SLAM POET KAI: We call this one, doomsday.
SLAM POET LIBBY: You're in trouble you say.
You're afraid.
SLAM POET KAI: Each news story and newspaper leading you astray.
SLAM POET LIBBY: It's doomsday.
Boy, girl, we us.
SLAM POET KAI: It's apocalypse.
(upbeat music)
LIBBY: Hi, I'm Libby.
KAI: And I'm Kai.
Welcome to Catholic Central.
LIBBY: Today we're talking about the book of Revelation,
the last book of the Bible.
KAI: It's full of last things.
Like, ya know, the end of the world.
You may have heard it referred to as the apocalypse,
because of its Greek roots.
Remember, the New Testament was originally written in Greek.
LIBBY: Apocalyptic literature is found in Western civilization
since earliest Jewish times.
Even today look at all the books, movies, video games,
and TV shows that center around the end time.
Destruction of the current order, dissent into chaos,
rising forces of evil.
KAI: Zombies, plagues, asteroids, aliens, nuclear war,
it's all apocalyptic.
The end is near.
Or maybe it's now.
Or maybe it's already a done deal and it's really hard
for the good people to remain hopeful.
KAI: What do all of these have in common
with the book of Revelation?
They tell us that survival depends on hope,
fidelity to what's important, and heroic courage.
Even when in real life the world hasn't literally ended,
we've been in times of rapid drastic change
that make it seem like it.
KAI: Changes in the economy, war, an epidemic,
the rise of a dictator.
LIBBY: The Catholic church included the book of Revelation
in the Bible with the hope that all would find inspiration
for the end times.
KAI: Now the study of the end times
is called eschatology.
It's a branch of theology that looks at these things.
LIBBY: Essentially you can summarize the eschatological message
of the book of Revelation in two words:
God wins.
KAI: He wins?
Like in Jeopardy, Alex?
LIBBY: Well, think bigger.
It's the belief that in times of upheaval, change,
and violence, personal or societal, God will overcome
and save people.
But let's begin at the beginning.
SLAM POET KAI: (rapping) When will the beginning end?
Confusion, hurt, hurricane wind.
Bleeding out, but breathing in.
LIBBY: So it's the early 90s A.D., about 60 years
after the resurrection of Jesus.
Way before scrunchies 90s.
The Roman empire has conquered much of Europe and Asia.
The emperor Nero commands that all Christians
must comply with traditional Roman religious practices.
KAI: Oh, forced pagan worship, huh.
Sacrifice to idols.
Calling Nero, God.
Got it.
LIBBY: The persecution invokes fear and confusion
among all Christian communities.
KAI: It's a time of huge stress.
Many of these early communities are barely surviving
and on the brink of losing their faith.
LIBBY: When in the middle of all of this turmoil,
John, the one known as the Beloved apostle in the Gospels,
receives a vision from God.
KAI: Whoa.
LIBBY: The vision he records in the book of Revelation.
KAI: As the youngest apostle and last to die,
John recorded his gospel, three letters,
and now, this vision that urges everyone to persevere.
VO: Then I saw an angel standing on the sun.
He cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying
high overhead, "Come here.
Gather for God's great feast to eat the flesh of kings,
the flesh of military officers, and the flesh of warriors,
the flesh of horses and of their riders,
and the flesh of all,
free and slave,
small and great."
KAI: Kinda weird and super cryptic.
So how do we read this book of Revelation?
LIBBY: Well you could divide it into two parts.
The first three chapters are short, pastoral letters
for the benefit of seven churches in present day Turkey.
KAI: Ah, the seven sealed letters to Ephesus, Smyrna,
Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia,
not the one with the cheese steaks, and Laodicea,
which was an old girlfriends name by the way.
LIBBY: Oh, I hope she's watching.
John calls for a renewed faith, unity, and courage,
and predicts the downfall of the Roman empire.
KAI: Inviting them to take the long term perspective
on God's work in this world.
LIBBY: The second part, the remaining 19 chapters,
are less concerned with pastoral problems
and focus on evil and persecution at large.
KAI: Oh, these must be the visions.
LIBBY: Yes, a series of visions that begin
with the resurrected Christ, and end with his eternal reign.
You'll find poetic imagery and language
similar to the Old Testament prophets.
KAI: Think Ezekiel, Zachariah, Daniel, Isaiah.
Apocalyptic literature is generally focused
on the forces of evil and its hold on the world
in times of transition and chaos.
LIBBY: Pay attention to John's numbers as well.
He uses four, seven, and six, six, six liberally.
KAI: Four references the elements of the Earth,
and physical creation.
Think of the four points of the compass
as representing all earthly directions.
The four horsemen of the apocalypse bring havoc
to the four corners of the world.
LIBBY: Seven signifies completeness and perfection.
The opening of the seven seals in chapters
five through eight mark the second coming of Christ.
KAI: And six, six, six,
in our culture it means serious trouble.
LIBBY: The superstition got started
in chapter 13 where the number six, six, six
could be a code name for Satan's beast,
and emphasize un-fulfillment.
KAI: It's like the beast has stalled at six and can't reach
the covenant perfection of seven.
He's sentenced to perpetual anticipation
and never finding triumph.
LIBBY: Again, God wins.
KAI: Oh, and don't forget angels.
LIBBY: John's vision has more angels
than a Midwest Christmas play.
Ya know what I'm saying?
But forget the spotless winged things.
These angels are total warriors.
KAI: Saint Michael the archangel is the great guardian
defending people from evil.
And is often invoked by Catholics for protection.
LIBBY: In chapter 12, a spectacular war arises in Heaven
between Michael and the dragon,
who is ultimately defeated along with his demonic hoard.
KAI: We can still feel the effects of Satan's rage at defeat.
See our episode on the seven deadly sins.
His temptations are powerful.
LIBBY: Okay, so does John say this whole end of the world thing
is coming soon?
KAI: Well his coded language does appear to predict
the fall of the Roman emperor at the time
and of the Roman empire itself, which occurred
within a few centuries.
But in every age there have been people who make connections
between the angst and tribulation of their own time
and the imagery of Revelation.
LIBBY: So we get a lot of prophets of doom who have predicted
that the end of the world is next Tuesday.
KAI: Other ideas about the end times also trace back
to Revelation.
LIBBY: Ah, but not all.
Keep in mind that the antichrist and rapture
aren't actually mentioned in the book of Revelation.
KAI: The antichrist is a term for deceivers in John's letters.
LIBBY: But John is clear that Jesus' second coming
will be a swift surprise like a thief in the night.
The book of Revelation is more of a how to than a when.
KAI: The how to is making sure our lives
are in union with God.
And that we seek the good for ourselves and others
no matter what is happening in the world.
LIBBY: Acknowledging John's humanity, we can probably say
he didn't intend his writings to be a prediction
for the 21st century.
KAI: But acknowledging God's divinity,
Catholics trust that God sees people's sufferings,
tyrannies, and persecutions.
LIBBY: And in the end as it says in chapter 21,
"He will make them a new Heaven and a new earth.
And will wipe every tear from their eyes.
And there shall be no more death or mourning."
Thanks for watching.
I'm Libby.
KAI: I'm Kai.
And we call that one (drum beat) Revelation.
(upbeat music)