millenarist
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A person who believes in the coming of the millennium, understood as a future golden age of great peace, prosperity, and often divine rule.
Usage
The term describes an adherent of millenarianism, a belief system centered on the expectation of a radical, transformative, and usually imminent change in the world order. It is most commonly used in religious, historical, or sociological contexts.
Examples
- The preacher was a millenarist who taught that a thousand-year reign of Christ was imminent.
- Historians study the social impact of millenarist movements during times of crisis.
- She is not a millenarist; she believes progress is gradual, not cataclysmic.
Advanced Usage
- Millenarist thought often involves interpreting sacred texts to predict the end of the current age.
- The term can be applied critically to describe someone whose beliefs in a perfect future are seen as unrealistic or extreme.
Variants and Related Words
- Millenarianism (n): The belief in a coming millennium.
- Millennial (adj): Pertaining to a millennium or millenarianism. (Note: This is distinct from the contemporary use relating to the generation born around the turn of the 21st century).
- Chiliast (n): A synonym for millenarist, derived from the Greek word for 'thousand'.
Synonyms
- Chiliast
- Millennialist
- Apocalypticist (when the belief emphasizes catastrophic upheaval)
Related Phrases and Concepts
- Millenarian movement: A group organized around millenarist beliefs.
- Post-millennialism: The belief that the millennium will be established through human progress before Christ's return.
- Pre-millennialism: The belief that Christ's return will inaugurate the millennium.
Noun
- a person who believes in the coming of the millennium (a time of great peace and prosperity)