An edition of The formation of hell (1993)

The formation of hell

death and retribution in the ancient and early Christian worlds

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Last edited by MARC Bot
July 24, 2024 | History
An edition of The formation of hell (1993)

The formation of hell

death and retribution in the ancient and early Christian worlds

  • 4 Want to read
  • 1 Have read

What becomes of the wicked? Hell - exile from God, subjection to fire, worms, and darkness - for centuries the idea has shaped the dread of malefactors, the solace of victims, and the deterrence of believers. Although we may associate the notion of hell with Christian beliefs, its gradual emergence depended on conflicting notions that pervaded the Mediterranean world more than a millennium before the birth of Christ: Asking just why and how belief in hell arose, Alan E.

Bernstein takes us back to those times and offers us a comparative view of the philosophy, poetry, folklore, myth, and theology of that formative age.

Bernstein draws on sources from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, and Israel, as well as early Christian writings through Augustine, in order to reconstruct the story of the prophets, priests, poets, and charismatic leaders who fashioned concepts of hell from an array of perspectives on death and justice.

The author traces hell's formation through close readings of works including the epics of Homer and Virgil, the satires of Lucian, the dialogues of Plato and Plutarch, the legends of Enoch, the confessions of the Psalms, the prophecies of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and the parables of Jesus.

Re-enacting lively debates about the nature of hell which were argued among the common people and the elites of diverse religious traditions, he provides new insight into the social implications and the psychological consequences of different visions of the afterlife.

Publish Date
Language
English
Pages
392

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Previews available in: English

Edition Availability
Cover of: Formation of Hell
Formation of Hell: Death and Retribution in the Ancient and Early Christian Worlds
2020, Cornell University Press
in English
Cover of: The Formation Of Hell
The Formation Of Hell
2004, Taylor & Francis Inc
Electronic resource in English
Cover of: Formation of Hell
Formation of Hell: Death and Retribution in the Ancient and Early Christian Worlds
2002, Taylor & Francis Group
in English
Cover of: The Formation of Hell
The Formation of Hell: Death and Retribution in the Ancient and Early Christian Worlds
November 1996, Cornell University Press
Paperback in English
Cover of: The formation of hell
Cover of: The formation of hell
Cover of: The formation of hell
The formation of hell: death and retribution in the ancient and early Christian worlds
1993, Cornell University Press
in English

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Book Details


Edition Notes

Includes bibliographical references (p. 343-365) and indexes.

Published in
Ithaca

Classifications

Dewey Decimal Class
291.2/3
Library of Congress
BT836.2 .B47 1993, BT836.2.B47 1993

The Physical Object

Pagination
xiii, 392 p. ;
Number of pages
392

ID Numbers

Open Library
OL1400538M
Internet Archive
formationofhelld00bern
ISBN 10
0801428939
LCCN
93008308
OCLC/WorldCat
28150603
Library Thing
9709
Goodreads
1716114

Work Description

From the author of "The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity", this book examines a central theme in Western Culture: The Centuries-Old Notion Of Hell - Exile From God, Subjection To fire, worms and darkness. In this study, Alan Bernstein investigates just How And Why Belief In Hell Arose. Although We May Associate The Notion Of hell with Christian beliefs, its gradual emergence depended on Conflicting Notions That Pervaded The Mediterranean World More Than A millennium before the birth of Christ. Bernstein takes us back to those times and offers us a view of the philosophy, poetry, folklore, myth and theology of that formative age.; Drawing on sources from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome and Israel, as well as early Christian writings, the author reconstructs the story of the prophets, priests and poets who fashioned concepts of hell from an array of perspectives on death and justice. The author traces hell's formation through close readings of works including the epics of Homer and Virgil, the satires of Lucian, the dialogues of Plato and Plutarch, the legends of Enoch, the confessions of the Psalms, the prophecies of Isaiah, Ezechiel and Daniel and the parables of Jesus. Re-enacting debates about the nature of hell among the common people and the elites of diverse religious traditions, he provides new insight into the social implications and the psychological consequences of different visions of the afterlife. This book aims to captivate readers interested in history, mythology. literature, psychology, philosophy and religion. It should be of use to ancient historians, classicists, theologists, and cultural historians.

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History

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April 1, 2008 Created by an anonymous user Imported from Scriblio MARC record