A 2022 poll found that about 40 percent of American adults believe we are living in the 'end times,' reflecting how apocalyptic thinking has become mainstream in the United States. For many believers, ideas about the rapture and a looming tribulation are woven into everyday religious life, shaping how they interpret world events and political conflicts.

Journalist Chris Jennings explores this phenomenon in his book 'End of Days,' tracing the roots of modern apocalyptic belief to a 19th century theology known as premillennial dispensationalism. This framework divides history into divine eras and predicts a coming period of tribulation and a final earthly war before a thousand-year reign of peace. Though once largely confined to prophecy texts and popular religious fiction, these ideas have increasingly influenced broader culture and politics.

Jennings connects this worldview to events such as the Ruby Ridge standoff in Idaho, arguing that apocalyptic narratives can fracture a shared sense of reality and fuel conspiracy movements. He suggests that when foreign policy and contemporary conflicts are interpreted through prophetic lenses, political decisions risk becoming entwined with religious fantasy rather than grounded analysis.

The rise of apocalyptic rhetoric, Jennings argues, represents a shift from earlier American religious optimism about building a utopian future to a darker expectation of imminent catastrophe. That transformation has reshaped not only private belief but also public life, reorienting how millions of Americans see their nation and the world.