Antichrist 58694 226109835 2008-07-16T21:28:05Z OranL 679161 /* Contemporary identification */ SDA needs more official references for verification :''For other uses, see [[Antichrist (disambiguation)]] {{POV|date=December 2007}}In [[Christian eschatology]], the '''Antichrist''' or '''anti-Christ''' means a person, office, or group recognized as fulfilling the Biblical prophecies about one who will oppose [[Jesus Christ|Christ]] and substitute himself in Christ's place. 'Antichrist' is translated from the combination of two ancient [[Greek language|Greek]] words αντί + χριστος. In Greek, χριστος means “anointed one” and Christians apply it to Jesus of Nazareth.<ref>See Strong's Bible Dictrionary: [http://cf.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G5547&t=KJV χριστος]</ref> αντί means not only anti in the sense of “against” and “opposite of”, but also “in place of".<ref>See Strong's Bible Dictrionary: [http://cf.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G473&t=KJV αντί]</ref> Therefore, an antichrist opposes Christ by substituting himself for Christ. The term itself appears 5 times in [[1 John]] and [[2 John]] of the New Testament — once in plural form and four times in the singular - and is popularly associated with the belief of a competing and assumed evil entity opposed to Jesus of Nazareth.<ref>{{cite web| title =Word Search Results for "antichristos (Strong's 500) Strong's antichristos (Strong's 500)"| publisher =The Blue Letter Bible| url =http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/strongs.pl?strongs=500 Strong's G500| accessdate =2007-11-27}}</ref> ==Biblical references== The ''antichrist'' and ''antichrists'' appear in the [[First Epistle of John|First]] and [[Second Epistle of John]].<ref>{{bibleverse|1|John|2:18|9}}</ref><ref name='1-john-2-22'>{{bibleverse|1|John|2:22|9}}</ref><ref name='1-john-4-3'>{{bibleverse|1|John|4:3|9}}</ref><ref>{{bibleverse|2|John|1:7|9}}</ref> 1 John chapter 2 refers to many antichrists present at the time while warning of one Antichrist that is coming.<ref name='Brug-1'>[http://www.wlsessays.net/authors/B/BrugScriptural/BrugScriptural.PDF A Scriptural and Historical Survey of the Doctrine of the Antichrist] by John Brug, p. 1</ref> The "many antichrists" belong to the same spirit as that of the one Antichrist.<ref name='1-john-4-3'/><ref name='Brug-1'/> John wrote that such antichrists deny "that Jesus is the Christ", "the Father and the Son", and would "not confess Jesus came in the flesh." Likewise, the one Antichrist denies the Father and the Son.<ref name='1-john-2-22'/> This one Antichrist is spoken of in more detail by Paul in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. <ref name='Brug-2'>[http://www.wlsessays.net/authors/B/BrugScriptural/BrugScriptural.PDF A Scriptural and Historical Survey of the Doctrine of the Antichrist] by John Brug, p. 2</ref> Paul uses the term [[man of sin]] to describe what John identifies as the Antichrist.<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Thessalonians|2:1-12|9}}</ref> Paul writes that this Man of Sin (sometimes translated son of perdition) will possess a number of characteristics. These include "sitting in the temple", opposing himself against anything that is worshiped, claiming divine authority,<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Thessalonians|2:4|9}}</ref> working all kinds of counterfeit miracles and signs,<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Thessalonians|2:9|9}}</ref> and doing all kinds of evil.<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Thessalonians|2:10|9}}</ref> Paul notes that "the mystery of lawlessness"<ref> Greek = "musterion anomias"</ref> (though not the Man of Sin himself) was working in secret already during his day and will continue to function until being destroyed on the Last Day.<ref name='2-thes-2-7-8'>{{bibleverse|2|Thessalonians|2:7-8|9}}</ref> His identity is to be revealed after that which is restraining him is removed.<ref name='Brug-2'/><ref name='2-thes-2-7-8'/> The term is also often applied to prophecies regarding a "Little horn" power in Daniel 7,<ref>{{cite web| title =Daniel 7 (King James Version)| publisher =BibleGateway.com| url =http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel%207;&version=9;| accessdate =2007-11-27}}. For an example of one commentator that interprets Daniel 7 as referring to the Antichrist, see Kretzmann in his ''Popular Commentary'' on [http://www.kretzmannproject.org/DAN/DAN_7.htm Daniel 7]</ref>. Daniel 9:27 mentions an "abomination that causes desolations" setting itself up in a "wing" or a "pinnacle" of the temple.<ref>{{bibleverse-nb||Daniel|9:27|31}}</ref>. Some scholars interpret this as referring to the Antichrist.<ref>For example, Gawrisch in his [http://www.wlsessays.net/authors/G/GawrischEschatological/GawrischEschatological.PDF Eschatological Prophecies and Current Misinterpretations], p. 14</ref> Some commentators also view the verses prior to this as referring to the Antichrist. <ref>For example, Kretzmann in his ''Popular Commentary'', on [http://www.kretzmannproject.org/DAN/DAN_9.htm Daniel 9]</ref> Jesus refers to the references about abomination from Daniel 9:27, 11:31,<ref>Daniel {{bibleverse-nb||Daniel|11:31|31}}</ref> and 12:11<ref>{{bibleverse-nb||Daniel|12:11|31}}</ref> in Matthew 24:15<ref>{{bibleverse-nb||Matthew|24:15|31}}</ref> and Mark 13:14 <ref>Mark {{bibleverse-nb||Mark|13:14|31}}, see footnotes in Dr. Beck's ''An American Translation'' 4th ed. Leader Publishing: New Haven, Mo., 2000.</ref> when he warns about the destruction of Jerusalem. Daniel 11:36-37 <ref>{{bibleverse-nb||Daniel|11:36-37|31}}</ref> speaks of a self exalting king, considered by some to be the Antichrist.<ref>For example, Gawrisch in his [http://www.wlsessays.net/authors/G/GawrischEschatological/GawrischEschatological.PDF Eschatological Prophecies and Current Misinterpretations], pp. 14 and 37. Also see Walter H. Roehrs and Martin H Franzmann, joint author, ''Concordia Self-Study Comentary'', electronic ed. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1998, c1979). 586.</ref> [[Antiochus IV Epiphanes|Antiochus Epiphanes]] attempted to replace worship of Yahweh with veneration of himself, and was referred to in the Daniel 8:32-25 prophecy.<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel%208:23-25;&version=31; Daniel 8:23-25] ([[New International Version|NIV]]) and Kretzmann's ''Popular Commentary'', [http://www.kretzmannproject.org/DAN/DAN_8.htm Daniel 8]</ref> His command to worship false gods and desecration of the temple is seen by many {{who}} as prefiguring the Antichrist. Some{{who|date=March 2008}} identify him as being in league with (or the same as) several figures in the [[Book of Revelation]] including the [[Dragon#In Christianity|Dragon]], the [[The Beast (Bible)|Beast]], the [[False Prophet]], and the [[Whore of Babylon]]. ==Views through history== [[Polycarp]] warned the Philippians that everyone that preached false doctrine was an antichrist. <ref>[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Polycarp%27s_letter_to_the_Philippians_%28Lightfoot_translation%29 Polycap's Letter to the Philippians], paragraph 7</ref> [[Irenaeus]] speculated that it was “very probable” the Antichrist might be called Lateinos, which is Greek for “Latin Man”. <ref>[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ante-Nicene_Fathers/Volume_I/IRENAEUS/Against_Heresies:_Book_V/Chapter_XXX. Against Heresies, Book 5, Chapter 30]</ref> [[John Chrysostom]] warned against speculations and old wive's tales about the Antichrist, saying, “Let us not therefore enquire into these things”. He preached that by knowing Paul's description of the Antichrist in 2 Thessalonians Christians would avoid deception.<ref>Chrysostom [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Nicene_and_Post-Nicene_Fathers:_Series_I/Volume_XIII/On_Philippians%2C_Colossians%2C_and_Thessalonians/On_2_Thessalonians/Argument Homily 1 on the 2nd Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians]</ref> [[Augustine of Hippo]] wrote “it is uncertain in what temple [the Antichrist] shall sit, whether in that ruin of the temple which was built by Solomon, or in the Church.”<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/120120.htm City of God, Book 20] chapter 19, cited in Brug's [http://www.wlsessays.net/authors/B/BrugScriptural/BrugScriptural.PDF A Scriptural and Historical Survey of the Doctrine of the Antichrist]</ref> [[Hippolytus of Rome]] held that the Antichrist would come from the tribe of Dan and would rebuild the Jewish temple in order to reign from it. He identified the Antichrist with the Beast out of the Earth from the book of Revelation. <blockquote>By the beast, then, coming up out of the earth, he means the kingdom of Antichrist; and by the two horns he means him and the false prophet after him. And in speaking of “the horns being like a lamb,” he means that he will make himself like the Son of God, and set himself forward as king. And the terms, “he spake like a dragon,” mean that he is a deceiver, and not truthful.<ref>Hippolytus's [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ante-Nicene_Fathers/Volume_V/Hippolytus/The_Extant_Works_and_Fragments_of_Hippolytus/Dogmatical_and_Historical/Treatise_on_Christ_and_Antichrist Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, part 2]</ref></blockquote> [[Pope Gregory I]] wrote in A.D. 597, “I say with confidence that whoever calls or desires to call himself ‘universal priest’ in self-exaltation of himself is a precursor of the Antichrist.”<ref>quote from McGinn, Bernard, Visions of the End. Apocalyptic Traditions in the Middle Ages, New York: Columbia University, 1979. p. 64,.found in Brug's [http://www.wlsessays.net/authors/B/BrugScriptural/BrugScriptural.PDF A Scriptural and Historical Survey of the Doctrine of the Antichrist]</ref> [[Arnulf, Archbishop of Reims|Arnulf of Rheims]] wrote in A.D. 991, "What do you estimate this to be, reverend fathers? When you see him sitting on a lofty throne glittering in purple and gold, what do you estimate this to be, I say? Without a doubt, if he lacks love, and is only swelled up and lifted up, must he not be the Antichrist, 'sitting in the temple of God, and also showing himself as God'?"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/hcc4.i.iv.xvii.html| title=The Interference of Otho the Great| publisher=Christian Classic Etherial Library|accessdate=2007-06-25}}</ref> [[Image:Antichrist1.JPG|thumb|right|230px|''Passional Christi und Antichristi'', by [[Lucas Cranach the Elder]], from Luther's 1521 ''Passionary of the Christ and Antichrist''. The Pope is signing and selling [[indulgence]]s.]] Some of the Spiritual [[Franciscan]]s considered the Emperor [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] a positive Antichrist who would clean the Church from riches and clergy.<ref>{{cite book| title =Cows, Pigs, Wars and Witches| author =[[Marvin Harris]]| page =196}}</ref> Many Protestant Reformers, including [[Martin Luther]], [[John Calvin]], [[Thomas Cranmer]], [[John Knox]], [[Cotton Mather]], and [[John Wesley]], identified the Roman [[Papacy]] as the Antichrist.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} The Centuriators of [[Magdeburg]], a group of Lutheran scholars in Magdeburg headed by [[Matthias Flacius]], wrote the 12-volume "[[Magdeburg Centuries]]" to discredit the papacy and identify the pope as the Antichrist. Virtually all popes have been called the Antichrist by their enemies, and many popes have applied this title of "Antichrist", "son of perdition", or "man of sin", to their enemies as well. Some Catholics expected a son of [[Martin Luther]] to be the Antichrist, as his scion would be the son of an ex-priest and ex-nun. The Reformation allowed for more confessions of faith to be written. Previously, this was prevented by a prohibition on creed writing in the Council of Nicea. Lutherans, Reformed, and Anabaptists all included references to the Papacy as the Antichrist in their confessions of faith: [[Smalcald Articles]], Article four (1537) : [...]the Pope is the very Antichrist, who has exalted himself above, and opposed himself against Christ because he will not permit Christians to be saved without his power, which, nevertheless, is nothing, and is neither ordained nor commanded by God. This is, properly speaking to exalt himself above all that is called God as Paul says, 2 Thess. 2, 4. Even the Turks or the Tartars, great enemies of Christians as they are, do not do this, but they allow whoever wishes to believe in Christ, and take bodily tribute and obedience from Christians[...] Therefore, just as little as we can worship the devil himself as Lord and God, we can endure his apostle, the Pope, or Antichrist, in his rule as head or lord. For to lie and to kill, and to destroy body and soul eternally, that is wherein his papal government really consists[...] The Pope, however, prohibits this faith, saying that to be saved a person must obey him. This we are unwilling to do, even though on this account we must die in God's name. This all proceeds from the fact that the Pope has wished to be called the supreme head of the Christian Church by divine right. Accordingly he had to make himself equal and superior to Christ, and had to cause himself to be proclaimed the head and then the lord of the Church, and finally of the whole world, and simply God on earth, until he has dared to issue commands even to the angels in heaven.[...]<ref>[http://www.bookofconcord.com/smalcald.html#article4 Smalcald Articles, Article 4] in the Triglot translation of the Book of Concord</ref> [[Image:ChristWashingFeet.JPG|thumb|right|250px|''Christus'', by Lucas Cranach. This woodcut of John 13:14-17 is from ''Passionary of the Christ and Antichrist''. Cranach shows Jesus kissing Peter's foot during the footwashing. This stands in contrast to the opposing woodcut, where the Pope demands others kiss his feet.]][[Image:PopeKissing Feet.JPG|thumb|right|250px|''Passional Christi und Antichristi'', by the Lutheran [[Lucas Cranach the Elder]]. This woodcut of the traditional practice of kissing the Pope's toe is from ''Passionary of the Christ and Antichrist''. The two fingers the Pope is holding up symbolizes his claim to be the Church's substitute for Christ's earthly presence.]] [[Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope]] (1537) : [...]Now, it is manifest that the Roman pontiffs, with their adherents, defend [and practice] godless doctrines and godless services. And the marks [all the vices] of Antichrist plainly agree with the kingdom of the Pope and his adherents. For Paul, in describing Antichrist to the Thessalonians, calls him 2 Thess. 2, 3: an adversary of Christ, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God. He speaks therefore of one ruling in the Church, not of heathen kings, and he calls this one the adversary of Christ, because he will devise doctrine conflicting with the Gospel, and will assume to himself divine authority[...]<ref>[http://www.bookofconcord.com/treatise.html Treatise on the Power and ] in the Triglot translation of the Book of Concord</ref> [[Westminster Confession]] (1646) : ''25.6. There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ: nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalts himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God.''<ref>{{bibleverse||Col.|1:18}}; {{bibleverse||Matt.|28:18-20}}; {{bibleverse||Eph.|4:11-12}}; {{bibleverse|2|Thess.|2:2-9}}</ref> [[1689 Baptist Confession of Faith]] : ''26.4. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, in whom, by the appointment of the Father, all power for the calling, institution, order or government of the church, is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner; neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ.'' After the reforms of [[Patriarch Nikon]] to the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] of 1652, a large number of [[Old Believers]] held that czar [[Peter I of Russia|Peter the Great]] was the Antichrist<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bartleby.com/65/pe/Peter1-Rus.html|title=Peter I, czar of Russia|publisher=[[The Columbia Encyclopedia]]|accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref> because of his treatment of the Orthodox Church, namely separating church from state, requiring clergymen to conform to the standards of all Russian civilians (shaved beards, being fluent in French), and requiring them to pay state taxes. In 1914 a woman stabbed faith healer [[Grigori Rasputin|Rasputin]], cutting a large wound in his chest, in belief that he was the Antichrist due to his supposedly evil influences over the czar and czarina. He fully recovered.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} The view of [[Futurism (Christian eschatology)|Futurism]], a product of the [[Counter-Reformation]], was advanced beginning in the 16th century in response to the identification of the Papacy as Antichrist. [[Francisco Ribera]], A [[Jesuit]] priest, developed this theory in ''In Sacrum Beati Ioannis Apostoli, & Evangelistiae Apocalypsin Commentarij'', his 1585 treatise on the [[Apocalypse of John]]. [[St. Bellarmine]] codified this view, giving in full the Catholic theory set forth by the Greek and Latin Fathers, of a personal Antichrist to come just before the end of the world and to be accepted by the [[Jew]]s and enthroned in the temple at [[Jerusalem]] — thus endeavoring to dispose of the exposition which saw Antichrist in the pope. Most premillennial [[dispensationalism|dispensationalists]] now accept Bellarmine's interpretation in modified form.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} Widespread [[Protestant]] identification of the Papacy as the Antichrist persisted until the early 1900s when the [[Scofield Reference Bible]] was published by [[Cyrus Scofield]]. This commentary promoted Futurism, causing a decline in the Protestant identification of the Papacy as Antichrist. Some Futurists hold that sometime prior to the expected [[Second Coming|return of Jesus]], there will be a period of "great tribulation"<ref>{{cite web| title =Matthew 24:21 (King James Version)| publisher =BibleGateway.com| url =http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=24&verse=21&version=9&context=verse| accessdate =2007-12-03}}</ref> during which the Antichrist, indwelt and controlled by [[Satan|Satan]], will attempt to win supporters with false peace, supernatural signs. He will silence all that defy him by refusing to "receive his mark" on their right hands or forehead. This "mark" will be required to legally partake in the end-time economic system.<ref>{{cite web| title =Revelation 13:16-17 (King James Version)| publisher =BibleGateway.com| url =http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2013:16-17;&version=9;| accessdate =2007-12-03}}</ref> Some Futurists believe that the Antichrist will be assassinated half way through the Tribulation, being revived and indwelt by Satan. The Antichrist will continue on for three and a half years following this "deadly wound".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biblebelievers.com/Pink/antichrist08.htm|title=The Antichrist|publisher=biblebelievers.com|year=1923|author=Pink, Arthur W.|pages=Chapter 6, The Career of the Antichrist|accessdate=2007-06-25}}</ref> ==Later texts and apocrypha== Related ideas and references appear in various [[apocrypha]], and a more complete portrait of the Antichrist has been built up gradually by Christian theologians and [[folk religion|folk-religionists]]. One such apocryphal text is the apocalyptic pseudo-prophecy [[pseudepigraphy|falsely attributed]] to the [[Tiburtine Sibyl]]. It purports to prophesy<ref>Although written after the fact—see ''[[postdiction]]''{{Fact|date=February 2008}}</ref> the arrival of the Christian emperor, Constantine, beginning: : "''Then will arise a king of the Greeks whose name is [[Constans]]. He will be king of the Romans and the Greeks. He will be tall of stature, of handsome appearance with shining face, and well put together in all parts of his body…''"<ref name='Sibyl'>[http://http-server.carleton.ca/~jopp/3850/1-1.htm Latin Tiburtine Sibyl<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> [[Millennialism|Millennialist]]s and [[anti-Semitism|anti-Semites]] focus on the document's suggestion that the Antichrist will be an Israelite: "At that time the Prince of Iniquity will arise from 'the [[Tribe of Dan]]'."<ref name='Sibyl'/> Supporters of this cite several Biblical sources. For example, "Dan shall be a serpent by the way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider shall fall backward."<ref>{{bibleverse||Genesis|49:17|9}}</ref> However, it is also probable that this prophecy pertains to the fact that the Tribe of Dan had historically fallen into a state of idolatry during Biblical times, thus leading members of other Jewish tribes into idolatry as well. In addition, {{bibleverse||Revelation|7:1-8|9}} appears to show that none of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists will come from the tribe of Dan. However, there are other Biblical examples of tribes being absent from similar lists, without any iniquity being implied.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} ==Contemporary identification== {{Refimprove|section|date=August 2007}} [[Confessional Lutheran]] church bodies, such as the [[Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod]], the [[Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod]], the [[Evangelical Lutheran Synod]] and the [[Church of the Lutheran Confession]] teach that the Roman papacy or office of the pope is the Antichrist, including this article of faith as part of a ''quia'' rather than ''quatenus'' subscription to the [[Book of Concord]]. In 1932 the LCMS adopted ''A Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod''. Statement 43, ''Of the Antichrist'': <blockquote>43. As to the Antichrist we teach that the prophecies of the Holy Scriptures concerning the Antichrist, [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Thess.%202:3-12&version=9 2 Thess. 2:3-12]; [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%202:18;&version=9; 1 John 2:18], have been fulfilled in the Pope of Rome and his dominion. All the features of the Antichrist as drawn in these prophecies, including the most abominable and horrible ones, for example, that the Antichrist "as God sitteth in the temple of God," [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Thess.%202:4;&version=9; 2 Thess. 2:4]; that he anathematizes the very heart of the Gospel of Christ, that is, the doctrine of the forgiveness of sins by grace alone, for Christ's sake alone, through faith alone, without any merit or worthiness in man ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rom.%203:20-28;&version=9; Rom. 3:20-28]; [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal.%202:16;&version=9; Gal. 2:16]); that he recognizes only those as members of the Christian Church who bow to his authority; and that, like a deluge, he had inundated the whole Church with his antichristian doctrines till God revealed him through the Reformation -- these very features are the outstanding characteristics of the Papacy. (Cf. [http://www.bookofconcord.com/smalcald.html#article4 Smalcald Articles, Triglot, p. 515, Paragraphs 39-41; p. 401, Paragraph 45; M. pp. 336, 258.]) Hence we subscribe to the statement of our Confessions that the Pope is "the very Antichrist." ([http://www.bookofconcord.com/smalcald.html#article4 Smalcald Articles, Triglot, p. 475, Paragraph 10; M., p. 308.])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=579|title=Of the Antichrist|publisher=[[Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod]]|year=1932|accessdate=}}</ref></blockquote> The [[Lutheran Churches of the Reformation]],<ref name="briefstatement">{{cite web|url=http://www.lcrusa.org/brief_statement.htm|title=Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod|publisher=[[Concordia Publishing House]]|year=1932| accessdate =}}</ref> the [[Concordia Lutheran Conference]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.concordialutheranconf.com/doctrine/brief_1932.cfm|title= Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod in the By-Gone Days of Its Orthodoxy|year=1932| accessdate =}}</ref> the [[Church of the Lutheran Confession]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clclutheran.org/library/BriefStatement.html|title=A Brief Statement of our Doctrinal Position|year=1932| accessdate =}}</ref> and the Illinois Lutheran Conference<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.illinoislutheranconference.org/our-solid-foundation/doctrinal-position-of-the-ilc.lwp/odyframe.htm|title=Doctrinal Position|accessdate=}}</ref> all hold to ''Brief Statement''. In 1959 the [[Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod]] (WELS) formally issued its ''Statement on the Antichrist'', a [[doctrinal statement]] that declared, "we reaffirm the statement of the Lutheran Confessions, that 'the Pope is the very Antichrist'".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?2617&collectionID=795&contentID=4441&shortcutID=5297|title=Statement on the Antichrist|accessdate=}}</ref> [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]]s teach that the anti-Christ is the office of the [[pope|Papacy]].{{citation-needed|date=July 2008}} In [[1798]], the French General [[Louis Alexandre Berthier|Berthier]] exiled the Pope and took away all his authority, which was later restored in [[1929]]. This is taken as a fulfillment of the prophecy that the Beast of Revelation would receive a deadly wound but that the wound would be healed.<ref>[http://biblelight.net/satan.htm Satan's Impersonation of Christ Predicted? Revelation 17 Expounded<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Some Christians equate the Antichrist with a powerful beast with seven heads and ten horns that blasphemes against God, as described in the Bible.<ref>{{bibleverse||Revelation|13:1-8|31}}</ref> Some Adventists attribute the wounding and resurgence in {{bibleverse||Revelation|13:3|31}} to the papacy, referring to General [[Louis Alexandre Berthier|Louis Berthier]]'s capture of [[Pope Pius VI]] in 1798 and the pope's subsequent death in 1799. Instead of reducing the power of the [[papacy]], however, it grew and became the most influential political and religious power in the world.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} Some Philippine Protestant Churches and groups (example of which is the Kahayag Mission Group) consider the Mary of the various apparitions (e.g. Our Lady of Fatima) as the Antichrist. [[Jerry Falwell]] addressed a pastors' conference in January [[1999]], stating in a sermon on the [[Second Coming]] that the Antichrist was probably alive on earth, and certainly a Jewish male.<ref>{{cite book| title =Jerry Falwell and the Jews| author =Merrill Simon| year =1999 (first edition)| publisher =Jonathan David Pub| ISBN-10 =| ISBN-13 =}}</ref> He subsequently clarified that "[t]his is simply historic and prophetic Orthodox Christian doctrine" and had no [[anti-Semitic]] roots. [[Ian Paisley]], [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]] and the leader of the [[Free Presbyterian Church]], loudly denounced then-[[Pope]] [[John Paul II]] as the Antichrist in 1988 while the pontiff was giving a speech at a sitting of the [[European Parliament]] in [[Strasbourg]]. The German philosopher [[Friedrich Nietzsche]] called himself the Antichrist, going so far as to write a book called ''[[The Antichrist (book)|The Antichrist]]''. In his famous first book, ''[[The Birth of Tragedy]]'', he wrote: "As a philologist and man of words, I baptized it, taking some liberties (for who knew the correct name for the Antichrist?), after the name of a Greek god: I called it the Dionysian." Certain occultists have proclaimed themselves to be the Antichrist, including [[Jack Parsons|John Whiteside Parsons]]. Preterists look to an early antichrist, interpreting many ancient figures as the Beast of the Apocalypse. These interpretations include [[Nero]], sometimes together with the [[Year of the Four Emperors|four emperors]] who succeeded him in the year following his suicide, until the elevation of Nero's general [[Vespasian]] to emperor. This is supported by some numerological interpretations.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} This tumultuous period included an increase of superstitious fear and mob violence against Christians, and intensification of the Roman wars against the Jews (AD 66–70), the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 under the command of general [[Titus]] (later emperor), and the slaughter of the Jews who were living in Jerusalem. According to tradition, [[Nero]] ordered the crucifixion of [[St. Peter]] and the beheading of [[Paul of Tarsus|Saint Paul]]. Both Jewish and Christian literature survive which refer to Emperor Nero as the Antichrist. A more detailed description of this [[Preterist]] interpretation can be found in the entry on the [[Book of Revelations#The Preterist View|Book of Revelation]]. ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==Bibliography== *''Of Antichrist and His Ruin'', [[John Bunyan]], Diggory Press; Published in 1692, ISBN 978-1846857294 (http://acacia.pair.com/Acacia.John.Bunyan/Sermons.Allegories/Antichrist.Ruin/index.html) *''The Antichrist'', [[Martin Luther]], Diggory Press; 1535 (approximate), ISBN 978-1846858048 ==External links== * [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9007814/Antichrist Encyclopaedia Britannica: Antichrist — full article] * [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Antichrist Encyclopedia Britannica (1911): Antichrist] * [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01559a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Antichrist] * [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=1577&letter=A&search=antichrist Jewish Encyclopedia: Antichrist] * [http://tera-3.ul.cs.cmu.edu/cgi-bin/getImage.pl?target=/data/www/NASD/4a7f1db4-5792-415c-be79-266f41eef20a/009/499/OTIFF/00000042.tif&rs=1 ''Concordia Cyclopedia'': Antichrist (page 1)] [http://tera-3.ul.cs.cmu.edu/cgi-bin/getImage.pl?target=/data/www/NASD/4a7f1db4-5792-415c-be79-266f41eef20a/009/499/OTIFF/00000043.tif&rs=1 (page 2)] * [http://www.wlsessays.net/subjects/A/asubind.html Lutheran Scholarly Works on the Antichrist] {{Christianityfooter}} [[Category:Abrahamic prophecy]] [[Category:Christian eschatology]] [[Category:Anti-Gnosticism]] [[ar:المسيح الدجال]] [[bg:Антихрист]] [[ca:Anticrist]] [[cs:Antikrist]] [[da:Antikrist]] [[de:Antichrist]] [[el:Αντίχριστος]] [[es:Anticristo]] [[eo:Antikristo]] [[fr:Antéchrist]] [[fur:Anticrist]] [[hr:Antikrist]] [[id:Antikristus]] [[ia:Antichristo]] [[it:Anticristo]] [[he:אנטיכריסט]] [[ka:ანტიქრისტე]] [[hu:Antikrisztus]] [[nl:Antichrist]] [[no:Antikrist]] [[ja:反キリスト]] [[pl:Antychryst]] [[pt:Anticristo]] [[ru:Антихрист]] [[sq:Antikrishti]] [[simple:Antichrist]] [[sr:Антихрист]] [[fi:Antikristus]] [[sv:Antikrist]] [[tr:Deccal]] [[uk:Антихрист]] [[wa:Antécri]] [[zh:反基督]]