Peter Thiel is delivering 4 private sold-out lectures at a club in San Francisco—about the Antichrist

A theory of technological apocalypse

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PayPal and Palantir cofounder Peter Thiel is embarking on an unusual intellectual journey this fall—delivering a sold-out four-part lecture series on the biblical figure of the Antichrist. The private lectures, which will be held at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, represent the latest evolution in Thiel’s increasingly public theological interests that intertwine his Christian faith with his concerns about technology’s potential to enable

The series, organized

Thiel’s theological preoccupations might seem incongruous with his business empire, but they reflect a consistent worldview shaped

The 57-year-old billionaire, worth an estimated $20.8 billion according to Forbes, built his fortune through a series of contrarian investments that challenged conventional Silicon Valley wisdom. His investment philosophy centers on identifying monopoly-like businesses and backing transformative technologies before they gain mainstream recognition. This approach led to early successes with PayPal, which sold to eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002, and later investments in companies like Palantir Technologies, the data analytics firm he cofounded in 2003.

Palantir has emerged as perhaps Thiel’s most controversial venture, providing surveillance and data analysis tools to government agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Defense, and intelligence services. The company’s “Gotham” platform enables law enforcement to connect vast datasets, creating detailed profiles of individuals

Thiel’s fascination with the Antichrist concept stems from his belief that such a figure would rise to power not through overt evil, but

This theory positions the Antichrist as someone who would offer “peace and safety” while using fear of catastrophic technological risks—artificial intelligence dangers, nuclear war, climate change—to justify unprecedented surveillance and control measures. The irony, as some critics note, is that Thiel himself frequently discusses apocalyptic scenarios while building the very surveillance technologies that could enable such control.

Thiel has previously suggested that modern technology provides the “mechanism” that fictional depictions of the Antichrist lacked: the ability to achieve global dominance through data integration and surveillance rather than traditional conquest. Thiel’s company Palantir exemplifies this capability, with its platforms designed to synthesize disparate information

Thiel’s theological interests have grown more public in recent years, coinciding with his increased political influence. He was an early Trump supporter and delegate at the 2016 Republican National Convention, where he made history as the first openly gay speaker to declare his sexuality from the stage. His support for political figures like JD Vance, whom he helped launch into politics, reflects his belief that technological stagnation requires disruptive political change.

The Acts 17 Collective—which organized Thiel’s Antichrist lecture series and takes its name from Acts 17, where the apostle Paul preached to cultural elites in Athens and other intellectual centers—targets wealthy tech leaders

The timing of Thiel’s Antichrist lectures coincides with growing scrutiny of Palantir’s expanding role in government surveillance. Under the Trump administration, the company has secured over $113 million in federal contracts, with its technology now deployed across at least four major agencies. The company’s ability to integrate data from multiple

Critics argue that Thiel’s warnings about the Antichrist ring hollow given his role in building the very surveillance infrastructure that could enable

These tensions reflect broader questions about the role of technology companies in democratic governance. As Palantir’s tools become increasingly sophisticated, the line between legitimate security applications and potential

Palantir did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment.

For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.