Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T11:18:07.693Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Millenarian Movements

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

Get access

Extract

The latin term millennium and its Greek equivalent chilias literally mean a period of a thousand years. According to the millenarian tradition, which is based on Jewish apocalyptic literature and on the Revelations to St. John, Christ will reappear in the guise of a warrior, vanquish the devil and hold him prisoner. He will then build the Kingdom of God and reign in person for a thousand years. Those saints who remained steadfast and gave their life for their faith shall be raised from the dead and serve as his royal priesthood. At the end of this period Satan will be let loose again for a short while and will be finally destroyed. The victory will be followed by the general resurrection of the dead, the last judgement and final redemption (1).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Archives Européenes de Sociology 1966

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

(1) Nigg, W., Das ewige Reich (Zürich 1944).Google Scholar

(2) Schweitzer, A., Geschichte der Leben Jesu Forschung (Tübingen 1913).Google Scholar

(3) Abegg, E., Der Messiasglaube in Indien und Iran (Berlin 1928)Google Scholar. Herzfeld, E. E., Zoroaster and His World (Princeton 1947).Google Scholar

(4) Bober, M., Königtum Gottes (Berlin 1932)Google Scholar. Klausner, J., The Messianic Idea in Israel. From its Beginning to the Completion of the Mishnah (New York 1955)Google Scholar. Silver, A. H., A History of Messianic Speculation in Israel (New York 1927)Google Scholar. Scholem, G., Zum Verständnis der Messianischen Idee im Judentum, Eranos-Jahrbuch, XXVIII (1959), 193239.Google Scholar

(5) Uffenheimer, B., The Visions of Zechariah. From Prophecy to Apocalyptic Jerusalem (Jerusalem 1961) (Hebrew).Google Scholar

(6) Gressmann, H., Der Messias (Göttingen 1929)Google Scholar. Cohn, H., Messiah, International Encyclopaedia of the Social Sciences, X (19301935), 356363Google Scholar. Wallis, W. D., Messiahs: Their Role in Civilization (Washington 1943)Google Scholar. Bentzen, A., King and Messiah (London 1955)Google Scholar. Werblowsky, Z., Messiah, Encyclopaedia Britannica (1965 ed.)Google Scholar, and «A New Heaven and a New Earth». Considering Primitive Messianisms, History of Religions, V (1965), 164172Google Scholar

(7) Cross, F. M., The Ancient Library of Qumran and Modern Biblical Studies (New York 1958)Google Scholar. Yadin, Y. (ed.), The Scroll of the War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness (London 1962).Google Scholar

(8) Scholem, G., Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism (New York 1946)Google Scholar. Scholem, G., Sabbatai Zevi and the Sabbatean Movement (Tel-Aviv 1957) (Hebrew).Google Scholar

(9) Hurwitz, S., Die Gestalt des Sterbenden Messias (Zürich uud Stuttgart 1958).Google Scholar

(10) Bretenhard, H., Das Tausend-jährige Reich (Bern 1944).Google Scholar

(11) Tsakni, N., Russie sectaire (Paris 1888)Google Scholar. Kovalevsky, P., Messianisme et millénarisme russes (XV–XIXe siècles), Archives de Sociologie des Religions, V (1958)Google Scholar. Conybearse, F. C., Russian Dissenters (New York 1962).Google Scholar

(12) Cohn, N., The Pursuit of the Millennium (London 1957).Google Scholar

(13) Benz, E., Ecclesia Spiritualis (Stuttgart 1934)Google Scholar. Huck, J., Joachim von Flores und Joachistische Literatur (1930).Google Scholar

(14) Borst, A., Die Katharer (Schriften der Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Stuttgart 1953).Google Scholar

(15) Troeltsch, E., The Social Teaching of the Christian Churches (London 1931)Google Scholar (first German edition 1911). Knox, R. A., Enthusiasm (Oxford 1950).Google Scholar

(16) Werner, E., Popular Ideologies in Late Medieval Europe: Taborite Chiliasm and its Antecedents, Comparative Studies in Society and History, II (19591960), 344363Google Scholar. Kaminsky, H., The Free Spirit in the Hussite RevolutionGoogle Scholar, in Thrupp, S. L. (ed.), Millennial Dreams in Action, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Supplement II (The Hague 1962), 166186.Google Scholar

(17) Smithson, R. J., The Anabaptists (London 1935).Google Scholar

(18) Darmesteter, J., Le Mahdi, depuis les origines de l'Islam jusqu'à nos jours (Paris 1885)Google Scholar. Blochet, E., Le messianisme dans l'hétérodoxie musulmane (Paris 1903)Google Scholar. Sarkisyanz, E., Russland und der Messianismus des Orients (Tübingen 1955)Google Scholar, chap. XVII–XXIII. Hodgson, M., A Note on Millennium in IslamGoogle Scholar, in Thrupp, S. L. (ed.), Millennial Dreams in Action, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Supplement II (The Hague 1962), 218219.Google Scholar

(19) Donaldson, D. M., The Shi'ite Religion (London 1933).Google Scholar

(20) Holt, P. U., The Mahdist State in Sudan 1881–1898 (Oxford 1958).Google Scholar

(21) Dubois, C., The 1870 Ghost Dance (Berkeley 1939)Google Scholar. Mooney, J., The Ghost Dance Religion and the Sioux Outbreak of 1890 (Chicago 1965)Google Scholar. Lindig, W. H. and Dauer, A. M., «Prophetismus und Geistertanz-Bewegung bei Nordamerikanischen Eigenborenen»Google Scholar, in Muhlmann, W. E., Chiliasmus und Nativismus (Berlin 1961), pp. 4175.Google Scholar

(22) Métraux, A., The GuarniGoogle Scholar, Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin no. 143, Handbook of South American Indians, III, pp. 6994Google Scholar. de Queiroz, M. I. Pereira, La «Guerre Sainte» au Brésil: le mouvement messianique du «Contestado» (Sao Paulo 1957)Google Scholar. Ribeiro, R., Brazilian Messianic MovementsGoogle Scholar, in Thrupp, S.L. (ed.), Millennial Dreams in Action, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Supplement II (The Hague 1962), pp. 5569.Google Scholar

(23) Worsley, P., The Trumpet Shall Sound (London 1957)Google Scholar. Guiart, J., Naissance et avortement d'un messianisme. Colonisation et décolonisation en Nouvelle-Calédonie, Archives de Sociologie des Religions, IV (1959), 344CrossRefGoogle Scholar. Burridge, K., Mambu. A Melanesiam Millennium (London 1961)Google Scholar. Lawrence, P., Road Belong Cargo (Manchester, 1964).Google Scholar

(24) Sundkler, B. G. M., Bantu Prophets in South Africa (London 1948)Google Scholar. Schlosser, K., Propheten in Afrika (Braunschweig 1949)Google ScholarBalandier, G., Sociologie actuelle de l'Afrique noire (Paris 1955)Google Scholar. Price, T. and Shepperson, G., Independent African. John Chilemwe and the Origins, Setting and Significance of the Nyasaland Native Rising of 1915 (Edinburgh 1958)Google Scholar. Andersson, E., Messianic Popular Movements in the Lower Congo (Uppsala 1958)Google Scholar. Benz, E. (ed.), Messianische Kirchen, Sekten und Bewegungen im Heutigen Afrika (Leiden/Koln 1965).Google Scholar

(25) Wilson, B. A., Sects and Society, Part III (London 1961).Google Scholar

(26) Stroup, H. H., Jehovah's Witnesses (New York 1945)Google Scholar. Pike, E. R., Jehovah's Witnesses (London 1954).Google Scholar

(27) Le Roy, E. Froom, The Prophetic Faith of our Fathers (Washington Review and Herald, 19461954).Google Scholar

(28) O'Dea, T.F., The Mormons (Chicago 1958).Google Scholar

(29) Lincoln, C.E., The Black Muslims in America (Boston 1961)Google Scholar. Essien-Udom, E. U., Black Nationalism, A Search for Identity in America (Chicago 1962)Google Scholar.

Parenti, M., The Black Muslims: From Revolution to Institution, Social Research, XXXI (1964), 185194.Google Scholar

(30) Guarigilia, G., Profetismus und Heilserwartungsbewegungen bei den niedrigen Kulturen, Numen 5 (1958), 180198CrossRefGoogle Scholar. Muhlmann, W. E., Chiliasmus und Nativismus: Studien zur Psychologie, Soziologie und historischen Kasuistik der Umsturz-bewegungen (Berlin 1961)Google Scholar. Sierksma, F., Een nieuwe hemel en een nieuwe aarde (The Hague 1961)Google Scholar. Margull, H. J., Auf-bruch zur Zuhunft (Gütersloh 1962)Google Scholar. Talmon, Y., Pursuit of the Millennium. The Relation between Religious and Social Change, European Journal of Sociology, III (1962), 125148CrossRefGoogle Scholar. Thrupp, S.L., Millennial Dreams in Action: A Report on the Conference DiscussionGoogle Scholar, in Thrupp, S.L. (ed.), Millennial Dreams in Action, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Supplement II (The Hague 1962), 1127Google Scholar. Lanternari, V., The Religions of the Oppressed: A Study of Modern Messianic Cults (New York 1963)Google Scholar. Desroche, H., Les messianismes et la catégorie de l'échec, Cahiers Internationaux de Sociologie, X (1963), 6184.Google Scholar

(31) Scholem, G., Sabbatai Zevi and the Sabbatean Movement, op. cit.Google Scholar

(32) Van der Kroef, J.M., The Messiah in Indonesia and Melanesia, The Scientific Monthly, LXXV (1952)Google Scholar. Métraux, A., Les messies de l'Amérique du Sud, Arch. Soc. Relig., II (1957) 108122CrossRefGoogle Scholar. Eberhardt, J., Messianisme en Afrique du Sud, Arch. Soc. Relig., II (1957), 3156CrossRefGoogle Scholar. Banton, M., African Prophets, Race, V (1963), 4255.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

(33) See for instance, Mead, M., New Lives for Old (New York 1956).Google Scholar

(34) See, e.g. Burridge, K. (1961), op. cit.Google Scholar

(35) See, e.g. Balandier, G. (1955), op. cit.Google Scholar

(36) Wilson, B. (1961), op. cit.Google Scholar

(37) Festinger, L., Riecken, H. W. and Schachter, S., When Prophecy Fails (Minneapolis 1956).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

(38) Hobsbawm, E.J., Primitive Rebels: Studies in Archaic Forms of Social Movements (Manchester 1959).Google Scholar

(39) J. Guiart et Worsley, P., La répartition des mouvements millénaristes en Mélanésie, Arch. Soc. Rel., III (1958), 3844.Google Scholar

(40) Sierksma, F. (1961), Op. cit.Google Scholar

(41) Berger, P.L., Motif messianique et processus social dans le Bahaïsme, Arch. Soc. Rel., II, (1957). 93107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

(42) Persons, S., American Minds (New York, 1958)Google Scholar. Mair, L.P., Independent Religious Movements in Three Continents' Comparative Studies in Society and History, I (1959) 113136CrossRefGoogle Scholar. Smith, M. W. et al. , Towards Classification of Cult Movements, Man, LIX (1959), 812CrossRefGoogle Scholar; and Kobben, A.J.F., Prophetic Movements as an Expression of Social Protests, International Archives of Ethnography, XLIX (1960)’ 117164Google Scholar. Shepperson, G., The Comparative Study of Millenarian MovementsGoogle Scholar, in Thrupp, S.L. (ed.), Millennial Dreams in Action, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Supplement II (1962), 4452Google Scholar. Wilson, B.A., Millennialism in Comparative Perspective, Comparative Studies in Society and History, VI (1963), 93114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

(43) Simpson, G.E., The Ras Tafari Movement in Jamaica in its Millennial AspectGoogle Scholar, in Thrupp, S.L. (ed.), Millennial Dreams in Action, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Supplement II (1962), 160165.Google Scholar

(44) Lommel, A., Modern Culture Influences on the Aborigines, Oceania, XXI (1950), 1424CrossRefGoogle Scholar. Berndt, R.M., Influence of European Culture on Australian Aborigines, Oceania, XXI (1952), 229235.Google Scholar

(45) Dammann, E., «Das Christusver-ständnis in Nachchristlichen Kirchen und Sekten Afrikas», in Benz, E. (ed.), Messianische Kirchen Sekten und Bewegungen im heutigen Afrika (Leiden/Köln 1965).Google Scholar

(46) Linton, R., Nativistic Movements, American Anthropologist, XLV (1943), 230240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

(47) Mead, M. (1956), op. cit.Google Scholar

(48) Lawrence, P. (1964), op. cit.Google ScholarFernandez, J.W., African Religious Movements. Types and Dynamics, Journal of Modern African Studies, II (1964), 531550.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

(49) Sorel, G., Reflexion sur la violence (Paris 1912).Google Scholar

(50) Worsley, P. (1957), Op. cit.Google Scholar

(51) Mannheim, K., Ideology and Utopia (London 1952).Google Scholar

(52) Weber, M., Gesammelte Aufsätze zur Religionssoziologie (Tübingen, 19201921)Google Scholar. Troeltsch, E. (1931), op. cit.Google ScholarMühlmann, W. (1961), Op. cit.Google Scholar

(53) Barber, B., Acculturation and Messianic Movements, American Sociological Review, VI (1941), 663669.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

(54) Firth, R., The Theory of CargoCults: A Note on Tikopea, Man, LV (1955), 130132CrossRefGoogle Scholar. Aberle, D.F., «A Note on Relative Deprivation Theory as Applied to Millenarian and Other Cult Movements»Google Scholar, in Thrupp, S.L. (ed.), Millennial Dreams in Action, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Supplement II (1962), 209214.Google Scholar

(55) Hobsbawm, E. (1959), op. cit.Google Scholar

(56) Werblowsky, Z., Messianism in Primitive Societies, The Listener, LXIV (1958)Google Scholar, Burridge, K. (1961), op. cit.Google ScholarSierksma, F. (1961), Op. Cit.Google Scholar

(57) Belshow, C.S., The Significance of Modern Cults in Melanesian Development, The Australian Outloek, V (1950), 116125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

(58) Worsley, P. (1957), op. cit.Google Scholar

(59) Shaw, P.E., The Catholic Apostolic Church (New York 1946)Google Scholar. Taylor, G.B., The Angel Makers (London 1958).Google Scholar

(60) See, for instance, Cohn, N. (1957), op. cit.Google ScholarKayz, J., Tradition and Crisis-Jewish Societies at the End of the Middle Ages (New York 1961).Google Scholar

(61) Eliade, M., The Myth of Eternal Return (New York 1954).Google Scholar

(62) Cunnison, I., Jehovah's Witnesses at Work Expansion in Central Africa, The Times: British Colonies Review (London 1958), n° 29.Google Scholar

(63) Van der Kroef, J.M., Javanese Messianic Expectations. Their Origins and Cultural Context, Comparative Studies in Society and History, I (1959) 299323CrossRefGoogle Scholar. Van der Kroef, J.M., Messianic Movements in the Celebes, Sumatra and BorneoGoogle Scholar, in Thrupp, S.L. (ed.), Millennial Dreams in Action, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Supplement II (1962), 80121.Google Scholar

(64) Scholem, G. (1946 and 1957), op. cit.Google Scholar

(65) Smelser, N.J., Theory of Collective Behavior (New York 1963).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

(66) See, for instance, Cohn, N. (1957), op. cit.Google Scholar

(67) Lawrence, P. (1964), op. cit.Google Scholar

(68) Wilson, B. (1961), op. cit.Google Scholar

(69) For the clearest expression this viewpoint, see Worsley, P. (1957), op. cit.Google Scholar

(70) Wallace, A.F.C., Revitalisation Movements, American Anthropologist, LVIII (1956), 264281.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

(71) Benz, E. (ed.), Messianische Kirchen, Sekten und Bewegungen im Heutigen Afrika (Leiden/Köln 1965).Google Scholar

(72) Lawrence, P. (1964), op. cit.Google Scholar

(73) Balandier, G., Messianisme et nationalisme en Afrique Noire, Cahiers Internationaux de Sociologie, XIV (1953), 4165Google Scholar. Guiard, J. (1959), op. cit.Google ScholarBastide, R., Messianisme et développement économique et social, Cahiers Internationaux de Sociologie, XXXI (1961), 314Google Scholar. Mühlmann, W. (1961), op. cit.Google Scholar

(74) Vogt, E., The American Indian. Transition, Reformation and Accommodation, American Anthropologist, LVIII (1956), 249264CrossRefGoogle Scholar. Barnett, H.G., Indian Shakers and Messianic Cults of the Pacific Northwest (Carbondale 1957)Google Scholar. Slotkin, J.S., The Peyote Religion (Glencoe 1958).Google Scholar

(75) Taubes, J., Abenländische Eschalologie, Beiträge zur Soziologie und Sozialphilosophie (Bern 1947)Google Scholar. Salomon, A., The Tyranny of Progress (New York 1955)Google Scholar. Talmon, J.L., The Origins of Totalitarian Democracy (London 1952)Google Scholar. Talmon, J.L., Political Messianism (London 1960)Google Scholar. Macrae, D.L., «The Bolshevik Ideology», in his Ideology and Society (New York 1962), pp. 181198.Google Scholar

(76) Tuveson, E.L., Millennium and Utopia (Berkeley and Los Angeles 1949).Google Scholar H. Desroche, Micromillenarismes et communautarisme utopique en Amérique du Nord du XVIe siècle, Arch. Soc. Rel., II (1957), 5792Google Scholar. Desroche, H., Messianismes et Utopies. Note sur les origines du socialisme occidental, Arch. Soc. Relig., IV, (1959). 3146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

(77) Apter, D.E., Political Religion in the New Nations, in Geertz, C. (ed.), Old Societies and New Nations (New York 1963), 57104.Google Scholar