Not Yet in the Now: Waiting for the Apocalypse

Eschatology is defined as the study of the last things. Traditionally, these “last things” have been defined as death, judgement, heaven, and hell; in truth, though, they include all that we imagine the “end” of our life and of history to be.

In the Christian church, our eschatological expectation is our blessed hope: the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. In Western culture, eschatological expectations range from technological utopia to global catastrophe. Join us as we examine the sources of Christian eschatological expectation in the Bible and in ancient philosophy. Trace dominant lines of interpretation and expectation throughout history, considering how eschatological hopes have outlasted biblical authority. Gain a better sense of these developments as you reflect on the use of apocalyptic images and rhetoric in both art and politics. Finally, discuss key eschatological questions with your classmates, informed by readings from C.S. Lewis and other twentieth-century theologians whose insights have power to shape our eschatological imagination today.