I. Chiliasm in Its Two Forms.— There are

two forms of Chiliasm or Millenarianism. The exaggerated form is heretical, while the more moderate is simply erroneous.
a) The heretical form of Chiliasm may be traced partly to the Jewish expectation of a temporal Messias 1 and partly to the apocryphal writings of the Old Testament, which abound in fables. 2 The Chiliasts of this school con- ceived the millennium as a period of unbridled sensual in- dulgence. Eusebius the church-historian says of Cerin- thus, a Gnostic heretic who flourished towards the end of the first century : " He held that at some time in the fu- ture Christ would reign on earth ; and as he was addicted to the pleasures of the flesh, he imagined that the reign of God would consist of such things." 8 This error was shared by the ancient Ebionites and Apollinarianists and, in a somewhat more respectable form, still persists among the Mormons and Irvingites.
b) Moderate Chiliasm had a number of adherents among Patristic writers, notably Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Nepos, Commodian, Victorinus of Pettau, and Lactantius. Its favorite text was Apoc.
l Cfr. It. IX, 6; LXVI, x8; Jod 2 Cfr. Funk. Patres Apostolici, III, 17; Matth. XX, 20 *q.», Acts I, II, 276 tqq.
6. 8 Hist. Ecchs., III. j6: n Hue
155
Digitized by
THE END OF THE WORLD
XX, i sqq. Papias believed that the Resurrection of the flesh would be followed by a glorious reign of Christ, in which the Saints would enjoy a superabundance of earthly pleasures for a thousand years. These pleasures, however, were to be spiritual, or at least morally licit. In developing this idea its champions parted ways. Some expected the millennium between the General Judg- ment and the Resurrection of the dead, while others believed it would occur after the General Resurrection, immediately before the assumption of the just into Heaven. A third, still more moderate group of Milkna- rianists, which is not yet extinct, contents itself with as- serting that an era of universal peace and tranquillity will precede the second coming of Christ, to be suddenly inter- rupted by the great apostasy and the forerunners of Anti- Christ. 4
2. Refutation of Chiliasm. — Chiliasm in both its forms is untenable.
a) Heretical Chiliasm stands condemned in the light of the moral law, which excludes in- temperance and unchastity from the kingdom of Heaven. 5 It is blasphemous and an insult to God to assert that Christ, who is all-holy, will found an earthly paradise for libertines. No wonder even those Fathers and ecclesiastical writers who entertained Chiliastic ideas vigorously condemned
fuii illius opinio, rtgnum ChrisH ter* Catholique selon U Plan Divin,
renum futurum. Et quorum return 1890) and Rohling (Erkl&rung dew
eupiditate ipse tagrabat, utpote v
luptatibus corporis obnoxius camique Mensckkeit als Gattung, 1907) Me
addictus, in eis rtgnum Dei situm Scheeben-Atzberger, Dogmatik, VoL
fore somniavit." IV, 3, p. 908.
4 On the modified Millenarianism 6 Cf r. Matth. XXII, 30; Ron.
of Chabauty (Avenir de VEglue XIV, 17; 1 Cor. XV, so " passim.
Digitized by
Google
CHILIASM
this grossly sensual species of Millenarianism as heretical.
b) It is not so easy to refute the more moderate form of Chiliasm, for it seems to have a basis in Sacred Scripture and primitive Tradition.
The New Testament as well as the early creeds speak of the Resurrection of the flesh, the Last Judgment, and the end of the world in terms which make it apparent that these three events are to follow one another in close succession, 8 leaving no time for a millennium.
a) Tlic-favorite passage of the Chiliasts is in the Apo- calypse and reads as follows : " And I beheld an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. . . . They [f. e. the just] came to life again, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead came not to life until the thousand years were accomplished. This is the first resurrection. . . . And when the thousand years are accomplished, Satan shall be loosed from his prison, and he shall come forth to lead astray the nations which are in the four corners of the earth . . T
e Cfr. John VI, 39; John XII. 48; Matth. XtflV, 14 tqq.; 1 Theas. IV, 15 iq.
7Apoc. XX, 1 sqq.: " Et vidi angelum descendentem dt caelo, ha- bent em clavem abyssi, et catenam magnum in manu sua. Et appre* hendit draconem, serpentem anti- quum, qui. est diabolus, et satanas, at ligaint eum per annos mille (^fXta frij) . . . Et vixerunt [iustorum
animae] et regnaverunt cum Christo mille annis (xJXta Ittj). Ceteri mortuorum non vixerunt, donee consummentur mille anni (r& X^ ta Irq): haec est resurrectio prima. . . . Et quum consummati fuerint mille anni, solvetur satanas de ear* cere sua, et exibit, et seduce* gentes, quae sunt super quattuor angulos terras."
Digitized by
158
THE END OF THE WORLD
This is undeniably one of the most difficult and obscure passages found in Sacred Scripture, and no one has yet succeeded in explaining it satisfactorily. But it proves nothing in favor of Millenarianism, which has no claim to our assent unless it can show that its tenets do not conflict with the general teaching of the Bible. Among the more probable interpretations of the Johannine text suggested by Catholic writers we may mention that of St. Augustine, which was adopted by Pope St. Gregory the Great. These two Fathers think that the imprisonment of Satan refers to the first coming of our Lord, and his temporary loosing to His second coming (parousia) at the time of Anti- christ. Christ's millennial reign with His saints on earth (the "first resurrection") signifies the kingdom of Heaven, where the Blessed reign under the headship of our Lord before the " second resurrection " (i. e. the Res- urrection of the flesh). Similarly, the term " first death " is applied to the separation of the body from the soul, whereas " second death " refers to eternal damnation. If this theory is correct, the number one thousand is not to be taken literally, but simply indicates an indefinite period of considerable length.
P) Despite appearances to the contrary, Chiliasm has no foundation in Tradition. Among its early advocates Lactantius, Nepos, Commodian, and Victorinus may, in the light of the Decretum Gelasianutn, be set aside as worthless witnesses. 8 The same could be said of Sulpi- cius Severus if he were to be reckoned among the Chili- asts, which is, however, extremely doubtful, as his ex- tant writings contain no trace of this error. Of the remaining writers who are quoted in favor of Chiliasm we
• The Decretum de recipients et non recipiendis libris is a series of papal decrees said to have been is- sued by St. Gelasius I at a Roman
synod about A. D. 494. Cfr. Barden- hewer-Shahan, Potrology, p. 620; Mansi, Collect. Concil., VIII, 151, 170.
Digitized by
CHILIASM
159
may disregard Papias because he was uncritical, 9 and Tertullian because he was a heretic when he em- braced Millenarianism. 10 St. Justin Martyr 11 and St. Irenaeus, 14 the only two remaining witnesses who are absolutely trustworthy, did not inculcate Chiliasm as an article of faith, but merely proposed it as a personal opinion. Whether St. Melito, Bishop of Sardes, har- bored Millenarian notions, is uncertain. 18 St. Hippolytus, who is numbered among the Chiliasts by Bonwetsch, 14 has not written a single line, in the works that have come down to us, which must necessarily be interpreted in a Chiliastic sense. 1 * Bonwetsch himself 16 is constrained to admit that Hippolytus discarded some of the eschato- logical notions held by Irenaeus and Tertullian.
Among the opponents of Chiliasm were Clemens Alex- andrinus, Origen, and Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, whom Eusebius honored with the title of Great and St. Athanasius called a Doctor of the Catholic Church. 17
Readings: — J. B. Paganini, Das Ende der Welt oder die Wiederkunft unseres Herrn, 2nd ed., Ratisbon 1882.— J. Bautz, Weltgericht und Weltende, Mayence 1886.— J. Sigmund, Das Ende der Zeiten mit einem Nachblick in die Ewigkeit, oder das Weltgericht mit seinen Ursachen, Vorzeichen und Folgen, Salz- burg 1892. — J. A McHugh in the Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. VIII, pp. 552 sq.— J. Tixeront, History of Dogmas, 3 Vols., St Louis 1910-1916, see Index s. v. " Judgment"— St Thomas, 5*. Theol, Supplem., qu. 49/-91.
• Cfr. Eusebius, Hist. Eccles., Ill, is Cfr. Atzberger, Gtschichte der
39» ix. christlichen Eschatologie innerhalb
10 Cfr. Tertullian, Adv. Marcion., der vornizanischen Zeit, pp. 278 sqq., Ill, 24. Freiburg 1896.
11 Dial. c. Tryph., c. 80 sq. i« Studien mm den Kommentaren
12 Adv. Haer., V, 3a sqq. Hippolyts, p. 50» Leipsic 1897.
18 Cfr. Bardenhewer, Geschichte it Eusebius, Hist. Eccles., VI, 35;
der altkirchtichen Liter atur, Vol. I, VII, praef.; St Athanasius, Ep. de
p. 551, Freiburg 190a. Sent. Dion., e. 6. Cfr. Barden-
14 Hippol. Opera, pp. 243 sq., Leip- hewer-Shahan, Patrology, p. 154. sic 1897.
Digitized by
Google
i6o
THE END OF THE WORLD
On Chiliasm see H. Corrodi, Kritische Geschkhte des Chilios- mus, 1794.— H. Klee, De ChiHasmo Primorum Saeculorum, May- ence 1825.— Wagner, Der Chiliasmus in den ersten Jahrhunderten, 18491— J. N. Schneider, Die chiliasHsche Doktrin und ihr Ver- haltnis stur christlichen Glaubenslehre (pro-Chiliastic), Schaff- hausen 1859.— J. P. Kirsch, art. "Millennium," in Vol. X of the Catholic Encyclopedia, pp. 307-310.— Chiapelli, Le Idee Millenarie dei Cristiani, Naples 1888.— L. Guy, Le MilUnarisme dans ses Ori- gines et son Developpement, Paris 1904.— Franzelin, De Scriptura et Traditione, P. II, thes. 16, Rome 1896.— H. Kihn, Patrologie, Vol. I, pp. 120 sqq., Paderborn 1904.— J. Tixeront, History of Dogmas, VoL I, St. Louis 1910 (see Index s. v. " Millenarian- tsm").
The Editor begs leave to express his gratitude for valuable assistance rendered in the preparation, of this series, to the Rt. Rev. Abbot Charles Mohr, OS.B>, D.D., of St. Leo, Fla.; the V. Rev. Bernard J. Otting, S.J., President of St. Louis University; the Rev. James A. Kleist, SJ., of Campion College, Prairie du Chien, Wis., and the Rev. A. J. Wolfgarten, D.D., Ph.D., of the Ca- thedral College, Chicago, III.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
INDEX
"Abraham's bosom," 26. Acts of the Martyrs, 27. Adam, 6, 11, 12. Aerius, 77.
Agility as an endowment of the
glorified body, 146 sq. Albigenses, 78, 122. Alexander VII, 90. Ambrose, St., 10, 58, 86, 130. Amor beatificus, 31. Angels, 36, 92, 93, 99, 15F, 152,
Anselm, St, 119. Antichrist, 109 sqq., 156, 158. Apocalypse, 8 sq., 33, 47, 60, 73,
133, ISS sq., 157. Apocataatasis, 67 sqq., 122 sq. Apostasy, The great, 109 sq. Apostles, 153.
Apostles' Creed, 39, 92, 122.
Appollinarianists, 155.
Armenian heretics, 131.
Athanasian Creed, 65, 122, 132.
Athanasius, St., 159.
Athenagoras, 130.
Augustine, St., 5 sq., 8, 10, 12, 14, 20 sq., 33, 40, 42, 58, 65, 68, 71, 81, 86, sq., 97, 102, 105, 136, M 158.
Aureole, 43.
B
Baptism, 94 sq. Barnabas, Epistle of, 151. Basil, St., 58, 81, 154. Beatitude, 29 sqq., 52. Bellarmine, Card., 36, 88, 96, 100. Benedict XII, 23, 24, 32, 39- Bessanon, Card., 85.
Body, Nature of the risen, 138
sqq.; Identity of, 140 sqq.;
Four transcendent qualities
of, 144 sqq. Boethius, 29. Bonaventure, St, 15, 84. Bonwetsch, 159. " Book of Judgment," 18 sq. Braun, Charles (S.J.), 118. Brightness as a quality of the
glorified body, 145 sq. Burying the dead, 96.
Calvin, 19, 78, 82. Catharinus, Ambrose, 56. Cerinthus, 155.
Chiliasm, 19, 22, 149, 151. 155 sqq.
Chrysostom, St, 10, 25, 48, 49,
51,54,68,95, 112. Clement of Alexandria, St., 87,
88, 130, 159. Clement of Rome, St, 131, 134. Commodian, 155, 15& Communion of Saints, 36, 92
sqq.
CotnpenetrabUitas, 148. Conflagration, The universal, 117 sqq.
Constantinople, Council of (543), 65; (553), 65, 122 sq.
Consummation of the world, 1, 2.
Cosmas Indicopleustes, 5a Cremation, 96. Cyprian, St., 14, 26, 69. Cyril of Jerusalem, St., 97, 131.
Dante, 49, 74.
161
Digitized by
l62
INDEX
Dead, Succoring the, 92 sqq. Death, 5 sqq. Debitum mortis, 13. Definition of Eschatology, 1 sq. Degrees of happiness in
Heaven, 40 sqq.; Of punish-
ment in Hell, 72 sqq. Descent into Hell, Christ's, 27. Didymus the Blind, 67 sa. Dieringer, 88. Dies Domini, 108, 110. Dinocrates, 81.
Dionysius of Alexandria, 159.
Disturbances of nature preced- ing the General Judgment, "4 sqq.
Dives, 20, 25.
Division of Eschatology, 2 sq. Dolhnger, 112. Dotes oeatorum, 37 S q. Dowry" of the Blessed, 37 sq. Draper, so. 0/ 4
Durandus, 140.
Duration of Purgatory, 90 sq.
Ebionites, 155. Ecclesiasticus, 126. Elias,8 sq., 11, 107 S q., 126. End of the world, 117 sqq. Ephraem, St., 58, 130. Eternal punishment, 65 sqq. Eternity of Heaven, 39 sqq. Eusebjus, 19 sq., 155, 159. Evagnus of Pontus, 68. Evil, 32 sq. Ezechiel, 123 sq., 139.
Faith, 34, 38. Fate, 1.
Fire of Hell, 56 sqq. ; Of Purga- tory, 85 sqq.
Flammarion, 50.
Florence, Council of (1439), 23, 24,32, 41,78,85.
Four last things, 2.
Galileo, 50 sq. Gehenna, 45 sq. Gnostics, 122, 155. Gregory of Nazianzus, St., 68. Gregory of Nyssa, St, 68 sq., 71, 130.
? c G o rcat > St " 2 5' Si, 73, 87, 158.
H
Hase, 82.
Heaven : Existence of, 28 sqq. :
Properties of, 39 sqq. Hell : Existence of, 45 sqq. ; Lo- cation of, 49 sqq.; Nature of punishment of, 52 sqq. ; Char- acteristics of, 65 sqq. Henoch, 8 sq., 11, 107, 108 sq. Henry of Ghent, 58. Heroic act of charity, 98. Hesychasts, 31 sq. Hilary, St., 22, 25. Hippolytus, St., 159. Hirscher, 15, 55- Hunter, S. J. (S.J.), 19. Hussites, 78. Hypnopsychites, 7, 22.
I
Identity of the risen body, 140 sqq.
Ignatius of Antioch, St., 41 sq., 47.
Immortality, 13, 16. ' Impassibility of the risen body, 144 sq.
Impeccability of the Blessed, 33. Indulgences, 96, 98. Integrity of the risen body, 143 sq.
Irenaus, St, 22, 155, 159. Irvmgites, 155.
Jerome, St, 10, 42, 68, 106, 125, 139.
Digitized by
INDEX
163
Jews, Conversion of the, 105
Job, 124 sqq., 139. John XXII, 24.
John Chrysostom, St. See
Chrysostom. John Damascene, 58. John the Baptist, 107, 153. Jovinian, 40, 42. ^ r -
Judas Maccabaeus, 79 sq. udgment, Particular, 18 sqq.; General, 149 sqa. Justin Martyr, St, 22, 48, 130, 155, 159-
KaW x «», 'O, 112 sq. Kiefl, F. X., 55. Klee, 8&
Lactantius, 58, 155. 153. Last Judgment, 149 sqq. Lateran, Fourth Council of the,
123, 132, 138. Lattey, C (S.J.), & 10. Lazarus, 20, 25, 26, 128, 136. Leo IX, 138. Leo X, 79. Lessius, 58. Life a pilgrimage, 15. Lombroso, 72. Lumen gloria, 30, 34, 42. Luther, 40, 84, 106. Lyons, Council of (1274), ;
24.-
M
Machabees, 126 sq.
McRory, J., 9, 94-
Maldonatus, 90.
Manichaeans. 122.
Mary, Bl. Virgin, 12, 13, 99, 137, 144, 153.
Melito of Sardes, 159.
Merits can no longer be ac- quired after death, 13 sqq.
Michael Palaeologus, 23.
Michael, St, 99. Millennium, 156. Minucius Felix, 67, 130 sq. Mohler, 56, 88. Monica, St, 81. Mormons, 155.
Mysteries, Theological, 34 Sq. N
Nepos, 155, 158. Nero, 112.
O
Object of the beatific vision, 34 sqq.
Origen, 32, 39, 56, 65, 67, 68, 71,
87, 122, 130, 139, 159. Osee, 123.
P
Palamites, 31 sq.
Papias, 155 sq., 159.
Parousia, 150 sqq., 158.
Paul, St., 9 sqq., 12, 14, 20, 26, 28, 30, 34, 41. 47, 69, 86, 98, 105, 106, 108, 109, 110, in, 115, 121, 129 sq., 133 sq., 139, 143 sq., 145, 146, 150.
Perpetua, St., 81.
Petavius, 68.
Pius IX, 98.
Poena damni, 52 sqq., 83 sq. Poena sensus, 52, 56 sqq., 84 sqq. Polycarp, St, 41, 07. Prayers for the dead, 81 sq., 92 sqq.
Preaching of the Christian re- ligion, 104 sq.
Probation, Death ends state of, 13 sqq.
Protestants, 65 sq., 78, 80, 82. Prudentius, St., 68, 69. Psychopannychy, 7. Ptolemaic system, 49 sq. Purgatory: Existence of, 75
sqq. ; Nature and duration of,
83 sqq. m Uvp ffuxpporovv, 67.
R
Razias, 127.
Digitized by
164
INDEX
Reason, The dogma of eternal punishment not contrary to,
Resurrection of the flesh, lax
Riekaby. Jo«. (S.J.), 61 aq., «9 sq.
Ripalda, 15. Roman Catechism, II. Roseirawller, 125** Rosmini, $2,
Sadducees, 46, I22, 12$, 129.
Satanism, 55-
Satispassia, 90.
Scheeben, 13S.
Schell, 55-
Schmid,Fr., 58.
Scotists,30,33,4*
- Second death," «A **8.
Signs preceding the €eoeraf
Judgment, 103. Sin, ia 3*. 32*Q.
body,
Solo, Dominicus, go, 96. Soul-sleep, 7, 19 sq. Stufler,J. (SJ.X5S- Suarez, 60, 100, 1 Subtility of the 147 sq-
Suffrages lor the dead, $$ sqq. Sulpiaus Severus, t^B.
Tanner, , j^8L
Tertuilian,8, 10,22,42, 81,
131, 134, 155, W .
Theodoret, 136,
Thnetopsychites, 30, 22.
Thomas, St, 11, 29, 33, 4D> 4*, 52, 55 sq., 59 sa.,6G*q,68> 70, 7i, 72, 75, 76,4fcSfc U*. 12a, 135. 139, 148,153. ^
Thomists.30, 6a
Toledo, Seventh Council of, 122, 13a
Tolettt*, 58.
Trent, Council of, 78, 90*
Trinity. 30, 34.
Two witnesses, The, 8 sq.
V
Universality of death, f sqq.; Of the Resurrection, 13a sqq.
Valentino*, 4&
Wiley of Jfesaphrt, 151.
Vasquez, 15.
Victorinu* of Eettau, 155, 158. Vindictive pusfslMmnt, 71 sq. Vision, Beatific, 29 sqq.,^*.
W
Wadding, 24. Waldenses, 78, isa.
Ifcro grotias?
Digitized by
Digitized by
Google
Digitized by
Google
DATE LOANED
=d
GAY LORD 3563
PRINTED IN U.S. A. I
. 1 \ Digitized by GoOgle
TH jHISiF Y
5 0270 079
Pohle, J.
Eschatology
P94
1LL2LQ-
Digitized by