Fear versus hope in fictional adaptations of Seventh-day Adventist eschatology

Abstract

During the second half of the 20th century, Seventh-day Adventist apocalyptic expectations occasionally found their way into fictional form. These personalized narratives expand on the scenarios presented in the end of Ellen White's Great Controversy to give divergent perspectives on the experience of the faithful during the "time of trouble". In some cases, apocalyptic fiction corresponds to long-standing legend. Narrative fiction has been shown to be effective for the communication of ideas, for increased immersion in the text, and may lead to a change in readers' self-perception. This is significant for theological fiction of an apocalyptic character as it communicates the expectation of fearful and traumatic experience.