"Apocalypticism has been the source of hope and courage for the oppressed, but has also given rise, on many occasions, to fanaticism and intolerance. The essays in this volume seek neither to apologize for the extravagance of apocalyptic thinkers nor to excuse the perverse actions of some of their followers. Rather, they strive to understand a powerful, perhaps even indispensable, element in the history of Western religions that has been the source of both good and evil, and still is yet today."The Editors The Continuum History of Apocalypticism is a 1-volume, select edition of the 3-vol. Encyclopedia of Apocalypticism first published in 1998. The main historical surveys that provided the spine of the Encyclopedia have been retained, while essays of a thematic nature, and a few whose subject matter is not central to the historical development, have been omitted. The work begins with 8 articles on "The Origins of Apocalypticism in the Ancient World," extending from ancient Near Eastern myth through the Old Testament to the Dead Sea Scrolls, Jesus, Paul, and the Book of Revelation. Next are 7 articles on "Apocalyptic Traditions from Late Antiquity to ca. 1800 C.E.," including early Christian theology, radical movements in the Middle Ages, and both Jewish and Islamic apocalypticism in the classic period. The final section, "Apocalypticism in the Modern Age," includes 10 articles on apocalypticism in the Americas, in Western and Eastern Europe, and, finally, in modern Judaism and modern Islam.
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Culled from the three-volume "Encyclopedia of Apocalypticism," which the editors published in 1998, this one-volume book of essays aims to introduce readers to the basic issues relating to apocalypticism throughout history. The first part explores the origins of apocalypticism in Near Eastern myth, the Dead Sea Scrolls, early messianic movements and the teachings of Jesus and Paul. (A separate essay unpacks the always controversial Book of Revelation.) Part two takes the story from the world of late antiquity through the Middle Ages to the 18th century, focusing most heavily on the Western monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In the final section, various essays examine apocalypticism in the modern age, offering a truly global perspective on the resurgence of apocalyptic thinking. Contributors to this academic collection--which will be best appreciated by readers already conversant in the issues surrounding the scholarship of apocalypticism--include Paul Boyer, James Moorhead, James VanderKam, Moshe Idel and Abbas Armanat.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
"This multivolume set, a masterfully conceived work covering the vast historical literature of apocalypticism, will…utterly delight the serious scholar….The articles are surprisingly readable for an academic text….Those truly interested in a comprehensive exposition of apocalypticism will find treasures in this great work." -Library Journal
"Edited by first-rate scholars…this work is certain to dominate its field for decades. It is rich, learned, fascinating and unsettling. I wish the authors were basically wrong. But I fear they re always nearly right/ Reading every essay is the three thick volumes, I am chastened, instructed, and in a strange way, moved and even inspired."-Judaism
"This splendid collection of essays explores religiously inspired conceptions of the end of history….Addressing critical aspects of Western apocalypticism, the authors identify and define their topics carefully, develop independent interpretations, and supply excellent supporting annotates bibliographies. This superb encyclopedia represents the best current scholarship…; it richly deserves wide distribution."-Choice
"[A]n indispensable resource for anyone interested in studying the origin, development and continuing impact of apocalyptic thought and writing in Judaism, Christianity and Islam." -America
"A unique and affordable companion revealing the historical and social dynamics of apocalyptic thought, this is recommended for academic theological collections..."" -L Kriz, West Des Moines P.L., IA, 1/04
“This collection of essays have been selected and edited by three outstanding scholars from three different American universities. Their selections explore a rich history of religiously inspired ideas about the end of history…The price of this volume at $75, although expensive, is entirely within the price range of similar volumes, if not below many of them…For the religion major, graduate student, or religious scholar, this compendium is a necessary edition to their research library.” –35th Annual American Reference Books Annual, 2004
"Edited by first-rate scholars…this work is certain to dominate its field for decades. It is rich, learned, fascinating and unsettling. I wish the authors were basically wrong. But I fear they re always nearly right/ Reading every essay is the three thick volumes, I am chastened, instructed, and in a strange way, moved and even inspired."-Judaism
"This splendid collection of essays explores religiously inspired conceptions of the end of history….Addressing critical aspects of Western apocalypticism, the authors identify and define their topics carefully, develop independent interpretations, and supply excellent supporting annotates bibliographies. This superb encyclopedia represents the best current scholarship…; it richly deserves wide distribution."-Choice
"[A]n indispensable resource for anyone interested in studying the origin, development and continuing impact of apocalyptic thought and writing in Judaism, Christianity and Islam." -America
"A unique and affordable companion revealing the historical and social dynamics of apocalyptic thought, this is recommended for academic theological collections..."" -L Kriz, West Des Moines P.L., IA, 1/04
“This collection of essays have been selected and edited by three outstanding scholars from three different American universities. Their selections explore a rich history of religiously inspired ideas about the end of history…The price of this volume at $75, although expensive, is entirely within the price range of similar volumes, if not below many of them…For the religion major, graduate student, or religious scholar, this compendium is a necessary edition to their research library.” –35th Annual American Reference Books Annual, 2004
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
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An in-depth commentary on the most popular apocalyptic literatures,
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This review is from: Continuum History of Apocalypticism (Hardcover)
This book accurately treats the subject as a genre of revelatory literature within a narrative framework, in which a revelation is mediated by an otherworldly being to a human recipient, disclosing a transcendant reality which is both temporal, insofar as it envisages eschatological salvation, and spatial, insofar as it involves another, supernatural world.
While dealing adequately with the Zoroastrian and eastern origins, The authors note that the first formal apocalyptic writings appeared during the Judeo-Christian period, beginning about 200 B.C. and flourishing through 350 A.D. The author and it's contributors convey the implications of the messages on each respective audience,e.g. the book of Revelation to the first century Christians living under Jewish and Roman persecution. Most of all The Continuum History of Apocalypticism helps identify the highly symbolic nature of apocalyptic language as literary devices. I purchased this book in research of a Christian eschatological perspective called preterism, and found not all, but most of it's conclusions very consistent and helpful.
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