By an Immediate Revelation

By an Immediate Revelation: Studies in Apocalypticism, its Origins and Effects is a collection of essays comprising Christopher Rowland’s articles and lectures spanning forty years and reflecting his extensive and groundbreaking work in the field of apocalypticism. The volume— consisting of forty-four essays, all but three of which have been published previously—begins with Rowland’s personal retrospective on his scholarly career, influences, and publications. Rowland notes that his intellectual journey is comprised of three distinct yet overlapping phases. First, Rowland reviews his formative training at Cambridge and the impact of Gershom Scholem on his work, culminating in his 1974 doctoral thesis on the connection between Jewish mysticism and the New Testament. Second, he relates the impact of time spent in Latin America, especially Brazil, to his thinking on liberation theology. And finally, Rowland discusses his recent interest in the reception history of apocalypticism.

The current volume, while not a comprehensive collection of Rowland’s work, focuses on the theme of apocalypticism, specifically the reception and effect of apocalyptic traditions. According to Rowland, this reflects a shift in his interests away from a diachronic analysis, which centers on the historical antecedents of apocalyptic traditions. Rowland’s focus is on the effect of the tradition on later interpreters as expressed in their works. This nuanced position is particularly evident in the essays contained in sections 3 and 4, described below. The essays are arranged around several overarching themes. The first part of the volume examines the nature of apocalypticism (section 1) and its importance in the exegesis of various New Testament writings (section 2). The second part shifts focus, exploring the reception history of apocalyptic traditions (section 3) and the reception of these ideas in the texts and images of William Blake (1757–1827), the English visionary, artist, and poet (section 4). The volume concludes with a short section (“Coda”) consisting of two pieces, the first offering an outline of Rowland’s intellectual journey and the second an unpublished tribute to Nicholas Lash marking his retirement.

Essays in section 1 include investigations of the visionary nature of apocalyptic literature, the influence of Ezekiel 1 on later ancient apocalypses—an outstanding analysis that opens the door for a wider discussion in the importance of Ezekiel on later Jewish traditions, the significance of various theological features found in the book of Daniel, the biblical origins of apocalyptic themes and their reception in texts such as 1 Enoch and 2 Esdras, and a retrospective of Rowland’s The Open Heaven (SPCK, 1982) forty years after publication, a particularly illuminating essay in which Rowland revisits the idea of apocalypticism as a revelatory vehicle in which eschatology was not the main focus of apocalyptic texts but that of discerning the divine will. Section 2 shifts focus to apocalyptic, eschatological, and other related themes in the New Testament corpus. Here, Rowland examines the vision of the risen Christ in Rev 1:13, the exaltation of Christ in Colossians, the apocalyptic themes in John 1:51, and the influence of the Jewish apocalyptic tradition on the Gospel of Matthew. The section concludes with a collection of essays addressing the consequential nature of apocalyptic tradition on New Testament exegesis. Rowland’s work in this section is particularly important as it aptly demonstrates the influence of the Jewish apocalyptic tradition on the New Testament writers.

Section 3 investigates the reception history of apocalypticism, with the Book of Revelation serving as the central focus. Essays include an overview of the reception history of the Book of Revelation, apocalyptic interpretation in 17^th century England, and an essay on apocalypticism and antinomianism interacting with the work of Anne Hutchison, Gerrard Winstanley, and William Blake. This latter essay, entitled “‘By an immediate revelation ... by the voice of his own spirit to my soul’: A Perspective on Reception History on the New Testament and Antinomianism,” follows Rowland’s important and welcome proposal that the examination of apocalyptic texts should “attend to the revelatory form” as well as to their eschatological elements (6–8). For Rowland, the apocalyptic experience played a key role as a source of authority superior to that of received wisdom—what he sees as a priority of “inspiration” over “memory.” Regarding apocalypticism in the New Testament, Rowland thus concludes that “apocalyptic was the impetus whereby the eschatological convictions were endorsed and was the mode of understanding their mysteries” (26). Section 4 focuses attention on the works of William Blake and his use of apocalyptic imagery from Ezekiel and Revelation. Especially significant here is Rowland’s examination of the influence of Ezekiel’s Merkabah mysticism upon Blake’s work, as well as several essays in which Rowland explores the apocalyptic hermeneutic Blake employs in his work, especially regarding the Book of Enoch. It is these essays that best showcase Rowland’s interest in the effects of the apocalyptic tradition on the imagination of later interpreters.

The strength of this volume lies in its remarkable breadth and depth of engagement regarding the nature of apocalypticism, the ubiquity of apocalyptic and mystic elements in the New Testament corpus, and the reception of these ideas by later interpreters. The essays collected in this volume aptly demonstrate the fruitfulness of Rowland’s diachronic approach to reception history in general and apocalypticism more specifically. His analysis of the employment and effect of apocalyptic thought in the New Testament corpus, as well as of William Blake’s hermeneutical use of Ezekiel and Revelation, are especially noteworthy and serve as a model to follow. For those working in the field of apocalyptic literature and its reception history, this is an indispensable volume. It is likewise recommended for those investigating the effect and re-deployment of religious themes within the wider context of artistic expression. In sum, this volume is a fitting testament to Rowland’s important and consequential work and enduring legacy.

Michael DeVries is an independent scholar.

Michael DeVries

Date Of Review:

August 29, 2023