Apocalypses in Context, 2nd Edition: Apocalyptic Currents through History

Apocalyptic scenarios remain prevalent and powerful in popular culture (television, film, comic books, and popular fiction), in politics (debates on climate change, environmentalism, Middle East policy, and military planning), and in various religious traditions. Academic interest in apocalypticism is flourishing; indeed, the study of both ancient and contemporary apocalyptic phenomena has long been a focus of attention in scholarly research and a ready way to engage the religious studies classroom.

Apocalypses in Context is designed for just such a classroom, bringing together the insights of scholars in various fields and using different methods to discuss the manifestations of apocalyptic enthusiasm in different ages. This approach enables the instructor to make connections and students to recognize continuities and contrasts across history. Apocalypses in Context features illustrations, study questions, and suggestions for further reading after each chapter, as well as recommended media and artwork to support the college classroom. The second edition includes five new chapters on topics relevant to the modern student. Within the original chapters, there are now major revisions based on feedback related to classroom needs.

Kelly J. Murphy is a professor in the Department of Philosophy, Anthropology, and Religion at Central Michigan University, where she teaches courses on the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. She is the author of Rewriting Masculinity: Gideon, Men, and Might (Oxford University Press, 2019) and a coeditor of Biblical Themes in Science Fiction (SBL, 2023).

Justin Jeffcoat Schedtler is an associate professor of religion at Wartburg College (Waverly, Iowa), where he teaches courses in Greek and the New Testament. His publications on the book of Revelation include A Heavenly Chorus: The Dramatic Function of Revelation's Hymns (Mohr Siebeck, 2014) and Royal Ideologies in Revelation (Cambridge University Press, 2023).