Apocalypse then: prophecy and the making of the modern world

368 Pages·2008·3.71 MB·English

by  Arthur H. Williamson

A T
POCALYPSE HEN

A T
POCALYPSE HEN
Prophecy and the Making of
the Modern World
Arthur H. Williamson
PraegerSeriesontheEarlyModernWorld
RaymondB.Waddington,SeriesEditor
Libraryof Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Williamson, Arthur H.
Apocalypse then :prophecy and themaking ofthe modernworld /Arthur
H. Williamson.
p. cm.—(Praeger series onthe earlymodernworld,ISSN 1940-1523)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-275-98508-0 (alk.paper)
1. Endofthe world.2.Prophecies.3. History—Prophecies.I.Title.
BL503.W55 2008
2020.3—dc22 2007044131
BritishLibrary Cataloguing inPublication Data isavailable.
Copyright (cid:2)C 2008byArthur H. Williamson
Allrights reserved. Noportionof thisbookmay be
reproduced, byany process ortechnique, withoutthe
express written consentofthe publisher.
Library ofCongress Catalog Card Number:2007044131
ISBN-13: 978-0-275-98508-0
ISSN:1940-1523
First publishedin 2008
Praeger Publishers, 88PostRoadWest, Westport,CT 06881
An imprintofGreenwood PublishingGroup, Inc.
www.praeger.com
Printedin theUnited States ofAmerica
Thepaper usedinthis bookcomplies with the
Permanent Paper Standardissued bythe National
Information StandardsOrganization (Z39.48–1984).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Every reasonable effort has been made to trace the owners of copyright materials in
this book, but in some instances this has proven impossible. The author and publisher
willbegladtoreceive informationleadingtomorecompleteacknowledgments insub-
sequent printings of the book and in the meantime extend their apologies for any
omissions.
To Liz and Vanessa,
and Paulina

C
ONTENTS
List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
Chapter 1. Encountering the Beast 1
Chapter 2. Apocalypse Revived: The Reformation 37
Chapter 3. The Last World Empire and Its Competitors 71
Chapter 4. Prophecy and Nature: Science, Sex, and Salvation 105
Chapter 5. The British Revolutions: The Rise of
Modern Politics 135
Chapter 6. Prophecy and Science II: Physics, Geology,
and the Eschaton 167
Chapter 7. Apocalyptic Conscience in Crisis: Quakers,
Jews, and Other Subversives 187
Chapter 8. Prophecy, Enlightenment, and the Democratic
Revolutions 231
Chapter 9. Novus Ordo Saeculorum: The Rise of the
Redeemer Republic 265
Chapter 10. Antichrist in the Postapocalyptic Age 293
Notes 321
Index 341

L
IST OF
I
LLUSTRATIONS
1.1 Images of the apostles, mid-fourth-century fresco, Domitilla
Catacomb, Rome 11
1.2 Joachim of Fiore’s ‘‘Tree Circles,’’ from the twelfth-century
Liber Figurarum 20
1.3 Sandro Botticelli, Mystic Crucifixion, c. 1500 32
1.4 Luca Signorelli, The Reign and Deeds of Antichrist
(detail), Orvieto Cathedral, Italy, c. 1500 34
2.1 Robert Recorde, The Castle of Knowledge (London, 1556),
frontispiece 41
2.2 Illustration from Martin Luther’s translation of the
Bible (1534), Rev. 11:2–8 59
2.3 Illustration from Martin Luther’s translation of the
Bible (1534), Rev. 17 60
2.4 Melchior Lorch, engraving of the papal Antichrist (1545) 62
3.1 Columnar device for Charles V, in Girolamo Ruscelli,
La Impresse Illustri (Venice, 1566), 111–14 74
3.2 Global device for Philip II, in Girolamo Ruscelli,
La Impresse Illustri (Venice, 1566), 111–14 76
3.3 Medal celebrating the union of Spain and Portugal (1580) 77
3.4 Francis Bacon, The Great Instauration (London, 1620),
frontispiece 90
3.5 William Faithorne, ‘‘The Embleme of England’s
Distractions ...’’ (London, 1658) 94
3.5a Francis Barlow’s original drawing for ‘‘The Embleme
of England’s Distractions’’ 96
x List of Illustrations
6.1 Thomas Burnet, Sacred Theory of the Earth
(London, 1681, 1684), frontispiece 178
7.1 Historia Fanaticorum (Frankfurt, 1701), frontispiece 190
7.2 Rembrandt van Rijn, etchings for Menasseh ben Israel,
Piedra Gloriosa, O Estatua Nabuchadnosor
(Amsterdam, 1655) 206
7.3 Johann Friedrich Corvinus (?), Anabaptisticum et
Enthusiasticum (n.p., 1702), frontispiece 218
10.1 Fritz Lang, Metropolis (1927) 302
10.1a Albrecht D€urer, whore of Babylon (1498) 304
10.2 Chart of the premillennial future or ‘‘Tribulation Map’’
(c. 1970) 312