Lynn R. Huber argues that the visionary aspect of Revelation, with its use of metaphorical thinking and language, is the crux of the text's persuasive power. Emerging from a context that employs imagery to promote imperial mythologies, Revelation draws upon a long tradition of using feminine imagery as a tool of persuasion. It does so even while shaping a community identity in contrast to the dominant culture and in exclusive relationship with the Lamb.

By drawing upon the work of medieval and modern visionaries, Huber answers a call to examine the way 'real' readers engage with biblical texts. Revealing how Revelation continues to persuade audiences through appeals to the visual and provocative imagery she offers a new sense of how the text metaphorical language simultaneously limits and invites new meaning, unfurling a range of interpretations.

Lynn R. Huber is Professor of Religious Studies at Elon University, USA.

Introduction
Chapter 1: Seeing with John: Revelation, Vision and Metaphor
Chapter 2: Seeing and Thinking with the City-Bride: Revelation's Bridal Imagery in Context
Chapter 3: Becoming the Bridal City: Envisioning the Bride with Late Medieval Visionaries
Chapter 4: "Coming into Wedding": Reading and Viewing Revelation in the American South
Conclusion: Unveiling the Visible