The fading LDS Eschatology

[deacon blues]

Eschatology is on my new spelling list. To save some folks time, it refers to "the branch of theology concerned with the final events in the history of the world or of humankind." In LDS history, as I see it, it reached peaks in the 1830-40's, 1860's, 1880-90's, 1960-70's, and 1990's. It seems to be fading ever since. Will there be any more spikes in interest in this topic in the foreseeable future?

[oliver_denom]

Eschatology is on my new spelling list. To save some folks time, it refers to "the branch of theology concerned with the final events in the history of the world or of humankind." In LDS history, as I see it, it reached peaks in the 1830-40's, 1860's, 1880-90's, 1960-70's, and 1990's. It seems to be fading ever since. Will there be any more spikes in interest in this topic in the foreseeable future?

Yes, it will spike around astrological events (like the coming solar eclipse which happens every 18 months, just not in N. America), wars, terrorist attacks, anytime we get close to an anniversary (like 2030 or 2033), and when the century rolls over. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if single payer healthcare would be enough for some people to start packing for the desert.

But that's the hoi polloi of Mormonism. I don't think the leadership will ever return to that kind of language, not unless they elevate a real nut job.

[deacon blues]

Perhaps we live in a more skeptical age now, but in his time Joseph Smith was enamored, almost obsessed, with signs of the times, etc.He definitely used eschatology as a tool to motivate (manipulate?) his followers. After the debacle in Missouri he used it less, or perhaps he just learned to use it more subtly. It also seems like the fundamentalist/evangelical branches of Christianity never tire of this tool. At this point, despite my desire to be a believer, it seems almost like a tool to me. I like the ethics of Jesus's message. In fact I sometimes (hopefully) entertain the possibility that much of Christian eschatology came from Jesus's followers, especially Matthew and Paul, rather than Jesus himself.

[Corsair]

In my ward's Gospel Doctrine class last Sunday the topic was the Second Coming of Jesus. I did not feel up to the emotional burden of disrupting class so I did not ask a couple of probing questions such as:

• Any idea of the time frame of the return?
• What do you think that saints in the 1840s would think knowing that we would still be sitting here in 2017?
• Who thinks it will be in their lifetime?

Instead, the usual line of the evil world getting the long anticipated comeuppance was preached. Talk about how great the Millennium will be was also on the agenda. Some comments on being righteous and assuaging guilt came up. This was yet another Gospel Doctrine class where it felt like the discourse was just a slightly more politically correct version of the 1960s rhetoric. The Second Coming is not mentioned very much in General Conference and I note that "Hastening the Work" is not a phrase that I have heard recently. It largely dropped out of common usage in my stake after the Gilbert Temple was dedicated and in operation for a while.

[deacon blues]

I was sick and didn't go to my ward. Lately, I've been attending a Presbyterian church more often than not, anyway. But it sounds like things have not changed much from the first GD class I attended @ 1975.

[moksha]

That painting of Joseph Smith, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Humphrey Bogart all sitting in the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, located on the Boulevard of Broken Dreams, during Ragnarok really makes you stop and think.

[Newme]

Perhaps we live in a more skeptical age now, but in his time Joseph Smith was enamored, almost obsessed, with signs of the times, etc.He definitely used eschatology as a tool to motivate (manipulate?) his followers. After the debacle in Missouri he used it less, or perhaps he just learned to use it more subtly. It also seems like the fundamentalist/evangelical branches of Christianity never tire of this tool. At this point, despite my desire to be a believer, it seems almost like a tool to me. I like the ethics of Jesus's message. In fact I sometimes (hopefully) entertain the possibility that much of Christian eschatology came from Jesus's followers, especially Matthew and Paul, rather than Jesus himself.

I hope & believe so too.
From what I've studied of the history of canonizing the books of the bible, much of the NT was added many years after Jesus died, and when he was morphed into a legend. Based on experience one thing Jesus is written to have said, makes sense...When asked when the kingdom (realm/experience) of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. Neither shall they say, lo here or lo there. For behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

So simple & obvious when you realize it, but TBMs I've tried to persuade still
don't see it.

[Newme]

That painting of Joseph Smith, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Humphrey Bogart all sitting in the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, located on the Boulevard of Broken Dreams, during Ragnarok really makes you stop and think.

New & improved version with Joey?