Prepare for Revelation

The first focus of this newsletter is the Book of Revelation

N.T. Wright, an Anglican Bishop in the UK, wrote a good book on Revelation. Territorial rights — the bane of writers and their readers when trying to snag a copy — made it difficult for me to get my library to stock the ebook. Many emails later, I succeeded! But in trying to purchase the paperback so that I could dive back in at my leisure, I ended up with this study guide landing in my hands.

All to the good.

For it gave me an idea of writing or podcasting on Revelation by answering questions from this guide. This idea has gestated for a few years. Why?

Revelation is a theological perspective into the mind.

What You Need

To follow along, I recommend purchasing either the paperback or ebook Revelation for Everyone by N.T. Wright and the companion study guide.

A New Version

N.T. Wright and his publisher are issuing a 20th anniversary edition of Revelation for Everyone. Wright translates the passages himself in the original and updated his translations for this version. The anniversary edition, to be published in September 2023, includes the study guide.

You can wait to order it — after all, a new edition is usually better — or go with the originals. I’m not sure exactly when I’ll start going through the study guide and posting my thoughts on here, but it’ll probably be before September!

Which Bible?

Many translations exist for the Bible. The King James version is the most famous and has beautiful language, but Revelation is hard enough to wade through without the added difficulty of some mis-translations and 16th century English. You can rely on just the translations in Revelation for Everyone, or use several translations to aid comprehension.

I use a Bible app, online Blue Letter Bible with its concordances, and the Harper Collins New Revised Standard Version Study Bible. I particularly like the Blue Letter Bible because you get information on gender and the full list of possible meanings of a particular word. Translators have too often defaulted to the masculine when, in fact, the word was neutral. This changes the meaning and thus interpretations of those passages.

Get Ready!

When energy allows, I’ll begin. Even if I start before you have a chance to purchase the books or want to wait for the anniversary edition, you’ll be able to read along on the Blue Letter Bible site or borrow a Bible from your library I’m sure. The most basic thing you need is the book of Revelation in the Bible!

Meanwhile…

For my next post, I’ll copy and comment on my first assignment for the Oxford Short Course Philosophy of Mind, titled “How Does Philosophy Differ From Science?”