Biblical Studies/New Testament Commentaries/Revelation/Writers and Editors

Note to writers and editors:

a) Be open to multiple points of view. Present your material as an interpretation, not the interpretation, and respect the views of others. Do not delete existing material without good cause (simply not agreeing with it does not constitute good cause for deletion). As a rule, it is better to improve something than to delete it, even if you don't agree with it. Then add your own perpective as an alternate way of understanding the text. Do not convey the idea that one interpretation is better or worse than another, or that one is the "mainstream scholarly view" while another is not (such statements are very subjective!), but let the interpretations speak for themselves, and let readers make up their own minds. Multiple interpretations help readers and writers alike to be better informed.

b) Substantiate your interpretations. It is not enough to simply give an interpretation, you must explain the basis for it by giving specific illustrations from the text of Revelation or from other verifiable sources (e.g. an exact quote with its exact location).

c) Don't preach. Limit your contribution to a direct interpretation of the text, and resist the temptation to elaborate beyond what is directly suggested by the text itself. Keep Wiki's diverse audience in mind, and maintain an objective and scholarly voice at all times.

d) Don't change the biblical text. It is the King James Version, chosen because it is no longer under copyright. However, archaic words have been modernized (e.g. "shineth" has been changed to "shines"; "thee" and "thou" to "you"; etc.). Verses which are currently separated can be joined together, and verses which are currently together can be separated, if it seems to work better for the purposes of the commentary. Feel free to quote other translations in your commentary if they nuance the passage in a different and helpful way.

e) Be consistent. For the sake of consistency, please keep to the format which has been set up (unless you're a Wiki wizard and can improve it).

• "A critic has no right to the narrowness of the creative artist. He has to have a wide outlook or he has not anything at all." (E.M. Forster)