The Book Of Revelation On Sundays (in church)

What happens to the Book of Revelation in church on Sundays?

Craig Koester, Revelation and the End of All Things, has a very interesting set of observations about this question, and the answer is two-fold:

The lectionary avoids most of it.

The songbook is filled with lines from Revelation.

Because the lectionary avoids most of it, most preachers in lectionary-based churches avoid the Book of Revelation. But it is my suspicion that very few in those lectionary based churches recognize the prominence of Revelation in the hymn book.

Those churches not using the lectionary will be shaped by the pastor’s/preacher’s interests and my own anecdotal evidence is that dispensationalists preach it and some others, but by and large Revelation is ignored more and more today.

I will now unfold these claims, beginning with typical hesitancy about Revelation in many mainline churches and pulpits:

Surveys of approaches to Revelation usually do not comment on how the so-called mainline Protestant churches view the book, presumably because there seems to be so little to say. Christians in these churches often treat Revelation with the kind of uneasy silence that is usually reserved for the more eccentric members of ones extended family. The same is true for many Roman Catholies, who are rightly disturbed by the longstanding tendency to link the beast and harlot to the papacy. Pride of place in preaching and teaching usually goes to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, while the Revelation-inspired end-times antics among some Christian groups make those in other churches wince. While not willing to deny all connection with the book, many Christians treat Revelation like the distant cousin who does not quite fit in with the rest of the family. They prefer not to talk much about it or invite it to family gatherings more often than necessary.

The lectionary itself props up this hesitation:

One measure of Revelations usage is The Revised Common Lectionary, which lists the Scripture passages that are read in many Protestant and Roman Catholic congregations each week. Although Revelation is twenty-two chapters long, the lectionary selects only six short passages to be read over the course of a year. These include the opening and concluding greetings from God and Christ as the Alpha and Omega, together with four scenes of the saints in glory. These texts are read during the Sundays after Easter once every three years, and occasionally, one of these same texts is also read on All Saints Day or Christ the King Sunday in November. The lectionary conveniently avoids passages mentioning the beast and the harlot and passes by the seven seals and other plagues without inviting comment. Some rather stern warnings do interrupt the greetings at the end of Revelation, but these are omitted from the assigned reading so that worshipers do not hear them. The result is a rather pleasant selection of texts that minimizes the likelihood that anyone will be embarrassed or confused by Revelations more bizarre or disturbing images. [italics added]

But our music, our songs, our worship, over and over and over we get Revelation:

A different and intriguing perspective on Revelation emerges, when we consider how often Christians of all sorts encounter passages from the book in their hymns and liturgies. They might not read Revelation, but they sing it all the time. Revelation has inspired songs and hymns that range from traditional compositions to contemporary praise choruses; and words from Revelation are woven into many liturgies. Worshipers often become acquainted with images from Revelation more through music than through reading the text.

Two examples, first:

The book of Revelation is framed by declarations that God and Christ are the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end (1:8, 17; 2i:6; 22:13). This announcement corresponds to Revelations structure, because the book begins and ends with visions that bring readers into the presence of God and the risen Christ. A hymn that conveys this is “Of the Father s Love Begotten.” The text was composed in the fourth century AD, and today it is usually sung to a melody of thirteenth-century chant…

Second:

The songs of praise in Revelation 4 and 5 are widely used in contemporary Christian compositions. A good example is “Agnus Dei” by Michael W. Smith (b-1957), which combines “Alleluia, for the Lord God Almighty reigns” (Rev 19:6) with “Holy, holy are you, Lord God Almighty” (4:8) and “Worthy is the Lamb” (5:12). Another example is “Revelation Song” by Jennie Lee Riddle (b. 1967). It begins, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” (5:12) and “holy, holy” is he (4:8). We “sing a new song” (5:9) to the one who sits on heavens mercy seat. “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come” (4:8), so with all creation we too sing praise to “the King of kings” (19:16), who is the focus of adoration.

How odd that we get Revelation’s theology so often in song but so rarely in sermon.

Recognizing how images from Revelation are used in Christian music and worship can be illuminating for contemporary readers of the book. By translating the book into song, musicians have helped to give Revelation an integral place in a living faith tradition. One of the greatest barriers that people face when opening Revelation is the fear of being confused or misled by its images. People may overcome some of this uneasiness when they realize that Revelations most abiding contribution has not been to stir people into a frenzy over the date of Christ’s return but to give communities of faith some of the language that they have used for generations when giving praise to God and the Lamb. Those who enjoy singing hymns based on Revelation 4-5 do not keep the book at arms length but add their voices to the heavenly chorus. Rather than speculating about what it might mean to “worship God” (19:10; 22:9), they actually join in the act of worship. Moreover, the hymns lift up passages that stress hope, joy, and faithfulness. Readers cannot ignore Revelations many warnings about divine judgment, but the worship scenes help readers interpret the warnings in light of the promises and understand that God s purposes are directed toward the joy of salvation.