Bible

What the Book of Revelation Reveals — Or Not

Bill Thompson
Photo by slowking4

There are 66 books in the Bible, but none is more controversial, more studied, and more debated than the final book, the book of Revelation.

Its author is commonly believed to be John, the Apostle of Jesus, but even this fact has been debated. And disputed by some.

Revelation is a book of powerful apocalyptic imagery and language that many see as metaphor, but which others take literally, especially in the context of current geopolitical events.

Get your copy of Elaine Pagels’s book

It was her own fascination with the book of Revelation that led noted Princeton University religion professor Elaine Pagels to take on the task of trying to put Revelation into historical, political, and spiritual context.

The result was her 2012 book called Revelations. She and I met one day early that spring to talk about it.

So here now, from 2012, Elaine Pagels.

Before the Miracles: What Jesus’ Daily Life Might Have Looked Like

Bill Thompson

Most of what Christians know about Jesus comes straight from the Bible, as it should. That knowledge, however, is largely limited to the circumstances of his birth, which we celebrate at Christmas, his three-year ministry, and his death, which we Mark at Easter.

But what about all the years in between? How did people around him regard him when he was a carpenter? What was Jesus like as a child, or an adolescent?

More below video:

Former Catholic priest Joseph Girzone sought to flesh out some answers in his 1998 book called A Portrait of Jesus. Girzone was a writing veteran by this time, as author of the very popular “Joshua” series of books.

So here now, from 1998 Joseph Girzone.

Joseph Girzone died in 2015. He w3as 95.