If you’ve read Left Behind, seen A Thief In The Night, or watched any three episodes of Supernatural, you’ve witnessed the basic elements and cultural ubiquity of Biblical prophecy about The End Times. From Jewish resistance literature under Babylonian and Roman rule, to Martin Luther’s theory that the Pope was the Antichrist, to the rise of dispensationalism in the 1800s, the idea of an impending conflict between Light and Darkness has both inspired and terrified believers. More recently, the strong presence of QAnon conspiracy theorists at the January 6th attacks on Washington D.C. have raised questions about the role of “final conflict” narratives in modern cults and reactionary movements.
In this episode, Jeff and Kristin dive deep into the origins, evolution, and modern renaissance of these Apocalyptic Narratives and their importance to modern fundamentalism.
Have questions? Feedback? Stories of other interesting or enlightening apocalypse narratives in Christian, Right, or Christian Right history? Join in on this episode’s comments section, or follow us on Twitter at @CRightcast…
Footnotes and reference materials
Insurrection and Apocalypse
Inside TikTok’s Wild Covid—19 Vaccine As Christian Persecution Meme, by Tyler Huckabee at Relevant Magazine
For some Christians, the Capitol riot doesn’t change the prophecy: Trump will be president by Michelle Boorstein at The Washington Post
The Flight 93 Election, by Michael Anton at the Claremont Review of Books
Why pro-Trump evangelicals brought shofars to DC this week, by Alissa Wilkinson at Vox
QAnon: The alternative religion that’s coming to your church, by Katelyn Beaty at the Religion News Service. Beaty was also interviewed about the article on NPR.
Self-described Trump supporter rethinks her support in real time, by Dylan Matthews at Vox
Core reference materials
Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation, by Elaine Pagels
Frontline: Apocalypse, with material from L Michael White, aired on PBS in 1998
Superchurch: The Rhetoric and Politics of American Fundamentalism, by Jonathan J. Edwards (also discussed in this review)
Additional notes and reading
From Jesus to Christianity, by L Michael White
Jewish Apocalypse Literature as Resistance Literature, by A. Portier-Young, Oxford Handbook of Apocalyptic Literature, 2014
Roman and Christian Anti-Judaism, from 70 TO 1200CE, at ReligiousTolerance.org
List of Dates Predicted for Apocalyptic Events, at Wikipedia
William Miller and the Great Disappointment, by L Michael White, from Frontline: Apocalypse
Tell The World, an Adventist film about Millerism
Dispensationalism at Wikipedia
John Nelson Darby, Father of dispensationalism by Christianity Today
Is Moody Church Dispensational at Moody Media, and Statement of Faith at Moody Bible Institute
Clarence Larkin’s Charts of Scripture, at the Blue Letter Bible
Jesus Is Coming, by William E Blackstone, 1841
200 years ago, John Adams promoted a Jewish state in the Holy Land, at The Times of Israel
Why Christians keep appropriating Jewish ritual symbols, by Alissa Wilkinson at Vox
Special Bonus Chart
Episode 7: Apocalypse Then and Now