REL 277(F) Apocalypses: Varieties of Millennial Discourse

For at least the past 2,000 years people have been patiently waiting for the world to end. What attracts people to millenarian theology? What is it like to live in anticipation of the imminent end of the world? What are the political and social consequences of apocalyptic belief? And how do people cope when the events they expect fail to occur? After briefly surveying millennial beliefs in other temporal and geographical contexts (the ancient-Near East, medieval Europe, the south Pacific), we will examine developments in American apocalyptic discourse. Starting off with the Spanish missionaries of the sixteenth century, we will tour the eschatological world of colonial Puritanism; consider apocalyptic interpretations of American conflicts (the Revolution, the Civil War, the Cold War); observe millenarian movements such as the Millerites, the Mormons, and the Jehovah's Witnesses; and survey the range of contemporary eschatological belief, from Hal Lindsay to Heaven's Gate, Y2K and beyond. Readings from historical and sociological studies and prophetic texts. Lecture and discussion. Requirements: full attendance and participation; brief weekly response papers, two 3- to 5-page reports, and one 15- to 20-page research paper. Open to all classes without prerequisite.

Hour: VERTER