The Antichrist Legend: A Chapter in Christian and Jewish Folklore Book

Wilhelm Bousset (1865-1920) was one of the pioneers in the Religionsgeschichtliche Schule or "History of Religions School," which established the scientific and comparative study of Hellenistic Judaism and Early Christianity a century ago. The Antichrist Legend, first published in German in 1895 and translated into English the following year, is perhaps Bousset's most remarkable book, both for its original argument about the connection of Antichrist to myths of the primordial dragon and for its vast knowledge of patristic and medieval literature. This welcome reissue of this classic work features a helpful new Introduction by David Frankfurter.

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A prime founder of the scientific and comparative study of Hellenistic Judaism and early Christianity, Bousset (1865-1920) here connects the Antichrist to myths of the primordial dragon, drawing on a vast array of patristic and medieval literature. His account was first published in German in 1895 and in English the next year by Hutchinson, London. Here the 1979 AMS Press edition is reprinted, the new introduction by David Frankfurter paged separately to maintain the integrity of the table of contents and index and references in other works to the earlier edition. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)