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How does apocalypticism describe the transformation of the world?
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eschatology
The Second Coming as depicted in “The Last Judgment,” fresco by Michelangelo, 1536-41, on the west wall of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican Palace, Vatican City.
In the context of religion, apocalypticism describes the transformation of the world as a sudden, dramatic, and cataclysmic intervention by God in history. Rather than a gradual historical development, this transformation is viewed as a supernatural event that completely reverses the current state of affairs.123
Key aspects of this transformation include:
- Destruction of the Present World: Apocalyptic thought posits that the current world is so dominated by evil and suffering that it is unable to bear the justice of God. Consequently, the existing world order must be destroyed.23
- Divine Intervention: The change is brought about by God on behalf of a faithful minority, often depicted as a reversal of worldly power where tyrannical forces are crushed by divine authority.23
- Establishment of a New Order: The destroyed world is replaced by a new, righteous, and eternal kingdom. This renewed heaven and earth is characterized by the rule of the faithful elect with God, where justice and peace prevail.231
This perspective reflects a pessimistic view of the present, coupled with the urgent hope that God will soon intervene to end collective suffering and establish a permanent, divine order.43