Waiting for Antichrist

Charisma and Apocalypse in a Pentecostal Church

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Reference, Psychology of Religion, Christianity, Denominations, Pentecostalism
Cover of the book Waiting for Antichrist by Damian Thompson, Oxford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Damian Thompson ISBN: 9780190292393
Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication: April 21, 2005
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Damian Thompson
ISBN: 9780190292393
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication: April 21, 2005
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

How can people believe that the supernatural end of the world lies just around the corner when, so far, every such prediction has been proved wrong? Some scholars argue that millenarians are psychologically disturbed; others maintain that their dreams of paradise on earth reflect a nascent political awareness. In this book Damian Thompson looks at the members of one religious group with a strong apocalyptic tradition--Kensington Temple, a large Pentecostal church in London--and attempts to understand how they reconcile doctrines of the end of the world with the demands of their everyday lives. He asks such questions as: Who is making the argument that the world is about to end, and on whose authority? How is it communicated? Which members are persuaded by it? What are the practical consequences for them? How do they rationalize their position? Based on extensive interviews as well as a survey of almost 3000 members, Thompson finds existing explanations of apocalyptic belief inadequate. Although they profess allegiance to millennial doctrine, he discovers, members actually assign a low priority to the "End Times." The history of millenarianism is littered with disappointment, Thompson notes, and the lesson has largely been learned: "predictive" millenarianism--with its risky time-specific predictions of the end--has been substantially supplanted by "explanatory" millenarianism, which uses apocalyptic narratives to explain features of the contemporary world. Most apocalyptic believers, he finds, are comfortable with these lower-cost explanatory narratives that do not require them to sell their houses and head for the hills. He does uncover a handful of "textbook" millenarians in the congregation--people who are confident that Jesus will return in their lifetimes. He concludes that their atypical beliefs were influenced by their conversion experiences, individual psychology, and degree of subcultural immersion. Although much has been written about apocalyptic belief, Thompson's empirically-based study is unprecedented. It constitutes an important step forward in our understanding of this puzzling feature of contemporary religious life.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

How can people believe that the supernatural end of the world lies just around the corner when, so far, every such prediction has been proved wrong? Some scholars argue that millenarians are psychologically disturbed; others maintain that their dreams of paradise on earth reflect a nascent political awareness. In this book Damian Thompson looks at the members of one religious group with a strong apocalyptic tradition--Kensington Temple, a large Pentecostal church in London--and attempts to understand how they reconcile doctrines of the end of the world with the demands of their everyday lives. He asks such questions as: Who is making the argument that the world is about to end, and on whose authority? How is it communicated? Which members are persuaded by it? What are the practical consequences for them? How do they rationalize their position? Based on extensive interviews as well as a survey of almost 3000 members, Thompson finds existing explanations of apocalyptic belief inadequate. Although they profess allegiance to millennial doctrine, he discovers, members actually assign a low priority to the "End Times." The history of millenarianism is littered with disappointment, Thompson notes, and the lesson has largely been learned: "predictive" millenarianism--with its risky time-specific predictions of the end--has been substantially supplanted by "explanatory" millenarianism, which uses apocalyptic narratives to explain features of the contemporary world. Most apocalyptic believers, he finds, are comfortable with these lower-cost explanatory narratives that do not require them to sell their houses and head for the hills. He does uncover a handful of "textbook" millenarians in the congregation--people who are confident that Jesus will return in their lifetimes. He concludes that their atypical beliefs were influenced by their conversion experiences, individual psychology, and degree of subcultural immersion. Although much has been written about apocalyptic belief, Thompson's empirically-based study is unprecedented. It constitutes an important step forward in our understanding of this puzzling feature of contemporary religious life.

More books from Oxford University Press

Cover of the book Muslim Spain: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book George Berkeley: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book Homeostatic Control of Brain Function by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book Music In The Seventeenth And Eighteenth Centuries by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book Sociology and Anthropology: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book The Phanerozoic Carbon Cycle by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book Hanseatic League: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book Russian America by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book The Kiss: Love Stories from North America - With Audio Level 3 Oxford Bookworms Library by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book Natural-Born Cyborgs by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book Rule-Following: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book Stories of Sickness by Damian Thompson
Cover of the book Debating The Death Penalty : Should America Have Capital Punishment? The Experts On Both Sides Make Their Case by Damian Thompson
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy