Revelation 26042 225528577 2008-07-14T04:15:29Z WikiWes77 5032612 /* Latter Day Saint concept of revelation */ clarification of "stewardship" {{cleanup-rewrite}} {{Two other uses|religions based on revelation|the book in the Bible|Book of Revelation}} [[Image:Backer Last Judgment.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Revelation of the [[Last Judgment]] by Jacob de Backer]] '''Revelation''' is the act of revealing or disclosing (see etymology), or in the theological perception, making something obvious and clearly understood through active or passive communication with the [[divinity|divine]], "which could not be known apart from the unveiling" (Goswiller 1987 p. 3){{Verify source|date=April 2008}}. In [[Monotheism|monotheistic]] [[religion]]s, revelation is the process, or act of making divine knowledge understood, often through direct [[ontology|ontological]] realization which transcends the human state and reaches into the divine intellect. Revelation in a religious sense can originate from [[God]], a deity, or their agents such as an [[angel]], and discloses a willed outcome, principles, behaviors, laws and doctrines, although the realized principle can also be interpreted as the [[realizing principle]]. Most religions have [[religious texts]] viewed as [[sacred]] and revealed by the ''Divine'', the monotheistic religions viewing them as the '''"Word of God"'''. ==Scriptural hermeneutics== {{main|Biblical hermeneutics|Pesher|Tafsir}} Throughout religious history, some scholars and students of religious texts have sought to mine the wealth of their meanings, by developing a variety of different systems of [[hermeneutics]]. Philosophical hermeneutics, in particular, can be seen as a development of scriptural hermeneutics, providing a theoretical backing for various interpretive projects. Thus, philosophical hermeneutics and scriptural hermeneutics can be seen as mutually reinforcing concepts. {{Cleanup-remainder|date=June 2007}} [[Rabbi Ishmael]] of the Amoraic era of [[Judaism]] interpreted laws from the [[Torah]] through 13 hermeneutic principles. This is the first appearance of hermeneutics in the World, through the exegetic interpretation of Biblical texts. '''Biblical hermeneutics''' refers to methods of interpreting the Bible. Biblical hermeneutics is part of the broader hermeneutical question, relates to the problem of how one is to understand Holy Scripture. By definition, this is a [[theology|theological]] act, ie. part of the discourse of a faith-community. This does not mean that it is of no relevance to those who do not consider themselves to be part of that community, but rather that it is an issue that arises out of the particular needs of that community. Therefore, one ought to differentiate between [[Christianity|Christian]] and Jewish Biblical hermeneutics: although there is an overlap between the two (and some form of dialogs), since they share part of their scriptures, they do arise out of different faith traditions and thus developed their own notion of hermeneutics. It must also be stressed that theological differences within these faith communities preclude any 'definitive' statement on Biblical hermeneutics. '''''Pesher''''' is a [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] word meaning "interpretation" in the sense of a "solution". It became known from one group of texts, numbering some hundreds, among the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]]. The ''pesharim'' (plural of ''Pesher'') take a book of the [[Hebrew Bible]], often from the prophets, such as [[Book of Habakkuk|Habakkuk]], [[Book of Nahum|Nahum]], or from the [[Book of Psalms|Psalms]], quote it phrase by phrase, and after each quotation insert an interpretation, preceded by "its Pesher is". A '''''tafsir''''' ( ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: تفسير) ''tafsīr'', also [[transliteration|transliterated]] '''tafseer''', [[Arabic language|Arabic]] "interpretation"), sharing the same etymology with Hebrew "pesher" is [[Qur'an]]ic [[exegesis]] or commentary. Someone who writes tafsir is a '''mufassir''' ( ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: مفسر) ''mufassir'', plural ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: مفسرون) ''mufassirūn''). == Divine revelation in Judaism == ===The origin of the Torah and prophecy=== {{main|Jewish principles of faith}} ==== The Torah and Oral Law==== Rabbinic Judaism, and contemporary [[Orthodox Judaism]], hold that the [[Torah]] (Pentateuch) extant today is essentially the same one that the whole of the Jewish people received on [[Mount Sinai]], from God, upon their Exodus from Egypt.<ref>Rabbi Nechemia Coopersmith and Rabbi Moshe Zeldman: [http://www.aish.com/shavuotsinai/shavuotsinaidefault/Did_God_Speak_at_Sinai$_.asp "Did God Speak at Sinai"], Aish HaTorah</ref> Beliefs that God gave a "Torah of truth" to Moses (and the rest of the people), that Moses was the greatest of the prophets, and that the Law given to Moses will never be changed, are three of the [[Thirteen Principles of Faith]] of Orthodox Judaism according to [[Maimonides]]. Maimonides explains: "We do not know exactly how the Torah was transmitted to Moses. But when it was transmitted, ''Moses merely wrote it down like a secretary taking dictation''....(Thus) ''every verse in the Torah is equally holy, as they all originate from God'', and are all part of God's Torah, which is perfect, holy and true." Orthodox Judaism believes that in addition to the written Torah, God also revealed to Moses a set of oral teachings, called the [[Oral Torah]]. In addition to this revealed law, [[Halakha|Jewish law]] contains decrees and enactments made by prophets, rabbis, and sages over the course of Jewish history. [[Haredi Judaism]] tends to regard even rabbinic decrees as being of divine origin or divinely inspired, while [[Modern Orthodox Judaism]] tends to regard them as being more potentially subject to human error, although due to the Biblical verse "Do not stray from their words" ("Deuteronomy 17:11) it is still accepted as binding law. Not only did God reveal himself to Moses and the entire Israelite nation he brought out from Egypt (numbering approximately 3 million), but it is asserted, in no uncertain terms, that God did not reveal himself in any manner as claimed by Christianity, Islam or any other religion. Judaism puts forth an argument that can be seen in the following parable: :''A king with twin princes dies without ever having revealed who it was that would take his place, and the king's counselors and ministers do not know who to choose. Both princes are campaigning for the position, pointing out the flaws of the other and doing their best to secure the throne. One day, one of the princes calls a meeting of his late father's court and tells them the following: "I have very solemn news. Last night, my father came to me in a dream and told me that I am supposed to become king." The chief minister responds: "Dear prince, I am sure I speak for everyone when I say that it is wonderful that you had the opportunity to connect with your father's spirit and I hope it was a moving experience for you. However, I must say that we cannot honor your father's wishes as you have expressed them -- for if he really wanted you to become king, he should have come in a dream to all of us, not to you." Judaism's claim to divine revelation is distinct from that of Christianity and Islam. In particular, Judaism's claim to divine revelation on a national level removes the faith, hope and belief that exists so openly in other religions, replacing it instead with conviction from experience. [[Conservative Judaism]] tends to regard both the Torah and the Oral law as not directly revealed. The Conservative approach tends to regard the Torah as compiled by redactors in a manner similar to the [[Documentary Hypothesis]]. However, Conservative Jews tend to regard the authors of the Torah as divinely inspired and many regard at least portions of it as originating with Moses. Positions can vary from the position of [[Joel Roth]], following [[David Weiss HaLivni]], that while the Torah originally given to Moses on Mount Sinai became corrupted or lost and had to be recompiled later by redactors, the recompiled Torah is nonetheless regarded as fully Divine and legally authoritative, to the position of [[Gordon Tucker]] that the Torah, while Divinely inspired, is a largely human document containing significant elements of human error, and should be regarded as the beginning of an ongoing process which is continuing today. {{Fact|date=August 2007}} Conservative Judaism also tends to regard the Oral Law as a whole as divinely inspired but subject to human error. Reform and Reconstructionist Jews also tend to accept the Documentary Hypothesis for the origin of the Torah, and tend to view all of the Oral law as an entirely human creation. Accordingly, [[Progressive Judaism]], [[Reform Judaism|Reform]] and [[Reconstructionist Judaism]], believe that the Torah is not entirely a direct revelation from God, but is a document written by human ancestors, carrying human understanding and experience, and seeking to answer the question: 'What does God require of us?'. They believe that, though it contains many 'core-truths' about God and humanity, it is also time bound, sexist, primitive, and, sometimes, simply wrong. They believe that God's will is revealed through the interaction of humanity and God throughout history, and so, in that sense, Torah is an important part, but only a part, of an ongoing revelation. ==== The Prophets ==== The [[Nevi'im]], the books of the Prophets, are considered divine and true. This does not imply that the books of the prophets are always read literally. Jewish tradition has always held that prophets used metaphors and analogies. There exists a wide range of commentaries explaining and elucidating those verses consisting of metaphor. [[Rabbinic Judaism]] regards Moses as the greatest of the prophets, and this view is one of the [[Thirteen Principles of Faith]] of traditional Judaism. Consistent with the view that revelation to Moses was generally clearer than revelation to other prophets, Orthodox views of revelation to prophets other than Moses have included a range of perspectives as to directness. For example, [[Maimonides]] in [[The Guide for the Perplexed]] said that accounts of revelation in the [[Nevi'im]] were not always as literal as in the [[Torah]] and that some prophetic accounts reflect allegories rather than literal commands or predictions. [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative]] [[Rabbi]] and [[Jewish philosophy|philosopher]] [[Abraham Joshua Heschel]] (1907-1972), author of a number of works on prophecy, offered a view of the nature of revelation as a process rather than an event. In his work ''God in Search of Man'', he discussed the experience of being a prophet. In his book ''Prophetic Inspiration After the Prophets: Maimonides and Others'', Heschel references to continued prophetic inspiration in Jewish [[Rabbinic Literature]] following the destruction of the [[Temple in Jerusalem]] and into medieval and even Modern times. He wrote that :To convey what the prophets experienced, the Bible could either use terms of descriptions or terms of indication. Any description of the act of revelation in empirical categories would have produced a caricature. That is why all the Bible does is to state that revelation happened. How it happened is something they could only convey in words that are evocative and suggestive."<ref>{{cite book | author=Heschel, Abraham Joshua | title=God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism | publisher=ason Aronson Inc. | year=1987 | editor= | id=0876689551}}</ref> ==Divine revelation in Christianity == ===Scriptural canon of Christianity=== {{main|Bible}} [[Christianity]] regards the [[Bible]], a collection of [[Biblical canon|canonical]] books in two parts, the [[Old Testament]] and the [[New Testament]], as authoritative: written by human authors under the [[Biblical inspiration|inspiration]] of the [[Holy Spirit]]. Some Christians believe that the Bible is inerrant.<ref> Catechism of the Catholic Church, [http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#II ''Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture'' (§105-108)]; Second Helvetic Confession, [http://www.creeds.net/reformed/helvetic/c01.htm, ''Of the Holy Scripture Being the True Word of God'']; Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, [http://www.reformed.org/documents/icbi.html ''online text'']</ref> [[Protestants]] believe that the scriptures contain all revealed truth necessary for [[salvation]] (See [[Sola scriptura]]).<ref> Thirty-nine Articles, [http://anglicansonline.org/basics/thirty-nine_articles.htm Art. VI]; Westminster Catechism, [http://www.reformed.org/documents/larger1.html Q. 3]; James White, [http://www.aomin.org/SolaTop.html ''Does The Bible Teach Sola Scriptura?'']</ref> The [[Old Testament]] contains the entire [[Jewish]] [[Tanakh]], though in the Christian canon the books are ordered differently and some books of the Tanakh are divided into several books by the Christian canon. The [[Catholic]] and [[Orthodox]] canons include the Hebrew Jewish canon and other books (from the Septuagint Greek Jewish canon) which Catholics call [[Deuterocanonical books|Deuterocanonical]], while Protestants consider them [[Biblical apocrypha|Apocrypha]].<ref name="Canon">F.F. Bruce, ''The Canon of Scripture''; Catechism of the Catholic Church, [http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#IV, '' The Canon of Scripture'' § 120]; Thirty-nine Articles, [http://anglicansonline.org/basics/thirty-nine_articles.html Art. VI]</ref> The first four books of the New Testament are the [[Gospels]] ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]], [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]], [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] and [[Gospel of John|John]]), which recount the life and teachings of [[Jesus]]. The first three are often called [[Synoptic Gospels|synoptic]] because of the amount of material they share. The rest of the New Testament consists of a sequel to Luke's Gospel, the [[Acts of the Apostles]], which describes the very early history of the Church, a collection of letters from early Christian leaders to congregations or individuals, the [[Pauline epistles|Pauline]] and [[General epistles]], and the [[Apocalyptic literature|apocalyptic]] [[Book of Revelation]].<ref name="Canon" /> ===Basis on the divine origin of the Bible=== In a number of passages the Bible claims divine inspiration for itself. Besides the direct accounts of written revelation, such as Moses receiving the [[Ten Commandments]], the [[Prophets]] of the Old Testament frequently claimed that their message was divine by the formula '''"Thus says the LORD"''' (for example, 1 Kgs 12:22–24; 1 Chr 17:3–4; Jer 35:13; Ezek 2:4; Zech 7:9; etc.). In the New Testament, [[Jesus]] treats the Old Testament as authoritative and says it "cannot be broken" (John 10:34–36). [[2 Timothy]] 3:16 says: "All [[Scripture]] is '''God-breathed''' and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness", and the [[Second Epistle of Peter]] claims that "no prophecy of Scripture ... was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Pet 1:20–21). That epistle also claims divine [[authority]] for the [[Twelve apostles|Apostles]] (3:2) and includes Paul's letters as being counted with the [[Scriptures]] (3:16). === Biblical theology === {{Main|Biblical theology}} [[Biblical theology]] is a discipline within [[Christian theology]] which studies the Bible from the perspective of understanding the progressive history of ''God revealing himself to Man'' following the Fall and throughout the Old Testament and New Testament. It particularly focuses on the epochs of the writings in order to understand how each part of it ultimately points forward to fulfillment in the life mission of Jesus Christ. Biblical theology is sometimes called the "history of special revelation" since it deals with the unfolding and expanding nature of ''revelation'' as history progresses through the Bible. An important note that should be made in relation to the concept of progressive revelation is that the [[Christian]] Biblical concept differs from the [[Islamic]] understanding in which successive revelations of God might annul former revelations — correcting where past communities distorted revealed truths, abrogating laws no longer deemed suitable for the revelatory community, and affirming the central core truth of God's monotheistic nature, the fact of human accountability before God on the Final Day. The Christian model within Biblical theology sees the concept of progressive revelation as progressive revelation of new truth which supports, expands and stands upon former revelations of God's truth like brick laying. This progressive revelation ultimately climaxes in Christ, and ends with the New Testament ''Acts of the Apostles'' under the direction of the [[Holy Spirit]] awaiting the second coming of Christ. ===Systematic theology=== {{main|Systematic theology}} [[Systematic theology]] is the attempt to formulate a coherent philosophy which is applicable to the component parts of a given faith's system of belief. Inherent to a system of theological thought is that a method is developed, one which can be applied both broadly and particularly. While a systematic theology must take into account the sacred texts of its faith, it also looks to history, philosophy, science, and ethics to produce as full a view and as versatile a philosophical approach as possible. Significant systematic theologians are: [[Thomas Aquinas]], [[Roman Catholic]], who believed in two types of revelation from God: ''general revelation'' and ''special revelation''. General revelation occurs through observation of the created order. Such observations can logically lead to important conclusions, such as the existence of God. Though one may deduce the existence of God and some of God's attributes through general revelation, certain specifics may be known only through special revelation. In Aquinas's view, special revelation is equivalent to the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. The major theological components of Christianity, such as the Trinity and the Incarnation, are revealed in the teachings of the Church and the Scriptures and may not otherwise be deduced. Special revelation and natural revelation are complementary rather than contradictory in nature. [[Karl Barth]], [[Reformed]] (1886-1968), who tries to recover the Doctrine of the [[Trinity]] in theology from its putative loss in liberalism. His argument follows from the idea that God is the object of God’s own self-knowledge, and ''revelation in the Bible'' means the self-unveiling to humanity of the God who cannot be discovered by humanity simply through its own efforts. Note here that the Bible is not The Revelation; rather, it points to revelation. In Barth's theology, he emphasizes again and again that human concepts can never be considered as identical to God's revelation. In this aspect, [[Scripture]] is also written human language, expressing human concepts. It cannot be considered as identical to God's revelation. However, in His freedom and love, God truly reveals Himself through human language and concepts. Thus he claims that Christ is truly presented in Scripture and the preaching of the church. ===Different Christian views of revelation=== {{main|Christianity}} {{unbalanced}}<!-- favors various Protestant branches against Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy --> Christianity continued from Judaism a belief in the existence of a single [[Omnipotence|omnipotent]] God who created and sustains the [[universe]]. Against this background belief in the [[Christology|divinity of Christ]] and the Holy Spirit was expressed as the doctrine of the [[Holy Trinity]],<ref>J.N.D. Kelly, ''Early Christian Doctrines'' pp. 87-90; T. Desmond Alexander, ''New Dictionary of Biblical Theology'' pp. 514-515; Alister E. McGrath, ''Historical Theology'' p. 61.</ref> which considers that the three ''persons'' of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) share a single Divine ''[[Ousia|substance]]''. This substance is not considered divided, in the sense that each person has a third of the substance; rather, each person is considered to have the whole substance. The distinction lies in their relations, the Father being unbegotten, the Son begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeding.<ref>Vladimir Lossky [http://home.versatel.nl/chotki/God%20in%20Trin.htm ''God in Trinity'']; Loraine Boettner, [http://www.caledonianfire.org/caledonianfire/Boettner/trinity/t5.htm ''One Substance, Three Persons'']</ref> The "begetting" does not refer to Mary's conceiving Jesus, but to a divine begetting before [[Creation according to Genesis|Creation]]. [[Christian]]s were willing to die for their faith because of 3 key ideas that can be noted from their own writings. One: their belief that [[Jesus]] was [[resurrection|resurrected]], two: [[religious experience]], and three: fuller understanding of [[Old Testament]] [[Scriptures]]. Central to the doctrines of the [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] and [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]es is [[Apostolic Succession]], the belief that the [[bishop]]s are the spiritual successors of the original twelve apostles, through the historically unbroken chain of consecration (see: [[Holy Orders]]). The [[New Testament]] contains warnings against teachings considered to be only masquerading as Christianity,<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Corinthians|11:13-15}}; {{bibleverse|2|Peter|2:1-17}}; {{bibleverse|2|John|7-11}}; {{bibleverse||Jude|4-13}}</ref> and shows how reference was made to the leaders of the Church to decide what was true doctrine.<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|15:1-2}}</ref> The Catholic Church teaches that it is the continuation of those who remained faithful to the apostolic and episcopal leadership and rejected false teachings. Whereas [[Catholics]] and [[Eastern Orthodox]] look to [[synod]]s, and the Catholics also to the [[Pope]], for [[authority]], [[Protestants]], a wide branch of Christian believers look to the [[Bible]] for authority. The Protestants characterize the dogma concerning the Pope as Christ's representative head of the Church on earth, the concept of meritorious works, and the Catholic idea of a treasury of the merits of saints, as a denial that Christ is the ''only'' mediator between [[God]] and man: ''[[Solus Christus]]'' ([[Christ]] alone). Protestants believe that the teachings of the [[Roman Catholic Church]] obscure the teachings of the Bible by convoluting it with church history and doctrine: ''[[Sola Scriptura]]'' ([[Scripture]] alone). Christians believe the [[Holy Spirit]] [[Biblical inspiration|inspired]] the Scriptures,<ref>Catechism of the Catholic, [http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm#II '' Sacred Scripture'']; ''Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, [http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/chicago.htm ''online text'']; {{niv|2_Timothy|3:16|2 Timothy 3:16}}; {{niv|2_Peter|1:21|2 Peter 1:21}}</ref> and that his active participation in a believer's life (even to the extent of "indwelling", or in a certain sense taking up residence within, the believer) is essential to living a Christian life.<ref>{{niv|John|16:7-14|John 16:7-14}}; {{niv|1_Corinthians|2:10|1 Corinthians 2:10ff}}</ref> In [[Catholic]], [[Orthodox]], and some [[Anglican]] theology, this indwelling in received through the sacrament called [[Confirmation (sacrament)|Confirmation]] or, in the East, [[Chrismation]]. Most Protestants believe that the Spirit indwells a new believer at the time of [[salvation]]. [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] and [[charismatic movement|charismatic]] Protestants believe the [[Baptism with the Holy Spirit]] is a distinct experience separate from other experiences like [[Religious conversion|conversion]]. [[Pentecostalism]] is an American offshoot of [[Methodism]]. The doctrine of charismatic gifts is a well-known feature of Pentecostalism. Charismatic gifts are extra-normal abilities that are transmitted from the divine to individuals. These gifts include [[glossolalia]] (speaking in tongues), healing ability, and [[prophesy]]. Such gifts are bestowed upon Pentecostals at baptism, and are a fixture of Pentecostal church services. The ecstatic receipt of charismatic gifts can be accompanied by a loss of motor control, giving Pentecostals the nickname "[[Holy Roller]]s." The [[charismatic movement]] adopted the Pentecostal doctrines of charismatic gifts: speaking in tongues, [[prophesying]], etc. Many charismatic Christians have gone on to form separate churches and denominations. [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] sets itself apart from most other faiths claiming salvation through Jesus Christ in regards to revelation. This church, also known as the [[Mormon]]s, believes that their founder, [[Joseph Smith Jr.]], was called directly by God the Father and his son Jesus Christ to restore the church that Christ established on the earth during his life and ministry. The church has claimed constant revelation by the leaders and members of the church ever since that occasion. The Latter-day Saints take as their doctrine that revelation continues to flow from heaven to the church's leaders, and that the president of the church receives revelation directly from God for the direction of the Church. Each member of the Latter-day Saints is also confirmed a member of the church following baptism and given the "gift of the Holy Ghost" by which each member is encouraged to develop a personal relationship with that divine being and receive personal revelation for their own direction and that of their family. ===Current controversies and criticisms=== <!-- Hello. This section is the product of extensive discussion on [[Talk:Christianity]]. Please consider passing proposed changes through the Talk page before making them here. Thank you.--> {{main|Criticism of Christianity}} {{See also|Criticism of the Bible}} There are many controversies surrounding Christianity as to its influences and history. *A few writers propose that [[Jesus as myth|Jesus is a myth]],<ref>Kenneth Latourette, ''Christianity'' p. 394; E. A. Wallis Budge, ''Egyptian Religion''</ref> though historians generally agree that [[historicity of Jesus|Jesus existed]] and have aimed at reconstructing the [[historical Jesus]]. *Some writers consider [[Paul of Tarsus|Paul]] to be the founding figure of Christianity as opposed to Jesus, pointing to the extent of his writings and the scope of his missionary work.<ref>David Wenham, ''Paul: Follower of Jesus or Founder of Christianity?''</ref> See also [[Pauline Christianity]]. *The Australian scholar [[Barbara Thiering]] claims that by use of the [[pesher|pesher technique]] the symbolic images in Revelation are actually real dates and real people in attendance at the Church services that give a full account of the history of the Christian Church from its [[Judaeo-Christian]]/[[Essene]] roots to the actual measurements of the [[St. Peter's Basilica|Vatican]] church in [[Rome]] spanning the years of 1 AD to 114 AD. Some of those in attendance are [[Jesus]] having survived the crucifixion and his descendants: [[Jesus Justus]], Jesus III and Jesus IV and [[Berenice_%28daughter_of_Agrippa_I%29|Bernice]], the queen of Judea, “dressed in scarlet and purple, sitting on the scarlet Beast”, whose exploits are also described, who in a similar way to [[Cleopatra]] seduced and almost married the Roman emperor [[Titus]], hero of the [[First_Jewish-Roman_War]], destroyer of [[siege of Jerusalem (70)|Jerusalem]]. *Members of the [[Jesus Seminar]], and other Biblical scholars, have argued that the historical Jesus never claimed to be divine. They also reject the historicity of the empty tomb and thus a bodily resurrection, and several other events narrated in the gospels. They assert that Gospel accounts describing these things are probably literary fabrications.<ref>"The empty tomb is a fiction -- Jesus did not raise ''(sic)'' bodily from the dead." front flap of ''Acts of Jesus''.</ref> However a more scholarly and respected movement known as the Modern Quest for the Historical Jesus has been the forefront of attempting salvage the image of the historical Jesus in our modern society. *Adherents of [[Judaism]] generally believe that followers of Christianity misinterpret passages from the [[Old Testament]], or [[Tanakh]]. (See also [[Christianity and Judaism]].) *[[Islam|Muslims]] believe that the Christian doctrine of the [[Trinity]] is incompatible with [[Tawhid|monotheism]], and they reject the [[Christian]] teaching that [[Jesus]] is the Son of [[God]], though they affirm the virgin birth (as the son of [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Mary]] [[parthenogenesis|alone]]) and view him as a prophet preceding [[Muhammad]].<ref>Gary Miller, [http://thetruereligion.org/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=122 ''A concise reply to Christianity''].</ref> The [[Qur'an]] also uses the title "Messiah", though with a different meaning.<ref>The Holy Qura'an, 3:46.</ref><ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/quran-jesus.html Mike Tabish,''What does the Qur'an say about Isa (Jesus)?'']</ref> [[Muslim]]s also dispute the historical occurrence of the [[crucifixion of Jesus]].<ref>Answering-Christianity.com, [http://www.answering-christianity.com/crucified.htm ''What does the Holy Qur'an say about Jesus (peace be upon him)''].</ref> ===Scriptural canon of the Messianic 'Judaism'=== {{Refimprove|section|date=January 2007}} {{main|Messianic Judaism}} Messianic believers (who some Jews do not consider to be Jewish since they accept Jesus as the Messiah, who in dominant Jewish understanding has not yet arrived) commonly hold the [[Tanakh]] to be divinely inspired. The Tanakh includes the Torah (first five books of Moses), Nevi'im (the Prophets) and Ketuvim (the Writings). The [[New Testament|Apostolic Writings]] (or [[New Testament]]) are often considered to also be divinely inspired. Many hold them to be equal in authority to the Tanakh, but this is not universal and can vary from individual to individual even within the same synagogue or Torah study. Some Messianic believers are most often troubled by the writings of Paul (whom they often call Rabbi Sha'ul) and may reject his writings, hold them in less esteem than those of the Gospel writers, or even reject him. Often, the emphasis is on the idea that the Tanakh is the only scripture the Early Church had and that, except for the recorded words of Jesus, the Apostolic Writings were meant as inspired commentary on the Tanakh. ''Canon:''<br /> #[[Torah]] [תורה] meaning one or all of: "The Law"; "Teaching"; "Instruction". Also called the ''Chumash'' [חומש] meaning: "The five"; "The five books of Moses". It is the "[[Pentateuch]]". #[[Nevi'im]] [נביאים] meaning: "Prophets" #[[Ketuvim]] [כתובים] meaning "Writings" or "Hagiographa". #[[Gospels]] of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John #[[Acts of the Apostles|Acts]] #[[General epistles]] of James, Peter, Paul and of the author of Hebrews #Revelation ==Divine revelation in Islam== {{main|Islam}} {{seealso|Muhammad| |Qur'an}} [[Image:Muhammad-Majmac-al-tawarikh-1.jpg|thumb|Muhammad's Call to Prophecy and the First Revelation; leaf from a copy of the [[Majmac al-tawarikh]] (Compendium of Histories), ca. 1425; [[Timurid]]. From [[Herat]], [[Afghanistan]]. In The [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]]] Divine revelation plays a very important role in the Muslim faith. While religious books of most faiths acknowledge their human author's contribution to the divine text, the [[Qur'an]] claims to have been revealed word by word and letter by letter. The Qur'an is therefore, no doubt, a milestone in the development of revelation literature, and its authenticity is not seriously questioned{{Fact|date=June 2008}}. [[Islam]] knows different forms and degrees of divine revelation. See for example.<ref>{{cite web | title=Divine Revelation | work=islam-info.ch | url=http://www.islam-info.ch/en/Divine_Revelation.htm | accessmonthday=July 9 | accessyear=2006}}</ref> [[Muslims]] believe that God revealed his final message to humanity through [[Muhammad ibn Abdullah]] (c. 570 - July 6, 632) via the angel [[Gabriel]].<ref>Watton (1993), "Introduction"</ref> Muhammad is considered to have been God's final prophet, the "[[Seal of the Prophets]]". The revelations Muhammad preached form the holy book of Islam, the Qur'an. The Qur'an is believed to be the flawless final revelation of God to humanity, valid until [[Qiyamah|the day of the Resurrection]]. Muslims hold that the message of Islam - submission to the will of the one God - is the same as the message preached by all the messengers sent by God to humanity since [[Adam (Bible)|Adam]]. From an Islamic point of view, Islam is the oldest of the monotheistic religions because it represents both the original and the final revelation of God to [[Abraham]], [[Moses]], [[Jesus]], and [[Muhammad]].<ref>Esposito (2002b), pp.4-5</ref><ref>{{Quran-usc|42|13}}</ref> Members of all sects of Islam believe that the Qur'an codifies the direct words of God. According to Islamic traditions, Muhammad began receiving revelations from [[Islamic concept of God|God]] (Arabic: ألله ''[[Allah]]'') from the age of 40, delivered through the angel Gabriel over the last 23 years of his life. The content of these revelations, known as the Qur'an,<ref> The term ''Qur'an'' was first used in the Qur'an itself. There are two different theories about this term and its formation that are discussed in [[Quran#Etymology]] cf. "Qur'an", ''Encyclopedia of Islam Online''.</ref> was memorized and recorded by his followers and compiled into a single volume shortly after his death. The Qur'an, along with the details of [[Sira|Muhammad’s life as recounted by his biographers]] and his [[Sahaba|contemporaries]], forms the basis of Islamic [[theology]]. Within Islam, he is considered the last and most important [[Prophets of Islam|prophet]] of God.<ref>''The Cambridge History of Islam'' (1977) writes that "It is appropriate to use the word 'God' rather than the transliteration 'Allah'. For one thing it cannot be denied that Islam is an offshoot of the Judaeo-Christians tradition, and for another the Christian Arabs of today have no other word for 'God' than 'Allah'" cf p.32.</ref> Muslims do not regard him as the founder of a new religion but as the restorer of the original [[monotheism|monotheistic]] faith of Adam, Abraham and other prophets whose messages had become misinterpreted or [[Tahrif|corrupted]] over time (only misinterpreted according to some<ref>"If...they [Christians] mean that the Qur’an confirms the textual veracity of the scriptural books which they now possess—that is, the Torah and the Gospels—this is something which some Muslims will grant them and which many Muslims will dispute. However, most Muslims will grant them most of that." (quote from Ibn Taymiyya), see Accad (2003)</ref>).<ref>Accad (2003)</ref><ref name="EspositoI">Esposito (1998), p.12; (1999) p.25; (2002) pp.4-5</ref><ref name="EoI-Muhammad">"Muhammad", ''Encyclopedia of Islam Online''</ref><ref name="Peters">Peters (2003), p.9</ref><ref>"Qur'an and Polemics", ''Encyclopedia of the Qur'an'' (2005)</ref> ===Similarities between the Qur'ān and the Bible=== {{main|Biblical narratives and the Qur'an}} The [[Qur'ān]] retells stories of many of the people and events recounted in [[Judaism|Jewish]] and [[Christianity|Christian]] sacred books ([[Tanakh]], [[Bible]]) and devotional literature ([[Apocrypha]], [[Midrash]]), although it differs in many details. [[Adam and Eve|Adam]], [[Enoch (ancestor of Noah)|Enoch]], [[Noah]], [[Heber]], [[Shelah (son of Judah)|Shelah]], [[Abraham]], [[Lot (Bible)|Lot]], [[Ishmael]], [[Isaac]], [[Jacob]], [[Joseph (Hebrew Bible)|Joseph]], [[Job (Biblical figure)|Job]], [[Jethro]], [[David]], [[Solomon]], [[Elijah]], [[Elisha]], [[Jonah]], [[Aaron]], [[Moses]], [[Zechariah (priest)|Zechariah]], [[Jesus]], and [[John the Baptist]] are mentioned in the Qur'an as prophets of God (see [[Prophets of Islam]]). Muslims believe the common elements or resemblances between the Bible and other Jewish and Christian writings and Islamic dispensations is due to the common divine source, and that the Christian or Jewish texts were authentic divine revelations given to prophets. According to the Qur'ān <blockquote>"It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the criterion (of judgment between right and wrong).[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/003.qmt.html 3:3] "</blockquote> [[Muslims]] claim that those texts were neglected or corrupted ([[tahrif|''tahrif'']]) by the [[Jew]]s and [[Christian]]s and have been replaced by God's final and perfect revelation, which is the Qur'ān.<ref> [[Bernard Lewis]], [[The Jews of Islam]] (1984). Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-00807-8. p.69 </ref> Many Jews and Christians believe that the biblical archaeological record refutes this assertion, because the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] (the Tanakh and other Jewish writings which predate the origin of the Qur'an) have been fully translated,<ref> The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible: The Oldest Known Bible Translated for the First Time into English (2002) HarperSanFrancisco. ISBN 0-06-060064-0 </ref> validating the authenticity of the Greek [[Septuagint]].<ref>[http://www.septuagint.net Septuagint<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Divine revelation in the Bahá'í Faith== {{main|Bahá'í literature}} [[Image:Revelation-writing.jpg|thumb|150px|'Revelation writing': The first draft of a tablet of Baha'u'llah]] Following the progression and spread of literacy in human history, the [[List of Bahá'ís#Central Figures|Central Figures]] of the [[Bahá'í Faith]] were in a position in the 1800s to receive thousands of written enquiries, and to thus write thousands of responses, hundreds of which amount to whole and proper books, while many are the shorter texts, as letters. Additionally survey publications have attempted to broadly review important themes across many dozens of individual texts (see listings in articles below). In addition to the practicality of literacy however, the Bahá'í faith has large works which were divinely revealed in a very short time, as in a night, or a few days.<ref>{{cite web | title = Book of Certitude: Dating the Iqan | publisher= Kalimat Press | date=1995 | url = http://bahai-library.com/index.php5?file=wilmette_kitab_iqan_date | accessdate = 2007-02-26}}</ref> Additionally, because many of the works were first recorded by an amanuensis,<ref>{{cite web | title = The Writings of Baha'u'llah, Published in The Bahá'í World, vol. 14, pp. 620-32 | publisher= Bahá'í World Centre | url = http://bahai-library.com/index.php5?file=khavari_writings_bahaullah | accessdate = 2007-02-26}}</ref> most were submitted for approval and had corrections added - another milestone in that the final text was personally approved by the revelator. Bahá'u'lláh would occasionally write the words of revelation down himself, but normally the revelation was dictated to his amanuensis, who sometimes recorded it in what has been called 'revelation writing', a shorthand script written with extreme speed owing to the rapidity of the utterance of the words. Afterwards, Bahá'u'lláh revised and approved these drafts. These 'revelation drafts' and many other transcriptions of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh's, circa 17,000 items, some of which are in his own handwriting, are kept in the [[Bahá'í World Centre buildings#International Archives|International Bahá'í Archives]] in [[Haifa]], [[Israel]].<ref>{{cite web | title = A new volume of Bahá'í sacred writings, recently translated and comprising Bahá'u'lláh's call to world leaders, is published | publisher= Bahá'í World Centre | url = http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story.cfm?storyid=163 | accessdate = 2007-02-26}}</ref><ref> {{cite book |last = Taherzadeh |first = A. |year = 1976 |title = The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Volume 1: Baghdad 1853-63 |publisher = George Ronald |location = Oxford, UK |id = ISBN 0853982708}}</ref> For extended comments on the divine revelation of the [[Báb]], [[Bahá'u'lláh]], and [[`Abdu'l-Bahá]] see [http://bahai-library.com/?file=number_tablets_bahaullah Number of tablets revealed by Bahá'u'lláh] by Robert Stockman and Juan Cole and [http://bahai-library.com/?file=uhj_numbers_sacred_writings Numbers and Classifications of Sacred Writings texts] by [[Universal House of Justice]]. Second-hand notes of the words of the Central Figures of the Bahá'í faith are termed ''pilgrim notes'' and have little status.<ref>{{cite web | title = The Status of Pilgrims' Notes | publisher= bahai-library.org | url = http://bahai-library.com/index.php5?file=status_pilgrims_notes| accessdate = 2007-02-26}}</ref> See also Horace Holley's preface of [http://bahai-library.com/?file=compilation_bahai_revelation The Bahá'í Revelation, including Selections from the Bahá'í Holy Writings and Talks by `Abdu'l-Bahá]. ==Latter Day Saint concept of revelation== {{Main|Revelation (Latter Day Saints)}} {{See also|Prophet, seer, and revelator}} The [[Latter Day Saint]] concept of revelation includes the belief that revelation from God is available to all those who earnestly seek it with the intent of doing good. [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] and some other [[Latter Day Saint|Latter Day Saint denominations]] claim to be led by revelation from God to a [[prophet, seer, and revelator|living prophet]], who receives God’s word just as [[Abraham]], [[Moses]], [[Saint Peter|Peter]], and other ancient [[prophet]]s and [[twelve apostles|apostles]] did. It also teaches that everyone is entitled to ''personal'' revelation with respect to his or her [[stewardship]] (leadership responsibility). Thus, parents may receive inspiration from God in raising their families, individuals can receive divine inspiration to help them meet personal challenges, church officers may receive revelation for those whom they serve, and so forth. The important consequence of this is that each person may receive confirmation that particular doctrines taught by a prophet are true, as well as gain divine insight in using those truths for their own benefit and eternal progress. In the church, personal revelation is expected and encouraged, and many converts believe that personal revelation from God was instrumental in their conversion.<ref>{{cite web | title=Continuing Revelation | work=Mormon.org | url=http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,1084-1,00.html | accessmonthday=August 5 | accessyear=2005}}</ref> [[Joseph F. Smith]], the sixth [[President of the Church (Latter Day Saints)|president]] of the [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|LDS Church]], summarized this church's belief concerning revelation by saying, "We believe... in the principle of direct revelation from God to man."<ref>{{cite book | author=Smith, Joseph F. | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | month = | title = Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith | chapter = 41: Continuing Revelation for the Benefit of the Church | editor = | others = | edition = | pages = 362 | publisher = The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | location = Salt Lake City, UT | id = | url = http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll?f=id$id=tchg-pix.nfo%3Ar%3A84ab$cid=tchg-pix.nfo$t=document-frame.htm$an=JD_35744ttl$3.0#JD_35744ttl}}</ref> (Smith, 362) [[Latter-day Saints]] believe in an open scriptural canon, and in addition to the [[Bible]] and the [[Book of Mormon]], have books of scripture containing the revelations of modern-day prophets such as the [[Doctrine and Covenants]] and the [[Pearl of Great Price (Mormonism)|Pearl of Great Price]]. Church leaders (from the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]]) have taught during the Church's [[General conference (Mormonism)|General Conference]]s that conference talks which are "...[spoken as] moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture...".<ref>Doctrine and Covenants 68:4</ref> In addition, many Mormons believe that ancient prophets in other regions of the world received revelations that resulted in additional scriptures that have been lost and may, one day, be forthcoming. Hence, the belief in ''continuing revelation'' (i.e., an open canon). === Joseph Smith, Jr. === {{main|Joseph Smith, Jr.}} Joseph Smith, Jr. ([[December 23]], [[1805]] &ndash; [[June 27]], [[1844]]) was an [[United States|American]] [[religion|religious]] leader who founded the [[Latter Day Saint movement]], <!--***NOTE TO EDITORS: Do not change this to read "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are many factions besides the LDS Church that follow Smith's teachings. "Latter Day Saint movement" should stand as is. However, Latter Day Saint is not an active movement, but an ideology."*****--> a [[restorationism|restorationist]] movement giving rise to [[Mormonism]]. Smith's followers declared him to be the first [[end times|latter-day]] [[prophet]], whose mission was to restore the original [[Christianity]], said to have been lost after a [[Great Apostasy]]. This restoration included publication of the ''[[Book of Mormon]]'' and other new scripture to supplement the ''[[Bible]]'', and the establishment of the [[Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)|Church of Christ]]. As leader of this religion, he was also an important political and military leader in the [[American West]]. During his adult life—from the time he began translating the ''Book of Mormon'' in 1827 until his death in 1844—Smith introduced a large number of religious teachings. Although a number of his teachings are similar to doctrines circulating during his lifetime, several are unique to Latter Day Saint denominations. Nearly all Smith's teachings had some root in the [[King James Version]] of the ''Bible'', or his interpretation or elaboration of it. However, he believed in other scripture, and that in some instances, the ''Bible'' was translated incorrectly or incompletely.<ref>See [[Wentworth letter]].</ref> Thus, he "restored" [[Temple (Mormonism)|temples]], orders of [[priesthood (Mormonism)|priesthood]], and other elements of the ''Bible'' that he believed had been wrongly abandoned by mainstream Christianity as part of a Great Apostasy. In many cases, Smith's doctrines or interpretations of the ''Bible'', as well as his own claimed revelations, placed him at odds with mainstream Christianity. For example, Smith rejected mainstream Christianity's long-standing formulation of the [[Trinity]] as recorded in the [[4th century]] [[Nicene Creed]]. Joseph Smith taught that [[Heavenly Father]], [[Jesus Christ]], and the [[Holy Ghost]] are three separate personages, with Heavenly Father and Jesus having physical bodies<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,886-1,00.html Mormon.org - God is your loving Heavenly Father<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> of "flesh and bone," while the Holy Ghost has only a spiritual body. He also taught that God is the Heavenly Father of all mankind and that mankind is made in His express image. Smith's claim to be a prophet of God has led to much controversy. Smith was a polarizing figure in his time, and he continues to be a focus of controversy between his millions of followers—most of whom revere him as a prophet with the same authority as prophets of the standard Christian canon—and opponents of [[Mormonism]], who think him to have been either [[delusion]]al or [[fraud]]ulent. ==Divine revelation in the Jehovah's Witnesses concept== {{main|Jehovah's Witnesses}} The publishing arm of [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], known as the [[Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania]] engages in extensive publication work. In addition to their two magazines -'The Watchtower' and 'Awake!'- they also publish many brochures, tracts and books including the [[New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures]]. ''New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures'' is a translation of the [[Protestantism|Protestant]] [[Biblical canon#Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant|canon]]. This Bible is distinct in its extensive use of the name Jehovah, an English version of the Hebrew [[Tetragrammaton]], also replacing the Greek word for "Lord" over 200 times in the [[New Testament]]. The translators have opted to remain anonymous but others have identified them as being prominent leaders of the movement.<ref>(2004) Crisis of Conscience, 4th, Commentary Press, 56. 0-914675-23-0. {{cite book|title=Visions of Glory|author=Harrison|pages=231}}</ref> [[Frederick W. Franz|Frederick William Franz]] became the leading [[theology|theologian]], and is believed to have been the principal translator of the ''New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.''<ref>Since 1942, Witness publications are produced under a policy of anonymity. Former Governing Body member [[Raymond Franz]] claims the translators of the ''New World Translation'' were [[Fred Franz]], [[Nathan Knorr]], [[Albert Schroeder]] and [[George Gangas]]. {{cite book|title=Crisis of Conscience|edition=4th|year=2004|pages=56|publisher=Commentary Press|id=0-914675-23-0}}</ref> Also produced were a Greek-English New Testament interlinear (''The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures'') and a Bible dictionary (''[[Aid to Bible Understanding]]'').<ref> In 1988, this was replaced by the 2-volume set ''Insight on the Scriptures''.</ref> {{main|Beliefs and practices of Jehovah's Witnesses}} ==Existentialism== In the 20th century, religious existentialists proposed that revelation held no content in of itself; rather, they hold that God inspired people with His presence by coming into contact with them. In this view the [[Bible]] is a human response that records how we responded to God. Revelation or information from a supernatural source is of much lesser importance in some other religious traditions. It is not of great importance in the Asian religions [[Taoism]], and [[Confucianism]] but similarities have been noted between the Abrahamic view of revelation and the [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] principle of [[Bodhi|Enlightenment]]. [[Paul Johannes Tillich]] (1886–1965) was a theologian and Christian existentialist philosopher. Tillich was, along with contemporary Karl Barth, one of the more influential Protestant theologians of the twentieth century. Tillich's approach to [[Protestant]] theology was highly systematic. He sought to correlate culture and faith such that "faith need not be unacceptable to contemporary culture and contemporary culture need not be unacceptable to faith". Consequently, Tillich's orientation is [[apologetic]], seeking to make concrete theological answers that are applicable to ordinary daily life. This contributed to his popularity because it made him easily accessible to lay readers. In a broader perspective, revelation is understood as the fountainhead of religion. Tillich sought to reconcile revelation and reason by arguing that revelation never runs counter to reason (affirming [[Thomas Aquinas]] who said that faith is eminently rational), but both poles of the subjective human experience are complementary. Tillich's radical departure from traditional Christian theology is his view of [[Christ]]. According to Tillich, Christ is the "New Being", who rectifies in himself the alienation between essence and existence. Essence fully shows itself within Christ, but Christ is also a finite man. This indicates, for Tillich, a revolution in the very nature of being. The gap is healed and essence can now be found within existence. Thus for Tillich, Christ is not God ''per se'' in himself, but Christ is the revelation of God. Whereas traditional Christianity regards Christ as wholly man and wholly God, Tillich believed that Christ was the emblem of the highest goal of man, what God wants men to become. Thus to be a Christian is to make oneself progressively "Christ-like", a very possible goal in Tillich's eyes. In other words, Christ is not God in the traditional sense, but reveals the essence inherent in all existence, including mine and your own. Thus Christ is not different from you or me except insofar as he fully reveals God within his own finitude, something you and I can also do in principle. ''"God does not exist. He is being itself beyond essence and existence. Therefore to argue that God exists is to deny him."''<ref>Systematic Theology I, by Paul Tillich, University of Chicago Press, 205. 0-226803-37-6. {{cite book|title=Systematic Theology|author=Paul Tillich|pages=307}}</ref> == Visitation == An experience of presence or communication between the recently deceased and their spouse or progeny is called [[visitation]]. This experience may be interpreted by some persons as revealing the will of God. Such experiences are deemed normative and not pathological according to the [[DSM IV]] (Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association). It is the story of the end of time when Jesus comes to collect his followers and take them to heaven<ref>citation needed</ref>. Christians interpret these experiences as necromancy, a practice which is forbidden in the Old Testament(Deuteronomy 18:10-12), King Saul’s attempt at necromancy resulted in his final condemnation (1 Samuel 28).]. ==Caveats and criticism== In the [[Age of Reason]], [[Thomas Paine]] maintained that revelation can only be considered valid for the original recipient and when subsequently communicated by the recipient to a second person it ceases to be a revelation but rather becomes a hearsay second hand account, and consequently they are not obliged to believe it. ==See also== * [[Apaurusheyatva]], [[shruti]]: revelation in Hinduism * [[Prophet]] * [[Inspiration]] * [[Biblical inspiration]] * [[God helmet]] * [[Temporal lobe epilepsy]] * [[Theology]] * [[Prophecy]] * [[Charismatic movement]] * [[Occam's Razor]] * [[Synchronicity]] * [[Óðr]] * [[oracle]] * [[Revelation (The Urantia Book)]] * [[Prophet, seer, and revelator]] * [[Epistemology]] * [[Bible]] ==References== {{reflist}} *The Newsletter of the [[Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies]] (FARMS) at Brigham Young University Insights! volume 25 | 2005, Number 4, p.5 ==External links== {{wiktionary}} *[http://www.thebaptist.org/Revelation.htm The Mysteries of Revelation] *[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01594b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Apocalypse] *[http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=248&letter=R Jewish Encyclopedia: Revelation (Book of)] *[http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Book_of_Revelation Encyclopedia Britannica: Book of Revelation] *[http://www.pentameonus.com/category/book-of-willard/ Somniloquy Revelation: Book of Willard] *[http://www.babylonfalls.org/revelation_chart.html Suggested chronological depiction of Revelation] *[http://paternoster.biografi.org Christian revelation about God the Father] *[http://www.pesherofchrist.infinitesoulutions.com/index9.html The Pesher of Christ: “Decoding the Book of Revelation''] by Dr. [[Barbara_Thiering]]. 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