From Apocalypticism to Merkabah Mysticism ― Studies in the Slavonic Pseudepigrapha

Recent studies of the development of early Jewish mysticism from Second Temple times have avoided considering the extensive writings which have survived only in their Slavonic translations. Orlov (theology, Marquette U.) admirably fills this gap by evaluating pseudepigraphic materials, including 2 Enoch, the Apocalypse of Abraham, the Ladder of Jacob, the Life of Moses and other texts showing traces of early mysticism. He begins by listing collections and bibliographies along with the texts themselves, as well as related studies of traditions in the Slavic contexts, prohibited books, Bogomilism and the Slavonic pseudepigraphica. In the collection of his articles that comprise the bulk of his work he analyzes the texts related to mystical traditions of Enoch and his thought on the secrets of creation, Adam as a transforming force, Moses as one who has seen God, Noah as brother, Jacob as witness, and Melchizedek as supreme priest. Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Andrei A. Orlov, Ph.D. (1990) in Sociology, Russian Academy of Science, and Ph.D. (2003) in Theology, Marquette University, is an Assistant Professor of Christian Origins at Marquette University. He has published extensively on the Old Testament pseudepigrapha including The Enoch-Metatron Tradition (Mohr-Siebeck, 2005).