The short class focuses on the ways in which early modern apocalyptic ideas not only in Christian but also in Jewish and Muslim cultures contributed to the emergence of modernity. Far from fostering passivity among the faithful, the apocalyptic imagination shaped new forms of agency, as it called upon men and women to step into an active role in the drama of history in order to fulfill divine prophecies. In our discussions, we will explore these themes with attention to the intensification of overseas commerce, to the shaping of global empires and other new forms of political community, and to the development of new natural philosophies. At he same time, we will investigate the ways in which traditional eschatologies (now secularized “political theologies”) continue to influence our own societies today, complicating the notion of “modernity” itself.