HUMAN APOCALYPSE MEANING FULL

At its most basic, the Hebrew Bible tells the tale of a transcendent God who sets into motion the wheels of time by creating the universe ex nihilo (out of nothing), interceding at opportune moments within history thereafter. Jewish thought in general developed a linear notion of time as unfolding within ‘history’, consecrating particular events and weaving them into the fabric of the human story. The prophetic imaginings offered in texts such as the Book of Daniel, as well as lesser known, non-canonical writings such as the Apocalypses of John and Thomas, brokered an association between visions of the last days and the emergence of an idealistic societal order in which God’s original design for creation would be reinstated. Here, I will extend this line of thought by considering how this discourse of spiritual warfare belongs to the ancient genre of apocalyptic thought that we readily resurrect – for some, albeit on secular terms – in times of crisis.Īpocalypse, meaning ‘revelation’ or ‘unveiling’, has its conceptual roots in ancient Jewish and Christian literature.

But where does this narrative of apocalypse come from, and why does it seem to resonate so profoundly with experiences of catastrophe? In my last blogpost, I offered some brief reflections on the metaphors and imagery of the virus as an ‘enemy’. All these dark prophesies and, crucially, this inability to predict the future and strategise accordingly can easily give rise to a sense of doom – a pit in the stomach that sends a signal to the brain that the world just might be about to end.

HUMAN APOCALYPSE MEANING FULL

Several companies have pre-emptively cancelled all large in-person events until 2021 a sign that for many of us, the only planning we can do effectively is to resist planning full stop. Questions still hang in the air about the effectiveness of antibody testing on Covid-19 recoverees and numerous public figures have warned that we are some time away from rolling out an effective vaccine on a global scale.

Naomi Richman explores the cultural history of apocalyptic thought and how it can guide us in imagining a better future.įantasies of euphoric reunions over summer barbeques are quickly giving way to the realisation that significant restrictions on our way of life are set to continue into an indefinite future. 30 April 2020 | by imagor01 | Categories: Commentary, Current affairs, General

Human apocalypse meaning