A Study of the Apocalypse
September 16: Current Adventist Views of Revelation -Jim Walters Jim’s survey includes Pastor Randy Roberts’ recent sermon series on Revelation
September 23: The Return of Joshua Himes - Bill Shull Himes is recognized as one of five founders of 19th century Adventism, and may be the most pivotal figure. Here he’s come back in 2023 and reflects on his life and work.
September 30: We begin the study of Bart Ehrman’s Armageddon: What the Bible Really Says About the End
September 30: Apocalyptic Anxieties with Presenter Sheryll Prinz-McMillan
Preface: Ehrman’s personal pilgrimage through Revelation hermeneutics.
Chapter 1: The End is Near - (The dominance of dispensationalism in modern Revelation interpretation) The emergence of Darbyism, Whisenant, Hal Lindsey, and the reaction to historical criticism.
October 7: Whither the 3 Angels? with Warren Trenchard Chapter 2: The Most Mystifying Book of the Bible - A Summary of the Apocalypse - Use of “slave” (not servant); recipients of message: the Seven Churches (real churches known to him), Ch. 1 Summary The First Vision (of Christ, the key to all the rest); Ch 2, 3: Letters to the 7 churches; Chs. 4, 5 The Throne Room of God and the Lamb; Chs. 6-16: The Heaven-Sent Disasters; Chs. 17-20: The Fall of Babylon Chs. 21-22: The New Heavens, Earth and Jerusalem
October 14: Presenter Lee Greer - Chapter 4 Real-Life Consequences of the Imminent Apocalypse: Four Case studies from American religion (The Great Disappointment/Millerism; The Disaster at Waco; US Policy on Israel; The Environment, Climate and the imminent return of Jesus)
October 21: Presenter Paul Hermann - Chapter 3 A History of False Predictions - Early Fathers, Papius, Hyppolytus, Vitorinus, Augustine (dominant, metaphorical view), Joachim of Fiore, Futurism, Christian Zionism, John and Lewis Way, dispensational premillennialism (Scofield Bible, Darby, Rapture and Dispensational takeover)
October 28: Presenter Jeff Rosario (Video) Revelation as a Political Document Chapter 6 The Lamb Becomes a Lion: Violence in the Book of Revelation Joshua and Jesus; Stories of Gods Wrath: the prophets, Amos, Hosea, the OT in sum. Violence in Revelation; The Wrath of the Lamb who was slain; Several passages of extreme horror; Symbolic Violence? This session justaposes this week’s Ehrman reading with a current and fresh view of historical Adventist apologia relating to Revelation and the political world.
Supplemental study for October 28:
Jeffrey Rosario, Protestant Anti-Imperialism and the Vindication of the Boxer Rebellion, 1899-1901* | Diplomatic History | Oxford Academic (oup.com)
"Revelation as Political Document" with Jeffrey Rosario | 08-25-2023 - YouTube (We will watch an edited version of this video for class)
November 4: Presenter Kendra Haloviak Valentine Chapter 5 How To Read the Book of Revelation“ How an Apocalypse works; the Apocalyptic Vision of Daniel 7”; Interpretation; Describing Apocalypse “Revelation as Apocalypse;” The Fatal Flaw of Futuristic Fantasies: Locusts from the PT (Revelation 9)”; A Historical Approach “The Whore of Babylon” (Revelation 9) The Beast of the Sea (Revelation 13) More Historical Riches: The Other Beast of Revelation 17
November 11: Presenter Gary Chartier Beyond Black and White: Chapter 7: The Ideology of Dominance: Wealth and Power in Revelation Revenge; Wealth in the Teachings of Jesus (Jesus didn’t mean it, did he?) Wealth in the Book of Revelation Jesus’ Views of Domination; How Jesus Teachings made a Difference: The Christian Ideology of Service, Domination in the book of Revelation; Service or Domination
Chartier reflects on the subject of his recent book, Christianity and the Nation-State: A Study in Political Theology
November 18: Presenter Warren Trenchard Chapter 8: The Apocalypse of John and the Gospel of Jesus - The coming destruction: John and Jesus - Imitating Jesus “ But Which One?” (Schweitzer) A loving peaceful Jesus of the Gospels or a wrathful vengeful Jesus of the Apocalypse?
Trenchard reflects on the Cosmic Conflict in the Gospels: A Study of Q and the Gospel of Mark; Adventist identity seems inseperably connected to the idea of Cosmic Conflict€¯ but can this idea be found in Scripture? This study starts where one might think it should start: at the core of the New Testament.
November 25: Presenter Jim Walters Fresh from the Adventist Society of Biblical Literature meetings, Jim Walters presents “Cosmic Conflict as Story.” ¯All papers presented this year related somehow to the “Cosmic Conflict” theme.
Sabbath Seminars
Room 3208
Centennial Complex of Loma Linda University Sabbath Morning 10:30-12:30