 | The Reverend Doctor Cathy Northrup was born in Ft. Meade, MD, and was raised in a variety of places in the United State and Germany, as her father was in Counter Intelligence with the Army. She graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN, with a double major in English and Religion. She graduated from Georgetown Law Center in Washington, DC, and practiced law with the Federal Reserve Board for a number of years before attending Union Theological Seminaryin Richmond, VA. She graduated from Union, and served several churches in North and South Carolina, at the same time obtaining her Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, NJ. Dr. Northrup is currently the Pastor/Head of Staff of First Presbyterian Church, Wichita, KS. She is married and has two black Labrador dogs who were rescued from abusive situations. You can contact Dr. Northrup at cnorthrup@firstpresbywichita.org or by phone at (316) 263-0248, ext. 26. |
Religion
2010-04-01 12:04:00
Book of Revelation...is it relevant today?
Question: In my Bible Study group we have had discussions whether the Book of Revelation is describing happenings that would be occurring closer to the time this book was written, rather than a foretelling of the end of time for us today. What is your opinion?
Answer: The book of Revelation is a pastoral letter written to Christians in what is now Turkey who were facing persecution. It is apocalyptic literature, and thus it is full of symbols and images. Those who read/heard the letter at the time it was written understood these symbols and images, but we are farther removed from them, so it takes us more time and study. The purpose of the letter was to interpret events theologically and to encourage these Christians. Again, those reading/hearing the letter would have understood this. Over the years since then, Christians have taken different positions on when the happenings within it have occurred or will occur. Some have said that the events within it have already occurred, others say the events cover the times from when it was written until the end times, still others say it is only about the end times, and others take it not to apply to any specific historic period, but to say that good will prevail over evil. In spite of all these interpretations, I have heard the book of Revelation summed up best in two words, "God wins!" That short summary is, of course, simplistic, but it reminds us that what is important about the book is that God holds history in his hands and is at the end of history. It also tells us that whatever kingdoms seem to be "in charge" in our lifetimes on this earth, it is ultimately God’s kingdom that rules and reigns. Christians are not, then, to fall victim to accommodating to the current culture, but we are to stay true to God, whatever consequences that might bring, because God will always be faithful. It seems to me, then, that much of what Revelation says was most applicable to those at the time it was written, but it was also included in the Bible because it has timeless truths that can help all Christians make sense of the world around them. We can take much of what is in it and compare it to events in our time. This does not mean, however, that there are exact correlations between it and historic events in our time or in the future; we can never predict the end; it will come, as the Bible says, "like a thief in the night."
