Apocalyptic Representations of Jerusalem (Numen Book Series: Studies in the History of Religions)

274 Pages·2006·1.31 MB·English

by  Maria Leppakari

Apocalyptic Representations of Jerusalem
Numen Book Series
Studies in the History of Religions
Edited by
Steven Engler
Kim Knott
P. Pratap Kumar
Kocku von Stuckrad
Advisory Board
b. bocking ‒ m. burger ‒ m. despland ‒ f. diez de velasco
i. s. gilhus ‒ g. ter haar ‒ r. i. j. hackett ‒ t. jensen
m. joy ‒ a. h. khan ‒ g. l. lease ‒ e. thomassen
a. tsukimoto ‒ a. t. wasim
VOLUME 111
Apocalyptic Representations
of Jerusalem
by
Maria Leppäkari
BRILL
LEIDEN • BOSTON
2006
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Apocalyptic representations of Jerusalem / by Maria Leppäkari.
p. cm. — (Numen book series. Studies in the history of religions, ISSN 0169-
8834; v. 111)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 90-04-14915-5 (alk. paper)
1. Apocalyptic literature—History and criticism. 2. Jerusalem in Judaism.
3. Jerusalem in Christianity. 4. Apocalyptic literature—History and criticism—
Theory, etc.
BS646.L47 2006
203/.509569442 22
ISSN 0169-8834
ISBN 90 04 14915 5
© Copyright 2006 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill Academic
Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior
written permission from the publisher.
Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted
by Brill provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to
The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910,
Danvers, MA 01923, USA.
Fees are subject to change.
printed in the netherlands
The Lover of Life’s Not A Sinner
The Ending is Just A Beginner
Ronnie James Dio

CONTENTS
Preface and Acknowledgements ................................................ xi
Chapter One Introduction ...................................................... 1
1.1 Materials and Methods of the Study .......................... 10
1.2 Theoretical Approach and Definitions ........................ 14
1.3 Relevant Scholarly Literature ...................................... 20
1.3.1 Messianism ........................................................ 20
1.3.2 Messianic and Millenarian Groups .................. 23
1.3.3 The Millennial and Millenarian Problem ...... 30
1.4 Aim and Structure of the Study .................................. 33
Chapter Two Theoretical Perspectives .................................. 35
2.1 Interpretive Frames ........................................................ 35
2.1.1 Dan Sperber’s Representation Theory ............ 35
2.1.2 Symbolic Interactions ........................................ 46
2.1.3 Integrating the Theoretical Approaches .......... 53
2.2 Apocalyptic Representations in Practice ...................... 58
2.2.1 Textual Apocalypses .......................................... 58
2.2.2 Interpreted Apocalypses .................................... 65
2.2.3 Culture-Bound and Contextual Apocalypses .... 66
2.2.4 Ethical and Existential Apocalypses ................ 68
2.2.5 Gender Apocalypses .......................................... 71
2.2.6 Environmental and Technological
Apocalypses ........................................................ 73
Chapter Three Jerusalem as Sacred Place and Symbol ...... 77
3.1 Visions of the End and the Coming Jerusalem ........ 77
3.1.1 Jerusalem in Early Jewish History .................. 77
3.1.2 The Temples ...................................................... 80
3.1.3 The Name of Zion ............................................ 81
3.1.4 The Cosmic Mountain ...................................... 83
3.2 The Christian Impact .................................................... 86
3.2.1 The Early Christian Church ............................ 87
3.2.2 Living Close to the End .................................. 93
3.2.3 Christian Conquest of Jerusalem ...................... 96
viii contents
3.2.4 Anticipation of the Antichrist .......................... 99
3.2.5 Paradise Within Reach .................................... 107
3.2.6 Science and Redemption .................................. 110
3.3 Coming Deliverance ...................................................... 117
3.3.1 Meaning of Jerusalem to Jews and
Christians ............................................................ 117
3.3.2 The Foundation of the State of Israel in
1948 .................................................................... 120
3.3.3 Independent State and Growth of
Religious Extremism .......................................... 122
3.3.4 Apocalypse Interpreted in Finland .................. 124
Chapter Four The Eternal Kingdom of God—Two
Case Studies ............................................................................ 129
4.1 The International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem .... 131
4.1.1 Christian Zionism—a Background Story of
the ICEJ ............................................................ 131
4.1.2 Foundation of the ICEJ .................................... 140
4.1.3 Activities of the ICEJ ........................................ 146
4.1.4 Christian Struggle for the Chosen City .......... 149
4.1.5 Apocalyptic Events and Second Coming
of Christ ............................................................ 158
4.2 The Temple Mount Faithful ........................................ 161
4.2.1 Foundation of the TMF .................................. 161
4.2.2 The Cultural Radicals’ Activities .................... 166
4.2.3 Sympathizers ...................................................... 177
4.2.4 The Apocalypse and Future Jerusalem .......... 181
4.3 Representations of Jerusalem in the ICEJ and
the TMF ........................................................................ 185
Chapter Five Theoretical Application .................................... 191
5.1 Contemporary Apocalyptic Representations
of Jerusalem .................................................................. 193
5.1.1 Apocalyptic Representations of Jerusalem ...... 197
5.1.2 Mental Apocalyptic Representations ................ 199
5.1.3 Public and Cultural Apocalyptic
Representations .................................................. 200
5.1.4 Commonly Conceived Apocalyptic
Representations .................................................. 202
contents ix
5.2 Representations as Tools for Interpretation ................ 204
5.2.1 Attractiveness of Apocalypses .......................... 207
5.2.2 Transformation of Apocalypses ........................ 210
5.3 Interpreting an Identified Reality ................................ 212
5.3.1 Reality Building-blocks ...................................... 213
5.3.2 Legitimating Everlasting Life ............................ 214
5.4 The Significant ‘Sacred’ in a Crisis Perspective ........ 216
5.4.1 Sacrality as primus motor .................................... 217
5.4.2 Apocalypses as Survival Strategies .................. 219
Chapter Six The End Is But A Beginning .......................... 223
Bibliography ................................................................................ 235
Index of Names .......................................................................... 249
Index of Concepts and Places .................................................. 254