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Revelation (Sacra Pagina)

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The distinguished scripture authority, Wilfrid Harrington presents a thorough and detailed commentary on the Book of Revelation. Although some read Revelation and find a glipse of perdition, Harrington reads Revelation and finds hope for all of humanity.

Jesus Christ, the Lamb, slain for our salvation, has come back to rescue, not to condemn. It is God's intention, and the Lamb's, that all will be saved!

Going line by line through the text of Revelation, Harrington explains how his underlying premise is derived. With scholarly attention to the original Greek text, Harrington constructs an understanding of Revelation that is filled with joy and hope for eternal life.

Harrington's work measures up nicely in comparison to the other volumes in the commentary series, Sacra Pagina. This volume is well worth the investment, particularly for the homilist, the teacher, the pastoral counselor or those attempting to help others understand the Book of Revelation.

The Sacra Pagina series on the New Testament is an outstanding reference work for any student of the New Testament. The book on Revelation is by Wilfred Harrington and Daniel Harrington. I was introduced to this series when I took a graduate level course in the New Testament. The professor recommended this series as excellent New Testament reference books. I lead a weekly bible discussion group and I have found this series to be of immense help. I am able to review Revelation line by line and receive the benefit of knowledgeable Catholic bible experts. I may not share the same views as the author on every passage but I can review his analysis and he also points me to other sources. I found Wilfred Harrington's views on universal salvation to be troubling. However, if you needed one book as a guide to Revelation this is it.

Wilfrid Harrington, O.P. has written a scholarly analysis of the Book of Revelation, but his theology is heretical, and decidedly not Catholic.

For instance, Fr. Harrington denies the existence of Satan, stating, "Satan is a powerful symbol, representing the whole gamut of evil and its infectious presence in the human race".

What is more troubling, he seems to glowingly accept the teachings of his fellow Dominican, dissident theologian Edward Schillebeeckx. In an Excursus at the end of this book, Fr. Harrington states there will be Universal Salvation ("Universal salvation means that all human beings will finally be redeemed by God's gracious love"), and "There is no negative eschaton" (meaning there is no eternal hell). He agrees with Schillebeeckx's statement, "But there is no shadow kingdom of hell next to the eternally happy kingdom of God." Were there any confusion about his stance, Fr. Harrington states, "Humans, not God, have invented hell."

What these two theologians are telling us is that there will be no eternal hell, in direct opposition to the Gospels, and in direct opposition to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

While it would be pleasant to think that no matter what we do in this life, there will be no possibility of eternal damnation, this is not what Jesus Christ himself tells us in the Gospels.

I heartily agree that the Book of Revelation is indeed a message of God's love and mercy for us; it is also a Book about God's justice. We mock the Gospels if we deny the existence of Satan, and we deny God's just nature if we deny the existence of an eternal hell.

So, while his scholarship is decent, his dissident theology casts a pall (in the truest sense of the word) over this book.

To any Catholic, I would say "Let the reader beware".

Wilfrid Harrington has written a clear and enlightening commentary on one of the most difficult books of the Bible. Those who are looking for a commentary that helps with contemporary application of the message of Revelation should definitely consider this one. Some commentaries are so eager to impress that they are unintelligible. This one is scholarly, but, anyone with a serious interest in learning the Bible will find it useful. I highly recommmend it.

Great commentary and a must read for serious bible study. Clears away all the frivolous claims of all the fashion preacher who claim they have the right interpretation.

As usual, a scholarly work on Revelation has usefulness on its own. I find this useful more than some but less than some. Though from a Catholic source, this does not seem affected by any particular Catholic thinking.

One thing I noted as an important faulty one is his position of 'universal salvation' pp. 230ff. In quoted text of Romans 11:32, the word "all" means 'both Jews and Gentiles', in the context of Paul's argument. It does NOT refer to everyone of the human being. He listed umteen verses of relevant Revelation passages to be on the side of universal salvation. All is to be found having NOTHING to do with universal salvation, as I checked a few one after another, thus I stopped to go through all.

His lack of proper exegetical thinking is surprising. However, in reality, his way may actually be the same way the sect of Universalists is lifting the Bible verses to fit to their own theology and doctrine. God's mercy extends to all, every single human being (this is not 'universalism), but not everyone did, does, and will respond as every one knows and should know (thus the basic thinking of universalists is faulty; they are simply seeing only loving aspect of Divine essence and avoiding problem of theodicy as well).