Publisher's Synopsis
Did the early Christians believe that the righteous went to heaven at death, or did they believe a subterranean refreshment awaited the saints? Did most Christians look for millennium on earth, a thousand-year, glorious reign of Christ to ensure upon his second coming and to precede the last judgement, or did they cling to the hope that Christ would judge the world and distribute eternal rewards immediately upon his return?;By demonstrating the links between "global" and "individual" notions of eschatology in the period from the New Testament to Dionysius of Alexandria (mid-third century AD), Dr Hill reveals two competing patterns of teaching which vied for acceptance in the fledgling church. He challenges many long held assumptions about the eschatology of the period and in doing so, brings greater definition to our picture of the beliefs and longings of the early Church.
