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Research
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Topics
The following topics are not meant to be exhaustive, but rather are
offered to indicate the nature of the assignment and to stimulate
your own interests. You are encouraged to consider a topic more aligned
with your own interests and to submit a topic statement and sources.
You might want to browse the course bibliography for further ideas.
The professor will work with you to be certain that the topic suits
the course. As students choose topics, their names and
e-mail addresses will be accessible from this page so that you can
contact them to share resources and ideas.
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- Messianism
- Study
the origins of the term, "messiah," its use and transformation
by Jews living during the period of the Second Temple (pseudepigraphic
literature, Qumran), and its interpretation by early Christians.
Begin with John J. Collins' study, The Scepter and the
Star: The Messiahs of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Other Ancient
Literature (ABRL; New York: Doubleday, 1995), on reserve,
and move from there to explore an aspect of the issue that
interests you. Then select a contemporary iteration of messianism
in Judaism, Christianity or Islam and examine the ways in
which this articulation is similar to and different from
the earliest forms of messianism.
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- Jewish
Messianism
- Simon
bar Kosiba (fl. 132-135 CE)
- Simon bar Kosiba led a messianic revolt in Judea during the early second
century CE, prompted by Roman laws forbidding circumcision
and Roman plans to desecrate Temple Mount in Jerusalem with a temple to Jupiter.
Simon was known in some circles as Bar Kokhba, or "son of the star," a messianic
allusion to Numbers 24:17. Coins minted during his brief ascendancy include
images of the temple and of the star. Some documents have been discovered
in the Dead Sea region that were executed in his name and provide a picture
of his messianic reign.
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- For this paper, examine the primary evidence collected in the folder "Bar
Kochba: Primary Texts," on reserve. Account for the rise and fall of the movement
and the apocalyptic features exhibited in the primary literature.
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- Sabbatai
Sevi (1626-1676 CE)
- Persecution in western and eastern Europe in the 15th–17th centuries prompted
millenarian responses in European Jewish communities. These focused around
one figure in particular, Shabbatai Zevi, who was declared messiah in 1665
and found a following among persecuted and mystically-oriented Jews. Prophecies
associated with Zevi included that he would peacefully defeat the Ottoman
sultan, bring back the lost biblical tribes, and be victorious in the final
persecution that would end in redemption. He traveled to Istanbul, inspiring
ecstatic adulation along the way, but there apostatized to Islam while under
arrest. Loyal followers sought to explain his apostasy as prophesied in advance
and somehow necessary for redemption.
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- For your paper, examine the social and religious context of the rise and
fall of Zevi, describe the apocalyptic features of his movement, and examine
the responses to failed prophecy as an example of cognitive dissonance (for
this, it may be helpful to refer to Leon Festinger, Henry W. Riecken and Stanley
Schachter, When Prophecy Fails [New York: Harper and Row, 1965; orig.
1956], on reserve).
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- Messianic
Judaism Today
- There are many different forms of Jewish messianism today. Hasidic Judaism,
a popular movement that originated in eastern Europe in the 18th-19th centuries,
was/is characterized by messianic fervor and joyful prayer. Zionists, who
sought to return to the land of Israel (Zion) and to establish socialist utopias,
either embraced traditional religious messianism or tranformed it into a form
of Marxist liberation. There are also a variety of messianic Jewish groups
today, including Jews for Jesus and other American messianic groups. Choose one of these groups, and examine the origins and shape of their apocalyptic/
messianic expectations.
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- Christian
Messianism
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- The
Mahdi in Islam
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- Researchers:
Bryan Kretzmer (Christian messianism, early period)
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Bibliography |
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- "Marking
with the Sign of the Beast": The Significance of Tattooing
and Body-Piercing in Apocalyptic Groups
- The
Book of Revelation refers frequently to markings, seals
and tatoos on Christians and on non-believers (Rev 7; 13:16-18;
14:9; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4). Explore the significance of these
marks in terms of ancient slavery practices and early Christian
persecution/ martyrdom. You may also find it helpful to
read Exodus 12, Mark 14:12-26, and John 13; 18–20.
Try
to answer the question, why was the inscription of the body
so important in apocalyptic thought? You are also encouraged to explore a contemporary interpretation of the mark of the beast - how do people today imagine that this prophecy might be fulfilled?
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- Researchers:
Emma Beckman, Starla Burton, Sam Etchegaray, Daniel Mansfield, Brian Dresser
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Bibliography |
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- Montanism and the New Prophecy: An Apocalyptic Movement, c.150-400 CE
- Montanism was an apocalyptic movement in early Christianity led by a man named Montanus and two women, Maximilla and Prisca. Early Church fathers, uncomfortable with the priestly role that women took in this group and with the charismatic authority accorded its leaders, considered the group heretical.
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- Your task in this paper is to explore the history of the Montanists and the prophetic and apocalyptic character of their authority and teaching. What social or ecclesial pressures contributed to their rise? Consider which biblical books were most significant for them and analyze how they interpreted these works. Consider the nature of the threat this apocalyptic group posed to the "orthodox" church.
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- Researchers:
Guillermo Carreon
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Bibliography |
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- Apocalyptic Movements around the Turn of the First Millennium
- The turn of the first millennium and the subsequent centuries' scandals in the Roman Catholic Church and social disasters (the Black Death) contributed to the return of apocalyptic thought. Your task in this paper is to choose one of the following individuals or groups, and analyze the apocalyptic nature of their written works or thought. The following general works will be useful for both topics; further directions and bibliography are offered for each.
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- Joachim
of Fiore
- Joachim
of Fiore is considered the catalyst of medieval apocalyptic.
Study his works for evidence of apocalyptic themes and
features. Utilize secondary resources to help you analyze
the historical background and social pressures behind
his work. The following articles are recommended.
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- The
Franciscan Spirituals
- Francis
of Assisi vowed himself to a radical ethic of absolute
poverty during his life. After his death, his followers
split between those who also advocated radical poverty
(the Spirituals) and those who proposed a simple, but
not absolutely poor, lifestyle. The Spirituals were
influenced by the apocalyptic thought of Joachim of
Fiore in their radical embrace of material poverty.
Your task in this paper is to explore the background
of the spirituals and the apocalyptic roots of, reasons
for, and characteristics of their ethic.
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- Researchers:
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Bibliography |
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- Savonarola and Renaissance Apocalypticism
- The success of the Turks (Constantinople, 1453), the continuing decadence of the medieval papacy, and the social changes attending on the Renaissance were forces behind the message and popularity of the most famous apocalyptic preacher of the Renaissance, Domican Friar Girolamo Savonorola of Florence. His Compendium of Revelations (McGinn, Apocalyptic Spirituality, 192-275, on reserve), published in 1495, led to his excommunication, torture and execution three years later. Your task in this paper is to explore the historical circumstances of his time and to analyze the apocalyptic nature of his sermons.
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- Researchers:
Patrick Bowler
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Bibliography |
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- Protestant Interpretation of the Book of Revelation during the Reformation
- The decadence of the Roman Catholic papacy, which was a prominent theme of medieval apocalyptic literature and prophecy, was picked up by the Reformers/Protestants during the Reformation in their own interpretation of apocalyptic literature. Your task in this paper is to select one group of reformers and to analyze their social circumstances and apocalyptic interpretation. Possible individuals and groups include Martin Luther, the Calvinists, the Anabaptists (Melchior Hoffman, Mennonites, Amish, Hutterites), and the English and/or Scottish Reformers (Thomas Brightman, John Foxe, John Knox, John Napier).
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- Researchers:
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Bibliography |
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- Franciscan Apocalypticism and the Conquest of the "New World"
- Franciscans had a long-standing affinity with apocalyptic traditions (see
topic #5 above). When they accompanied the conquistadores to the "new
world," they understood their missionary effort as the necessary in-gathering
of the nations that would precede the second coming of Christ. Examine their
apocalyptic perspective using the Milhou and Prosperi articles cited in the
bibliography and other resources you find. Explore the various ways - evangelical, artistic, liturgical - they sought to bring the end of days nearer. Then examine our campus for vestiges of the apocalyptic spirituality of the Franciscans.
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- Researchers:
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Bibliography |
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- Apocalyptic Thought and the Origins of the United States
- Biblical apocalyptic literature played a role in the self-understanding
of both the Puritans who settled in New England in the 17th and 18th centuries
and the leaders of the American Revolution. Choose one or the other of these
groups. Give a brief account of the group and the historical circumstances in
which they lived. Then examine the relationship of the features of apocalyptic
literature to the outlook of the group.
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- Researchers:
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Bibliography |
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- Apocalypse and the Holocaust
- Some individuals have reflected on the event of the Shoah or Holocaust
with the cultural resource of apocalyptic motifs and themes. Select several
of the following resources along with any others you discover, and explore the
contributions and shortcomings of apocalypticism as a way of constructing meaning
in the face of the Shoah.
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- Researchers:
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Bibliography |
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- Exegesis
of a Contemporary Apocalyptic Work
- Select
a contemporary apocalyptic novel or movie. Analyze the work
in terms of the paradigms we have developed in class. Include
a section in which you compare and contrast the work to
the social context, literary shape, and rhetorical purpose
of an ancient apocalyptic work.
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- Researchers:
Jesse Thompson (Donnie Darko and the Left Behind
series),
David Laws (theodicy/eschatology in W. B. Yeats, Soelle's
Suffering, Lindsey trilogy?)
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Bibliography |
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- Apocalyptic Thought and African-American Literature
- Read
an African-American literary work with apocalyptic features
(some titles are listed at the bibliography). As
you read, consider the features of apocalyptic literature
that we have discussed in this class. Keep a
list of features as they emerge in your reading.
Then read secondary literature analyzing your novel, including
the essay on the book's apocalyptic character in Maxine
Lavon Montgomery's book, The Apocalypse in African American
Fiction (see the bibliography for publication information). Write
an essay introducing the book you chose an presenting its
apocalyptic features (weave in Montgomery as necessary,
but focus on your own insights). Incorporate
comparisons and contrasts with other apocalyptic books we
have studied (Daniel or the Gospel of Mark). Consider
and discuss the function of apocalyptic in situations of
social crisis.
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- Researchers:
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Bibliography |
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- Millennial Groups in the United States and Apocalyptic
- Select
a contemporary western apocalyptic group and study it. Examples
would be Heaven's Gate, the Branch Davidians, the Christian
Identity Movement, Concerned Christians, and Jewish messianic
groups. The professor can help you select a group and find
some initial resources to get the project underway. In your
essay, examine the use and function of apocalyptic language
in the literature and outlook of your group. Is the group
using scripture as a source of motifs only, or is it offering
a comprehensive interpretation of apocalyptic or prophetic
books in the Bible? Apply the features of apocalyptic literature
we have been studying to the outlook of the group to determine
how they compare to the authors of apocalyptic literature
in the Bible.
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- Researchers:
Sean Kimball (Branch Davidians)
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Bibliography |
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- Hal Lindsey and the End of the World
- Hal
Lindsey, the contemporary Christian evangelical, has written
several books interpreting events in our world as signs
of the promised end of times. His book, The Late Great
Planet Earth, was a best-seller in the 1970s. Lindsey's
predictions in that book never came to pass, but he continues
to write. In this paper, you will compare his early work
in The Late Great Planet Earth to one of his more
recent works to determine whether the experience of failed
prophecy has led him to reevaluate his claims or his methods.
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The later works, in chronological order, from most recent
to earliest, include: Facing Millennial Midnight
(1999), Planet Earth: The Final Chapter (Western
Front Publications, 1998), Planet Earth Two Thousand
A.D.: Will Mankind Survive? (Western Front, 1996),
The Final Battle (Western Front, 1995), There's
a New World Coming: An Indepth Analysis of the Book of
Revelation (Harvest House Publications, 1984). Hal
Lindsey also maintains a web site with Cliff Ford called
"The
International Intelligence Briefing"; it may help
you identify some of his current teachings.
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Choose one of his more recent books, and read this after
reading The Late Great Planet Earth. You will summarize
both of his presentations in your paper, and respond to
the following analytical questions:
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- Analytical
Questions
- What criticisms do you have of your book (positive contributions
it makes, problems with how it interprets the "signs of
the times")? What are some of the sociological paradigms
for understanding what happens when prophecy fails, and
how do these apply to the changes you perceive in Lindsey's
work? Compare and contrast your conclusions with the response
to failed prophecy in one of the apocalyptic works we
have studied in class. The following sociological study
may also be helpful and is on reserve:
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Festinger, Leon, Henry W. Riecken and Stanley Schachter.
When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study
of a Modern Group That Predicted the Destruction of
the World. New York: Harper and Row, 1965; orig.
1956.
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- Researchers:
Erin Nuccio (Revelation in Reformation and in contemporary
fundamentalist interpretation)
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Bibliography |
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- Christian
Millennialist or Jewish Messianic Views of Jerusalem and
the State of Israel
- The creation of the state of Israel in 1948 and Israel's success in the
1967 War prompted certain Christian evangelical and Jewish messianic groups
to anticipate that the end of time was near. For Christian evangelicals, the
presence of Jews in the promised land was seen as a necessary precursor to the
second coming of Christ, and the 1948 restoration of Jews to the promised land
after 813 years of dispossession was seen as a fulfillment of that anticipated
moment. For some Jews, the success of Israel against great odds in the 1967
War and the consequent occupation of all of the ancient King David's former
territories was viewed as a portent of divine favor, and inspired some Jews
with messianic expectation.
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- Your task in this paper will be to explore either the Christian or the Messianic
Jewish expectations: their origins, aspects, hermeneutics (what biblical texts
are significant and how are they interpreted). You will then compare the group
you have chosen to some ancient text we have studied more closely in class.
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- Researchers:
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Bibliography |
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9/11 and Apocalypticism in Radical Islam
- Apocalypticism
came into Islam through Judaism and Christianity. It is apparent in the Qur'anic motif of the Day of Judgment and manifest in beliefs in the eventual return of a mahdi or "rightly-guided one" who will restore true practice to Islam. Apocalyptic beliefs have been interpreted in a certain direction within radical Islam and play a role in the martyrdom operations conducted by these groups, including 9/11. Work with the primary and secondary texts to discover the roots and reinterpretations that make this kind of Islamic apocalypticism compelling for the radical fringe.
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- Researchers:
Alex Paulin
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