Unmasking Apocalyptic Texts: A Guide to Preaching and TeachingThe term apocalypse--whether apocalyptic texts, homiletics or events--conjures up an image of dread, dealing as it does with end times and God's final judgment. Departing from traditional interpretation, this work explicates biblical apocalyptic texts of the Old (Isaiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Daniel) and New (Thessalonians 1 and 2, Synoptic Gospels, Book of Revelation) Testaments as a literature of hope. To this end, the central part of the book is given over to the active and divinely implanted virtue of hope to show how it works, together with the creative imagination, as the author affirms, to evoke our action and resoluteness in critical times, and allow us to live with the expectation that all can be well. The author constructs a crisis model, applying it to understand crisis in general as well as to the teaching and preaching of apocalyptic literature, and the listening faith community. The interrelationship of apocalyptic and dramatic literature, with its strong emotional content, is stressed. Thoughtful consideration is given to apocalyptic readings of contemporary crises, such as 9/11, the Aids pandemic, and environmental, political, social, and military abuses. With glossary, appendix of apocalyptic readings, endnotes, and bibliography at book's end, Unmasking Apocalyptic Texts should benefit general readers, and particularly specialist readers, homilists, teachers and students of homiletics and scripture, from adult religious education, and upwards. Highlights: --timely, thought-provoking, practical, and uplifting --a Christian way to live in hope in critical times + |
Contents
On the Path toward the Eternal Presence | 1 |
Definition of Apocalyptic Literature | 9 |
Walking toward Hope | 13 |
Imagination and Apocalyptic Literature | 31 |
Tragic Theatre and Crisis | 42 |
Dramatic Crisis and Apocalyptic Literature | 48 |
Unmasking Apocalyptic Literature Isaiah Ezekiel | 64 |
Unmasking Apocalyptic Literature Zechariah Daniel | 81 |
Unmasking Apocalyptic Literature Synoptic Gospels | 112 |
Unmasking Apocalyptic Literature Book of Revelation | 129 |
Moving Toward Christian Action with Hope | 141 |
A Plan for My Life Preaching and Teaching | 154 |
Theology of PreachingTeaching | 166 |
Apocalyptic Texts on Sundays and Major Feasts | 175 |
Notes | 181 |
Bibliography | 193 |
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Unmasking Apocalyptic Texts: A Guide to Preaching and Teaching Dorothy Jonaitis Limited preview - 2005 |
Common terms and phrases
action actors African American apocalyptic literature apocalyptic texts apocalyptic writers assist Bible biblical text Book of Daniel Book of Revelation called chapter Christ Christians church covenant Daniel death disciples divine dramatic E. E. Cummings Easter Acts enable hearers enable the hearers eschatological evil Exodus experience Ezekiel Focus future Gentile glory God's Gospel grace heart holy hope hope-filled human imagination Isaiah Israel Jerusalem Jesus Jewish John journey Jürgen Moltmann justice lead lectionaries live Luke Mark masks Matthew Messiah Moltmann move Olsen Parousia Paul Paul's person Plan prayer preacher or teacher preacher/teacher preachers and teachers preaching and teaching preaching/teaching promise prophets question readers reign Roberto Goizueta Roman scriptures Second Testament sermon social crisis speak Spirit story suffering Sunday in Ordinary Sunday of Easter symbolic Synoptic Gospels teachers and preachers Temple Temple in Jerusalem theology Thess Thessalonians today's Unmasking Apocalyptic Literature vision word Zechariah