APOCALYPSE OF JOHN: Class Schedule, Fall 2009
(Assignments are to be completed before the class meeting indicated)
Sep 9 Intro to the course
Revelation in History and Culture
Assignment:
Think about where, how, and when you've encountered Revelation and its use. How
does that
affect the way you hear this book? How does it affect your hopes for this class?
Read Revelation aloud or listen to a recording; do this all at one sitting (or
at least all in one day).
What was that experience like? What are the most lasting impressions of Revelation that you
have
from encountering it this way?
Sept 16 What's an apocalypse?
Genre
The beginning & shape of the "Apocalypse of Jesus Christ"
Assignment:
Reddish, Revelation 1-38
Read Rev 1:1-8 again in NRSV and the NET Bible (and its "translation notes")
available in BibleWorks or online:
Translate Rev. 1:4
Reddish, Apocalyptic Literature:
19-38
143-162 (1 Enoch 1-36)
97-100, 108-116, 137-142 (2 Baruch 1-4, 21-43, 78-87)
255-259 (Shepherd of Hermas, Vision 4)
From Every People and Nation, 1-27
Sept 23 First Century culture
and the setting for the Apocalypse
Rev 1:9-20
Assignment:
Read Revelation 1:9-20 (NRSV & NET)
Translate Rev 1:9
Daniel 7:9-14; 10:1-21
Reddish, Apocalyptic Literature , 163-166, 186-187 (1 Enoch 71)
Pliny, Letters 10.96 & 97 (Photocopy distributed)
Craig Koester, "Revelation's Visionary Challenge to Ordinary Empire."
Interpretation 63.1 (2009): 5-19 (Library ATLA)
Reddish, Revelation 38-47
From Every People and Nation, 28-46, 47-61
Sept 30 The messages to the churches
Assignment:
Read Revelation 2-3 (NRSV & NET)
Translate Rev 2:7, 13
Read 4 Maccabees 6:1-30
Read 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 10:14-11:1
Warren Carter, "Accommodating 'Jezebel' and Withdrawing John: Negotiating Empire
in Revelation Then and Now."
Interpretation 63.1 (2009): 32-47 (Library ATLA)
Reddish, Revelation 49-87
From Every People and Nation, 62-81
Oct 7 The Throne Vision
Assignment:
Read Revelation 4-5 (NRSV & NET)
Translate 5:6
Read Ezekiel 1:1-3:11, 1 Kings 22:19-23, Isaiah 6:1-10
Reddish, Apocalyptic Literature 41-53 (1 Enoch 85-90); 152-154 (1 Enoch
14)
Reddish, Revelation 89-119
From Every People and Nation, 110-126
Oct 14 The Seals
Assignment:
Read Revelation 6-7 (NRSV & NET)
Translate 6:9
Read Zechariah 1:7-17, 6:1-8; Ezekiel 9
Reddish, Apocalyptic Literature 72-82 (4 Ezra 7-8), 171 (1 Enoch 47)
Reddish, Revelation 121-158
Preaching through the Apocalypse, pp. 30-32 (Library reserve)
From Every People and Nation, 165-182
Oct 21 Fall Break
Oct 28 The Trumpets
Assignment:
Read Revelation 8-11 (NRSV & NET)
Translate 8:13
Reddish, Apocalyptic Literature 156 (1 Enoch 20), 237-240 (5Q15)
Daniel 7-11
Tobit 12
Ezekiel 10
Exodus 7-10
Joel 1-2
Ezekiel 3:1-11; skim through chapters 40-42
Zechariah 2:1-5, chapter 4
David L. Barr, "Doing Violence. Moral Issues in Reading John's Apocalypse", in
Reading the Book of Revelation,
ed. David L. Barr, 97-108 (Library Reserve)
Reddish, Revelation 159-228
Nov 4 The woman, the dragon, and a pair of beasts
Assignment:
Read Revelation 12-13 (NRSV, NET)
Translate 12:5; compare Heb & LXX of Ps 2:9. Translate13:8
Reddish, Apocalyptic Literature 82-92 (4 Ezra 9-12)
Sibylline Oracles 5.28-50, 137-163, 214-227, 512-531 (photocopy)
Daniel 7
Suetonius, "Nero" 57 (Library reserve)
Dio Chrysostom "Discourses" 21.8-10 (Library Reserve)
Reddish, Revelation 229-270
From Every People and Nation, 183-199
Final paper description and bibliography due today
Nov 11 The bowls
Assignment:
Read Revelation 14-16 (NRV & NET)
Reddish, Apocalyptic Literature 92-94 (4 Ezra 13), 243-254 (Apocalypse of
Peter 1-17)
2 Kings 9:14-28
2 Chronicles 35:20-27
Zechariah 12:10-13:6
Reddish, Revelation 271-320
From Every People and Nation, 146-164
Internet papers due today
Nov 18 The fall of Babylon
Assignment:
Read Revelation 17:1-19:10 (NRSV & NET)
Translate 17:8; 19:10
Ezekiel 23, 26-28
Isaiah 21:1-10; chapter 23; chapter 47
Jeremiah 51
Sibylline Oracles 5.93-110, 155-178
Reddish, Apocalyptic Literature 124-135 (2 Baruch 53-75)
Reddish, Revelation 321-365
From Every People and Nation, 82-109, 127-145
Nov 25 Thanksgiving Recess
Dec 2 Victory
Assignment:
Read Revelation 19:11-20:15 (NRSV & NET)
Translate 20:4
Ezekiel 37-40
Sibylline Oracles 5.361-380
Reddish, Apocalyptic Literature :
92-94 (4 Ezra 14, again)
150-151, 172-176 (1 Enoch 10, 50-57)
193-195, 202-205 (Testament of Abraham 10-12) 229-236 (1QM: War Scroll 1, 15-19)
Reddish, Revelation 365-400
From Every People and Nation, 200-221
Dec 9 New Jerusalem
Assignment:
Read Revelation 21:1-22:5 (NRSV & NET)
Translate 21:3
Ezekiel 47:1-12
Sibylline Oracles 5.238-285, 414-433
Reddish, Apocalyptic Literature :
50-53 (1 Enoch 90)
56-57, 150-151 (1 Enoch 91 & 10)
82-87 (4 Ezra 9-10)
99-100, 111-113 (2 Baruch 1-4, 26-32)
Reddish, Revelation 401-422
Dec 16 The story concludes – maybe
Assignment:
Read Revelation 22:8-21 (NRSV & NET)
Translate 22:16-17, 21
Reddish, Revelation 422-438
Final papers due