It's the End of the World as We Know It: Apocalypticism and Religious Thinking about the End Times

Undergraduate / Graduate

Why and how will the world end? How much time is left? What happens to humans in those final days-and after? This course will examine art, rituals, and sacred texts - along with the movements that produced them - in order to understand how religious communities have answered such questions throughout history. Along the way, we will learn about the circumstances that have inspired Apocalyptic movements, the religious traditions that they have emerged from, and the theological and political principles that have animated them. We will cover a wide range of contexts, including Roman-occupied Judea during the first century CE, the Xhosaland of southern Africa in the mid 19th century, and the rise of QAnon and climate activism in the 21st century United States. No prerequisite knowledge of the historical periods or religious traditions examined required.