Synthesized answer
Based solely on the provided passages, the purpose of Alfred Jeremias's work is to present a short, popular, but thoroughly scientific study on the Babylonian conception of heaven and hell [2]. It is part of a series titled "The Ancient East," which aims to set forth recent discoveries and investigations in Babylonian, Assyrian, and Egyptian history, religion, and archeology, especially as they bear upon traditional views of early Eastern history [2].
The academic context is that Jeremias is identified as a leading scholar of Germany, holding a Ph.D. and serving as a pastor of the Lutheran Church [1][2]. His work is part of a series of English translations, made by Jane Hutchison and submitted to the authors, that were originally published in German [2]. The passages also show that Jeremias had previously published related academic works, such as a book on Babylonian-Assyrian ideas of the afterlife and articles in Roscher's "Lexicon" [1][3]. The passages do not specify the intended audience beyond describing the studies as "popular" [2].
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
D. By Professor Alfred Wiedemann . THE TELL EL AMARNA PERIOD. By Dr. C. Niebuhr . THE BABYLONIAN AND THE HEBREW GENESIS. By Professor H Zimmern . THE BABYLONIAN CONCEPTION OF HEAVEN AND HELL. By Dr. Alfred Jeremias . THE POPULAR LITERATURE OF EGYPT. By Professor Alfred Wiedemann . In preparation. the BABYLONIAN CONCEPTION OF HEAVEN AND HELL BY ALFRED JEREMIAS, P h .D. PASTOR OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH AUTHOR OF "BABYLONISCH-ASSYRISCHEN VORSTELLUNGEN VOM LEBEN NACH DEM TODE," AND OF THE ARTICLES "IZDUBAR," "ISHTAR," ETC., IN ROSCHER'S "LEXICON" TRANSLATED BY J. HUTCHISON LONDON: DAVID NUTT 57–59…
← The Babylonian Conception of Heaven and Hell ( 1902 ) by Alfred Jeremias , translated by Jane Hutchison Introduction → Alfred Jeremias 3628760 The Babylonian Conception of Heaven and Hell 1902 Jane Hutchison The Ancient East No. IV THE BABYLONIAN CONCEPTION OF HEAVEN AND HELL BY DR. ALFRED JEREMIAS The Ancient East Under this title is being issued a series of short, popular, but thoroughly scientific studies, by the leading scholars of Germany, setting forth the recent discoveries and investigations in Babylonian, Assyrian and Egyptian History, Religion, and Archeology, especially as…
← Conclusion: Psychology of the Babylonian Conceptions of Hades The Babylonian Conception of Heaven and Hell by Alfred Jeremias , translated by Jane Hutchison Bibliographical Appendix → 3631755 The Babylonian Conception of Heaven and Hell — Bibliographical Appendix Jane Hutchison Alfred Jeremias BIBLIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX. Alfred Jeremias , "Die Babylonisch-assyrischen Vorstellungen vom Leben nach dem Tode (mit Berücksichtigung der alttestamentlichen Parallelen)." Leipzig. J. C. Hinrichs (1887). 6 s . P. Jensen , "Kosmologie der Babylonier." Strassburg (1890). 40 s . Alfred Jeremias, article…
← The Babylonian Conception of Heaven and Hell The Babylonian Conception of Heaven and Hell by Alfred Jeremias , translated by Jane Hutchison Introduction Death and Burial → 3628766 The Babylonian Conception of Heaven and Hell — Introduction Jane Hutchison Alfred Jeremias THE BABYLONIAN CONCEPTION OF HEAVEN AND HELL Introduction. No consecutive account of the Babylonian religion can as yet be given, nor will it for many years come within the range of possibilities to achieve it. Abundant fragments of Babylonian religious and mythological literature have indeed been brought to light by the…
← The World of the Dead The Babylonian Conception of Heaven and Hell by Alfred Jeremias , translated by Jane Hutchison Salvation from "The Land Without Return" The Journey of Gilgamesh to the Island of the Blessed → 3631719 The Babylonian Conception of Heaven and Hell — Salvation from "The Land Without Return" Jane Hutchison Alfred Jeremias Salvation from the "Land without Return." In the light of the foregoing statements it can hardly be doubted that the Babylonians believed in personal immortality. The body decays in the grave ( shalamtu is the name given to the corpse, that is to say,…
More questions about this book
- The text highlights "recent discoveries" challenging "traditional views of early Eastern History." What does this imply about the academic landscape in 1902, and what intellectual shift was this series attempting to facilitate?
- Dr. Jeremias is identified as a "Pastor of the Lutheran Church." How might this background potentially intersect with or influence his "thoroughly scientific" study of ancient Babylonian afterlife concepts?
- Examine the Bibliographical Appendix. What does this list of contemporary scholarly works reveal about the interdisciplinary nature of early 20th-century Near Eastern studies and the foundational research Jeremias built upon?
- Considering this work's 1902 publication date and its description as "popular, but thoroughly scientific," what potential strengths and limitations might arise when using it to understand ancient Babylonian beliefs in the 21st century?