Crisis and Security Narratives in the Book of Revelation
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Keywords

crisis
narratives
scriptural passages
security and literature

How to Cite

Szarlej, J. and Sapiński, A. (2025) “Crisis and Security Narratives in the Book of Revelation”, Scientific Journal of Bielsko-Biala School of Finance and Law. Bielsko-Biała, PL, 29(3). doi: 10.19192/wsfip.sj3.2025.16.

Abstract

This article examines crisis and security narratives in the Book of Revelation through an interdisciplinary framework combining exegetical analysis, historical context and contemporary security studies. The study identifies core symbolic structures such as the Beast, Babylon and New Jerusalem as mechanisms for constructing communal resilience and interpreting danger. The methods include textual analysis of selected passages, contextualisation with first‑century Roman imperial dynamics and integration of theoretical perspectives from Polish literary studies and security studies. Findings indicate that Revelation offers a symbolic system of crisis communication that stabilises collective identity and functions as an early model of narrative security. The article concludes that apocalyptic texts remain relevant for understanding how communities interpret threats and maintain cohesion under pressure

https://doi.org/10.19192/wsfip.sj3.2025.16
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Copyright (c) 2025 Jolanta Szarlej, Aleksander Sapiński

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