ABSTRACT
Millenarianism is one of the more striking and identifi able manifestations of religious intensity. In its radical forms, it rarely allows any kind of adaptation to extant political and social realities and demands from its disciples a degree of commitment unmatched by any other ideological framework. It is precisely this potential extremism that can help to isolate and crystallize the causes and motives behind the tendency of people to make religion the focus of their lives and, in some cases, sacrifi ce themselves for its sake. e two following chapters comprise a general survey and the analysis of specifi c cases. Since the religious phenomenon and the case studies are well known and extensively researched, my intention is not to introduce new data or innovative models, but to examine them within the broader context of religious intensity, perceive similarities and differences, and sharpen the distinctions between millenarian and non-millenarian intense religious movements.
