The Oxford handbook of eschatology /

This handbook's main focus is Christian eschatology, i.e., speculations about the resurrection of the body, the last judgment, and the end of the world. Thirty-nine specially commissioned essays by leading scholars provide wide-ranging coverage of the field from its historic roots to contemporary movements and issues. The essays first trace the beginnings of eschatological thinking in the biblical and patristic sources, followed by a section on similar speculations in other major world religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam. Essays on distinct Christian traditions and theological movements--Protestantism, Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Fundamentalism, Pentecostalism, and process, liberation, and feminist theologies--are followed by a group of articles on theological issues, e.g., heaven, hell, universalism, and annihilationism. The study concludes with a section on philosophical and cultural issues, e.g., theodicy, ethics, personal identity, epistemology, and near-death experiences. This collection of very high-quality articles is a valuable resource. Includes copious notes and a bibliography for each article. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers; general readers. P. L. Urban Jr. emeritus, Swarthmore College