Revelation 13:17 and Anti-Vaccination Culture

The text of the thirteenth chapter of the book of Revelation has provided a template for the development of many radical, political identities over the course of many centuries. The text describes an idolatrous majority, beholden to the power of a tyrannical and pseudo-theocratic ruler. It also desc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biblical theology bulletin
Main Author: Cottrell-Boyce, Aidan 1987- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage 2023
In: Biblical theology bulletin
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Bible. Offenbarung des Johannes 13,17 / Vaccination / Opponent / Journalism / End of the world
RelBib Classification:AZ New religious movements
HC New Testament
NCH Medical ethics
Further subjects:B Apocalypse
B Revelation
B Vaccination
B Journalism
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Parallel Edition:Non-electronic
Description
Summary:The text of the thirteenth chapter of the book of Revelation has provided a template for the development of many radical, political identities over the course of many centuries. The text describes an idolatrous majority, beholden to the power of a tyrannical and pseudo-theocratic ruler. It also describes an embattled minority, who are given an ‘insight’ which allows them to resist the thrall of this ruler. In more recent times, these images have captured the imaginations of participants in conspiracy cultures. In particular, those who resist the use of vaccinations by public health authorities see prophetic significance in the concept of the ‘mark of the beast.’ For the entire history of the use of vaccination, anti-vaccination campaigners have seen prophetic significance in the topos of ‘the mark of the Beast.’ This article traces the themes which link the apocalyptic language used by anti-vaccination campaigners in the nineteenth century with the apocalyptic language used by anti-vaccination campaigners in the twenty-first.
ISSN:1945-7596
Contains:Enthalten in: Biblical theology bulletin
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/01461079231191561