Naming the Antichrist: The History of an American Obsession

241 Pages·1996·13.66 MB·English

by  Robert C. Fuller

NAMING THE ANTICHRIST
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NAMING
THE ANTICHRIST
The History of an American Obsession
ROBERT C. FULLER
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
New York Oxford
Oxford University Press
Oxford New York
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Copyright © 1995 by Robert C. Fuller
First published by Oxford University Press, Inc., 1995
First issued as an Oxford University Press paperback, 1996
Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior permission of Oxford University Press.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Fuller, Robert C., 1952-
Naining the Antichrist : the hisory of an American obsession
Robert C. Fuller.
p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-19-508244-3
ISBN 0-19-510979-1 (Pbk.)
1. Antichrist—History of doctrines.
2. United States—Church history.
3. United States—Intellectual Life.
4. Good and evil—History ol doctrines.
I. Title. BT985.F85 1995 236—dc20
94-18602
1 3 5 79 10 8 6 42
Printed in the United States of America
Acknowledgments
The idea for this book came during a lunch-time run with my col-
league Peter Dusenbery. Peter was curious about how undergradu-
ate students typically respond to the types of questions and insights that
arise in the academic study of religion. I laughed and confessed that some
must surely view me as the Antichrist owing to my insistence that re-
ligion can and should be made the subject of intellectual inquiry. Over
the next few miles we had a good time recalling various people and ideas
that at one time or another had been called the Antichrist. We returned
from our run a bit late for a faculty curriculum committee at which I
sat uncharacteristically silent. Hoping that my colleagues would assume
I was fervently recording their lofty comments, I managed to finish tran-
scribing Peter's and my earlier conversation into a detailed outline for
this book.
Peter is not the only one to whom I owe thanks for the insights and
material that helped me complete this project. Several noted scholars
offered bibliographical suggestions. John Corrigan of the Arizona State
University and Ron Numbers of the University of Wisconsin were par-
ticularly generous, as was Martin Marty of the University of Chicago.
Paul Boyer, also of the University of Wisconsin, directed me to his im-
mensely helpful discussion of apocalyptic thinking entitled When Time
Shall Be No More. Perhaps the most assistance came from Stephen
O'Leary of the University of Southern California. His continuing advice
and bibliographical suggestions have been greatly appreciated.
Interlibrary loan service has made it possible for me to conduct the
research for seven books while rarely leaving Peoria, Illinois. Bradley
University's library staff, particularly Marina Savoie, has worked very
hard to keep me supplied with research materials and I am grateful.
Debbie Doering has patiently printed draft after draft, and diplomati-
vi Acknowledgments
cally ignored the mood swings that accompanied my work on this book.
I would also like to acknowledge my appreciation for the administra-
tive competence of my long-time colleagues Kal Goldberg and Claire
Etaugh. Their willingness to step forward from faculty rank to perform
so professionally the most difficult tasks of academe surely deserves
recogniton.
Finally, I would like to thank Oxford University Press's Cynthia Read
for her confidence in this project since its inception. I have been fortu-
nate to have had her able advice and assistance on three projects now,
and am envious of her professional skills.
Contents
Introduction, 3
One Antichrist: The History of an Idea, 14
Two Thwarting the Errand, 40
Three Impediments to Christian Commonwealth, 74
Four The Battle Against Modernism, 108
Five Crusades of Hate, 134
Six Camouflaged Conspirators, 165
Epilogue: Interpreting the Obsession, 191
Notes, 201
Index, 227
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NAMING THE ANTICHRIST