Encyclopedia of Millennialism and Millennial Movements
ed. Richard Landes
Berkshire Reference Works; Routledge, NY, 2000
Believing that the world will or can be transformed through divine or cosmic intervention, millennial movements continue to thrive in our scientific and technological times. The approximately 160 movements, concepts, and theories addressed in this A-to-Z encyclopedia include several that made the news over the last few decades: e.g., the Japanese Aum Shrinrikyo, the Branch Davidians, Heaven's Gate, and the People's Temple in Jonestown. Landes, of the Center for Millennial Studies at Boston University, and 64 contributors also explore less well known groups, such as the Aetherius Society, the John Frum Movement, and Outpost Kauai. The millennial aspects of established religions such as Islam, the Jehovah's Witnesses, and Roman Catholicism are also discussed, as well as such things as conversion, defilement, jubilee traditions, prophecy, rapture, salvation, and utopia. While information on many of these movements and theories can be found elsewhere, this handy volume brings them together and focuses on their millennial aspects. Helpful bibliographies are provided with entries. Highly recommended.John Moryl, Yeshiva University Library, New York
Booklist: January 2001This volume is part of the Routledge series Religion and Society. Editor Landes, an associate professor of medieval history at Boston University and director of the famed Center for Millennial Studies, is the author of such influential titles as Relics, Apocalypse, and the Deceits of History (1995) and a pioneer researcher in the emerging area of millennial studies. Included in the list of 65 contributors are people the stature of J. Gordon Melton, editor of The Encyclopedia of American Religions (Gale, 6th ed. 1999). A guide to the spiritual and social movements that have promised to create a better world or usher in a new one, the encyclopedia is an alphabetical listing of some 200 signed entries, including descriptions of specific movements (Heaven's Gate ), conceptual and theoretical terms (Utopia ), theological concerns (Defilement ), and general topics (Women ). Equal consideration is given to Western and non-Western movements, from both a historical and contemporary perspective. Most entries are several pages long and conclude with sometimes lengthy bibliographies. See also references abound, linking events to concepts. The text is illustrated and selectively provides excerpts of primary-source material, such as scriptures, newspaper articles, tracts, and Web sites salient to the respective article. Information is quite current, with excellent articles on Y2K and Year 2000 celebrations as examples of contemporary millennial thinking and practice.This unique encyclopedia presents an inclusive summary of millennialism on the advent of the third millennium and is recommended for large public and academic libraries.
An outstanding resource with a sweeping scope....This fine [editorial] team brings a wealth of scholarly research and writing experience to the task....should prove to be an extremely helpful resource to pastors in the parish.Concordia Theological Quarterly, Vol. 65:2, Spring 2001
Factual and evenhanded in [the] treatment of subjects that badly need these qualities. Highly recommended.Choice: February 2001
"This book is not only about the argument over whether the new century begins on 2000 or 2001, it is also about matters that loom both large and small. According to the introduction, it is a “guide to the religious or spiritual social movements” that have promised utopia or at least a new and better world. Whether these are chiliastic movements, cults, nativistic cliques or what have you, if they attempted to forge in the crucible of want or the cornucopia of prosperity a brave new world, they are described in the volume. Given the wide spectrum in this century, from Bolshevism to Nazism and Communism, this fills a very important niche… All libraries will want to have this valuable and useful volume."American Reference Books Annual: December 2000
"This book is not only about the argument over whether the new century begins on 2000 or 2001, it is also about matters that loom both large and small. According to the introduction, it is a “guide to the religious or spiritual social movements” that have promised utopia or at least a new and better world. Whether these are chiliastic movements, cults, nativistic cliques or what have you, if they attempted to forge in the crucible of want or the cornucopia of prosperity a brave new world, they are described in the volume. Given the wide spectrum in this century, from Bolshevism to Nazism and Communism, this fills a very important niche… All libraries will want to have this valuable and useful volume."American Reference Books Annual: December 2000
"This new encyclopedia on the influence of millenial thought on history and contemporary world is the inaugural volume of a new series from the Great Barrington, Massachusetts-based Berkshire Reference Works. Edited by anthropologist David Levinson, the series takes a fresh look at the relationship of religion and society. The term millenium derives from New Testament writings that predict the second coming of Jesus and his thousand year rule on earth. Historically speaking, while all millenial movements are not necessarily Christian in origin, they do tend to promise the creation of a new and better world through some spriritual or supernatural means. When American presidents can speak of the "evil empire" and "the new world order," there is no denying the influence of millenial thought. Thus, Richard Landes and his 64 contributing scholars find connection between such ideas as the Rapture of the End of Days and science fiction and environmentalism. The entry on Millenialism in the Western World serves as the primary introduction and overview, while 138 other articles trace the influence of milennial thought in everything from China's Taiping Rebellion, Native American Ghost Dances and Pacific cargo cults to witch hunts, the Holocauts and the Y2K scare. Although survivalists, Heaven's Gate, Branch Davidians and UFO cults are not mainstream movements, other millennial groups from the Pilgrim fathers and Shakers to Moromons and Jehova's Witnesses are an established or growing part of the American culture. This eye-opening look at religious history and society is highly recommended for academic and public libraries." -- John R. M. LawrenceGale Group - Reference Reviews: April 2001
