Lord of the World is a 1908 apocalyptic novel by Robert Hugh Benson. It is sometimes deemed one of the first modern dystopias. In purpose, however, it is somewhat more similar to the recent Left Behind series, if radically different in theology. Michael D. O'Brien's Catholic apocalyptic series, Children of the Last Days follows a very similar theme as well.
Essentially the novel imagines a socialist and humanist world where religion has been eith...
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Lord of the World is a 1908 apocalyptic novel by Robert Hugh Benson. It is sometimes deemed one of the first modern dystopias. In purpose, however, it is somewhat more similar to the recent Left Behind series, if radically different in theology. Michael D. O'Brien's Catholic apocalyptic series, Children of the Last Days follows a very similar theme as well.
Essentially the novel imagines a socialist and humanist world where religion has been either suppressed or ignored. People have no history or hope so they often turn to euthanasia, which is legal. Further there is a "one-world" government that uses Esperanto for its language and ultimately becomes a servant of the anti-Christ. In brief: The Catholic church has been suppressed by the rest of the world, which has turned to a form of "self religion". The Pope has made an agreement with the Italian government: the Catholic church can have all of Rome, while all other churches in Italy are surrendered to the government. Ireland still...
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