Not The End Of The World

Jesus failed to show up on the day that came to be known as ‘The Great Disappointment’ - 22nd October, 1844. It was an embarrassment for the New England preacher, William Miller, who had prophesied Christ’s return; and devastating for his 100,000+ followers in North America alone. Miller had calculated the end of the world via an idiosyncratic interpretation of Daniel 8:14 (“And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed”). In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider how the Millerites processed their monumental anti-climax; reveal what Ralph Waldo Emerson made of it all; and wonder whether Miller’s flexibility in the face of contrary evidence has parallels in the modern-day QAnon movement… Further Reading: • ‘William Miller Convinced Thousands of Millerites the End Was Near’ (New England Historical Society, 2020): https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/william-miller-convinced-thousands-millerites-world-end/ • ‘The Great Disappointment’ (Grace Communion International): https://www.gci.org/articles/the-great-disappointment/ • ‘William Miller Predicted Christ’s Return in 1844. Here's What Happened After His Prophecy Failed’ (History Unplugged, 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkYj9DOyz5k For bonus material and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/Retrospectors We'll be back on Monday! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/Retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2021. #1800s #Religion #Mistakes #US Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices