The Seven Hills.

[Guest dove]

dear father,
is it in revelation? the seven hills, what are they. please excuse me, its way, way past my bedtime, but i have to ask. A friend says it represents evil (actually she said it represents the catholic church)
Need some expert braincells here padre.

God bless.

[Pio Nono]

JMJ
4/9 - Good Friday

dove,

Often enough, evangelical Protestants (with some others) interpret the passage about the "Seven Hills" in Revelation as signifying the Catholic Church. This is, of course, not true.

The "Seven Hills" passage is a reference to the city of [i]Rome[/i], not the Roman Catholic Church. The city of Rome is built on seven hills, and if you get the chance to go to Rome, climbing the Capitoline is a beautiful experience (if you're a classics dork like me ). Of course, St. John the Apostle refers to Rome in negative terms, but I think we all would if our friends were being slaughtered there for their faith. Some people, though (typically Dispensationalists, for you apologists out there), think that now that the Catholic Church is "based" in Rome, the passage refers to Her.

And I'm no priest, just a lowly seminarian from the hill country in Indiana.

I hope this helps.

Yours,
Pio Nono