Download or read book From Hope to Despair in Thessalonica written by Colin R. Nicholl and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2004-03-04 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This ground breaking analysis cuts to the heart of the critical debate surrounding the two Thessalonian Epistles. Colin R. Nicholl examines the situations giving rise to each Letter with a view to determining how the two relate historically. His book presents an original and compelling hypothesis, arguing that reflected in the Letters are two stages of a single crisis plaguing a recently formed Greek Church, which spiralled from hope into despair on account of confusion about 'the end'. In addition to making a fresh case for the authenticity of 2 Thessalonians and resolving one of the most difficult problems in the Bible - the identity of 'the Restrainer' - this monograph is a comprehensive analysis of the Thessalonian Epistles. It will provide an indispensable resource for scholars and pastors interested in the Thessalonian correspondence.