Eschatology facts for kids

Eschatology is a big word for beliefs about the future, especially what people think will happen at the very end of the world or at the end of history. It's about the 'final destiny' of everyone and everything. Many people call these ideas the 'end times' or the 'end of the world'.

These beliefs can be hopeful or worried about the future. Some ideas suggest a wonderful future for some people, and a difficult one for others. For example, some beliefs talk about heaven and hell. These ideas also differ in when they think these events will happen. Groups that believe the end is coming very, very soon are sometimes called doomsday cults.

What is Eschatology?

Eschatology is a part of theology, which is the study of religious beliefs. It focuses on events that people believe will happen at the very end of time. This includes ideas about the end of the world, the end of human history, or what happens to people after they die.

Different Beliefs About the End

People from different religions and cultures have many different ideas about the end times.

• Some believe in a great battle between good and evil.
• Others think there will be a time of judgment for everyone.
• Some imagine a new, perfect world being created.
• These beliefs can be very old, passed down through stories and holy books for thousands of years.

Why Do People Believe in Eschatology?

Beliefs about the end of the world often give people hope for a better future. They can also help explain why there is suffering or unfairness in the world. For many, these ideas offer a sense of purpose or a guide for how to live their lives now.

Related Ideas

Many ideas are connected to eschatology. These include:

• Apocalypse: This often means a big event that reveals something important, or a time of great destruction and change.
• Armageddon: In some beliefs, this is the final battle between good and evil.
• Day of judgment: A time when people believe everyone will be judged for their actions.
• Second Coming: In Christianity, this is the belief that Jesus will return to Earth.
• World War III: A modern idea of a future global conflict that could be seen as an 'end times' event.

Images for kids

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  Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, a famous woodcut print from the Apocalypse by Albrecht Dürer (1497–1498).

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  A scroll from the Book of Isaiah, an ancient text that contains prophecies.

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  The Antichrist, a painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1521). This artwork shows the Antichrist wearing the triple crown of the Roman papacy.

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  The former headquarters of the Watch Tower Society in Brooklyn. This group made many claims about the last days between 1879 and 1924.

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  The Bahá'í House of Worship, located in Delhi, India.

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  Haile Selassie I is seen as a god in the Rastafari religion.

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  A statue of Bodhisattva Maitreya from the 2nd-century Gandharan art period.

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  A 1905 painting by Emil Doepler, showing the Norse god Odin fighting the wolf Fenrir.

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  Another 1905 painting by Emil Doepler, showing Ragnarök, the end of the world in Norse mythology, after the giant Surtr has covered the world in fire.

See also

In Spanish: Escatología para niños