuade the hearerslreaders in both the literary context and the external (socio-historical) context, the transforming power to reverse the old worldview of the hearerslreaders is sought through the narrative strategies of the book in both contexts. Briefly speaking, while chapter four is related to the syntactic structure (form) of the Apocalypse and chapter five is related to its semantic structure (content), chapter six can be said to correspond to the pragmatic aspect (function). To conclude, this study could modestly be said to articulate the following results: (1) The syntactic structure of the Apocalypse, as an integral unit. shows movement from an unstable state to a stable condition, which means that God's sovereignty will be established on earth -r'Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (2) The semantic structure shows that the Apocalypse revolves around the activity of Jesus Christ. who is the cohering theological-clement of the structure of the book. (3) The functional structure shows that the Apocalypse rhetorically requests the faithful to witness to God's word until the end of the world and the wayward to repent because the time is near. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie beoog die ondersoek van die struktuur van die Apokalips/Openbaring vanuit "n narratiewe oogpunt om voldoende interpretasie van die boek te bevorder. Dwarsdeur die werk word drie dinge voorveronderstel: (1) die Apokalips volg "n episodiese. nie-chronologiese patroon: (2) die Apokalips is "n samehangende eenheid: (3) die Apokalips. as 'n genre. behoort deur middel van vorrn. inhoud. en funksie gedefinieer te word. Aanvanklik word daar in hoofstuk 2 kortliks gekyk na vroeer pogings om die struktuur van die Apokalips te openbaar ten einde hul sterk en swak punte vas te ste!. Met dit in gedagte, beoog bierdie studie 'n drie-dimensionele benadering bestaande uit sintaktiese struktuur (vorrn). semantiese struktuur (inhoud). en pragmatiese struktuur (funksie). In hoofstuk " word die benadering ondersteun deur Chatman se paradigma (1980) as n model vir narratiewe ontleding. In hoofstuk -L om die sintaktiese struktuur vas te stel, is begin om die hele tek in baie klein deeltjies af te baken - "gedeeltelike narratiewe eenhede - deur verskeie narratiewe elemente te gebruik. Daarna is die klein deeltjies in "basiese (of komplete) narratiewe eenhede (BNU or ULl r saamgestel deur verskeie identifi erende kriteria daarvoor te gebruik. en daar is voortgegaan met die identifisering van "groter narratiewe eenhede' (UL2.3.-+) deur verskeie integrerende strategiee te gebruik totdat die groot te narratief. wat die hele teks as "n samehangende eenheid (lJL5) insluit. te voorskyn gekom het. Gevolglik word die narratief-sintaktiese struktuur (n1. die oppervlakkigc simaktiese struktuur) en die [undamenteel-sintakuese struktuur (nl. die diepperliggende sintaktiese siruktuur) van die boek aan die einde \ an hoofstuk -+ geioon. In hoofstuk 5 word die inhoud (die narratiewe teologie) van die boek deur beide die narratief-semantiese struktuur (nl. die tema-georienteerde konsentriese patroon) en die fundamenteel-semantiese struktuur (nl. die makrostruktuur) getoon, albei gebaseer op die sintaktiese struktuur (veral plot). Ten slotte, in hoofstuk 6, om aan te dui hoe die boek funksioneer om hoorders/lesers in beide die literere en eksterne (sosio-historiese) konteks te oorreed, word die transformerende mag om die ou wereldsiening van die hoorders/lesers om te keer, gesoek deur die narratiewe strategiee van die boek in beide kontekste. Kortliks gestel: waar hoofstuk 4 verband hou met die sintaktiese struktuur (vorm) van die Apokalips, handel hoofstuk 5 met sy semantiese struktuur (inhoud) en hoofstuk 6 met sy progmatiese aspek (funksie). Hierdie studie lei dan tot konklusies: (I) Die sintaktiese struktuur van die Apokalips, as 'n integrale eenheid, toon beweging van 'n onstabiele staat tot 'n stabiele staat wat beteken dat God se oppermag op aarde gevestig sal word- "U wil geskied op aarde soos in die hemel." (2) Die semantiese struktuur toon dat die Apokalips om die aktiwiteit van Jesus Christus handel - wat die samehangende teologiese element van die struktuur van die boek is. (3) Die funksionele struktuur toon dat die Apokalips die getroues retories versoek om as getuienis vir God se woord te dien tot die einde van die wereld en die afvalliges om berou te t0011aangesien die eindtyd naby is.

D.Litt. et Phil. / In the words of du Rand (1997:1), ' ... theology is the primary unifying thread in the narrative of the Apocalypse'. The reason for this is the God who occupies centre-stage in the book. God hold the entire book in His hand. Everything is linked to Him. The next step is to appreciate how God gives both a particular perspective and then a resultant thrust to the book. This perspective on life, history and salvation is called the world-view (Weltanschauung) in this thesis. It's the view from the position of transcendence. Yet unlike deists or the pagan helpless gods, the God of the Bible (which is also the God of the Apocalypse) is directly involved in the affairs of this world. This is true from creation in the past, the sustaining process, the saving reality and ultimately the terminating of history. It's at this point that this thesis chose the word 'influence' to be part of its title. It is God who initiates, sustains and terminates matters in the theological thrust. The theological thrust is not a mere evolutionary development or a dialectical process. God in His transcendence enters the process and thus becomes 'immanent'! 'The reader gets the impression that the whole drama originates with God on his throne, coming to earth through the Lamb, as God's agent, and concludes with God on his throne'. (Du Rand, 1997:4). Crucial to God's influence is the agency of the 'Lamb'. 'Christ's sacrificial death belongs to the way God rules on earth. What has been accomplished in heaven, namely God's reign, is visibly manifested on earth through the slaughtering of the Lamb' (Du Rand, 1997:11). The method is that of triumph through suffering, first - with apparent defeat. Then comes resurrection at the hands of God - an intervention of God as He accomplishes His purposes. This mode was demonstrated in the death and resurrection of Jesus. In turn - this becomes the model to the Church as it triumphs through suffering (See Rev.11:1-11).

M.A. / An explanation of what I will be doing. how I will be doing. it, and why I will be doing this research is given below. The purpose of this subsection is to enable the reader to have greater clarity regarding the overall objectives of the thesis. Chapter 1: "Ezekiel the Tragedian" The objective of chapter 1 is to examine the link between apocalypse and tragedy as genre forms. The work of Ezekiel the Tragedian belongs to the world of both tragedy and apocalypse. Ezekiel, the Hellenistic Jew, was clearly influence by a Hellenistic genre form (namely Greek tragedy) in his work the "Exodus of Moses" (an inter-testamental work based on the Exodus of Moses as mentioned in the Old Testament). Ezekiel the Jew adapts his message towards his Hellenistic audience. The question one asks is "Could John, the Jew, likewise have adapted his message towards his Hellenistic audience? Could John have used Greek drama to communicate his prophetic-apocalyptic message to his Hellenistic audience?". 1.Biermann and I.Grabe, ibid,lff. "The Exodus of Moses" has significant points of comparison with the Revelation of John. These include a vision of a figure seated on a throne in heaven (a typically apocalyptic scene), seven plagues of judgement, a battle involving huge armies, the Exodus account of the deliverance of Israel, and a chorus who sings choral songs. Ezekiel adapts and develops the Biblical narrative and expresses it in the genre of Greek drama. Chapter2: "Tragedy and the Hellenistic World" The objective of chapter 2 is to examine the evidence of tragedy in Hellenistic times. This will include examining the influence of traaedy in the seven cities of Asia Minor to whom John writes, as well as the Jews and their association with the theatre. The popularity of tragedy will be researched. The use of tragedy in the Imperial cult will be also be examined. The question that needs to be asked is "Would John be influenced by Greek drama in his communicating with the seven churches of Asia Minor? And were his audience in the seven cities familiar with Greek drama?" Chapter 3: "The Elements of _Greek Drama in the 126 -v'@ation of John" The objective of chapter 3 is to examine research regarding the Revelation of John and Greek drama. The research shall be discussed in terms of certain features common to Greek drama (for example acts and scenes, the role of the chorus. the structure, the dramatic actors etc). Furthermore, my intention is to show that a number of reputable scholars have noted significant similarities between the Revelation of John and Greek drama, with some even arguing that the Revelation of John is written in the form of a Greek drama. The viewpoint that the Revelation is written in the szenre of Greek tragedy is a respectable viewpoint and has a noteworthy following. Chapter 4: The Form of the Revelation" The form of Revelation will be compared with the form of Greek drama in chapter 4. The purpose is to see whether noteworthy similarities of form exist between the Revelation and Greek drama. Chapter 5: The Function of the Revelation" The cathartic' function of Greek tragedy and the cathartic function of the Revelation will be examined. The question asked is: "does the Revelation have a cathartic function? and if so how does this cathartic function compare with Greek tragedy? Why would the revelation have a cathartic effect?" Chapter 6: "The Throne Scene" The "throne scene" of chapter 4 following is one of the most important scenes in the Revelation of John. "Throne scenes"are popular accounts in both prophetic and apocalyptic writings 63. In this chapter we shall examine the "throne scene" from the viewpoint of Greek drama, so as to see whether it would indeed be possible to communicate a throne scene effectively in Greek drama practice. `Catharsis means "healing" in lavmens terms. This is abundantly clear in the throne scenes of Isaiah and Ezekiel in the Old Testament, as well as an abundance of throne scenes in inter-testamental apocalyptic writings.