Messiah: A History of One of the World's Most Enduring Ideas

"Though the messiah may tarry, yet I still believe." — Maimonides

Few people know where the messiah concept originated. They don't know who developed it, or why it has taken on such meaning in Western religion. Many people have claimed to be the messiah in the past 2,000 years.

The messiah idea took on new life with the turn of the current millennium. A long list of prophets, including some dredged up like Nostradamus, offered predictions that the messiah was on his way. Once again, the messi...