Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza on "The Apocalypse of John"

Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, the Krister Stendahl Professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School, gives a lecture titled, "The Apocalypse of John: Its World of Vision and Our Own?" at the College of the Holy Cross on April 10, 2014.

Schüssler Fiorenza has been a pioneer with her work in biblical interpretation and feminist theology. She was elected the first woman president of the Society of Biblical Literature and has served on the boards of a number of major biblical journals and societies. Her books include “In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins” (Crossroad, 1983), which has been translated into 13 languages, and “The Book of Revelation: Justice and Judgment” (Fortress, 1985). Recently, she published two volumes of essays, “Transforming Vision: Explorations in Feminist Theology” (Fortress, 2011) and “Changing Horizons: Explorations in Feminist Interpretation” (Fortress, 2013).

In this lecture, Schüssler Fiorenza examines the Book of Revelation, also called the Apocalypse of John, considering both gender readings and imperialistic interpretations. The last book in the New Testament, Revelation is considered one of the most interesting fields in New Testament Studies but also one of the most complex and difficult for modern readers to understand. She said, "The Apocalypse is best read as a symphony of imagees and is best heard and not just read."

The lecture is co-sponsored by the McFarland Center and the Class of 1956 Chair in New Testament Studies.