messianism

References

messianism

religion

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 15, 2026

Quick Summary

Messianism is a religious concept originating from the Hebrew word mashiaḥ, meaning "anointed." In Judaism, it refers to an expected king from the line of King David who will restore Israel to its former glory and deliver it from oppression. The Greek translation of this term, christos, became the title for Jesus of Nazareth in Christianity.12

While the Hebrew Bible doesn't explicitly use the term "messiah" for future prophecies, scholars believe Israelite messianism evolved from beliefs tied to kingship. As historical kings disappointed, the ideal of messianic kingship was projected into the future. After the Babylonian Exile, the expectation of a national restoration under a Davidic descendant became central. This belief intensified during Roman rule, leading to various interpretations, including apocalyptic notions of a heavenly "Son of Man".1

The concept of a messiah or a future restorer of faith also appears in other religions, such as the Mahdi in Isl\u0101m, and the future Buddha Maitreya in Buddhism.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

eschatology
Messianism
The term messiah, or mashiah (Hebrew: "anointed"), has been applied to a variety of “redeemers,” and many movements with an eschatological or utopian-revolutionary message have been termed messianic. Although messianic movements have occurred throughout the world, they seem to be especially characteristic of the…
Read More
The term messiah, or mashiah (Hebrew: "anointed"), has been applied to a variety of “redeemers,” and many movements with an eschatological or utopian-revolutionary message have been termed messianic. Although messianic movements have occurred throughout the world, they seem to be especially characteristic of the…
Read More

fundamentalism
Islamic fundamentalism
Messianism, which plays an important role in Christian, Jewish, and Shīʿite Islamic fundamentalism, is less important in the fundamentalism of the Sunni branch of Islam.
Read More
Messianism, which plays an important role in Christian, Jewish, and Shīʿite Islamic fundamentalism, is less important in the fundamentalism of the Sunni branch of Islam.
Read More

Judaism
Secularization of messianism
In the 19th century, with the political emancipation of the Jews in western Europe and the development of an optimistic evolutionism, messianism was transformed by many liberal thinkers into a version of the idea of progress, a goal that was often thought of as…
Read More
In the 19th century, with the political emancipation of the Jews in western Europe and the development of an optimistic evolutionism, messianism was transformed by many liberal thinkers into a version of the idea of progress, a goal that was often thought of as…
Read More

Wilson D. Wallis
…in the anthropological study of messianism. He taught at the University of Minnesota from 1923 to 1954.
Read More
…in the anthropological study of messianism. He taught at the University of Minnesota from 1923 to 1954.
Read More