REL 1.04 Beginnings and Ends of Time

This course examines the visions of the emergence, decline, and extinction of the world in several religious cultures: Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Daoism, and contemporary USA. After investigating different ideas of how the world came to exist and various views of the end of time, we will compare different notions of salvation by which various religious cultures tried to assuage fears of the end of the world. With expectations for messianic redemption or visions of power these catastrophic imaginings  and ideas of salvation served as the basis for missionary work and conversion as well as impetus for social and political transformations, rebellions, wars, imperial programs.

Degree Requirement Attributes

INT or TMV

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.