Apocalyptic Literature -- How to Write an Apocalypse

Film Focus: In this video, Fr. William Nicholas, describes apocalyptic literature by detailing its common features across many cultures. He situates the majority of this literature in a particular historic period and explains how it answers the questions that were on people’s mind at that time.

Text Focus: Pages 416-420

Discussion Questions:

1. What does the word “apocalypse” mean? What is an apocalyptic mindset? How might modern day Catholics be said to have an apocalyptic mindset?
2. What are the defining characteristics that categorize a writing as apocalyptic literature?
3. What was happening in the world historically that might have caused the era from 200 B.C. to 200 A.D. to be a time of many apocalyptic writings?
4. What is the pseudepigrapha?
5. Does apocalyptic literature predict the future? Why or why not?

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