On Thursday, April 11, General Seminary celebrated the launch of the Rev. Dr. Michael Battle’s monograph Heaven on Earth: God’s Call to Community in the Book of Revelation.
Deans Dunkle and Delashmutt introduced Battle; both emphasized the unique accomplishment of research and theological reflection on the Book of Revelation within the Episcopal Church and Anglican Tradition.
Members of the local Chelsea community and area clergy joined the General Seminary community to discuss the book and its relevance in theology and current social issues.
Published by Westminster John Knox Press, Heaven on Earth is a commentary on the book of Revelation and its relevance to building the Beloved Community, even amid contemporary global crises.
Desmond Tutu comments on Battle’s Heaven on Earth: “Michael invites the reader into the birthing process of heaven on earth. As with any birth, we must move through pain and struggle toward the life that God continues to create.”
Former Archbishop of Canterbury and eminent theologian, Rowan Williams, provides the Forward. In it, Williams states: “[Michael Battle’s] reflections are going to be a really valuable framework for many people willing prayerfully to ‘sit under’ the holy text but wary of the seductions of theological fancy and self-justifying mythologies. It is an unusual and creative book which will be a welcome addition to the resources of critical and obedient biblical scholarship.”