Preaching in the Last Days (Hardcover)

Hardcover. Visionary strength was given to the piety, polity, and political activity of Protestantism in its formative periods through the way in which the Apocalypse was read. By identifying with the text depicting two witnesses, or prophets, who preach at the end of history, are slain by the beast from the abyss (understood to be Antichrist), and rise again victoriously, representatives of the Protestant movement found a measure of self-identity. This text, Revelation11:3-13, became the lens through which many envisioned the movement of history from the first advent of Christ to his promised return. It was used by earlier reform movements, but it lent special definitionto the work of Protestant ministers through the nineteenth century, suggesting different approaches to social organization. Preaching in the Last Days is a study in the history of how the Apocalypse was read. It is also an examination of how social groups are formed through ideas occasioned by texts. It offers an account of the interplay between religious and social history during the time of the development of Protestantism. Petersen's study provides a fascinating look at thetheological significance of how we read biblical texts and the insights this offers on the development of culture, the Christian movement, and its churches. The book is especially important for understanding theassumptions behind the ways in which the book of Revelation is being read and used in our own day. An exhaustive examination of an enigmatic passage in the Book of Revelation (11. 3-13) and its interpretation in medieval times and the Reformation. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.…