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Grasping for Power from the Tree of Life
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Description
This book examines the biblical Tree of Life in Revelation 22-and its roots in Genesis 2-3-as a potent symbol of kingship and power by connecting it with ancient Southwest Asian and Roman imperial iconography of sacred trees. Through a tri-part methodology of intertextuality, visual exegesis, and metonymy, Grasping for Power from the Tree of Life: A Visual Reading of Revelation 22 explores how sacred trees reflect power dynamics, particularly in the context of empire.
Amy E. Meverden analyzes the Tree of Life in Revelation 22 alongside Roman imperial vegetation symbolism in the Ara Pacis Augustae (9 BCE) and the Genesis Tree of Life alongside ancient Southwest Asian iconography in the Ashurbanipal Garden frieze (669-631 BCE). These symbols underscore the emperor's authority as the divine's earthly representative, with vegetation serving as a visual extension of dominance and resource control.
This book argues that the Tree of Life not only critiques power abuses but also has the metonymic potential to inspire visions of life beyond oppressive systems while also risking the re-imposition of empire through interpretation. In this way, the Tree of Life stands as a complex symbol of both resistance to and reinforcement of imperial power.
Product details
Edition:
1
Number of Pages:
202
Release Date:
2025-10-02
Publication Date:
2025-10-30
Publisher:
Fortress Academic
Languages:
Original:
English
ISBN10:
1978709390
ISBN13:
9781978709393
GPSR Manufacturer Reference:
Weight:
451 g
Height:
157 cm
Width:
235 cm
Thickness:
16 cm
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