Origin 1831 to 1844
The Millerite movement grew in the 1830s and early 1840s around the Baptist preacher William Miller's biblically calculated prediction that Christ would return between 1843 and 1844. When a final recalculated date, 22 October 1844, passed without the expected return, the failure became known among Millerites as the Great Disappointment, dissolving the movement's unified following. Several successor bodies trace their origin directly to the Millerite movement's aftermath, most notably Seventh-day Adventism, making it one of American religious history's most consequential apocalyptic movements.
Facts
Origins
Origin PeriodThe dates mark the movement from 1831, when William Miller began publicly preaching his calculation that Christ would return around 1843, to 22 October 1844, the recalculated date whose passing without the expected return became known among Millerites as the Great Disappointment. Origin Period1830s to 1844 (Great Disappointment) 1 Place of OriginUpstate New York, where the Baptist preacher William Miller lived and first preached his prediction 1 Status
Status TodayHistorical; not practised continuously 1 Connections
Associated With
This source names Baptist directly: "the 1830s and early 1840s around the Baptist preacher William Miller's biblically calculated prediction that Christ would return between 1843 and 1844."
Source Encyclopedia of American ReligionsJ. Gordon Melton
This source names Seventh-day Adventism directly: "movement's aftermath, most notably Seventh-day Adventism, making it one of American religious history's most consequential apocalyptic movements."
Source Encyclopedia of American ReligionsJ. Gordon Melton
Objects and Practices of This Tradition
Source Millennial Fever and the End of the World: A Study of Millerite AdventismGeorge R. Knight
Source Millennial Fever and the End of the World: A Study of Millerite AdventismGeorge R. Knight
Related To
Studied By
Source Encyclopedia of American ReligionsJ. Gordon Melton
Succeeded By
Source Millennial Fever and the End of the World: A Study of Millerite AdventismGeorge R. Knight
Source Millennial Fever and the End of the World: A Study of Millerite AdventismGeorge R. Knight
Sources
1. Encyclopedia of American Religions
J. Gordon Melton, Gale, 2009s.v. Millerite movement; Great DisappointmentView the Source Divinity Atlas Entity Records, First Edition
Millerism (Wikipedia)
In Group: Apocalyptic Movements (New Religious Movements), Article text, classQuote, In Group: Apocalyptic Movements (New Religious Movements), Article text, class
Miller believed that the cleansing of the sanctuary represented the Earth's destruction by fire at Christ's Second Coming.
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