The Cambridge Companion to Apocalyptic Literature (Cambridge Companions to Religion)

Jewish and Christian apocalypses have captivated theologians, writers, artists, and the general public for centuries, and have had a profound influence on world history from their initial production by persecuted Jews during the second century BCE, to the birth of Christianity - through the demise of the Western Roman Empire and the medieval period, and continuing into modernity. Far from being an outlier concern, or an academic one that may be relegated to the dustbin of history, apocalyptic thinking is ubiquitous and continues to inform nearly all aspects of modern-day life. It addresses universal human concerns: the search for identity and belonging, speculation about the future, and (for some) a blueprint that provides meaning and structure to a seemingly chaotic world. The Cambridge Companion to Apocalyptic Literature brings together a field of leading experts to provide a comprehensive overview of the subject. 0000 1 0000_Page_1 1 0000_Page_2 2 0000_Page_3 3 0000_Page_4 4 0000_Page_5 5 0000_Page_6 6 0000_Page_7 7 0000_Page_8 8 0001 9 10.1017@9781108394994.001 9 10.1017@9781108394994.002 27 10.1017@9781108394994.003 44 10.1017@9781108394994.004 67 10.1017@9781108394994.005 87 10.1017@9781108394994.006 105 10.1017@9781108394994.007 128 10.1017@9781108394994.008 145 10.1017@9781108394994.009 164 10.1017@9781108394994.010 180 10.1017@9781108394994.011 198 10.1017@9781108394994.012 220 10.1017@9781108394994.013 239 10.1017@9781108394994.014 259 10.1017@9781108394994.015 278 10.1017@9781108394994.016 296 10.1017@9781108394994.017 324 17 Apocalypticism in the Contemporary World 324 Apocalyptic and Apocalypticism 324 The ‘‘Apocalyptic Shift’’ 327 The ‘‘Apocalyptic Shift’’ and Contemporary Popular Culture 331 The ‘‘Apocalyptic Shift’’ and the Fifth Great Awakening 340 The Apocalyptic Shift and the Illiberal Revolution 344 Conclusion 349 Selected Further Reading 350 Appendix 351 Index 353 Other Titles 364 "Jewish and Christian apocalypses have captivated theologians, writers, artists, and the general public for centuries, and have had a profound influence on world history from their initial production by persecuted Jews during the second century BCE, to the birth of Christianity-through the demise of the Western Roman Empire and the medieval period, and continuing into modernity. Far from being an outlier concern, or an academic one that may be relegated to the dustbin of history, apocalyptic thinking is ubiquitous and continues to inform nearly all aspects of modern-day life. It addresses universal human concerns: the search for identity and belonging, speculation about the future, and (for some) a blueprint that provides meaning and structure to a seemingly chaotic world. The Cambridge Companion to Apocalyptic Literature brings together a field of leading experts to provide a comprehensive overview of the subject"-- Cambridge companion Online "Jewish and Christian apocalypses have captivated theologians, writers, artists, and the general public for centuries, and have had a profound influence on world history from their initial production by persecuted Jews during the second century BCE, to the birth of Christianity-through the demise of the Western Roman Empire and the medieval period, and continuing into modernity. Far from being an outlier concern, or an academic one that may be relegated to the dustbin of history, apocalyptic thinking is ubiquitous and continues to inform nearly all aspects of modern-day life. It addresses universal human concerns: the search for identity and belonging, speculation about the future, and (for some) a blueprint that provides meaning and structure to a seemingly chaotic world. The Cambridge Companion to Apocalyptic Literature brings together a field of leading experts to provide a comprehensive overview of the subject"-- Provided by publisher Apocalytic literature has addressed human concerns for over two millennia. This volume surveys the source texts, their reception, and relevance.