The Lion is the Lamb: A Study of the Book of Revelation

Wednesdays, October 1, 8, 15, and 22 · 5:30–7:00 PM
St. Mary’s in-the-Valley Episcopal Church, 1010 12th Street, Ramona

The Book of Revelation is one of the most misunderstood parts of Scripture. Too often it’s seen as a code to be cracked or a roadmap of the end times. But at its heart, Revelation is resistance literature—written to marginalized communities living under Roman oppression. It offers not predictions of the future, but courage for the present.

In this four-week study, we’ll explore Revelation as a word of hope for communities under pressure. We’ll see how the book calls readers to endure in the face of empire, reminding us that true victory comes not through force, but through faithful witness—even when it leads to suffering. At the center of the story is the great paradox of our faith: the Lion who conquers is revealed as a slain Lamb, whose self-giving love unmasks the powers of violence and redefines what it means to overcome.

Each week will focus on a different theme:

• Week 1 (Rev. 1–3): Endurance and the call to remain faithful.

• Week 2 (Rev. 4–7): The slain Lamb as the true conqueror.

• Week 3 (Rev. 12–18): Unmasking empire through the beasts and Babylon.

• Week 4 (Rev. 19–22): The Lamb’s victory and the healing of the nations.

Come and discover how this strange and beautiful book still speaks a word of courage, endurance, and hope today.

Leader:
This study will be led by Dr. Wesley W. Ellis, theologian, pastor, and educator. Dr. Ellis is Senior Pastor of First Congregational Church of Ramona (UCC), Visiting Instructor at Luther Seminary (ELCA), and Managing Editor of Flourish: A Journal of Progressive Ministry. He is the author of Youth Beyond the Developmental Lens: Being Over Becoming and Abiding in Amen: Prayer in a Secular Age, and co-author of Delighted: What Teenagers are Teaching the Church About Joy. With a Ph.D. in Practical Theology from the University of Aberdeen and 20 years of ministry experience, Dr. Ellis brings a rich, ecumenical perspective to his teaching.