One of the most widely praised studies of Jewish apocalyptic literature ever written, The Apocalyptic Imagination by John J. Collins has served for over thirty years as a helpful, relevant,
One of the most widely praised studies of Jewish apocalyptic literature ever written, The Apocalyptic Imagination by John J. Collins has served for over thirty years as a helpful, relevant, comprehensive survey of the apocalyptic literary genre.
After an initial overview of things apocalyptic, Collins proceeds to deal with individual apocalyptic texts — the early Enoch literature, the book of Daniel, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and others — concluding with an examination of apocalypticism in early Christianity. Collins has updated this third edition throughout to account for the recent profusion of studies germane to ancient Jewish apocalypticism, and he has also substantially revised and updated the bibliography.
Exegetical Tools
"An enduring source for proper understanding of apocalyptic literature."
Review of Biblical Literature
“Collins’s volume will justifiably remain one of the primary introductions to Jewish apocalyptic literature.”
PRAISE FOR EARLIER EDITIONS
Journal of the American Academy of Religion
"A very useful guide to the Jewish apocalypses and related literature. . . . One will not find a better or more up-to-date survey of this material, which expresses a way of thinking that was so influential on formative Christianity, than in Collins's book."
The Bible Today
"The book provides important information about an important yet little known corpus of material. It is a valuable resource."
Dead Sea Discoveries
"For those wanting what the cover promises — an introduction to Jewish apocalyptic literature — there is no book that could provide a better survey for students, or for scholars who are venturing outside their field of expertise."
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John J. Collins is Holmes Professor of Old Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale Divinity School and has served as president of both the Society of Biblical Literature and the Catholic Biblical Association. His many other books include Apocalypse, Prophecy, and Pseudepigraphy; Beyond the QumranCommunity; and The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism.
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