The Seven Seals of the Apocalypse: Medieval Texts in TranslationFrancis X. Gumerlock Filling today's religious book market are Apocalypse commentaries teaching that the seven seals of Revelation 5-8 describe tragedies that are to take place in the last days. Medieval Europeans, on the other hand, thought very differently about the seven seals. Some used the seven seals for catechetical purposes and associated them with seven major events in the life of Christ or seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Other medieval writers taught that the seven seals contained symbols about life in the church between the first and second comings of Christ. Still others viewed the seals as milestones in the grand outline of salvation history. This book illustrates this vastness of medieval interpretive tradition on the seven seals. It includes fifteen texts from the sixth through the fifteenth centuries, which have been organized under three headings: those illustrating christological interpretations of the seven seals, those proposing ecclesiastical interpretations, and those giving historical interpretations. |
Contents
Christological Interpretations of the Seven Seals | 27 |
Ecclesiastical Interpretations of the Seven Seals | 41 |
Historical Interpretations of the Seven Seals | 55 |
Copyright | |
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Alcuin angel Anselm of Havelberg Antichrist Apoca Apocalypse Commentary apostles Apringius ascension Auriol Bede Biblical Boneta Book of Revelation Caesarius of Arles Cassiodorus CCSL Celtic Catechism century Christ opened Christological church Constantine death Diocletian divine Domitian Early Medieval earth ecclesiastical Edited elders emperors eschatological exegesis exegetes fifth seal fourth seal Franciscan Germain Morin Gospel heaven Holy Spirit homilies Irish Reference Bible Isaiah Israel Jerusalem Jesus Christ Joachim of Fiore Judah Julian the Apostate Kings Lamb Lord lypse manuscript martyrs Matt Maximian McGinn Middle Ages mysteries nativity Old Testament Olivi open the book passion persecution PETER AURIOL prophecy prophet Prous pseudo-Jerome red horse resurrection rider right hand says scriptures sealed with seven seals Rev second seal seven seals seventh signified sitting sixth seal Steinhauser things third seal throne Titus translated tribe Tyconius Vespasian vision white horse worthy to open written inside York