pope prophecy

prophecy

:This article refers to the topic of prophecy as the purported telling of future events or supernatural revelations. For other uses of the term, see prophecy (disambiguation).

Prophecy, in a general sense, is the prediction of future events (etymologically, it means "speaking before", "foretelling"), but it often implies the use of supernatural means (such as communication with a deity, the reading of magical signs, or astrology). It is also used as a general term for the revelation of the divine will.

Less strictly, the word prophecy is sometimes used to refer to any prediction, such as a meteorologist's forecast.

Throughout history, people around the world have sought advice from individuals and groups (such as the Oracles at Delphi) who were reputed to have the gift of prophecy. Cultures where prophecy played an important role include the American Indians, Mayans, Celts, Druids, Chinese, Chaldeans, Assyrians, Egyptians, Hindus, Hebrews, Tibetans, Greeks, and those in the Christian tradition, among others.

History of prophecy

Prophecy has been eagerly sought in many cultures; magical spells and folk charms to produce prophecy are common. In modern times, astrology and many other pseudoscientific techniques that claim to foretell the future have gained wide acceptance.

Prophecies are often based on divination (determining the will of the gods or fates), using any number of methods, including reading tea leaves, reading cloud formations, reading animal behaviour, and reading the entrails of sacrificed animals.

Prophecy in religion

In many religions, gods or other supernatural agents are thought to sometimes provide prophecies to certain individuals, known as prophets. The Old Testament of the Bible contains prophecies from various Hebrew prophets who foretold of their people's trials and tribulations in detail. The Book of Revelation, in the New Testament, is accepted by many Christians as a prophecy related by its author, John the Evangelist, of the events of the end times and of Armageddon (the "End of the World"). Christians have long held that Jesus fulfilled many prophecies of the Old Testament, thus proving Jesus was the messiah. In the New Testament, the stories of Jesus telling the Samaritan woman at the well all about her life or telling the apostles not only what their individual futures would look like but what the world would experience in the future, are examples of prophecy.

Mohammed, the prophet of Islam, said he had a spiritual awakening in a cave and from that point on spoke about teachings that, he claimed, came from the one God (Allah).

pope prophecy

prophecy

History of prophecy

Prophecy in religion

See also