Aliens, Asteroids, & The Antichrist: Imagining the World's End

When is the world going to end? Could anyone survive it? More importantly, how is it going to happen? The doomsday clock created by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists suggests that we are closer to global catastrophe than ever before. Yet theories about the end of the world and when it might happen have existed for thousands of years. This course is an exploration into how apocalyptic communities across space and time have described the world's final days. We will begin by examining the rise of the apocalyptic genre with Second Temple Jewish and early Christian authors. From the biblical books of Daniel and Revelation to the Dead Sea Scrolls, we will historically contextualize these sources while coming across topics such as how to identify the Antichrist, the best places to visit in the afterlife, how to convert demons, and how to survive extraterrestrials. Then, we will discover the impacts these ancient sources have had throughout Western history. Some of what we will look at includes the final visions of Christopher Columbus, the communities of Jonestown and Waco, and the Left Behind series. We will also look at the secularization of the apocalyptic in contemporary film and literature. Throughout the quarter, we will emphasize the methods and strategies behind apocalyptic imagination: as literary genre, as socio-political commentary, as historical analysis, and as a device of persuasion. By the end of the course, we will have the necessary tools to critically analyze and engage with the apocalyptic worldview. No previous knowledge is required for this course.