Eschatological+Viewpoints

toc Christian eschatology is the study of the end times which involves God’s judgment and His Millennium. Several views have been developed by scholars on God’s future judgment and the Day of the Lord, and the four most prominent views are preterism, historicism, futurism, and idealism, or the allegorical approach.

= Interpretations =

Preterism
The preterist view holds that the events prophesied in the Bible were taking place at the time of the writer. [1] It is held by some preterists that the view originated among the early Church fathers such as Origen and Eusebius, but non-preterists believe it did not come about until the mid 1500s. [2]

There are two forms of preterism: partial and full. Partial preterism states the prophecies made in both the New and Old Testament about the future were fulfilled in the first century, except for the Second Coming of Christ and the final resurrection of mankind. The Jewish Wars with Rome in 70 A.D, leading the destruction of Jerusalem, are presumed to fulfill much of Christ’s prophecy. Full preterism includes the Second Coming and physical resurrection with the fulfillment of the other prophecies in the first century. It is viewed as heretical by some scholars because it denies the literal return of Christ. [3] It takes the Old Testament references to the day of the Lord as speaking about the future and the New Testament passages as speaking to the present time. [4]

Historicism
The historicist view believes the events described in the New and Old Testaments were in the future when prophesied, but they will be fulfilled through the history of the Church Age. It does not necessarily imply that all of the prophecies have been fulfilled, but they will be during the Church Age. [5] Historicism does not lend itself toward apocalyptic genre, but rather looks to events in Church history as fulfillment of eschatological prophecy [6].

Futurism
The futurist interpretation of eschatology maintains that the Tribulation, the Second Coming of Christ, and His following kingdom are yet to be fulfilled and will take place at some point in the future. This view differs from historicism in that it can relate to dispensationalism, the belief that the nation of Israel will again be the center of God’s plans and will take the place the Church has held since the first century. It contends the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. does not fulfill the prophecies on the day of the Lord or from Matthew 24-25 because God’s judgment is a worldwide phenomenon, not reserved to the city of Jerusalem. [7] This view adheres to a literal interpretation of prophecy. [8]

Idealism/Allegorical Approach
This view takes end times prophesy from Revelation and the Old Testament to be a drama of spiritual happenings rather than finding fulfillment of individual prophecies in the future. Gregg states, “Fulfillment is seen either as entirely spiritual or as recurrent, finding representative expression in historical events throughout the age, rather than in one time, specific fulfillments.” [9]

[1] Millard J Erickson, //Christian Theology// (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Book House, 1983). [2] Norman L Geisler, //Systematic Theology// (Minneapolis, Minn: Bethany House, 2002). [3] Ibid. [4] Erickson, //Christian Theology//. [5] Ibid. [6] Robert L Thomas, //Revelation 1-7// (Chicago: Moody Press, 1992). [7] Geisler, //Systematic Theology//. [8] Thomas, //Revelation 1-7//. [9] //Revelation, Four Views: A Parallel Commentary// (Nashville, Tenn: T. Nelson Publishers, 1997).

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