Millenarianism
Millenarianism or millenarism (from Latin millenarius ‘containing a thousand’ and -ism) is the belief by a religious, social, or political group or movement in a coming fundamental transformation of society, after which “all things will be changed”. Millenarianism exists in various cultures and religions worldwide, with various interpretations of what constitutes a transformation.
These movements believe in radical changes to society after a major cataclysm or transformative event.
Millenarianist movements can be secular (not espousing a particular religion) or religious in nature, and are therefore not necessarily linked to millennialist movements in Christianity.
A millenarian Christian movement is a group that believes a coming thousand-year reign of Christ will transform society. These movements often anticipate the Second Coming of Jesus before or after a period of peace and righteousness, and differ on the exact timing. Prominent examples include the Adventist denominations, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and historically, groups like the Anabaptists and various movements during the English Civil War.
Core beliefs
- The Millennium: A literal or symbolic 1,000-year period on Earth during which Christ will reign.
- Second Coming: The return of Jesus Christ to usher in or be part of this millennial kingdom.
- Social transformation: A belief that the coming reign of Christ will create a new, utopian, or righteous society.
- Biblical interpretation: A focus on interpretations of books like Revelation, which describes a thousand-year reign with Christ.
Different interpretations
- Premillennialism: Believes the Second Coming will happen before the millennium. This event will initiate a final battle, after which Christ will establish the 1,000-year kingdom.
- Postmillennialism: Believes Christ will return after the millennium. The 1,000-year reign of peace and righteousness will be established by believers before the Second Coming.
Historical examples
- The Reformation: Led to the rise of groups like the Anabaptists and Bohemian Brethren, who held millennial beliefs.
- English Civil War: Millenarianism was a powerful force, inspiring movements like the Levellers, Diggers, and Quakers.
- William Miller’s movement: In the mid-1800s, this movement led to the formation of Adventist denominations after his prediction of Christ’s return in 1844 did not occur as expected.
- Modern movements: Today, denominations like the Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses are often associated with millenarian beliefs.
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://fiveable.me/key-terms/world-history-to-1500/millenarianism
[2] https://www.britannica.com/summary/millennialism
[3] https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/34378/chapter/291553446
[4] http://bactra.org/notebooks/millenarian.html
[5] https://www.britannica.com/topic/millennialism/Patristic-and-medieval-millennialism