Messianism encyclopedia topics

Adventism

Adventist messianism is a feature of Chabad-Judaism (Chareidi), some Christian movements and Islam where the state of the world is recognised as hopelessly flawed beyond normal human powers of correction and the necessity of divine intervention through a specially selected and supported human is recognised as needed. Adventism usually takes a literal interpretation of scriptures and expects the specially selected human to be accompanied by unmistakable miraculous signs.

Christianity

Christianity derives from the Greek, meaning "a follower of Messiah". Such followers were originally Jewish and recognized the fulfillment of the Biblical prophecies given in Scripture. Jewish thought believed basically in two great Messiahs that would come. These early Christians, however, recognized that these two Messiahs came as one person (who would suffer for the sins of the people but also return to rule as king of the world). They believed that the Christian Messiah, Jesus, came as God in the flesh, to save man, where man could not save himself.

Messianic Jews and Christians respect both the Jewish truths of the Torah and the Christian belief that only God could save the world from evil, offering Himself as the blood sacrifice necessary to pay the debt of human sin. Thus God came in human form to suffer as a human for the sins of all mankind, not just for the Jews but for the whole world.

Hinduism

In Hinduism, the anticipated savior and redeemer is called the Kalki avatar, the final incarnation of the Dasavatara of Vishnu (ten avatars of Vishnu).

Islam

In Islamic messianism, Jesus of Nazareth is considered a prophet, and the true Messiah. It is narrated in the traditions of Prophet Muhammad that during the end-times Jesus will descend from the heaven, and along with Mahdi, and remove the problems of the world.

Judaism

Orthodox Judaism and Conservative Judaism anticipate the arrival of the prophetic Jewish Messiah who will fulfill the scriptural requirements and will gather the Jews back into the Land of Israel and usher in an era of peace.

New Age

New Age messianism where idiosyncratic leaders of small groups claim a role similar to or identical with the prophetic Messiah.

Polish

Romantic Slavic messianism, arguing that Slavs (or specific nations, like Poland) are being hurt (crucified) in order for other European nations to be eventually saved. This theme appears in works by the Polish Romantic poets Zygmunt Krasiński and Adam Mickiewicz, including the latter's familiar expression, "Polska Chrystusem narodów" ("Poland is the Christ of the nations").

Zionism

In secular Zionist messianism, the state and army are the people's salvation and change of event is brought upon by human action. Secular Zionism is an existentialist form of messianism where material needs of the people are addressed through practical and realistic solutions.

Religious Zionism regards the return of the Jewish people to Israel as a prelude or precursor to a Messiah and Messianic era conceived in traditional religious terms.