Apocalyptic discourse as ethical formation in Mark 13

Abstract

Mark 13 is often interpreted through an eschatological expectation or historical crisis, yet its role in shaping the moral character remains underexplored. This article argues that Mark 13 functions as an ethical formation through virtue, cultivating dispositions necessary for communal survival amid violence, and instability.
Contribution: Drawing on virtue ethics and habitus, this paper argues that Markan apocalyptic discourse forms enduring virtues of watchfulness, endurance, and discernment. Apocalyptic imagery cultivates resilient, non-violent communities that can faithfully confront ongoing violence, repositioning apocalypticism as a resource for moral formation rather than prediction or prescription.