Eschatology

Eschatology is a part of theology and philosophy concerned with the final events in the history of the world or the ultimate destiny of mankind, commonly phrased as the end of the world. In many religions, the end of the world is a future event prophesied in sacred texts or folklore. More broadly, eschatology may encompass related concepts such as the Messiah or Messianic Age, the afterlife, and the soul.

The Greek word (aeon), meaning "age", may be translated as "end of the age (or historical period)" instead of "end of the world". The distinction also has theological significance, for the "end times" in many religions may involve the destruction of the planet (or of all living things), but with the human race surviving in some new form, ending the current "age" of existence and beginning a new one.

Most Western monotheistic religions have doctrines claiming that "chosen" or "worthy" members of the one true faith will be "spared" or "delivered" from the coming judgment and wrath of God. They will be ushered into paradise either before, during, or afterwards depending upon the end-time scenario to which they hold.
 

Philosophy
Eschatology has also been a belief shared, sometimes theorized, by philosophers. Saint Augustine has been one of the most famous eschatological thinkers, followed by Hegel's philosophy of history, and, some have argued Marxists – as a secular religion. Theodicy has gathered together most Enlightenment thinkers, among whom are Kant and Rousseau.

More recently, many involved in futures studies and Tran humanism note the accelerating rate of scientific progress and anticipate a technological singularity in the 21st century that would profoundly and unpredictably change the course of human history
 

Scientific Approaches To The Meaning of Life  Entropy and Life  What is Life?   Philosophical views on the meaning of life 

Religion and Religious humanism   Spiritual and mystical views  Cosmogony   Abiogenesis  Emanationism   Eschatology

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