Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

Get access

Millenarianism
(3,380 words)

1. Concept and historical context

The Christian term millenarianism is etymologically derived from “millennium” (Latin: millen(n)ium) – also known as chiliasm (from the Greek chília, “thousand”), though its roots are within ancient Judaism. It covers a broad spectrum of expectations of salvation taking place in this world rather than in the heavenly afterlife [2]. The idea of a thousand-year interim kingdom unstained by evil, as developed in the Gospel of John, w…

Cite this page
Noack, Karoline, Rüther, Kirsten and ter Haar, Barend J., “Millenarianism”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 09 June 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_024106>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20200128



▲   Back to top   ▲