Revelations Audiobook By Elaine Pagels cover art

Revelations

Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation

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Revelations

By: Elaine Pagels
Narrated by: Lorna Raver
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Elaine Pagels explores the surprising history of the most controversial book of the Bible. In the waning days of the Roman Empire, militant Jews in Jerusalem had waged an all-out war against Rome’s occupation of Judea, and their defeat resulted in the desecration of the Great Temple in Jerusalem. In the aftermath of that war, John of Patmos, a Jewish prophet and follower of Jesus, wrote the Book of Revelation, prophesying God’s judgment on the pagan empire that devastated and dominated his people. Soon after, Christians fearing arrest and execution championed John’s prophecies as offering hope for deliverance from evil. Others seized on the Book of Revelation as a weapon against heretics and infidels of all kinds.

Even after John’s prophecies seemed disproven - instead of being destroyed, Rome became a Christian empire - those who loved John’s visions refused to discard them and instead reinterpreted them - as Christians have done for 2,000 years. Brilliantly weaving scholarship with a deep understanding of the human needs to which religion speaks, Pagels has written what may be the masterwork in her unique career.

©2012 Elaine Pagels (P)2012 Random House Audio Ancient Bible Study Bibles & Bible Study Christian Eschatology Christianity Commentaries Ministry & Evangelism New Testament Theology Middle East Thought-Provoking Inspiring

Critic reviews

"Revelations is a slim book that packs in dense layers of scholarship and meaning . . . One of [Elaine Pagels's] great gifts is much in abundance: her ability to ask, and answer, the plainest questions about her material without speaking down to her audience . . . She must be a fiendishly good lecturer." (The New York Times)

"One of the significant benefits of Pagels's book is its demonstration of the unpredictability of apocalyptic politics . . . The meaning of the Apocalypse is ever malleable and ready to hand for whatever crisis one confronts. That is one lesson of Pagels's book. Another is that we all should be vigilant to keep some of us from using the vision for violence against others." (The New York Times Book Review, Editors' Choice)

"Pagels is an absorbing, intelligent, and eye-opening companion. Calming and broad-minded here, as in her earlier works, she applies a sympathetic and humane eye to texts that are neither subtle nor sympathetically humane but lit instead by fury." (Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker)

Historical Context • Scholarly Research • Clear Pronunciation • Accessible Information • Fascinating Insights
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as a devote christ follower I enjoyed this book. it dives deep in biblical history specifically surrounding the final book of the new testimate. it get a little long in the tooth but I enjoy the in depth research and background surrounding the bible and the context in which it was written.

great history and very well written

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Terrific insights regarding church’s early decisions regarding doctrine, ecclesiastical hierarchy and fear. We benefit from Pagel’s research and insight regarding what I should know about early Christianity

How New Testament was built

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Loved the content. A very well researched and presented book on a very complex Apocalyptic work. 2 Thumbs up.

Great book

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Any additional comments?

I loved Elaine Pagel's great work... the "Gnostic Gospels."
Unfortunately, this is pretty much the same book.
The book contains some very interesting information about the origin of the Book of Revelations. But the remaining 80 percent of the chapters seemed unnecessary.

Another version of an earlier book...

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a little tough to get through. feels a little dragged out at times. Had to re listen to certain parts.

not sure if this really captures Revelation.

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The book is well researched and posits interesting ideas about the inclusion of the Book of Revelation in the canon.

Well researched!

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I have been reading Elaine Pagel’s books for the past 5 years and I am astounded by her knowledge of early Church history and how the early church formed. She is a Harvard Divinity School PhD and one of the team of religious scholars who helped to decipher the Nag Hamadi scriptures which were hidden in a cave for 1500 years. They had been ordered to be burned by the Roman Empire. There were many other apocryphal texts that were hidden. This one was included and subsequently used as doctrinal tool to suppress any questioning thought and create a tool to divide, control and enslave other men. I only hope that this truth is spread as fast as possible so that this Revelation is not used as an excuse for ongoing genocide in Palestine.

Elaine Pagels knowledge of the early Christian Church and the formation of the New Testament is Astounding

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Is there anything you would change about this book?

Revelation is not an easy book to write about, but it is not boring. I was bored.

Too Much

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This volume provides necessary historical backgound, or else leads one to imortant sources. "Revelations" represents the kind of material I longed for when preparing my dissertation a few years ago. Pagels helped to guide my inquiry.

Research, research, research!

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What made the experience of listening to Revelations the most enjoyable?

My interest in the Bible, its writers and interpreters and the author's coverage of the enigmatic Book of Revelation. Also the brief coverage of each of the ancient writings discovered at Nag Hammadi and why the early Church fathers decided to reject them.

What other book might you compare Revelations to and why?

Elaine Pagels' other books, e.g. The Gnostic Gospels and Beyond Belief. However, I think Revelations focuses more on John's writing of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, accompanied by the writer's interpretations - a little like a Bible study or a Church sermon. In Revelations, Pagels also spends a good deal of time on early Christian personalities and powerbrokers.

Did Lorna Raver do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

The voice was a little hard to take at first, but I got used to it as the book progressed. Lorna Raver speaks very distinctly and with appropriate intonation and animation. Bit croaky for my liking.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reactions!

Any additional comments?

The book provides a good, brief coverage of developments in the early Christian Church, and the powerful characters who influenced the composition (canon) of the Bible we read today.

Overview of early Christian writings and figures

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