aeon

In astronomy, an aeon is defined as a billion years (10⁹ years, abbreviated AE).{{cite book |title=Astrophysical Concepts |edition=2nd |author=Martin Harweit |isbn=3-540-96683-8 |year=1991 |publisher=Springer-Verlag}} p. 4.

Roger Penrose uses the word aeon to describe the period between successive and cyclic Big Bangs within the context of conformal cyclic cosmology.{{cite arXiv |eprint=1011.3706 |author1=Gurzadyan VG |author2=Penrose R |title=Concentric circles in WMAP data may provide evidence of violent pre-Big-Bang activity |date=2010-11-16|class=astro-ph.CO }}

{{More citations needed section|date=May 2021}}

In Buddhism, aeon may be used as a translation of the term kalpa or {{Lang|sa-latn|mahakalpa}} (Sanskrit: {{Lang|sa-deva|महाकल्प|italic=no}}). A mahakalpa is often said to be 1,334,240,000 years, the life cycle of the world. Yet, these numbers are symbolic, not literal.{{Cite web |title=Mahakalpa |url=https://glorian.org/learn/glossary/m/mahakalpa |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=Glorian |language=en-gb}}

Christianity's idea of "eternal life" comes from the word for life, {{Lang|grc-latn|zōḗ}} ({{Lang|grc|ζωή|italic=no}}), and a form of {{Lang|grc-latn|aión}} ({{Lang|grc|αἰών|italic=no}}){{cn|date=June 2022}}, which could mean life in the next aeon, the Kingdom of God, or Heaven, just as much as immortality, as in John 3:16.{{lopsided|date=June 2022}}

According to Christian universalism, the Greek New Testament scriptures use the word {{Lang|grc-latn|aión}} ({{Lang|grc|αἰών|italic=no}}) to mean a long period and the word {{lang|grc-Latn|aiṓnion}} ({{lang|grc|αἰώνιον}}) to mean "during a long period"; thus, there was a time before the aeons, and the aeonian period is finite. After each person's mortal life ends, they are judged worthy of aeonian life or aeonian punishment. That is, after the period of the aeons, all punishment will cease and death is overcome and then God becomes the all in each one (1Cor 15:28). This contrasts with the conventional Christian belief in eternal life and eternal punishment.

Occultists of the Thelema and Ordo Templi Orientis (English: "Order of the Temple of the East") traditions sometimes speak of a "magical Aeon" that may last for perhaps as little as 2,000 years.{{Cite book |last=DuQuette |first=Lon Milo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-07yFC31j6wC&pg=PA15 |title=The magick of Aleister Crowley : a handbook of the rituals of Thelema |date=2003 |publisher=Weiser Books |isbn=1-57863-299-4 |location=Boston, MA |pages=15 |oclc=52621460}}

{{Main|Aeon (Gnosticism)}}

In many Gnostic systems, the various emanations of God, who is also known by such names as the One, the Monad, Aion teleos ("The Broadest Aeon", Greek: {{lang|grc|αἰών τέλεος}}), Bythos ("depth or profundity", Greek: {{lang|grc|βυθός}}), Proarkhe ("before the beginning", Greek: {{lang|grc|προαρχή}}), {{lang|grc-Latn|Arkhe}} ("the beginning", Greek: {{lang|grc|ἀρχή}}), {{lang|grc-Latn|Sophia}} ("wisdom"), and {{lang|grc-Latn|Christos}} ("the Anointed One"), are called Aeons. In the different systems these emanations are differently named, classified, and described, but the emanation theory itself is common to all forms of Gnosticism.

In the Basilidian Gnosis they are called sonships ({{lang|grc|υἱότητες}} {{lang|grc-Latn|huiotetes}}; singular: {{lang|grc|υἱότης}} {{lang|grc-Latn|huiotes}}); according to Marcus, they are numbers and sounds; in Valentinianism they form male/female pairs called "{{lang|grc-Latn|syzygies}}" (Greek {{lang|grc|συζυγίαι}}, from {{lang|grc|σύζυγοι}} {{lang|grc-Latn|syzygoi}}).

{{Wiktionary|eon}}

• Aion (deity)
• {{anl|Century}}
• Kalpa (aeon)
• {{anl|Millennium}}
• Saeculum – comparable Latin concept
• Aeon (company)
• {{slink|Young's Literal Translation#Eternity or age}}

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Category:New Testament Greek words and phrases

Category:Time

Category:Units of time