Encyclopedia Of Apocalypticism

Volume 1 covers the beginnings of apocalypticism in the ancient Near East, moves through early Judaism, and ends at the Book of Revelation in the New Testament. Volume 2 begins with the apocalypticism in early Christian theology (100 C.E.) and concludes with discussions of apocalyptic influences in medieval and renaissance literature (up to 1800 C.E.). Volume 3 brings the discussion into the 20th century and focuses on the influences of apocalypticism on modern popular culture, art, science, politics, and thought.

Volume 1 covers the beginnings of apocalypticism in the ancient Near East, moves through early Judaism, and ends at the Book of Revelation in the New Testament. Volume 2 begins with the apocalypticism in early Christian theology (100 C.E.) and concludes with discussions of apocalyptic influences in medieval and renaissance literature (up to 1800 C.E.). Volume 3 brings the discussion into the 20th century and focuses on the influences of apocalypticism on modern popular culture, art, science, politics, and thought.

"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.

Covering religious traditions ranging from Buddhism to Christianity to Zoroastrianism and modern apocalyptic movements such as Arun Shinrikyo and the Branch Davidians, this book addresses prophesied end of days from a breadth of perspectives and includes material on often-neglected themes and genres. End of Days: An Encyclopedia of the Apocalypse in World Religions describes apocalyptic writings in the world's major religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. The cross-referenced entries address ancient traditions—Zoroastrianism, as one example—as well as modern apocalyptic movements, such as Arun Shinrikyo, the Branch Davidians, and the Order of the Solar Temple. This book's broad scope offers coverage of overlooked traditions, such as Mayan Apocalyptic, Norse Apocalyptic, Native American eschatological literatures, and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Readers seeking detailed information on the eschatological and apocalyptic movements and proponents of End Times can reference entries about individuals such as Harold Camping, Jerry Falwell, David Koresh of the Brand Davidians, and James Jones and the People's Temple. This single-volume encyclopedia also contains numerous historical entries on subjects such as the Great Disappointment, the Great Awakening periods of religious revival, Joachim of Flora, the Maccabean Revolt, and the Plymouth Brethren. The influence of apocalyptic ideas far outside the realm of religion itself is documented through entries on film, including well-known modern movies such as The Hunger Games and Apocalypse Now, literature by writers such as Dante, and works of fine art like Wagner's Götterdämmerung. The inclusion of entries related to literature, film, and other art forms further attests to the wide-ranging social influence of belief in the end of days.

This text, which is by no means inclusive of all of the worldʼs apocalyptic writings, is intended both as an introduction to this timely literary genre as well as a tribute to the worldʼs major authors whose prose and poetry reflect their respective hopes, dreams and fears for the worldʼs last days. Although the book is intended to address apocalyptic literature across cultures, there is a significant dearth of material related to works by writers from Eastern cultures. This omission is an obvious one, inasmuch as the concept of an apocalypse, or a singular cataclysmic ending, is essentially antithetical to most cyclical Eastern philosophies. In an attempt to analyze such apocalyptic themes of either non-Western, primitive or pre-literate cultures, a list of entries pertaining to significant apocalyptic myths, legends and scriptures has been provided in appendix D.

Hailed as the best scholarship in its field, this survey traces apocalypticism's role in Western history from its origins to the close of the third millennium.