Vol. 2 No., 2, 2003
Christian Millenarianism: From
the Early Church to Waco
Stephen Hunt, Ed.
Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2001, 258 pp.
Reviewed by:
Rev.
Dean Borgman
Some
unbelievers think that the fear of death and the end of the world is the
origin of all religion. Most believers, on the other hand, are convinced
about life after death and some divine conclusion to history. Not all,
but some of the faithful, and not only Christians, anticipate a final
chapter of history, a thousand year period in which justice and peace
will prevail. They are the millennialists or chiliasts (from “a
thousand”). Jews, Christians and Muslims have such apocalyptic
beliefs. In times of crisis and despair apocalyptic hopes may rise to
the surface.
Many
Jews, Christians, and Muslims take the notion of the millennium, not
literally, but as symbolic of ultimate justice and peace. Theologians
call their study of end times, eschatology (from the Greek, eschaton,
last).
In
contrast to some ancient thought that saw history moving in endless
cycles, the Judeo-Christian view of history is linear, moving to some
kind of denouement or conclusion. Christian Millenarianism offers
an introduction and seventeen erudite essays on millenarianism divided
into four sections:
1.
Sociological Aspects
2.
Historical Dimensions
3.
The Global Movement
4.
Syncretic and Cultist Forms.
Possible scenarios for the end of the world provide opportunities for
the exploitation of fears, utopian ideals, and radical ideology under
cultic leadership. That is what makes this book important to those
concerned with destructive cultism—even though it isn’t this work’s
focus.
The
aim of this book is not to discuss the idea of millenarianism in purely
theological or sociological terms. It is rather to examine a variety of
specific movements, the “most vigorous expressions (of millenarianism)
within the Christian faith over the last two hundred years” (7). "what
is self-evidently one of the perennial and most dynamic of visions” (p.
11). To accomplish such an endeavor, the editor has called upon experts
able to speak from the disciplines of “sociology, anthropology, biblical
studies, church and cultural history, and theology.” (p. 7)
The
volume deals with millenarianism as it is found within the mainstream of
Christian tradition, in the tendency toward Christian extremism and
sects, and finally as it influences larger society. Malcolm B.
Hamilton’s first chapter helps define and distinguish the subject from a
sociological perspective:
Lately millenarian sects have attracted much attention as a consequence
of groups such as the People’s Temple, the Branch
Davidians, the Solar Temple, Aum Shinrikyo, and Heaven’s Gate.
The
tragic loss of life resulting from the confrontation of apocalyptic
groups such as these with the wider society has puzzled and perturbed
contemporary society.
The
millennial idea, however, is not only manifested in clearly definable
movements or relatively discrete and organized sectarian bodies, but
runs as a current through society, greatly varying in intensity over
time, attracting varying numbers… and with varying degrees of influence
in their lives and society in general. (pp. 34, 35)
The
next essay by Martin Percy provides information that helps explain the
“Left Behind” series by Tim LaHaye (though these popular novels/films
are not mentioned here). The chapter is subtitled, “Evangelicals, The
Millennium and Millenarianism.” “Evangelicals” are conservative
Christians who take the Bible literally, or at least authoritatively.
They are similarly divided as to whether they believe the “thousand year
period” of Revelation 20: 2b, 4b to be a literal thousand year period or
a symbolic ideal of history’s consummation in justice and peace. In
describing Evangelicals' three biblical interpretation of the millennium
as post-millennial (Christ coming to earth after the millennium),
amillennial (the millennium seen as symbolic), and dispensational (the
“Left Behind” scenario), Percy unfortunately misses historic
premillennialism of which dispensationalism is only a rather modern
variant. Insightful history and details regarding the origins of
dispensationalism are provided by a later essay, Mark Patterson and
Andrew Walker’s “Irving, Albury, and the Origins of the
Pre-tribulation Rapture” (p. 98).
In
this volume we find historic backgrounds from ancient, medieval, and
early modern history. We learn of global movements such as the T’Aiping
Rebellion in China, “Catholic Apocalypticism and the Army
of Mary” in Europe, and “A Peruvian Messiah and the Retreat from
Apocalypse.”
With
scholarly balance, this book makes clear that not even “extreme”
millennial movements are necessarily dangerous. In “The Heavenly
Millennium of Seventh-Day Adventism,” Kenneth Newport declares:
“Seventh-day Adventism is without doubt one of the more successful, even
if less-known, pre-millennial movements in the world today” (p. 131).
Susan J. Palmer gives us a careful assessment of the Messianic
Communities’ Twelve Tribes (an outgrowth of the Jesus Movement of the
late 1960s and early 70s) as a New Religious Movement (NRM).
Their doctrines are radical—that is, both extreme and original—and yet…
based on the Bible…. Given this extraordinary level of external pressure
(police raids), one might ask, why have they not reacted in a
violent fashion? (p. 211)
In
view of the widespread concern regarding the violence factor in
apocalyptic movements… it is important to remember all those nonviolent
groups that have prepared for the end of the world throughout the
history of heresy. If we are attempting to construct models of
“dangerous” prophetic groups, it is useful to study the characteristics
of groups that fan their fiery visions of End Time to facilitate
internal religious experience, while somehow managing to “keep cool”
when dealing with the world. (p. 223)
Then
there is the millenarianism of the largest Christian revival in recent
times, the Pentecostal Movement. Margaret Poloma begins her analysis of
this prophetic movement quoting D.J. Wilson, “For most Christians the
present determines the future; they believe they will reap what they
sow. But for most Pentecostals the future determines the present, their
view of eschatology governs their view of current events.” Of course
this contrast is not quite true. For Jügen Moltmann (himself a
millennialist) and many other mainstream theologians, contemporary
complexities can only be understood in terms of eschatology. Poloma’s
essay describes the unique place of prophecies, revival, and end-times
beliefs among this dynamic stream of Christianity.
David Gallagher’s “David Koresh’s Christian Millenarianism” is really
this volume’s only study of what many would consider a contemporary
millennial cult that was dangerous and self-destructive. However, this
writer warns us:
…
the group had been in the area for some sixty years…. The general lack
of knowledge about the group was quickly supplanted by a facile
characterization of it as a “cult.” … The ease with which that
stereotype was embraced by the media and accepted by the general public
again demonstrated the shallow but pervasive influence of the anti-cult
movement. (p. 196)
This
essay describes David Koresh as one who abandoned his former life for
the community at Mount Carmel, for a life of religion.
Daily hours of Bible study drove home the message of impending divine
doom based on an interpretation of the seven seals in the book of
Revelation (chapters 4-5). Koresh was not only a prophet of the seven
seals; he was the Lamb from heaven to unloose the (meaning of) the
seals. Those of us interested in the psychology and sociology of
destructive sects and cults will probably be disappointed—with this
volume and this chapter in particular. Gallagher’s essay is an
insightful interpretation of Davidian teaching and the mission of David
Koresh. It assumes the need for religious tolerance, even of extremes.
But it does little to enlighten the reader as to the authoritarianism
and probable abuses present in this cult—a term that many scholars these
days reject as pejorative.
My
last remark needs brief comment. Contemporary study of religions and
smaller movements is taking a very relativistic stance. Many scholars
are loath to describe in negative terms any religious movement, no
matter how small, how recent, how radical or how dangerous. They are
scratching terms like sect and cult from their working vocabularies. All
religions began as cults or sects, they would say, and have grown into
gradual acceptance. Those of us afraid of cultic authoritarianism,
brainwashing, undermining of family ties, and breaking of individual
critical thinking will continue to find vocabulary that assists in
distinctions that can lead to release and freedom.
Positive reviews see this book as a multifaceted and multidisciplinary
inspection of millenarian ideas from a comparative and historical
perspective. It is that indeed, and we can be glad for this important
starting point in understanding the importance of ideas about history’s
culmination. This will enable our further consideration as to how
“end-time thinking” can move in helpful or destructive directions.
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