Twelfth-century apocalyptic imaginations and the coming of the Antichrist

This paper is concerned with the apocalyptic ideas of some twelfth-century figures, principally Norbert of Xanten, Bernard of Clairvaux, Hildegard of Bingen, and Elisabeth of Schonau. Starting from a difference of opinion bet ween Norbert and Bernard on the imminence of the arrival of the Antichrist, the paper explores the apocalyptic understanding of various twelfth-centur y thinkers. It then seeks to account for their divergent opinions by refere nce to such traditional explanations as gender, organizational affiliation, or participation in or consciousness of social and religious movements. Su ch explanations having been found wanting, it is then suggested that we sho uld look closer to home. An examination of the spiritual milieu of the four main characters, using information from letters and other accounts such as "vitae", is essayed. Such evidence, though not entirely conclusive, indica tes a correlation between the more active apocalyptic imaginations and heig htened consciousness of the intervention of the devil in everyday life.