Following the Lamb: A Reading of Revelation for the New Millennium

Pastors and biblically literate laypersons provide the intended audience for thisinterpretation of Revelation. While Le Moignan’s reading is generally optimistic, in thatshe argues that the Apocalypse is relevant to the contemporary church, the book alsorecognizes that Revelation requires serious ethical and theological evaluation. Amongcontemporary popular interpretations of Revelation—even those by crediblescholars—this is a distinct advantage. The author is in conversation with currentscholarship, and she develops an independent point of view on several topics, but thebook is not designed to offer innovative historical, literary, or theological judgments.Le Moignan begins with an assessment of the “present state of the world” (ch. 1). Theworld is in a precarious state, threatened by environmental instability and economic andpolitical disparity. She finds in Revelation a realistic antidote for a church tempted by asense of powerlessness, fundamentalist isolationism, and privatized religion.Chapters 2–4 (part 1) represent Le Moignan’s close reading of the Apocalypse. Havingsummarized the book’s contents, she emphasizes that it is a letter. As such, it is not somuch about predictions as it is an attempt to encourage “Christian faithfulness” among aparticular audience (24). Le Moignan also stresses that Revelation is a prophecy. [Full Review]