Upside-Down Apocalypse: Grounding Revelation in the Gospel of Peace

by Jeremy Duncan

Overview

A peacemaker’s guide to the book of Revelation

The book of Revelation—which deals on a cosmic scale with good and evil, politics and empire, community and eternity—has intrigued and frustrated readers since it was written. How do we make sense of John’s prophetic vision of cosmic war in light the nonviolence Jesus embodies in the gospels? What does it mean to tell us about Jesus, our world, and the future of all things? As End Times conspiracy theories surge, it’s more important than ever that we read the final book of the Bible without distorting the true message of Jesus. 
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In Upside-Down Apocalypse, author Jeremy Duncan draws on biblical scholarship and nonviolent theology to guide readers through the book of Revelation, understanding the vision of John in the light of the Jesus we know through the Gospels—the full revelation of the Divine. Along the way, readers will discover what the writer imagines as he weaves this profound revelation of non-violent triumph and see with fresh eyes how the Prince of Peace turns violence on its head once and for all.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781513810393
Publisher:	MennoMedia
Publication date:	07/05/2022
Pages:	206
Sales rank:	259,733
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Jeremy Duncan is founding pastor of Commons Church in Calgary AB Canada, one of the fastest growing church plants in Canada. He lives in Calgary with his partner Rachel, their dog, and their two adopted kids. Jeremy holds a Bachelor of Theology and received a Master of Arts in Biblical/Theological Studies writing about non-violence and the work of René Girard. You can connect with Jeremy at jeremyduncan.ca and find more about the Commons community at commons.church.
 

Table of Contents

Table of Contents 

Foreword
Preface

1. Jesus at the Center
2. What's an Apocalypse?
3. The Underground Prophetic
4. Starting Local
5. The (Some) One on the Throne
6. Riders of the Apocalypse
7. Trumpets and the Temple
8. The Nature of Evil
9. Monsters Attack
10. Ground Zero
11. The New City

Acknowledgements
Notes
Bibiolgraphy
About the Author

Editorial Reviews

05/23/2022

In this refreshing exegesis, pastor Duncan (Dirt and Stardust) interprets the Book of Revelation through the peacemaking teachings of Jesus. The author grounds Revelation in its historical, literary, and cultural context, exploring “the way God is revealed to us” through Jesus’s nonviolence. Filling in historical background, Duncan notes that Roman emperor Domitian engaged in the sporadic and inconsistent persecution of Christians at the time John wrote Revelation, and explains that John gives the seven churches different advice because they had experienced different treatment under Domitian’s reign. Duncan provides shrewd readings of some of Revelation’s “out-there” imagery and notes that the four creatures covered in eyes in the throne room scene draw on Near Eastern literature’s tradition of using eyes to represent wisdom and right vision. The author suggests that Revelation’s “violent imagery” actually promotes nonviolence, and he posits that the bloody “sword” Jesus wields while riding the white horse actually refers to Jesus’s words: “Victory is won not with weapons, war, or force but through the testimony of nonviolence.” The straightforward, no-frills analysis builds an accessible, cogent case that John lays out a more hopeful vision than is traditionally assumed. The result is a thought-provoking look at Revelation. (July)

Publishers Weekly

A provocative and beautiful demonstration of how the meaning of Scripture is fundamentally transformed when we read every word through the lens of Jesus crucified.”
 

MEGHAN LARISSA GOOD

At a time when beasts of empire continue to rampage, Jeremy Duncan shows the enduring relevance of the book of Revelation for followers of the Lamb, who calls us to pursue peace and care for our world.”
 

J. NELSON KRAYBILL

Revelation is a book of prophecy that desperately needs a pastoral touch, a guide to calm our apocalyptic fears and lead us away from all the conspiracy theories and fearmongering that surround it and toward the message of hope revealed in John’s message. Jeremy Duncan does exactly that as he brings his pastoral touch to bear on a book that has for so long confused and frightened so many. Drawing from a life spent in ministry, Duncan gently guides us past the monsters and wrath to reveal a message of hope that subverts our expectations at every turn. Whether the book of Revelation is something you’ve passionately sought to understand or have avoided at all costs, Upside-Down Apocalypse is a must-read, a desperately needed message of hope and peace in a world torn apart by fear and despair.”
 

ZACK HUNT

In Upside-Down Apocalypse, Jeremy Duncan shows us how John the Revelator repeatedly upends our apocalyptic expectations: We expect Jesus to return like a lion; he shows up as a lamb. We assume Jesus will conquer evil like a warrior; he enters battle already covered in his own blood. If you’re troubled by pop Christianity’s interpretation of Revelation, which portrays Jesus behaving like us (violent and vengeful) instead of depicting him as the Gospels do (nonviolent and merciful), then you need to read this well-researched book. I hope you’ll pick up a copy, for it’s high time our violent, Hollywoodized depictions of Revelation get left behind.”
 

JASON PORTERFIELD

Jeremy Duncan offers a fresh look at the apocalypse, challenging the typical way of understanding the violence many see throughout it. By rethinking this apocalyptic imagery, Duncan shares a vision of nonviolence that gives real hope in a world full of strife.”
 

BETH STOVELL

For too long, we’ve been discipled in violence, conspiracies, and fear when all along the invitation has been to wholeness and peace. A pastoral reimagining of the apocalypse through the lens of Jesus, this book will bring relief, healing, and revelation to the church. I’m grateful to Jeremy Duncan for tackling this complex topic with equal parts scholarship and grace.”
 

SARAH BESSEY

One of the primary uses of the book of Revelation throughout church history has been to blunt the radical, nonviolent, liberating picture of the Jesus of the Gospels. In Upside-Down Apocalypse, Jeremy Duncan flips that script. Drawing on recent Revelation scholarship, Duncan offers an engaging, pastoral, gospel-infused reading of Revelation that is truly good news.”
 

DAVID C. CRAMER