History of the End of the World: How the Most Controversial Book in the Bible Changed the Course of Western Civilization
4/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
The mysterious author of the Book of Revelation (or the Apocalypse, as the last book of the New Testament is also known) never considered that his sermon on the impending end times would last beyond his own life. In fact, he predicted that the destruction of the earth would be witnessed by his contemporaries. Yet Revelation not only outlived its creator; this vivid and violent revenge fantasy has played a significant role in the march of Western civilization.
Ever since Revelation was first preached as the revealed word of Jesus Christ, it has haunted and inspired hearers and readers alike. The mark of the beast, the Antichrist, 666, the Whore of Babylon, Armageddon, and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are just a few of the images, phrases, and codes that have burned their way into the fabric of our culture. The questions raised go straight to the heart of the human fear of death and obsession with the afterlife. Will we, individually or collectively, ride off to glory, or will we drown in hellfire for all eternity? As those who best manipulate this dark vision learned, which side we fall on is often a matter of life or death. Honed into a weapon in the ongoing culture wars between states, religions, and citizenry, Revelation has significantly altered the course of history.
Kirsch, whom the Washington Post calls "a fine storyteller with a flair for rendering ancient tales relevant and appealing to modern audiences," delivers a far-ranging, entertaining, and shocking history of this scandalous book, which was nearly cut from the New Testament. From the fall of the Roman Empire to the Black Death, the Inquisition to the Protestant Reformation, the New World to the rise of the Religious Right, this chronicle of the use and abuse of the Book of Revelation tells the tale of the unfolding of history and the hopes, fears, dreams, and nightmares of all humanity.
Jonathan Kirsch
Jonathan Kirsch is the author of ten books, including the national bestseller The Harlot by the Side of the Road and his most recent work, the Los Angeles Times bestseller A History of the End of the World. Kirsch is also a book columnist for the Los Angeles Times, a broadcaster for NPR affiliates in Southern California, and an adjunct professor at New York University.
Read more from Jonathan Kirsch
A History of the End of the World: How the Most Controversial Book in the Bible Changed the Course of Western Civilization Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Grand Inquisitor's Manual: A History of Terror in the Name of God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to History of the End of the World
Related ebooks
The Call of Cthulhu: H.P. Lovecraft a la Carte No. 1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Book of Revelation: A Biography Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Seeing God Through Science: Exploring the Science Narrative to Strengthen and Deepen Faith in the Creator Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOur Shadowed World: Reflections on Civilization, Conflict, and Belief Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJohn E. Fetzer and the Quest for the New Age Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bible's Cutting Room Floor: The Holy Scriptures Missing from Your Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Missing Link: Astronomy: The Key to the Past Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSuperspy Science: Science, Death and Tech in the World of James Bond Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWho Wrote the New Testament?: The Making of the Christian Myth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dead Sea Scrolls: A Biography Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Against the Grain Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Nonviolent Messiah: Jesus, Q, and the Enochic Tradition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Case Against Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5WTF Is Happening To Us? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Ancient Mythology: Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Greek and Roman Myths Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFraming cosmologies: The anthropology of worlds Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNostradamus: Prophecies for America Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Nazah: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe King Is Here: He Will Raise the People and Show That His Word and Torah Are Valid. Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Mythology of Eden Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Encyclopedia of Heaven Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Newton the Alchemist: Science, Enigma, and the Quest for Nature's "Secret Fire" Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Terror of History: On the Uncertainties of Life in Western Civilization Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of The Sixth Extinction: by Elizabeth Kolbert | Includes Analysis Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Religion and the Racist Right: The Origins of the Christian Identity Movement Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All You Want to Know But Didn't Think You Could Ask: Religions, Cults, and Popular Beliefs Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Age of the Maccabees Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLord of the World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
History For You
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Richest Man in Babylon: The most inspiring book on wealth ever written Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5100 Amazing Facts About the Negro with Complete Proof Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wise as Fu*k: Simple Truths to Guide You Through the Sh*tstorms of Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5100 Things You're Not Supposed to Know: Secrets, Conspiracies, Cover Ups, and Absurdities Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Becoming Cliterate: Why Orgasm Equality Matters--And How to Get It Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lessons of History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Whore Stories: A Revealing History of the World's Oldest Profession Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Gulag Archipelago [Volume 1]: An Experiment in Literary Investigation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Great Awakening: Defeating the Globalists and Launching the Next Great Renaissance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Great Reset: And the War for the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The ZERO Percent: Secrets of the United States, the Power of Trust, Nationality, Banking and ZERO TAXES! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Summary of The War of Art: by Steven Pressfield | Includes Analysis Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Secret History of the World Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Grief Observed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cuba (Winner of the Pulitzer Prize): An American History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for History of the End of the World
4 ratings1 review
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book is so good. I highly recommend it for unbelievers and believers alike. A historical and political account that helps us understand how one’s interpretation of revelation can impact one’s values and therefore our choices in positions of power and daily life.