THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
Anthropomorphism is inseparable from any conception of supernatural powers or God. This fact has received two interpretations. (1) Religion never outgrows the essential characteristics of its origin, whether this is conceived of as mythological (Comte), animistic (Tylor), or through dreams (Spencer). In the lower stages of religion, the gods are only larger men. According to Feuerbach, following Xenophanes and Lucretius (De rerum natura, v. 121), man creates God in his own image (cf. Feuerbach, Wesen des Christenthums, chap. 1, § 2). In the progress from polytheism to monotheism, the human qualities are indefinitely enlarged, concentrated, and united in one being, but the being is still human. Between the mode of human intelligence and omniscience, the human will and omnipotence, between human goodness and divine perfection, between personality and the Infinite is not only an immeasurable but an irreconcilable difference. The result for thought is either that there is no God (Comte), or, if such a being exists, we are compelled to distrust all anthropomorphic notions and take refuge in the Unknown and the Unknowable (Spencer, First Principles, New York, 1S92, pp. 108-123). The latter alternative leaves room for the religious sentiments, but only in the form of awe. To rid the idea of God of every trace of anthropomorphism, however, simply abolishes the idea itself. (2) According to the second view — which is met with under many variations — religious ideas are not only incurably anthropomorphic, but they share this property with all other ideas. They contain objective truth, even if this is lacking in scientific accuracy of expression. Either rational and moral qualities are to be ascribed to God, on the ground that these are essential to the perfection of personality (S. Harris, The Self-Revelation of God, New York, 1887, pp. 433-440), or, since they are derived from the human consciousness and the region of the finite, they may be interpreted only analogically and symbolically; e.g., force, cause, energy, the eternal, the infinite, the power not ourselves that makes for righteousness, even personality and fatherhood have a real meaning for religious feeling and thought, although their full significance transcends both definition and comprehension. The Scriptures, which are marked by definite stages of anthropomorphic representations of God , contain a corrective for an undue reliance on this mode of conception.
C. A. Beckwith.
Bibliography: John Fiske, Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy. part 1, chap, vii., part 3, chap, ii., Boston, 1891; idem, Idea of God, pp. 111-118, Boston, 1886; F. Paulsen, Einleitung in die Philosophie, pp. 275-281, Berlin, 1895, Eng. transl., pp. 252-256, New York, 1898.
ANTICHRIST.
The Idea Possibly of Babylonian Origin (§ 1).
Old Testament Conceptions (§ 2).
Later Hellenistic Jewish Literature (§ 3).
In the New Testament (§ 4).
In Post-Christian Judaism and in the Church (§ 5). The name " Antichrist " is first found in the Epistles of John (I. ii. 18, 22, iv. 3; II. 7). The idea, however, is in earlier New Testament writings, and its roots are in the Old Testament. According to a modern supposition they are
even to be sought in the Babylonian chaos-myth, — a native myth of the springtime, which narrates how Tiamat, the ruler over the deeps of darkness and the waters, aided by her i. The Idea powers, rebelled against the upper Possibly of gods, but was overcome by Marduk, Babylonian the son of the gods, who had been Origin. elevated to the throne, and then created the heavenly lights. It has been supposed that the Old Testament writings indicate that this myth migrated to Canaan in very ancient times, was transferred by the Israelites to the latter end of the world, and was applied in various forms also to political enemies of the people; and herein is sought the origin of the Old Testament idea of a rise and conquest of evil powers, which preceded the establishment of the kingdom of God (Gunkel, Schopfung und Chaos, Gottingen, 1895, pp. 221 sqq.). But influence of old Oriental thoughts upon the figurative style of Biblical writings can be admitted only in a very limited degree.
Neither the sources of the eschatological ideas which meet in the notion of Antichrist, nor the characteristic features of their devel- 2. Old Tes- opment can be traced back to extratament Biblical elements. The belief in the Concep- election of Israel as a people of God, tions. sanctified unto him and blessed by him, received a rude shock by the experience of a reality apparently opposed to such choice. Hence arose the prophecy, that, because of its faithlessness Israel is given over to heathen powers, but that it shall be delivered from them, their presumption being punished for exceeding their divine commission as God's scourges. Thus the opinion was formed that before the kingdom of God is completed it is to be attacked by the godless world. As the representative of the latter, Ezekiel (xxxviii. 2, xxxix. 1-6) mentions Magog, the land of King Gog, a comprehensive designation of the nations of the north. Zechariah (xii.-xiv.) describes more minutely the oppression of the people of God by hostile powers. When Antiochus IV. Epiphanes of Syria undertook with cruel severity to supplant the religion of Israel by Greek heathenism, these ideas found a further development. The heathen world-power then appeared not as an instrument of punishment in the hand of God, but as his adversary, attacking with destructive purpose the very center of his kingdom. The history of the godless world-kingdom, which reaches its climax in the person of the proud king, is thus represented in the Book of Daniel.
Gradually the last enemy of the kingdom of God came to be thought of as the antitype of the Messiah; at least such is the representation of 3. Later the later Hellenistic Jewish literature Hellenistic (cf. Num. xxiv. 7, LXX.; Sibyllines, Jewish hi. 652 sqq.). In the extant pre- Literature. Christian Palestinian literature no indication is found of a personal antitype of the Messiah. In the older portions of the Book of Enoch the appearance of the Messiah is spoken of as taking place at the end of all struggles