Issue: Civilisation and Empire

Jesus lived and died at a critical period in the development of the Roman Empire. He spoke from the point of view of those who lost out under empire, exposing the underlying institutional violence that was held in check by the ‘scapegoating’ mechanism. And it was the Roman Empire that executed him, recognizing the danger of his subversive message.

We still live in an age of empire, so Jesus’ message remains counter-cultural in today’s world. That is why the Book of Revelation, written to urge the early Christian communities in the Roman province of Asia (modern Turkey) not to succumb either to the fear of reprisals or the seductive charm of commerce, has great relevance to all followers of Jesus today.

This eight-part course explores different aspects of this most challenging of all the books of the New Testament in terms that are relevant to life in the early twenty first century.