The full text of this sermon, delivered by Rev. George Wolfe to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Muncie on September 3, 2006, can be found on his web site. Click here to read it.

Abstract: The Greek word for apocalypse means simply "uncovering" or "unveiling" and does not inherently carry connotations of violence, war, or catastrophe. Many verses in the Bible and the Qur’an, however, associate war or catastrophe with the apocalypse or "Day of Judgment." Most of these scripture passages no longer make sense in the context of our modern-day understanding of the universe as revealed by science. Furthermore, the bellicose symbols found in scripture are more meaningful when interpreted as metaphors for the mystical experience or for an inner spiritual struggle.

In our modern world, politicians have been using religious and apocalyptic rhetoric in a misguided attempt to legitimize the use of military intervention. The belief in the inevitability of a violent apocalypse risks making war in the Middle East a self-fulfilling prophecy. Given the fragile environmental condition of our world, and the potential for economic collapse if an international religious war should erupt, humanity cannot afford to have a violent apocalypse, as it could result in unimaginable destruction and carnage, particularly if it involved the use of nuclear weapons. Such an apocalyptic tragedy would decimate our world to the extent that it would require decades, perhaps even centuries to rebuild. To avoid such a disaster, we must develop theologies that reject religiously motivated violence, re-interpret martial religious images, and equip moderate mainstream religious leaders to defend the allegorical or symbolic interpretation of scripture.