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Apocalyptic Spirituality (Classics of Western Spirituality)

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The last twenty years have seen a resurgence of apocalyptic Christianity from the evangelical sector that has had a major effect on global politics and on the current economic crisis. This apocalyptic belief system was what enabled the Bush administration to garner sufficient popular support in the US to invade Iraq, with all the consequences that have flowed from that fateful adventure. So although this book may seem to be of fringe interest, dealing as it does with apocalyptic thinking from the 3rd century to the medieval era, the real impact of the book is in providing a perspective on modern evangelical apocalyptic.

The volume comprises principally of excerpts from the chosen writers themselves, with excellent introductions that enables the writings to be read in context. What emerges is a picture of a tradition that has been vibrant ever since the first century and, as noted above, is strong today. As with contemporary preachers of the apocalyptic, all the writers are absolutely certain of their predictions of what is to come. With historical hindsight, they were all just as absolutely wrong in their predictions. They were regarded highly in their day and excercised considerable influence.