Eschatology (from the Greek έσχατος meaning "last" + -logy) is a part of theology concerned with the final events in the history of the world or the ultimate destiny of human kind, commonly phrased as the end of the world. In many religions, the end of the world is a future event prophesied in sacred texts or folklore. More broadly, eschatology may encompass related concepts such as the Messiah or Messianic Age, the afterlife, and the soul. The Greek word αιών means "age"; some translation ...

Including:

• Eschatology - Buddhism
• Eschatology - Christianity
• Eschatology - Hinduism
• Eschatology - Islam
• Eschatology - Judaism
• Eschatology - Native American
• Eschatology - Hopi
• Eschatology - Mayans
• Eschatology - Sioux
• Eschatology - Norse mythology
• Eschatology - Zoroastrianism
• Eschatology - Prophetic movements
• Eschatology - Other religions

Read more here: » Eschatology: Encyclopedia - Eschatology

A Christian theological definition of Eschatology according to CARM - The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry:

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Eschatology

See also: Eschatology, Christianity, Body Mind and Soul)

Eschatology

General term for teachings concerning the "last things," the end of the world and processes of salvation.

In Christianity, eschatology includes teachings concerning death, judgment, heaven, hell, and the coming of Christ (Gk. parousia). The term itself was first used in the nineteenth century with the rise of critical biblical studies. One significant early finding was that both Jesus and the apostle Paul seemed convinced that God would terminate history soon.

Studies of Jesus' use of "the reign of God" and of Paul's treatment of the return of Christ brought a reevaluation of the relations between the end of history and the new era that Jesus had ushered in. For current Christian theology, eschatology raises important issues about history. If Christian faith says that the crucial victory occurred in Christ's death, resurrection, and sending of the Holy Spirit, what value should believers place on temporal matters? The mainstream of theologians seems to have reached a consensus that both the New Testament and subsequent faith seek a balance between "now" and "not yet. "

The substance of salvation (God's forgiveness and eternal life) is available now, in virtue of Christ. But the full expression of salvation can only occur beyond history, where God is all in all, and so does not yet exist. The study of the teachings in the Bible concerning the end times, or of the period of time dealing with the return of Christ and the events that follow.

Eschatological subjects include the Resurrection, the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Millennium, the Binding of Satan, the Three witnesses, the Final Judgment, Armageddon, and The New Heavens and the New Earth. In one form or another most of the books of the Bible deal with end times subjects. But some that are more prominently eschatological are Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Joel, Zechariah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, 2 Thessalonians, and of course Revelation.

(See also: Eschatology, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Since their formation in the 1870s, leaders of the organization have sought to identify dates for end-time events such as the enthronement of Jesus as King, the return of Jesus Christ, and for the "end of this system of things," culminating in Armageddon. The Witness publication Jehovah's Witnesses--Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, gives an overview of some of the historical development of the Witnesses' eschatology. However, no detailed study by Witness historians has been published. Most information on Jehovah's Witnesses' eschatology ...

See also:

Jehovah's Witnesses, Jehovah's Witnesses - History, Jehovah's Witnesses - Membership, Jehovah's Witnesses - Organizational structure, Jehovah's Witnesses - Beliefs and doctrines, Jehovah's Witnesses - Distinctive to Jehovah's Witnesses, Jehovah's Witnesses - Shared by most Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses - Shared by many Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses - Shared by most conservative Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses - Shared by some other Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses - Shared by mainstream Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses - Blood, Jehovah's Witnesses - Practices, Jehovah's Witnesses - Worship, Jehovah's Witnesses - Morality, Jehovah's Witnesses - Construction and Humanitarian Efforts, Jehovah's Witnesses - Disfellowshipping excommunication, Jehovah's Witnesses - Jehovah's Witnesses and governments, Jehovah's Witnesses - Opposition to Jehovah's Witnesses, Jehovah's Witnesses - Eschatology, Jehovah's Witnesses - Early eschatology, Jehovah's Witnesses - 1975, Jehovah's Witnesses - Recent changes

Read more here: » Jehovah's Witnesses: Encyclopedia II - Jehovah's Witnesses - Eschatology

Buddha predicted that his teachings would disappear after 500 years. According to the Sutta Pitaka, the "ten moral courses of conduct" will disappear and people will follow the ten amoral concepts of theft, violence, murder, lying, evil speaking, adultery, abusive and idle talk, covetousness and ill will, wanton greed, and perverted lust resulting in skyrocketing poverty and the end of the worldly laws of true dharma. During the Middle Ages, the span of time was expanded to 5,000 years. Commentators like Buddhaghosa predicted a step-b ...

See also:

Eschatology, Eschatology - Buddhism, Eschatology - Christianity, Eschatology - Hinduism, Eschatology - Islam, Eschatology - Judaism, Eschatology - Native American, Eschatology - Hopi, Eschatology - Mayans, Eschatology - Sioux, Eschatology - Norse mythology, Eschatology - Zoroastrianism, Eschatology - Prophetic movements, Eschatology - Other religions, Eschatology - Philosophy

Read more here: » Eschatology: Encyclopedia II - Eschatology - Buddhism

At the time of the Buddha, he apparently predicted that his teachings would disappear after 500 years. According to the Sutta Pitaka, the "ten moral courses of conduct" will disappear and people will follow the ten amoral concepts of theft, violence, murder, lying, evil speaking, adultery, abusive and idle talk, covetousness and ill will, wanton greed, and perverted lust resulting in skyrocketing poverty and the ...

See also:

Eschatology, Eschatology - Buddhism, Eschatology - Christianity, Eschatology - Hinduism, Eschatology - Islam, Eschatology - Judaism, Eschatology - Native American, Eschatology - Hopi, Eschatology - Mayans, Eschatology - Sioux, Eschatology - Norse mythology, Eschatology - Zoroastrianism, Eschatology - Prophetic movements, Eschatology - Other religions

Read more here: » Eschatology: Encyclopedia II - Eschatology - Buddhism

Jewish eschatology is concerned with Mashiach (the Jewish Messiah) the continuation of the Davidic line, and Olam Haba (Hebrew for "the world to come"; i.e. the afterlife). Jewish eschatology - Mashiach/Messiah. The Hebrew word Mashiach (or Moshiach) means anointed one, and refers to a mortal human being. Within Judaism, the Mashiach is a human being who will be a descendant of King David continuing the Davidic line, and who will usher in a messianic era of peace and prosp ...

Including:

• Jewish eschatology - Mashiach/Messiah
• Jewish eschatology - The afterlife and olam haba the world to come
• Jewish eschatology - Biblical verses

Read more here: » Jewish eschatology: Encyclopedia - Jewish eschatology

Akhirah (Arabic: آلآخرة) is an Islamic term referring to the afterlife. It is repeatedly referrenced in chapters of the Qu'ran concerning Yaum al Qiyamah, the Islamic Day of Judgment, an important part of Islamic eschatology. Traditionally, it is considered to be one of the seven main beliefs of Muslims, the others including: Tawhid, Islamic angels, the Books, the prophets, and predestination. According to many Muslims, Allah will play the role of the qadi, weighing the deeds of each individual. He will decide whether that person's akhirah

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Ancient Aztec eschatology is primarily derived from Toltec eschatological beliefs and traditions, centered on the belief that four worlds, or "Suns", along with humankind, were destroyed in a catastrophe prior to the creation of the present universe. The present world is the fifth sun, and the Aztec saw themselves as "the People of the Sun," whose divine duty is to wage cosmic war in order to provide the sun with his tlaxcaltiliztli ("nourishment"). Without it, the sun would disappear from the heavens. Thus the welfare and the ...

Including:

• Ancient Aztec eschatology - Destruction of the four suns
• Ancient Aztec eschatology - Fifth Sun

Read more here: » Ancient Aztec eschatology: Encyclopedia - Ancient Aztec eschatology

In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgment or Judgement Day is the ethical-judicial trial, judgment, and punishment/reward of individual humans (assignment to heaven or to hell) by a divine tribunal at the end of time, following the destruction of humans' present earthly existence. Some Christians say that God does not judge, since He finds "all to be precious". This eschatology has spawned numerous artistic depictions. Last Judgment - Sources. The doctrine and iconographic features of a "Las ...

Including:

• Last Judgment - Sources
• Last Judgment - Catholicism
• Last Judgment - Artistic Representations

Read more here: » Last Judgment: Encyclopedia - Last Judgment

History of Christianity Jesus of Nazareth The Apostles Ecumenical councils Great Schism The Crusades Reformation The Trinity God the Father Christ the Son The Holy Spirit The Bible Old Testament New Testament Apocrypha The Gospels Ten Commandments Sermon on the Mount Christian theology Salvation · Grace Christian worship Christian Church Catholicism Orthodox Christianity Protestantism Christian denominatio ...

Including:

• Christian eschatology - Last things
• Christian eschatology - Biblical passages on life after death
• Christian eschatology - Intermediate state
• Christian eschatology - Prophetic events prior to the return of Christ
• Christian eschatology - Kingdom of God: Literal Millennial views
• Christian eschatology - Kingdom of God: Non-literal Millennial views
• Christian eschatology - The Second Coming
• Christian eschatology - The resurrection of the righteous and the wicked
• Christian eschatology - Final judgment
• Christian eschatology - Heaven or everlasting reward
• Christian eschatology - Hell or everlasting punishment
• Christian eschatology - The end of the world and the renewal of creation
• Christian eschatology - The consummation of all things
• Christian eschatology - Specific dates of the end of days

Read more here: » Christian eschatology: Encyclopedia - Christian eschatology

Zoroastrianism eschatology is the oldest eschatology in recorded history. By 500 BC, Zoroastrians had fully developed a concept of the end of the world through a divine devouring in fire. According to Zoroastrian philosophy, redacted in the Zand-i Vohuman Yasht, "at the end of thy tenth hundredth winter...the sun is more unseen and more spotted; the year, month, and day are shorter; and the earth is more barren; and the crop will not yield the seed; and men ... become more deceit ...

Read more here: » Zoroastrian eschatology: Encyclopedia - Zoroastrian eschatology

The Christian Day of Atonement is based on the English translation of the the Jewish Holyday Yom Kippur. The Bible calls the day Yom Hakippurim (Hebrew, "Day of the Atonements"). The day is commemorated with a 25-hour fast by Jews, but normally a 24 hour fast by Christians who observe it. While not observed by the mainstream of Christianity, the small Christian groups (mostly those with origins in the old Worldwide Church of Go ...

Including:

• Day of Atonement Christian - Date
• Day of Atonement Christian - Biblical origin
• Day of Atonement Christian - Interpretation
• Day of Atonement Christian - The Day of Atonement and Eschatology

Read more here: » Day of Atonement Christian: Encyclopedia - Day of Atonement Christian

Apollyon appears in the New Testament (Book of Revelation 9:7 – 11) leading the locust-like swarm of demons that will be released in the End Times: 7. In appearance the locusts were like horses arrayed for battle; on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8. their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth; 9. they had scales like iron breastplates, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10. ...

Including:

• Apollyon - References

Read more here: » Apollyon: Encyclopedia - Apollyon

ad-Dajjal (Arabic: دجّال), "The deceiver", is an evil figure in Islamic eschatology, who will appear some time before Yaum al-Qiyamah (the Last Day). He is a counterpart to the Antichrist prophesied by Christianity. Dajjal - Other mentions. He is mentioned in Chapter 16 of "The Arabian Nights": "Sinbad Voyage 1" or "First Voyage" "Also to while away the time of waiting I explored a little island named Cassel, which belonged to King Mihrage, and which was supposed to be inhabited by a sp ...

Including:

• Dajjal - Other mentions

Read more here: » Dajjal: Encyclopedia - Dajjal

The Tribulation (or "Great Tribulation") is an event referred to in the New Testament of the Bible at Matthew 24:21 ("For then shall be great tribulation..." - King James Version) and other passages. In the futurist view of Christian eschatology, the Tribulation is a relatively short period of time where believers will experience worldwide persecution and be purified and strengthened by it. This view was introduced to the modern church by John Nelson Darby, the father of dispensationalism, became widely accepted through the notes in the Scofield Reference Bible of 1909, and was recently populari ...

Including:

• Tribulation - The Dispensationalist or Futurist View
• Tribulation - Tribulation events
• Tribulation - Judgements
• Tribulation - The Preterist View
• Tribulation - The Historicist View
• Tribulation - Sources

Read more here: » Tribulation: Encyclopedia - Tribulation

In Norse mythology and Ásatrú (according to the Eddas), Fimbulwinter is the immediate prelude to the end of the world, Ragnarok. Fimbulwinter is three successive winters without any intervening summer. During this time, there will be innumerable wars and brothers will kill brothers. The original spelling of this word in the Old Norse language is Fimbulvintr (Denmark and Sweden) or Fimbulvetr (Iceland and Norway), fimbul meaning "the great/big" so the correc ...

Including:

• Fimbulwinter - Etymological speculation
• Fimbulwinter - Influences

Read more here: » Fimbulwinter: Encyclopedia - Fimbulwinter

Left Behind is a series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, dealing with Christian dispensationalist End Times: pretribulation, premillennial, Christian eschatology viewpoint of the end of the world. It is also the title of the first book in the eponymously-named series. It is published by Tyndale House, a firm with a history of interest in dispensationalism. Left Behind - Books. Note: The books are listed in story-line order but numbered in order of publication.

Catharism was a religious movement with Gnostic elements that originated around the middle of the 10th century, branded by the contemporary Roman Catholic Church as heretical. It existed throughout much of Western Europe, but its home was in Languedoc and surrounding areas in southern France. The name Cathar most likely originated from Greek καθαροί, "pure ones". One of the first recorded uses is Eckbert von Schönau, who wrote on heretics from Colog ...

Including:

• Cathar - Origins
• Cathar - Beliefs
• Cathar - The human condition
• Cathar - Eschatology
• Cathar - Consolamentum
• Cathar - Theology
• Cathar - Social relationships
• Cathar - Suppression
• Cathar - Influences
• Cathar - The Holy Grail
• Cathar - Visigoths

Read more here: » Cathar: Encyclopedia - Cathar

History of Christianity Jesus of Nazareth The Apostles Ecumenical councils Great Schism The Crusades Reformation The Trinity God the Father Christ the Son The Holy Spirit The Bible Old Testament New Testament Apocrypha The Gospels Ten Commandments Sermon on the Mount Christian theology Salvation · Grace Christian worship Christian Church Catholicism Orthodox Christianity Protestantism Christian denominations

Read more here: » Amillennialism: Encyclopedia - Amillennialism