revelation Transmission of knowledge from a god or gods to humans. In the Western monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, revelation is the basis of religious knowledge. Humans know God and his will because God has chosen to reveal himself to them. He may commu¬ nicate with his chosen servants through dreams, visions, or physical mani¬ festations and may inspire prophets who relay his message to the people. His will may also be translated directly into writing through the handing down of divine law (e.g., the Ten Commandments) or scripture (e.g., the Bible and the Qur’an). Other religions emphasize “cosmic” revelation, in which any and all aspects of the world may reveal the nature of a single under¬ lying divine power (e.g., Brahman in the Vedas).
Revelation, Book of or Revelations or Apocalypse of John
Last book of the New Testament. It consists of two main parts, the first containing moral admonitions to several Christian churches in Asia Minor, and the second composed of extraordinary visions, allegories, and sym¬ bols that have been the subject of varying interpretations throughout his¬ tory. A popular interpretation is that Revelation deals with a contemporary crisis of faith, possibly the result of Roman persecutions. It exhorts Chris¬ tians to remain steadfast in their faith and hold firm to the hope that God will ultimately vanquish their enemies. References to “a thousand years” have led some to expect that the final victory over evil will come after the completion of a millennium (see millennialism). Modem scholarship accepts that the book was written not by St. John the Apostle but by vari¬ ous unknown authors in the late 1st century ad. See also apocalypse.
Revels, Hiram R(hoades) (b. Sept. 1, 1822, Fayetteville, N.C., U.S.—d. Jan. 16, 1901, Aberdeen, Miss.) U.S. clergyman and politician. The son of free blacks, he traveled to Indiana and Illinois to receive the education that was denied him in the South. Ordained a minister, he became a pastor and principal of a Baltimore school for African Ameri¬ cans. In the American Civil War he helped organize African American vol¬ unteer regiments for the Union army. After the war he moved to Natchez, Miss., and was elected state senator in 1869. In 1870 he was elected to the U.S. Senate to fill the unexpired term of Jefferson Davis, becoming the first African American elected to that body. He later served as president of Alcorn A&M College (1871-74, 1876-83).
revenue bond or limited obligation bond Bond issued by a municipality, state, or public agency authorized to build, acquire, or improve a revenue-producing property such as a waterworks, electric gen¬ erating plant, or railroad. Unlike general-obligation bonds, which are repaid through a variety of tax sources, revenue bonds are payable from specified revenues only, usually the revenues from the facility for which the bond was originally issued. Revenue bonds typically pay interest rates higher than those of general-obligation bonds. The separation of the rev¬ enue bond obligation from a municipality’s other bond obligations allows the municipality to circumvent legislated debt limits.
revenue sharing Funding arrangement in which one government unit grants a portion of its tax income to another government unit. For example, provinces or states may share revenue with local governments.
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reverberatory furnace ► Reymont I 1613
or national governments may share revenue with provinces or states. Laws determine the formulas by which revenue is shared, limiting the controls that the unit supplying the money can exercise over the receiver and specifying whether matching funds must be supplied by the receiver. Forms of revenue sharing have been used in several countries, including Canada, India, and Switzerland. From 1972 to 1986 the U.S. pursued a revenue-sharing program in which state and local governments received federal funds to spend as they saw fit.
reverberatory furnace Furnace used for smelting, refining, or melt¬ ing in which the fuel is not in direct contact with the contents but heats it by a flame blown over it from another chamber. Such furnaces are used in copper, tin, and nickel production, in the production of certain concretes and cements, and in aluminum recycling. In steelmaking, this process (now largely obsolete) is called the open-hearth process. The heat passes over the hearth and then radiates back (reverberates) onto the contents. The roof is arched, with the highest point over the firebox. It slopes downward toward a bridge of flues that deflects the flame so that it reverberates.
Revere, Paul (b. Jan. 1, 1735, Boston, Mass.—d. May 10, 1818, Bos¬ ton) American patriot and silversmith. He entered his father’s trade as a silversmith and engraver. An ardent supporter of the colonists’ cause, he took part in the Boston Tea Party. As the principal rider for Boston’s Com¬ mittee of Safety, he arranged to signal the British approach by having lan¬ terns placed in Boston’s Old North Church steeple: “One if by land and two if by sea.” On April 18, 1775, he set off to ride to Lexington to alert colonists that British troops were on the march and to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock to flee. Though he was stopped by a British patrol, he was able to alert the patriot leaders; because of his warning, the minute- men were prepared for the Battle of Lexington and the start of the Ameri¬ can Revolution. His ride was celebrated in a famous poem by Henry W. Longfellow (1863). During the war. Revere constructed a powder mill to supply colonial arms. After the war he discovered a process for rolling sheet copper and opened a rolling mill that produced sheathing for ships such as the USS Constitution. He continued to design handsome silver bowls, flatware, and utensils that are museum pieces today.
revetment See retaining wall
Revillagigedo \ra-'ve-ya-he-'ha-th6\ Group of islands, Mexico, in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are located about 300 mi (500 km) south of the Baja California peninsula and about 370 mi (600 km) west of main¬ land Mexico. Covering a total land area of 320 sq mi (830 sq km), it con¬ sists of numerous volcanic islands. The largest, Socorro, reaches an elevation of 3,707 ft (1,130 m). The islands are rich in sulfur, fish, and guano and are administered by Colima state.
revivalism Reawakening of Christian values and commitment. The spiritual fervour of revival-style preaching, typically performed by itin¬ erant, charismatic preachers before large gatherings, is thought to have a restorative effect on those who have been led away from the right path. Various Protestant sects have experienced periods of revivalism at differ¬ ent times since the 17th century, and many, notably Methodism, came into being during revivalist periods. Common themes are strict interpretation of the Bible, rejection of literary or historical study of the Bible, emphasis on the conversion experience, and a call to live devoutly. Revivalism can be interpreted as a precursor of 20th-century Christian fundamentalism. See also Great Awakening; Dwight Moody.
revolution In politics, fundamental, rapid, and often irreversible change in the established order. Revolution involves a radical change in govern¬ ment, usually accomplished through violence, that may also result in changes to the economic system, social structure, and cultural values. The ancient Greeks viewed revolution as the undesirable result of societal breakdown; a strong value system, firmly adhered to, was thought to pro¬ tect against it. During the Middle Ages, much attention was given to find¬ ing means of combating revolution and stifling societal change. With the advent of Renaissance humanism, there arose the belief that radical changes of government are sometimes necessary and good, and the idea of revolution took on more positive connotations. John Milton regarded it as a means of achieving freedom, Immanuel Kant believed it was a force for the advancement of mankind, and G.W.F. Hegel held it to be the ful¬ fillment of human destiny. Hegel’s philosophy in turn influenced Karl Marx. See also coup d'etat.