Religion Without Eschatology

The Manufacture of Hope: Religion, Eschatology and the Culture of Optimism

This article builds on earlier research, which concludes that societies cannot sustain themselves without cultures of optimism. These cultures are reproduced by a complex of ‘optimism promoters’, all of which can be seen to be engaged in a kind of unstated or ‘implicit’ cultural policy, with the production of optimism as one of its goals. The institution of religion is part of this complex. Its...

Scientific Eschatology ∗

The future evolution of the universe suggested by the cosmological model proposed earlier at this meeting by the authors is explored. The fundamental role played by the positive “cosmological constant” is emphasized. Dyson’s 1979 paper entitled Time Without End is briefly reviewed. His most optimistic scenario requires that the universe be geometrically open and that biology is structural in th...

Morality and ethics without religion

The editorial in question repeatedly suggests that morals are derived from religious principles. This is a common misconception. Indeed, amoral and unethical behavior is often supported by religion; historical and contemporary examples are support for slavery and oppression of women and homosexuals. Moreover, numerous secular, nonreligious individuals and organizations (such as Doctors Without ...

Religion in Taiwan How can religion without texts be transmitted ?

Eschatology of the Psalter

There are certain editions of the New Testament which by way of appendix contain the Psalter, an arrangement obviously intended to serve the convenience of devotion. It has, however, the curious result of bringing the Apocalypse and the Psalms into immediate proximity. On first thought it might seem that scarcely two more diverse things could be put together. The storm-ridden landscape of the A...