The other apocalypse. History and prophecy in Nicholas of Lyra's postilla litteralis

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Nicholas of Lyra (1270-1349) remains one of the most distinguished theologians and refined exegetes of the Middle Ages. This book argues that his apocalyptic thought, long recognized but often overlooked, deserves renewed consideration for its theoretical posture and its far-reaching historical and speculative impact. Consequently, this study focuses on Lyra’s Commentary on the Apocalypse (1329), included in his Postilla litteralis super totam Bibliam. After outlining the work’s main features and context, the analysis reaches its most challenging passage, namely Nicholas’s interpretation of Revelation XX. It is precisely here that the author, declaring his lack of access to the prophetic gift, refuses to recompose the events surrounding him from a historical-eschatological perspective. Yet, by situating this moment within the broader horizon of Lyra’s prophetological reflection, it becomes evident that the notion of prophecy does not vanish from his worldview. On the contrary, it becomes the subject of a sophisticated speculative effort, aimed at adequately redistributing the functions of the prophetic word within a social project suited to the needs of the Church of the time.