Eschatology

This article is about the concept of the end of the world. For the book by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, see Eschatology (book).

Eschatology literally means the study of the eschaton, the times of the end, 'last things', or 'end times.' In Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Rastafari, and in Norse pagan theology, eschatology is a theology concerning the end of the world, as predicted in the prophecies of these faiths, and as recorded in their sacred texts. It can also be the study of general afterlife concepts of other religions, especially the western monotheistic faiths. In this broader sense, eschatology can refer to the messiah, a messianic era, the afterlife, and the soul in religions which have such beliefs.

The word is derived from Greek eskhatos meaning last, furthest, remote, with the root ex — "out of";

As far as we know, Zoroastrianism, by 500 B.C, had a fully developed concept of the end of the world as being devoured by fire, and is thus the oldest known eschatology.

Eschatologies of particular religions:

Ancient religions (no longer widely practiced)

• Ancient Aztec eschatology
• Ancient Egyptian eschatology
• Ancient Greek eschatology
• Ancient Roman eschatology
• Ancient Norse eschatology

Modern-day religions (still widely practiced)

• Buddhist eschatology
• Christian eschatology
• Hindu eschatology
• Islamic eschatology
• Jewish eschatology
• Zoroastrian eschatology
• Rastafarian eschatology
• Many Neopagans and Wiccans believe that the entire Universe continues in endless cycles of birth, death, and rebirth.

Science has developed its own eschatologies, based on observation and rational speculation rather than traditional inspiration.

• cosmology deals with theories about the possible origins and the ultimate fate of the Universe.
• The multiverse idea might contradict the idea of a definitive end to existence itself, and the scientific study of time calls into question the very meaning of concepts like "beginning" and "end".
• The technological singularity would be an incomprehensible transformation of society by technological means. If it goes as expected it would be the end of human society as such.

Some have compared the Marxist belief in World communism as a form of eschatology.

See also

• Apocalypse
• Apocalypticism
• Apocalyptic literature
• Millennialism
• Millenarianism
• Messianism
• Messiah
• End of the world
• End Times

External links

• Death, Afterlife and Eschatology
• Reformed Eschatology"In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it." Isaiah 2:2
• . /~mke/exitmundi.htm Exit MundiA collection of end-of-world scenarios
• A Brief History of the End of Everything, a BBC 4 Radio series
• Visions of Heaven on Earth

See also: Eschatology, Afterlife, Albrecht Dürer, Ancient Aztec eschatology, Ancient Norse eschatology, Apocalypse, Apocalyptic literature, Apocalypticism, Buddhist eschatology, Christian eschatology