Pynchon's RC sources

[Terrance]

Joachim of Fiore is the most important apocalyptic thinker
of the whole medieval period. 
And the novel V. includes his theory of history. 

BTW, Dante places Joachim of Fiore in Paradise. 


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/apocalypse/explanation/joachim.html

Pynchon names Pierre Teilhard de Chardin in GR. It's a
critical passage. 

http://www.sacredcenters.com/articles/noosphere.html