The Music of the Spheres in the Western Imagination describes various systematic musical ecologies of the cosmos by examining attempts over time to define Western theoretical musical systems, whether practical, human, nonhuman, or celestial. This book focuses on the theoretical, theological, philosophical, physical, and mathematical concepts of a cosmic musical order and how these concepts have changed in order to fit different worldviews through the imaginations of theologians, theorists, and authors of fiction, as well as the practical performance of music. Special attention is given to music theory treatises between the ninth and sixteenth centuries, English-language hymnody from the eighteenth century to the present, polemical works on music and worship from the last hundred years, the Divine Comedy of Dante, nineteenth- and twentieth-century English-language fiction, the fictional works of C. S. Lewis, and the legendarium of J. R. R. Tolkien.

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Seventh-day Adventism was born as a radical millenarian sect in nineteenth-century America. It has since spread across the world, achieving far more success in Latin America, Africa, and Asia than in its native land. In what seems a paradox, Adventist expectation of Christ’s imminent return has led the denomination to develop extensive educational, publishing, and health systems. Increasingly established within a variety of societies, Adventism over time has modified its views on many issues and accommodated itself to the “delay” of the Second Advent. In the process, it has become a multicultural religion that nonetheless reflects the dominant influence of its American origins. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of the Seventh-Day Adventists covers its history through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 600 cross-referenced entries on key people, cinema, politics and government, sports, and critics of Ellen White. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Seventh-day Adventism.

Covering the Millerite movement of the 1830s and 1840s, sabbatarian Adventism prior to organization of the denomination, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church since its organization in 1861-63, this volume provides a comprehensive history of the denomination. The first major element of the book is a chronology of Adventist history that begins with William Miller's conclusion in 1818 that the Second Advent of Jesus would occur about 1843 and extends through the Science and Theology Conferences of 2002-04. The interpretive introduction that follows places the emergence of Adventism within the context of the Second Great Awakening, describes the development of sabbatarian Adventism from its early opposition to church organization to its highly institutionalized and bureaucratically structured contemporary form, and examines the denomination's geographical expansion from a small North American sect to a global church. The dictionary entries that constitute the bulk of the volume address individuals, organizations, institutions, and doctrines that have been important in the history of the church, including dissident movements and individuals who have emerged as critics of the denomination and its beliefs. Second, there are entries on the development and current situation of Adventism in many individual countries. Finally, thematic entries on such subjects as art, music, literature, health care, and women address other elements important to understanding church life. The dictionary entries are followed by a bibliography of scholarly and popular works published by the denomination, commercial and academic presses, and individuals and organizations.