Judgment, Day of

in some religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the “last” judgment that is supposed to determine the ultimate fate of “sinners” and the “righteous.” Notions about a judgment after death for acts committed during one’s earthly life existed in various ancient religions, for example, the Egyptian belief in the judgment of Osiris. Retaining these beliefs, Christianity set forth in the Apocalypse (first century A.D.) the idea of a “second coming” of Christ, who would hold a day of judgment on the living and the dead only upon the completion of mankind’s earthly existence, at “the end of the millennium.”

The idea of the day of judgment gave rise to eschatological doctrines associated with a hope for the common resurrection of trampled justice. The church used the idea of the day of judgment to manipulate believers and convince them that severe punishment awaited “heretics” and those “disobedient” to the will of god, while “heavenly bliss” awaited the humble and obedient “sufferers.” Islam, in contrast to Christianity and Judaism, affirms that, for its adherents, torment in hell is not eternal.