prefigurations

Prefigurations are signs, events, or figures that anticipate later developments, functioning as foreshadowings whose meaning becomes clearer as events unfold. The term derives from Latin praefiguratio, from praefigurare “to figure beforehand” and is used across theology, literature, philosophy, and political theory to denote representations of the future within the present.

In Christian theology, prefiguration (typology) refers to the practice of reading events of the Old Testament as foreshadowing the New Covenant and Christ. Classic examples include the Passover lamb foreshadowing Christ’s sacrifice, and Moses or the temple rites being regarded as types that point to their fulfilment in Jesus.

In literature and criticism, prefiguration describes scenes, motifs, or prophecies that anticipate later outcomes. It often overlaps with foreshadowing but may imply a deeper structural or symbolic link between early and later elements, sometimes across texts or genres.

In modern political and social theory, prefigurative politics describes methods and practices that embody the future society they aim to create, such as participatory decision making, horizontal organization, and mutual aid. Proponents argue that such prefigurations help render the desired social order tangible; critics contend that they can be unstable or idealized and may struggle under external pressure.

Prefigurations also appear in art and film as visual or narrative cues inviting audiences to anticipate later developments. See also typology, foreshadowing, prophecy, and utopianism.