End of Days: An Encyclopedia of the Apocalypse in World Religions

Every culture and religion in human society has oral and written stories on the end of humanity, society and the world. Fascination with what happens when and how the world ends, or when and how an important god-like person (such as Christ) returns to Earth to both save and condemn humanity, are a part of what drives human culture, ethics, compassion and motivation. This encyclopedia examines the history and literature of this topic, exploring both Western and Eastern concepts of the apocalypse along with fairly specialised and little-known cultures and religions such as the Australian aboriginals, African religions, Native American,...