Crisis and Catharsis The Power of the Apocalypse

includes index and biblioraphy

1. Who wrote the Book of Revelation .......25 The historical Quest .............25 The Social Identity of the Author .......34 2. When was Revelation written..........54 External Evidence for the Date ...............54 Internal Evidence for the Date ........57 The Name babylon ................57 The Seven Kings ................58 The Temple in Jerusalem ...........64 Domitian and the Christians............69 The Seven Messages ..............73 3. The Social Situation-Perceived Crisis ...........84 Elements of Crisis ..........84 Conflict with Jews ......85 Mutual Antipathy toward Neighboring Gentiles .......87 Conflict over Wealth......88 4. Social Radicalism in the Apocalypse .................111 The Theme of Persecution .........111 The First Cycle of Vision ............114 Attitude toward the persecutors ...........116 Literary forms in Revelation ...............116 The Portrayal of Rome in Revelation 17-18...................121 5. The power of Apocalyptic Rhetoric-Catharsis .........141 What ought to be .............142 Narrative techniques and their Emotional Effect ............145 The process of Catharsis ............152 Psycological Dynamics ............154