Re-Romanization in the Heavenly City: World Wars, Global Cities, and Proto-Capitalism in the Book of Revelation

Abstract Although John condemns the Roman Empire’s extravagance (Rev. 18), he fails to question the opulent materials used to construct the heavenly city (21:18–21). While God tortures those who have entered into trade agreements with Rome (16:2), the New Jerusalem follows the same pattern as the heavenly economic system (21:24). Moreover, after the heavenly commander has destroyed the global city—that is, the Roman Empire (19:15–21)—God establishes the holy city as the new global city (21:24–26). Decolonial theorist Walter D. Mignolo argues that “de-Westernization doesn’t question the ‘nature’ of the world economy, capitalism.” Similarly, in Revelation, de-Romanization does not question the nature of the world economy either. This article offers a reading of Revelation 21 from the perspectives of decolonial theory and the Taiwanese context. It argues that rather than pursuing a liberated economic system, the Empire of God imitates the same oppressive system as that implemented by the Roman Empire.