Crucible of Faith : The Ancient Revolution That Made Our Modern Religious World

One of America's foremost scholars of religion examines the tumultuous era that gave birth to the modern Judeo-Christian tradition In The Crucible of Faith , Philip Jenkins argues that much of the Judeo-Christian tradition we know today was born between 250-50 BCE, during a turbulent "Crucible Era." It was during these years that Judaism grappled with Hellenizing forces and produced new religious ideas that reflected and responded to their changing world. By the time of the fall of the Temple in 70 CE, concepts that might once have seemed bizarre became normalized-and thus passed on to Christianity and later Islam. Drawing widely on contemporary sources from outside the canonical Old and New Testaments, Jenkins reveals an era of political violence and social upheaval that ultimately gave birth to entirely new ideas about religion, the afterlife, Creation and the Fall, and the nature of God and Satan. Religion / Judaism / History, Religion / Christian Theology / History, Religion / Judaism / Theology, Religion / Christian Theology / General, Religion / Ancient, History / Ancient / General In The Crucible Of Faith, Philip Jenkins Argues That Much Of The Judeo-christian Tradition We Know Today Was Born Between 250-50 Bce, During A Turbulent Crucible Era. It Was During These Years That Judaism Grappled With Hellenizing Forces And Produced New Religious Ideas That Reflected And Responded To Their Changing World. By The Time Of The Fall Of The Temple In 70 Ce, Concepts That Might Once Have Seemed Bizarre Became Normalized-and Thus Passed On To Christianity And Later Islam. Drawing Widely On Contemporary Sources From Outside The Canonical Old And New Testaments, Jenkins Reveals An Era Of Political Violence And Social Upheaval That Ultimately Gave Birth To Entirely New Ideas About Religion, The Afterlife, Creation And The Fall, And The Nature Of God And Satan.--amazon. The Old World: Living With Radical Monotheism -- The Years Of The Greeks: The Jewish World Confronts Greek Empires -- Antioch In Jerusalem: The Limits Of The Law -- Enoch The Prophet: Startling New Scriptures Remap The Spiritual Universe -- Tyrants Follow Tyrants: A Century Of National Agony -- Daniel's Revolution: Visions Of Cosmic Warfare -- The Light And The Life: Wars Of Light And Darkness -- The Powers Above: Hoe The Universe Filled With Angels And Demons -- The Word Was With God: Rethinking The World's Creation -- Smashing God's House: How Apocalyptic And Messianic Ideas Drove Political Action -- Making Faiths: The Making Of World Religions -- Conclusion: Closed Histories. Philip Jenkins. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Heaven and hell, angels and demons, Satan and the Messiah. All of these seem fundamental to the Judeo-Christian religious tradition. Yet these figures are largely, and conspicuously, absent from the Biblical Old Testament. Philip Jenkins, one of America's foremost scholars of religion, argues that much of the Judeo-Christian tradition we know today was born between 250-50 BCE, during a turbulent "Crucible Era." It was during these years that Judaism grappled with Hellenizing forces, and produced new religious ideas that reflected and responded to their changing world. By the time of the fall of the Temple in 70 CE, concepts that might once have seemed bizarre became normalized-and thus passed on to Christianity. Drawing widely on contemporary sources from outside the canonical Old and New Testaments, Jenkins reveals an era of political violence and social upheaval that ultimately gave birth to entirely new ideas about religion, the afterlife, Creation, and the nature of God. The old world: living with radical monotheism The years of the Greeks: the Jewish world confronts Greek empires Antioch in Jerusalem: the limits of the law Enoch the prophet: startling new scriptures remap the spiritual universe Tyrants follow tyrants: a century of national agony Daniel's revolution: visions of cosmic warfare The light and the life: wars of light and darkness The powers above: how the universe filled with angels and demons The Word was with God: rethinking the world's creation Smashing God's house: how apocalyptic and messianic ideas drove political action Making faiths: the making of world religions Conclusion: Closed histories. A prominent scholar of religion reveals how the Judeo-Christian tradition was born in Palestine during the turbulent years between 250 BC and 50