Eschatology

The etymology of “eschatology” is ambiguous; the Greek root may be either eschaton, “end time,” or eschata, “final things.” Eschatology is more commonly described using the former understanding and thus defined as “the study of the end time.” In practice, though, eschatology encompasses the latter sense, as well. Particularly in Catholic theology, eschatology has traditionally been defined as being concerned with the so-called four last things: death, judgment, heaven, and hell. (To these four are sometimes added Purgatory and the resurrection of the body.)

Beyond this, though, eschatology also provides the venue for religions to speak of their hope both for the afterlife and for the here-and-now. Increasingly, eschatology also has come to imply a theology of history, as well.

As a theological field, eschatology covers a wide array of topics, for it is concerned with the ultimate fate of the cosmos and of humankind. The unfolding of this drama varies widely, however, across and even...