Adventism

Adventism is the theological doctrine of the imminent return of Jesus Christ, to establish his reign and bring the world order to an end. The belief pervades strongly through some parts of the game world, from which the literature is inspired by the persecutions of the Jews and early Christians. Adventism has in general become more intense during troubled periods of history, for wars, famines, plagues and other calamities have usually been attended by a revival of millennial hopes.

The cult is based upon the literal interpretation of the apocalyptic literature of the Old and New Testaments, especially Daniel, Revelation and the eschatological (death-theology) sections of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Beliefs hinge on the expected concrete fulfillment of the prophetic symbolism therein. In the eyes of establish Christianity, Adventism is seen as heresy; steps have been taken to purge localised sects, with varied success.

Beliefs

Though differences occur with believing sects, Adventism in general holds that the moral and spiritual decline of the world is revealed by inspiration through the prophets and will continue until Christ returns to purge the earth by universal cataclysm. He will appear in the clouds and the "true church" or dead saints will be raised in the "first resurrection." These will be taken up to Christ's side and the company will remain in the "upper air" for seven years, more or less, in what is known among Adventists as "the rapture." During that period, the world will be terribly devastated by Satan and his cohorts. The Jews will return to Palestine. The Antichrist will establish his capital at a miraculously restored Babylon, and awful tribulations will fall upon the race. Christ and the saints, accompanied by angelic hosts, will then descend from the rapture, however, and the evil forces will be destroyed. Satan, "the beast" and "the false prophet," will be chained and cast into the pit.

Christ will take his seat on a throne in Jerusalem and the glorious millennial reign will begin. At the end of this thousand-year period, Satan will be released and a terrible war will ensue between his demons and the hosts of Christ — but in the end the demons will be overthrown and burned with fire from heaven, and Satan will again be cast into the pit, this time to undergo eternal punishment. Then will occur the "Second Resurrection" and the judgment, the earth will be burned, and Christ and the saints will ascend to heaven. Some Adventist groups reject the "rapture" view of the fundamentalists.