Experiencing the Apocalypse at the Limits of Alterity

Applying current narrative criticism to the study of the Apocalypse, Hongisto underscores the oral nature of the narrative vis-a-vis the roles of the readers/ listeners. Experiencing the Apocalypse at the Limits of Alterity probes the interplay of meaning creation as readers/listeners encounter the narrative. The author shows how readers/listeners alike partake in the narrative design and become constructors of the narrative, given their own life experiences. Thus, the overarching reading context assists in the creation of a narrativity for the text. The form of the Apocalypse along with its imagistic quality convey a message that is not primarily cognitive, but is delivered and grasped by a sense of alterity encompassing the imaginary world of the text and the real world of the readers/listeners.

Leif Ilmari Hongisto received his PhD in New Testament Exegesis from Abo Akademi University, Finland. He is a long-time educator and his research interest lies in the application of Cognitive Narratology to biblical texts. He is now President of Middle East University in Beirut, Lebanon.