Narrativas apocalípticas del fin de los tiempos: análisis discursivo y construcción de imaginarios sociales a partir del apocalipsis bíblico

Abstract

The work presented here begins with a question that, although it may seem ancient, remains highly relevant today: how do we talk about the end? To address this question, the biblical Book of Revelation was taken as the foundational text, a narrative that for centuries has shaped the way societies imagine their collective destiny. From this starting point, the analysis focused on the meanings surrounding ideas such as judgment, destruction, salvation, and profound social change, paying close attention to how these meanings continue to circulate within contemporary cultural contexts. The research followed a qualitative approach. Biblical passages, media productions, artistic expressions, and an interview with a Catholic religious leader were analyzed. Through comparative analysis matrices, recurring narrative and symbolic patterns were identified, particularly those associated with fear, uncertainty, and perceptions of threat in relation to environmental crises, technological developments, astronomical events, and social tensions. A question that remains difficult to resolve is whether this recurrence is merely circumstantial or whether it has deeper structural roots within human culture; the latter seems more likely, although acknowledging this does not fully explain the phenomenon. The findings show that the apocalyptic imaginary has neither disappeared nor remained confined to sacred texts. Instead, it has evolved, found new channels of expression, and continues to function as a symbolic framework through which human fragility, collapse, and historical transformation are interpreted.