Literature of the Future: terms & themes

Apocalypse as Narrative of the Future

Apocalypse Synonyms

"Millennialism" (for example, a few years ago "the Millennium" could mean "the year 2000" or "the end of the world, Messiah's return," etc.

"Eschatology"--study of the end times (a person who studies Scripture for clues to when the world will end is an "eschatologist.")

"End-times," "End of Days," Judgment Day, Doomsday, the Final Judgment, . . .

Idea of a messiah or savior who saves or changes everything for the better

end of old world, beginning of new world--"New Heavens and New Earth" (Rev. 21.1)

"Bible Prophecy" and "the Prophetic Word" are often terms for apocalyptic discourse.

A familiar "sign" of apocalyptic thinking: the assumption that the world is in "Decline" . . .

example: "Things are really getting bad out there." . . . "Things aren't like they used to be."

"The system can't take much more until everything falls apart."

(Such perspectives discount many signs of progress: lower infant mortality, longer lifespans, less physical suffering, 

sources: scripture, revelation, tradition

Is the future written or being written? "It is written" prevails, but human choices are often part of story

shape of story: linear, with beginning and end

scale of time: 6000-10,000 years? "Human scale," compared to cosmic scale of evolution or eternity.

popularity: Apocalypse is the "default" narrative of the future. Why?

concession: It may be true. Trans-cultural belief.

story is dramatic, immediate, simple

vivid images and symbols with sublime effects (beautiful but frightening)

resemblance to "romance" narrative

analogues: God the Father > human as part of a family

What kind of future is promised?

Sinners are written out of heaven or the blissful afterlife

For the faithful, the future is a restoration of an earlier, better state of affairs (pre-decline)

examples:

Bible: in Genesis, God's people are exiled from Paradise, but then return to Heaven

The "Tree of Life" is left behind in Eden (Gen. 4.9) but then reappears in Heaven

Rev. 2.7: . . . To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Rev. 22.2: In the midst of the street of [the City of God], and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Question: In Parable of the Sower, how does the end of the story restore what was lost at the beginning?

verifiability: In practice, literal or fundamental interpretation of scripture means that only knowledge that confirms belief or tradition is accepted, while anything that differs or complicates is rejected.

In contrast, science is "falsifiable"--it can be proven wrong, which leads to better science. eventually all scientific knowledge is revised, updated, or overturned.