Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1993. first edition. hardcover. Book VG+: mild shelf wear, mild spots of foxing to endpapers else clean, square, tight, unmarked./DJ VG: mild edge/handling wear.. 8vo 391pp. from front flap: "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." #02316.

Synopsis

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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Bookseller: Matthew's Books LLC (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 2251
Title: The Formation of Hell
Author: Bernstein, Alan E
Format/Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: Used - Book VG+: mild shelf wear, mild spots of foxing to endpapers else clean, square, tight, unmarked.
Jacket Condition: DJ VG: mild edge/handling wear.
Quantity Available: 1
Edition: first edition
ISBN 10: 0801428939
ISBN 13: 9780801428937
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Place of Publication: Ithaca, New York
Date Published: 1993
Keywords: history, theology, religion, hell, nonfiction, first edition

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