Eschatology
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2008-07-16T15:38:07Z
79.181.156.89
/* Philosophy */
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[[Image:Durer Revelation Four Riders.jpg|200px|right|thumb|''[[Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse]]'', by [[Albrecht Dürer]].]]
'''Eschatology''' (from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''{{Polytonic|ἔσχατος}}, Eschatos'' meaning "last" and ''[[-logy]]'' meaning "the study of") is a part of [[theology]] and [[philosophy]] concerned with the final events in the [[history of the world]], or the ultimate [[destiny]] of [[All humanity|humanity]], commonly referred to as the [[end of the world]]. While in [[mysticism]] the phrase refers metaphorically to the end of ordinary reality and reunion with the Divine, in many traditional [[religion]]s it is taught as an actual future event [[prophecy|prophesied]] in [[sacred text]]s or [[folklore]]. More broadly, eschatology may encompass related concepts such as the [[Messiah]] or [[Messianic Age]], the [[end time]], and the [[end of days]].
The [[Greek language|Greek]] word ''{{Polytonic|αἰών}}'' (aeon), meaning "century" (connotation "age"), may be translated as "end of the age (or historical period<ref name=HarpersBibleDictionary> Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature, ''[[Harper's Bible Dictionary]],'' San Francisco: HarperCollins Publishers, 1985, ISBN, s.v. "''eschatology''"</ref>)" instead of "end of the world". The time distinction also has theological significance; while the end of time in mystical traditions relates to escaping confinement in the "given" reality, some religions believe and fear it to be the literal destruction of the planet (or of all living things) - with the human race surviving in some new form, ending the current "age" of existence.
Most modern eschatology and apocalypticism, both religious and secular, involves the violent disruption or destruction of the world, whereas Christian and Jewish eshatologies view the end times as the consummation or perfection of God's creation of the world.
For example, according to ancient Hebrew belief, life takes a linear (and not cyclical) path; the world began with God and is constantly headed toward God’s final goal for creation.
==Philosophy==
Eschatology has also been a belief shared, sometimes theorized on, by [[philosophers]]. [[Augustine of Hippo|Saint Augustine]] stressed the allegorical method of interpretation. He was greatly influenced by [[Origen]].<ref>{{cite book| title =Things to Come| author =J. Dwight Pentecost| publisher =Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506| copyright =1958| ISBN =-10: 0310308909 and ISBN-13: 9780310308904}}</ref> He was followed by [[Ibn al-Nafis]]<ref name=Roubi>Dr. Abu Shadi Al-Roubi, [http://www.islamset.com/isc/nafis/drroubi.html Ibnul-Nafees As a Philosopher], ''Encyclopedia of Islamic World''.</ref> and [[Hegel]] with their [[philosophy of history]], and, some have argued, [[Karl Marx]]. [[Theodicy]] has gathered together most [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment]] thinkers, among whom are [[Kant]] and [[Rousseau]].
More recently, many involved in [[futures studies]] and [[transhumanism]] have noted the accelerating rate of scientific progress and anticipate a [[technological singularity]] in the 21st century that would profoundly and unpredictably change the course of human history.<ref>[http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0134.html?printable=1 "The Law of Accelerating Returns"]</ref> Artist/futurist [[Michael E. Arth]], for example, speculates about the emergence of a hive-like distributed being that would be self-conscious, integrated into a future version of the [[Internet]], and also able to exhibit any individualized form, or speak any language. This collective intelligence, UNICE: Universal Network of Intelligent Conscious Entities, would connect everyone on the planet before it spreads outward into space.<ref>[http://www.unice.info/ Information about UNICE]</ref>
[[Judaism]] addresses the [[End times]] in the book of [[Daniel]]. For [[Christianity]], see the [[Book of Revelation]]. For the eschatological beliefs of various religions, see: [[End Times]].
== Islamic eschatology ==
The Islamic eschatology has been very distinctly and vividly documented in the sayings of Prophet Muhammad regarding "the signs of the Hour".
Prophesies of the Prophet have been traditionally divided into major and minor signs. He spoke about several minor signs of the approach of the Hour; that is, the ending days of the life on earth. Describing the minor signs he said, "People would follow a way of life other than mine and give guidance other than mine”, “I fear for my people only the leaders who lead men astray”, “Before the Last Hour there will be great liars, so beware of them”, “When the most wicked member of a tribe becomes its ruler, and the most worthless member of a community becomes its leader, and a man is respected through fear of the evil he may do, and leadership is given to people who are unworthy of it, expect the Last Hour”{{Fact|date=June 2008}}.
Regarding the major signs, we have a Companions narrating: Once we were sitting together and talking amongst ourselves when the Prophet appeared. He asked us what it was we were discussing. We said it was the Hour. He said: It will not be called until ten signs have appeared: "Smoke, Dajjal, the Animal (that will speak to the people), rising of the sun from the West, descending down of Isa (Jesus), appearance of Yajuj and Majuj, and three sinkings (or caving in of the earth): one in the East, another in the West and a third in the Arabian Peninsula. The last (sign) will be that of the Fire that will start from Yemen and drive the people towards the place of Reckoning."{{Fact|date=June 2008}}
==See also==
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{{Wiktionary}}
* [[Amillennialism]]
* [[Ancient Aztec eschatology]]
* [[Antichrist]]
* [[Apocalypse]]
* [[Apocalypticism]] (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Rastafari Movement; comprehensive "see also" links)
* [[Armageddon]]
* [[Bible prophecy]]
* [[Christian apologetics]]
* [[Dispensationalism]]
* [[Dispensationalist theology]]
* [[John Hick#Death and Eternal Life.2C 1976|''Death and Eternal Life'']], by John Hick
* [[The End Is Nigh]], a magazine looking at the end of the world
* [[End time]]
* [[End of the world]]
* [[Eschatology (religious movement)]]
* [[Götterdämmerung]]
* [[Historicism]]
* [[Immanentize the eschaton]]
* [[Islamic eschatology]]
* [[Judgment day]]
* [[Millennialism]]
* [[Messianism]] and [[Messiah]]
* [[New Jerusalem]]
* ''[[The Pocket Guide to the Apocalypse]]'', by Jason Boyett
* [[Postmillennialism]]
* [[Premillennialism]]/Millenarianism
* [[Preterism]]
* [[Prophecy of Seventy Weeks]]
* [[Ragnarök]]
* [[Realized eschatology]]
* [[Second Coming]]
* [[Six Ages of the World]]
* [[Universal Network of Intelligent Conscious Entities]]
* Scientific views:
** [[Futurology]]
** [[Risks to civilization, humans and planet Earth]]
** [[Technological singularity]]
** [[Ultimate fate of the universe]]
==External links==
{{external links|June 2007}}
*{{PDFlink|[http://www.mises.org/journals/rae/pdf/rae4_1_5.pdf Karl Marx: Communist as Religious Eschatologist]|3.68 [[Mebibyte|MiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 3862163 bytes -->}}
*[http://www.lcms.org/ca/www/cyclopedia/02/display.asp?t1=l&word=LASTTHINGS Christian Cyclopedia article on Last Things]
*{{PDFlink|
* [http://www.wlsessays.net/authors/B/BrennerEschatology/BrennerEschatology.PDF American Lutheran Views on Eschatology and How They Related to the American Protestants by John M. Brenner]|137 [[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 141204 bytes -->}}
*{{PDFlink|[http://www.wlsessays.net/authors/G/GawrischEschatological/GawrischEschatological.PDF Eschatological Prophecies and Current Misinterpretations by Wilbert R. Gawrisch]|465 [[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 477130 bytes -->}}
*{{PDFlink|[http://www.wlsessays.net/authors/G/GawrischLast/GawrischLast.PDF The Lord’s Word Concerning The Last Things by Wilbert R. Gawrisch]|192 [[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 197557 bytes -->}}
*{{PDFlink|[http://www.wlsessays.net/authors/L/LeyrerRapture/LeyrerRapture.pdf Endtime Theology and the “Rapture” by Pastor Carl W. Leyrer]|37.3 [[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 38282 bytes -->}}
* [http://www.wittenberghall.com/postmillennialism/] Postmillennialism
* [http://www.raptureready.com] Rapture Ready website
* [http://www.thebereancall.org] The Berean Call, a web-ministry of Dave Hunt
* [http://www.carm.org] Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry
* [http://www.endtimesupdate.com/views.htm] End Times Encyclopedia
==Selected bibliography==
{{Cleanup-section|date=June 2008}}
===General (alphabetical by author)===
* ''The Invisible War'' (1965) by [[Donald Grey Barnhouse]]; Zondervan Publishing House (Ministry Resources Library).
* ''How to Recognize the Antichrist'' (1975) by Arthur E. Bloomfield; Bethany Fellowship
* ''The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow'' (1983) by Constance Cumbey; Huntington House Inc.
* ''Number in Scripture'' (1967) by [[E. W. Bullinger|Ethelbert W. Bullinger]]; Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501 Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 67-26498; ISBN 0-8254-2204-3
* ''A Planned Deception: The Staging of A New Age 'Messiah''' (1985) by [[Constance Cumbey]]; Pointe Publishers, Inc.
* ''Hidden Prophecies in the Psalms'' (1986) by J.R. Church; Prophecy Publications, Oklahoma City, OK 73153; ISBN 0-941241-00-9
* ''Gorbachev: Has the Real Antichrist Come?'' (1988) by Robert W. Faid; Victory House Publishers.
* ''The Man The False Prophet and The Harlot'', subtitled ''The Name of the Antichrist Finally Revealed'' (1991) by Dr. Anthony M. Giliberti; Published by ''This Is The Generation'' Library of Congress Catalog Number 90-93451 ISBN 0-9628419-0-0.
* ''Have A Nice Doomsday - Why Millions Of Americans Are Looking Forward To The End Of The World'' by Nicholas Guyatt. ISBN 9780091910877
* ''Send This Message to My Church: Christ's Words to the Seven Churches of Revelation'' (1984) by Terence Kelshaw; Thomas Nelson Publishers.
* ''The Truth About Armageddon'' (1982) by William Sanford Lasor; Harper & Row Publishers.
* ''A Survey of Bible Prophecy'' (1951) by R. Ludwigson; (1973, 1975; The Zondervan Corporation).
==='Code'-type books===
* ''The Bible Code'' (1997) by [[Michael Drosnin]]; Published by Simon & Schuster, 1230 Ave. of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. ISBN 0-684-81079-4.
* ''Bible Code II: The Countdown'' (2002) by [[Michael Drosnin]]; One Honest Man, Inc. Published by Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0R1, England.
===The Book of Daniel compared to the Book of Revelation===
* ''Daniel and Revelation'' subtitled ''A Study of Two Extraordinary Visions'' (1978) by James M. Efird; Judson Press, Valley Forge, PA 19481 ISBN 0-8170-0797-0
* ''Daniel's Prophecy of the 70 Weeks'' (1940, 1969) by Alva J. McClain; Academie Books/Zondervan House.
=== Dispensationalist school of thought (listed alphabetically by author)===
* ''A Cup of Trembling'' (1995) by [[Dave Hunt]]; Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 97402; ISBN 1-56507-334-7.
* ''Global Peace and the Rise of Antichrist'' (1990) by [[Dave Hunt]]; Harvest House Publishers Library of Congress Cataloging in Publishing Data; ISBN 0-89081-831-2.
* ''How Close Are We?'' (1993) by [[Dave Hunt]]; Harvest House Publishers. (NOTE: The author has a new, updated book titled ''When will Jesus Come?''.
* ''Peace, Prosperity, and the Coming [[Holocaust]]'' (1983) by [[Dave Hunt]]; Harvest House Publishers.
* ''Whatever Happened to [[Heaven]]?'' (1988) by [[Dave Hunt]]; Harvest House Publishers. ISBN 0-89081-698-0 (pbk.)
* ''Not Wrath but Rapture!'' by [[Harry A. Ironside|H.A. Ironside]]; NO DATE; published by Loizeaux Brothers, Inc.
* ''[[Armageddon]], Oil and the Middle East Crisis'' Revised (1974) by [[John F. Walvoord]]; Zondervan Publishing House, 1415 Lake Drive, S.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506; ISBN 0-310-53921-8
* ''[[Satan]] is Alive and Well on Planet Earth'' (1972) by [[Hal Lindsey]] with C.C. Carlson; Zondervan House.
* ''[[The Late, Great Planet Earth]]'' (1970) by [[Hal Lindsey]] with C.C. Carlson; Zondervan House.
* ''The Liberation of Planet Earth'' (1974) by [[Hal Lindsey]]; The Zondervan Corporation.
* ''There's a New World Coming'' (1973) by [[Hal Lindsey]]; Vision House.
* ''The [[Rapture]]'' (1983) by [[Hal Lindsey]]; The Aorist Corporation Bantam Books.
* ''The Terminal Generation'' (1976) by [[Hal Lindsey]] with C.C. Carlson; Fleming Revell.
* ''The Revelation Record'' (1985) by [[Henry M. Morris]]; Tyndale House Inc. and Creation Life Publishers.
* ''Things to Come'' (1958) by [[J. Dwight Pentecost]]; Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506.
* ''The World's Collision'' (1956) by [[Charles E. Pont]]; W.A. Wilde, Boston.
* ''[[Dispensationalism]] Today'' (1965) by [[Charles Caldwell Ryrie|Charles C. Ryrie]]; The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.
* ''[[Israel]] In Prophecy'' (1962) by [[John F. Walvoord]]; Zondervan Publishing House.
* ''The [[Church]] in Prophecy'' (1964) by [[John F. Walvoord]]; Zondervan Publishing House.
* ''The Millennial Kingdom'' (1959) by [[John F. Walvoord]]; Dunham Publishing Co. Academie Books published by Zondervan Publishing House, 1415 Lake Drive. S.E., Grand Rapids Michigan 49506. (NOTE: ''See'' [[Millennium]] on Wikipedia).
* ''The Nations in Prophecy'' (1967) by [[John F. Walvoord]]; Zondervan Publishing House. (NOTE: this book may have been combined with other similar titles by Walvoord into one new volume).
* ''The Return of the Lord'' (1955) by [[John F. Walvoord]]; Zondervan Publishing House Library of Congress Cat. #77-106423.
* ''The [[Rapture]] Question'' (1974) by [[John F. Walvoord]] (Revised & Enlarged); The Zondervan Corporation.
===Post-Tribulation school of thought===
* ''The Church and the Tribulation'' (subtitled: ''A Biblical Examination of Post-tribulationism'') (1973) by [[Robert H. Gundry]]; Zondervan Corporation.
* ''The Tribulation People'' (1975) by Arthur Katterjohn with Mark Faculer; Publisher - Creation House.
* ''Lord, When?'' (1976) by Arthur Katterjohn with Mark Faculer; Publisher - Creation House (Can be used independently or in conjunction with ''The Tribulation People'' by the same authors.
* ''The Incredible Cover-Up'' (1975) by Dave MacPherson; by Logos Internation.
* ''Christians Will Go Through the Tribulation'' (1978) by Jim McKeever; Alpha Omega Publishing Company.
* ''Now You Can Understand the Book of Revelation'' (1980) by Jim McKeever; Omega Publications.
* ''City of Revelation'' subtitled ''A Book of Forgotten Wisdom'' (1972) by John Michell; Ballantine Books (first printing: 11/73 Library of Congress Cat. No. 72-88116 SBN 345-23607-6-150. (NOTE: this book contains information on [[Gematria]], a mathematical science).<!-- There is a 'John Michell' listed in Wikipedia but this book reference is not on that page; can't determine if it's the same person -->
* ''The Secret Book of Revelation'' (subtitled: ''The Last Book of the Bible'') ©1979; by Gilles
*Quispel, Collins St. James Place, Comdon, 1979.<!-- Again there is a Gilles Quispel on Wikipedia but I don't know if it's the same person -->
* ''The Pre-Wrath Rapture of The Church'' (1990) by Marvin Rosenthal; Thomas Nelson, Inc. ISBN 0-8407-3160-4.
=== Amillenial school of thought ===
* ''1994?'' (1992) by [[Harold Camping]];; Published by Vantage Press, Inc., 516 West 34th Street, NY, NY 10001. ISBN 0-533-10368-1; Library of Congress Cat. Number is Unknown.
* ''Christ Will Come Again: Hope for the Second Coming of Jesus'' by Stephen Travis. 2004 Toronto: Clements Publishing. ISBN 1-894667-33-6
* ''In God's Time: The Bible and the Future'' by Craig C. Hill. 2002 Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. ISBN 0-802860-90-7
* ''Shock Wave 2000!'' subtitled ''The [[Harold Camping]] 1994 Debacle''; (1994) by Robert Sungenis, Scott Temple, and David Allen Lewis; New Leaf Press, Inc., P.O. Box 311, Green Forest AR 72638; ISBN 0-89221-269-1; Library of Congress: 94-67493.
==References==
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<br />{{Time in religion and mythology}}
{{House of Yahweh}}
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