Illuminating the Secret Revelation of John

by Shirley Paulson

Overview

Buried for more than a thousand years in the sands of Egypt, the Secret Revelation of John has stayed a secret far longer than it should have. Even now, more than seventy-five years after its discovery in 1945, it eludes easy understanding even as it shines with the message of God's loving presence amid suffering and violence. Illuminating the Secret Revelation of John is the first study written for the curious public, as well as for scholars who have not yet plumbed its depths. The ancient Secret Revelation of John unearths three gems of healing wisdom that have been encrusted in a millennium of doubt and theological limitation. This new work explores the many facets of these gems with a historical setting and background, a contemporary paraphrase, and a study section that invites pondering of and conversation about new questions to explore.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781666730128
Publisher:	Cascade Books
Publication date:	04/18/2022
Series:	Westar Studies
Pages:	182
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.42(d)

About the Author

Shirley Paulson, an independent scholar, is the principal producer of the blog, podcast, and online courses for Early Christian Texts: The Bible and Beyond (earlychristiantexts.com). Her academic interests are in early Christian theology and healing practices. She is a contributing author to Westar’s After Jesus Before Christianity. While serving as Head of Ecumenical Affairs for the Christian Science Church, she participated on two ecumenical boards and authored articles for the Journal of Ecumenical Studies (2014) and Ecumenical Trends (2017).

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Paulson makes the Secret Revelation of John approachable for laypeople and scholarly sound for the academy. Her treatment of the text is brilliant. . . . Paulson brings the Secret Revelation of John back from its biblical exile at a time when it is very much needed and solidifies its importance to the redemption of Christian spirituality in the twenty-first century.”

—Stephanie Duzant, Associate Minister, St. Matthew’s Community African Methodist Episcopal Church of Hollis



“Paulson insists on an integrated approach which includes incisive historical investigation, important literary analysis, twenty-first-century meaning making, and contemporary questions. She paints with a clear and broad brush. . . . Those of us who have known the importance of the Secret Revelation of John for more than a generation now have an accessible and informed next step forward.”

—Hal Taussig, Union Theological Seminary, retired



“Paulson provides an accessible introduction to the Secret Revelation of John. . . . Paulson unpacks its primary message and its spiritual insights in down-to-earth language. Most importantly, she addresses its relevance in the twenty-first century as she explores its multiple layers of meaning—including its subversive challenge to a Roman Empire that kept people in their place. . . . She helps us to grasp that SRJ reveals a liberation freely available to all.”

—Deborah Saxon, author of The Care of the Self in Early Christian Texts

Editorial Reviews

Paulson makes the Secret Revelation of John approachable for laypeople and scholarly sound for the academy. Her treatment of the text is brilliant. . . . Paulson brings the Secret Revelation of John back from its biblical exile at a time when it is very much needed and solidifies its importance to the redemption of Christian spirituality in the twenty-first century.”

—Stephanie Duzant, Associate Minister, St. Matthew’s Community African Methodist Episcopal Church of Hollis



“Paulson insists on an integrated approach which includes incisive historical investigation, important literary analysis, twenty-first-century meaning making, and contemporary questions. She paints with a clear and broad brush. . . . Those of us who have known the importance of the Secret Revelation of John for more than a generation now have an accessible and informed next step forward.”

—Hal Taussig, Union Theological Seminary, retired



“Paulson provides an accessible introduction to the Secret Revelation of John. . . . Paulson unpacks its primary message and its spiritual insights in down-to-earth language. Most importantly, she addresses its relevance in the twenty-first century as she explores its multiple layers of meaning—including its subversive challenge to a Roman Empire that kept people in their place. . . . She helps us to grasp that SRJ reveals a liberation freely available to all.”

—Deborah Saxon, author of The Care of the Self in Early Christian Texts

From the Publisher