Introducing the Apocalypse of the Pseudo-Methodios, with Christopher Bonura

In this episode of "The Schwepp," Earl Fontenelle interviews Christopher Bonura about the Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodios, an apocalyptic text that reveals the entire course of history, starting from Adam and Eve, and focuses on the rise and fall of empires, especially concerning the coming of the Islamic conquests. Bonura explains the text's historical context, its dating to the early Umayyad period, and its unique perspective as a Syriac Christian text rather than a Roman one. They discuss the empires mentioned in the text, the role of the last emperor figure, and the text's reception and interpretation throughout history, including its influence on political ideologies and its eventual obscurity due to scholarly criticism. Bonura highlights the text's enduring themes of Christian empire, its adaptability to different historical contexts, and its complex relationship with Christian eschatology.