Apokalipsa bez Mesjasza. Współczesne francuskie refleksje o katastrofach i końcu świata

The apocalyptic discourse in modern French thought tends to revolve around environmental crisis. However, in its reflection upon the end of the world it breaks with the biblical vision of the Apocalypse which describes the last turbulent days on earth and announces the triumphant return of the Messiah. According to Delsol, catastrophic thinking has adopted an equivocal approach to the Parousia. The hope of eternal life, as conveyed by the New Testament, is suppressed by the fear of climate catastrophe. Girard says that the rejection of the Gospel message of non-violence has resulted in increased terrorism and environmental pollution. Debray argues that times of crisis need to be given a meaning while disasters must be positively thought through; the prophetic books discuss the difficult present to announce the heavenly future. Latour observes that environmental sceptics live in the post-apocalyptic times. The return to biblical references is therefore to delay an imminent catastrophe. Ultimately, the entire discussion about the apocalypse without the Messiah is essentially a critique of modernity which, blinded by the ideology of growth, has plunged the world into a climate crisis.