Today, I've just returned home from a stellar 5-day trip to Kansas City.  And today, I have a January announcement.  But first, what leads to it...

The Publisher

I went to KC as an invited speaker for a "publication and public reading" event for our newly published book, The Apocalypse of John:  a new translation reflecting the dramatic, emotional, and lyrical style in the Book of Revelation (published by Turnsol Editions).  The event was held right across the street from the KC Performing Arts Center at the Turnsol bookstore.  Turnsol bills itself as an "Independent publisher of poetry, fiction, & other forms of radical expression."

Ah, radical expression.  If any book in the NT qualifies as "radical expression," it's the Apocalypse.  Even so, I have already been asked by someone, "Why in the world would you publish a book of the Bible through such a self-proclaimed 'radical' outlet as this!" And I would bet the hair still on my head that at least one patron of the bookstore has already thought (or maybe asked outright), "Why would Turnsol publish a book like this by a buttoned-up guy like that!"  So, this alliance might be viewed by some as an unlikely partnership.

___________________________

Ah, radical expression. 
If any book in the NT qualifies
as "radical expression,"
it's the Apocalypse.

___________________________

Let's just put it this way.  I was asked to submit the book by the publishers, and even when I directly queried (in a bit of unbelief), "Are you sure you want to publish a new translation of (of all books) the book of Revelation?"  One of them (whom I had never met before) did not bat an eye in saying enthusiastically, "Yes!  We want to publish that book!"   

The Event

I have to say, this has proven to be a delightful alliance and a refreshing experience.  About 25 people were present for the public presentation and partial reading on December 8. This was not a gathering of people from area churches, nor was it a religious gathering.  Clearly, there were some Christians in the group, but others were possibly not interested in Christianity much at all. 

This was a cadre of compatriots from varied backgrounds, drawn to poetry (and other forms of artistic expression) as a near-sacred calling—poetry that was sometimes openly radical and raw, other times elegiac and gentle, but always heart-wrenchingly personal.  Over here was a street poet from New Orleans who daily performs readings from tarot cards; and over there, the current Kansas City poet laureate; and back there, an artist from St. Louis, living at home with his elderly parents to care for them.  There was even a cat named Eleanor—quiet, observant, a bit shy—willing to take the stage when others had gone, as if to say, "I, too, have something to say!"  Some were trained in creative writing; others were self-taught. The energy in the room—the pure passion—was electric, charged with an undeniable fervor that not only hung in the air but grew as the clock ticked along unnoticed on the wall. 

___________________________

This was a cadre of compatriots
from varied backgrounds
drawn to poetry
(and other forms of
artistic expression) 
as a near sacred calling...

___________________________
 

I had a few thoughts leading up to the event about what kind of response I might get.  But all such thoughts quickly dissipated before, during, and after the reading, when discussion about the translation and message of Revelation was lively and energetic.  I could not have been treated more warmly, nor could the questions and engagement have been more "real" or on target.

The Book

To my knowledge, our new book—our translation of the Apocalypse of John—is the first to retain and depict the book's natural poetic style throughout.  The amount of traditional "prose" in the book is minimal, if it exists at all. [Defining prose and poetry at this stage of history can get controversial, but that will wait for later.  See "Announcement" below.] 

So, I would like to make it clear right now that we have not offered a translation that merely drapes a poetic dress over the book to make some kind of a fashion statement.  No, our effort is to show that, as we have it,  John's Apocalypse is written in its own brand of poetic expression—a rugged, on-the-ground poetry full of

1. parallelisms, repetitions, signs and symbolisms, and multiple duplications of "and,"
2. but also with numerous examples of metaphors and similes, allusions, chiasmi, antitheses, hyperboles, vivid imageries, and more. 

The book's incredibly God-focused approach is only vaguely similar to the many examples of Greek and Hebrew poetic styles, and this contributes to why it is overlooked or discounted as poetry.  But the book brings its own rugged brand.  And this recognition—or lack of recognition—can directly affect how we read the book, how we understand it, and how we apply it.    

___________________________

we have not offered a translation
that merely drapes a poetic dress
over the book
to make some kind of
a fashion statement...
 John's Apocalypse is written in
its own brand of poetic expression
—a rugged, on-the-ground poetry...

___________________________

During this public reading, I made the point that John's Apocalypse is the first ever Christian treatise addressing the question of the oppressor and the faithful oppressed.  In this sense, John's Apocalypse serves as a theological and literary treatise that addresses the oppression of early Christians and provides a poetic, apocalyptic narrative of God's justice against the oppressor, ancient Rome.  So then, the phrase, "What goes around comes around," aptly describes six major cycles throughout the book that the oppressor has already had its day in court—God's court—and it has already lost!  

John's Apocalypse, unlike other previous apocalyptic works, does not incite its readers to march, to protest, or to rebel.  Those might be fine responses in specific circumstances, but that is not what this book is about.  Rather, it focuses tenaciously on the character and faithfulness of the one God in the midst of oppression, and its message is to hold on to faithfulness—even if you die in doing so.  Cosmic struggles extend far beyond the very limited and painful experiences we can encounter only right in front of us.  Hold on to your faith and your faithful ways.  Because, God has your back!

The Announcement!

So here's what's coming around in January: 

The Apocalypse Unplugged:  
Reframing How the Book Gets Read 
(Unpacking a Few Key Words & Phrases)

• WHAT:  A special series of presentations on John's Apocalypse.  
• FOR WHOM:  Free, open-to-all;  You don't have to be a scholar; but you do need to want more than normal Bible study.  (Expect to be challenged and stretched.)   
• WHEN:  Will start mid or late January 2025.  Saturdays:  12ET / 11CT / 10MT / 9PT  
• WHERE:  Online (URL TBA later)
• LENGTH OF SERIES:  Not sure at this point.   Likely 8 to 12 sessions, 1hr each week. 
•  TOPICS:   (Might change some; more will be said about these later.)  

—1— ANATOMY 
—2— POETRY 
—3— SUPREME COMMANDER 
—4— GOD & JESUS
—5— THE COMING ONE
—6— SOON   

• WHAT THIS SERIES WILL AND WILL NOT BE:

This will NOT be a general series walking through the entirety of Revelation.
This WILL be a series on some specialized “big-topic” subjects. 

This will NOT be focused primarily on inspirational or devotional interests. 
This WILL be a thinking series focused on issues related to how the book gets read and applied.   

This does NOT mean you have to be a scholar to take or benefit from this series. 
This DOES mean that you might get stretched and/or challenged on some things.

This will NOT be an “Everything you ever wanted to know about 666, the Beast, and the New Jerusalem” type series.
This WILL be more about  macro features in the book that can help us know what to do with the book as a whole.   

This will NOT be about new things for shock value. 
This WILL be about being loyal to the texts we have received.

• HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THIS FREE CLASS?  Coming soon (TBA later)  
• CAN I ORDER THE BOOK NOW?  Yes.

The book is not "required" for the upcoming series, but it will be very helpful since I'll be continually referring to specific things in the translation.  If you want a head start, you can order the book now by clicking on the cover or by going here: 
https://tinyurl.com/Apocalypse2024

By the way, the book shows the Greek on the left page and is balanced by the English translation on the right.  Turnsol did a very good job with every aspect of the book. 

 Gary