Offenbarungen

Offenbarungen is the plural form of Offenbarung in the German language, meaning revelations or disclosures. The term is used in religious, literary, and philosophical contexts to denote statements, messages, or events in which hidden truths are disclosed.

In theology, Offenbarungen are understood as communications attributed to a divine source. In Abrahamic traditions, they are typically associated with revelations given to prophets and recorded in sacred texts. A common distinction is between general or natural revelation, understood to disclose aspects of the divine through creation and conscience, and special or particular revelation, which conveys specific truths through scriptures, prophets, miracles, or angelic messages. Within Christian thought, the culmination of divine Offenbarungen is often linked to the Bible and to the book known as Die Offenbarung des Johannes or the Revelation to John.

In literature and culture, Offenbarungen appears as a motif for sudden insight, the unmasking of concealed realities, or the unveiling of truths. The term can denote religious revelations as well as secular disclosures, such as historical findings, personal confessions, or revelations uncovered through investigative inquiry.

As a plural noun, Offenbarungen emphasizes multiple instances of revelation—sacred, philosophical, or experiential. The term remains common in theological writing and in discussions of epistemology, religion, and cultural studies.