Summary of Christian eschatological differences
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This is a general overview of the eschatological interpretations of the Book of Revelation people hold and the differences between Christian groups; the differences are by no means monolithic as representing one group or another. Many differences exist within each group.
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[edit] Interpretive and hermeneutical overviews of the Bible
[edit] Covenantal
- Hermeneutics: Usually Grammatical-Historical typologised and contextualised. There are three covenants - the Covenant of Works or Law, the Covenant of Redemption and the Covenant of Grace. This shares much in common with Biblical theology, but emphasizes the covenants rather than the Kingdom of God as much.
Under the Covenant of Works mankind, represented ultimately in a covenantal sense under Adam beginning from the Garden of Eden, failed to live as God intended and stood condemned. But beyond time the Covenant of Redemption was made between the Father and Son, to agree that Christ would live an acceptable substitutionary life on behalf of, and as a covenantal representative for, those who would sin but would trust in Christ as their covenantal substitutionary representative, which bought them into the Covenant of Grace. The Covenant of Grace applies to all who trust Christ for their salvation, regardless of ethnicity, and thus the Covenant covers Jews and Gentiles alike with regard to salvation, sanctification, and resurrection. The Covenant of Grace forms the basis of the later covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and the New Covenant in Christ.
[edit] Biblical Theological
- Hermeneutics: Similar to the covenantal system, but emphasizes the Kingdom of God rather than the three covenants. Exemplified in works such as Graeme Goldsworthy's According to Plan. Revelation is read according to the conventions of the apocalyptic genre.
God's purpose for all time was to redeem for himself a people through the death and resurrection of Christ. The incarnation of Christ is the centrepoint of the Bible and all history. The Old Testament understood to contain a number of covenants and 'types' which are fulfilled in the past and future work of Jesus.
At the fall, God makes a covenant (Gen 3:15) that the woman's offspring will crush the serpent's head. Genesis then becomes the search for the 'serpent crusher'. This search leads to the covenant with Abraham (Gen 12) and the promise of a 'seed' by which God will raise up a great nation, under His blessing, living in His land. This covenant becomes the prototype for all following covenants (Isaac, Jacob, David, etc.) namely "God's people, living in God's place, under God's rule". This covenant, along with the Mosaic covenant, is fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus. The law teaches and judges us regarding sin, and provides a number of 'types' to understand the work of Christ: priest, sacrifice, temple, etc. Salvation for all people in all times is found by trusting in Jesus. Thus, Adam and Eve, Abraham, David, and all Christians today are saved by the same faith. The Jews are regarded as special in God's plan (as in Romans and Ephesians) and yet the OT promises regarding Israel are applied to all believers.
[edit] Dispensational
- Hermeneutics: Interpretation as the 'plain meaning' implies. Biblical references to Israel mean ancient and modern Israel. Prophecy is always literal and future, including unconditional promises to Israel to inherit the promised land (from the river of Egypt, thought to be the Nile, to the Euphrates and the Eastern bank of the Jordan), Jerusalem and the Temple mount for the rebuilding of a temple possibly in place of the Muslim Dome of the Rock, see Christian Zionism). There are two separate plans of salvation for two separate chosen peoples of God, Jews and Christians - from Biblical times until the end of time. Though the number and divisions vary among dispensationalists, history is usually divided into seven distinctly separate dispensations (eras) where God tests man's obedience differently. The present Church dispensation concerns Christians as God's heavenly people who are promised a heavenly kingdom and saved by grace through faith, who are for this age a parenthesis to God's main plan of dealing with and blessing his earthly people, the Jews, seen by some to be saved by sincere law-keeping and seen by others to be saved by grace. Some dispensationalists believe that Jews can only be saved in the same way as Christians, because that is seen as the salvation of God for this current dispensation. Jewish sovereignty over the promised earthly kingdom of Jerusalem and Palestine was postponed from the time of Christ's first coming, because of the Jews' rejection of him, until prior to or just after his Second Coming when most or all Jews will embrace him - See Restorationism – so following Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem, the promised land and the rebuilt Jewish Temple, "all Israel will be saved" converting to Christianity and Christ will return in a two staged second coming interspersed with the tribulation - the first half of Christ's coming will be to rapture believers and the second to deal with everyone else.
[edit] Allegorical or Mythical
- Hermeneutics: The Bible may or may not be factually accurate but is designed to teach spiritual lessons through allegory and myth. The Bible is more literary than historical. Typically, this stance is taken by churches and individuals who do not place significant emphasis upon eschatology at all.
[edit] Interpretations of the Book of Revelation
[edit] The Judgements Chapters 1 - 19: Four views
- Idealism: Present continual fulfillment of symbolical text; spiritual events
- Preterism: Past first century fulfillment of literary text; real events
- Futurism: Future imminent fulfillment of literal text; real events
- Historicism: Text is fulfilled during the span of Christian History. Text is taken as symbolic of literal historical events.
[edit] The Millennium Chapter 20: Three views
- Premillennialism: Christ's Second coming before or pre- a literal thousand years, preceded by a gradual deterioration of human society and the expanse of evil. Can be divided into two main interpretations: Dispensational and Historic Premillennialism.
- Dispensational Premillennialism: The return of Christ is preceded by the secret rapture of Christians, followed by the rise of Antichrist to rule during a literal three and a half year tribulation then Armageddon, followed by the return of Christ.
- Historic Premillennialism: The rapture of the church happens after a period of tribulation, with the church being caught up to meet Christ in the air and accompany him to earth to share in his (literal or figurative) thousand year rule.
- Postmillennialism: Christ's Second coming after or post- thousand years. Also divided into two schools of interpretation: Revivalist and Reconstructionist Postmillennialism:
- Revivalist Postmillennialism: the millennium represents an unknown period of time marked by gradual Christian revival and widespread successful evangelism, followed by Christ's return.
- Reconstructionist Postmillennialism: the Church increases its influence through successful evangelism and expansion, finally establishing a theocratic kingdom of 1000 years duration (literal or figurative) followed by the return of Christ.
- Amillennialism: Non-literal "thousand years" or long age between Christ's first and second comings; the millennial reign of Christ as pictured in the book of Revelation is now, as Christ is reigning at the right hand of the Father. It can be hard to draw a fine line between Amillenialism and Revivalist Postmillenialism. Amillenialism tends to believe society will, through growing rebellion, continue to deteriorate, while Postmillenialism believes the Church will influence the world producing greater righteousness.
[edit] Eschatological frameworks
[edit] Covenantal
Held by many evangelical Reformed Protestant Churches who take a Historical-grammatical and Typological interpretation of the Bible. Adherents would include the Reformed church, most of the Presbyterian church, some low church Anglicans, some Baptist churches and some Wesleyan Methodist churches and certain Lutheran churches. Can share much in common with Biblical theology view.
- Judgements: Revelation Ch 1 - 19
- Idealism: the book of Revelation was not designed as a historical document or future prophecy, but instead teaches timeless truths about good and evil, Satan and God, etc., by way of metaphor, allegory, and/or story.
- Historic or Covenantal Futurism (Especially Historic-Premillennialism, c.f., George Eldon Ladd as opposed to Dispensational Futurism or Dispensational Premillennialism): the book of Revelation is limited to a specific future period--the tribulation.
- Historicism (See the eschatology of Martin Luther, John Calvin, Joseph Mede, Isaac Newton, John Gill, Matthew Henry, E. B. Elliott, Henry Grattan Guinness, and Charles Haddon Spurgeon; also see http://www.historicism.com for a contemporary overview of this eschatological system, and for a contemporary case see especially Ian Paisley in Northern Ireland): the book of Revelation portrays the span of church history, from the first century to the return of Christ: events in Revelation are symbolically interpreted to portray literal events in the life of the Church.
- Preterism: the book of Revelation was prophecy at the time, but all or most of it has already been fulfilled in the very early days of the Church; esp. centering around the destruction of the Temple and the Jewish nation in 70 A.D. Differences:
- Full Preterism: All of Christian prophecy was fulfilled in the first century, including the return of Christ and the resurrection of believers. The resurrection is interpreted to mean receiving a spiritual body after death, with no promise of a physical resurrection for any besides Christ.
- Partial Preterism: Most of prophecy was fulfilled in the first century, except Christ's return then was as a judge of Israel, but not his final literal coming. He is still to return and literally raise the believing dead.
- Millennium: Revelation Ch 20
- Amillennialism: , or
- Postmillennialism (See also Reconstructionist Postmillennialism versus Revivalistic Postmillennialism)
[edit] Biblical Theological
Held by reformed, evangelical Protestants (for example, Sydney Anglicans), similar to the covenantal theological view and usually idealist and amillennial. Revelation describes what is happening now. This view acknowledges that there may be valid preteristic connections (eg. the seven hills = Rome) but the full understanding comes through an idealistic-historicism (but without necessarily seeing the Roman Catholic church as the antichrist). The events of the book while not to be tied to particular historical events, still describe the sorts of things that will happen until Christ returns. The book of Revelation is interpreted according to apocalyptic conventions regarding numbers and colours (7 = perfection/completion, white = victory) and the enormous number of allusions to the rest of Scripture.[1] [2]
[edit] Dispensational
Held by groups who believe the scriptures to be Biblically inerrant and often more Arminian leaning. Held by many Protestant groups who take what they believe is a more literal interpretation of the Bible including many, but not most, Pentecostal Charismatic and Baptist churches and Independent and 'Non-denominational' churches as well as a few of the Presbyterian Church and Wesleyan Methodist churches. Also held by most groups that are labelled Fundamentalists. The more politically active sections within this eschatological view often strongly support the Christian Zionism movement and the associated political, military and economic support for Israel which comes from certain groups within American politics and parts of the Christian right. This view is also held in a modified form by groups such as the Latter Day Saints, Christadelphians and Adventist splinter groups such as the Branch Davidians. One of the main tenets of Dispensationalism is the strict dichotomy that dispensationalists claim exists between Israel and the New Testament Church. This is expressly denied by Covenant Theologians who claim the existence of a relationship via “Spiritual Israel.” A dispensationalist would claim that none of the prophecies pertaining to Israel are or will be fulfilled in or by the New Testament Church. Covenant Theologians would claim that some of the prophecies pertaining to Israel are, will, or may be fulfilled in or by the New Testament Church. see supersessionism.
- Judgements: Revelation Ch 1 - 19
- Dispensational Futurism as opposed to Historic or Covenantal Futurism.
- Millennium: Revelation Ch 20
- Dispensational Premillennialism (See various views on tribulationism - pre-, mid- or post-) as opposed to Historic or Covenantal Premillennialism.
[edit] Allegorical or Mythical
Held by groups ranging from those who are Biblically inerrant to those who do not believe in Biblical inerrancy at all including liberal scholars in main line denominations. Supporters of this position also include high church Anglo-Catholic, Catholic-leaning Lutherans, Eastern Orthodox churches, most who believe in Papal infallibility such as most traditional Roman Catholic groups, and a number of other groups.
- Judgements: Revelation Ch 1 - 19
- Allegorical Idealism, or
- Catholic Partial Preterism
- Millennium: Revelation Ch 20
- Allegorical Amillennialism
[edit] See also
- Grammatical-historical
- Allegoricalism
- Biblical inerrancy
- Catholic
- Christian eschatology
- Christianity
- Christian theology
- Christian denominations
- Covenantalism
- Dispensationalism
- Eastern Orthodox
- Eschatology
- Millennialism
- Protestant
- Millerites
- Second coming
- End times
- Olivet discourse
- Prophecy
- Psychopannychism
[edit] References
- Darrell L. Bock (ed), Three views on the Millennium and beyond (1999, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan) ISBN 0-310-20143-8
- C. Marvin Pate (ed), Four views on the Book of Revelation (1998, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan) ISBN 0-310-21080-1
- Steve Gregg (ed), Revelation, Four views, A parallel commentary (1997, Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson) ISBN 0-8407-2128-5
[edit] Preterist
- Jay Adams, The Time is at Hand (1966, Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing)
- David Chilton, The Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation (1987, Ft. Worth, Texas: Dominion Press)
- Kenneth Gentry, Before Jerusalem Fell: The dating of the Book of Revelation (1989, Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics)
[edit] Idealist
Under construction
[edit] Historicist
- Joe Haynes, http://www.historicism.com.
- http://historicist.com
- http://lazarusunbound.com
- Historicism Research Foundation a Postmillennial Historicist group
[edit] Futurist
- The Pristine Faith Restoration Society Futurism, Premillennialism, Posttribulationism
- The Last Trumpet
[edit] Premillennial
- The Pristine Faith Restoration Society Restoring the chiliasm of the early Church
- The Last Trumpet
[edit] Postmillennial
- Mathison, Keith A. 1999. Postmillenialism. An Eschatology of Hope. Philipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing. (ISBN 0-87552-389-7) - Good one volume over-view of Postmillennialism. Written by a proponent.
- Bock, Darrell. 1999. Three Views of the Millennium and Beyond. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing.
- Boettner, Loraine. 1984. The Millennium. Philipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing. (ISBN 0-87552-113-4)
- Gentry, Kenneth. 1992. He Shall Have Dominion: A Postmillennial Eschatology. Tyler, Tx: Institute For Christian Economics.
- Gentry, Kenneth. 2003. Thine is the Kingdom: A Study of the Postmillennial Hope. Vallecito, CA: Chalcedon Foundation.
- Murray, Iain. 1971. The Puritan Hope: A Study in Revival and the Interpretation of Prophecy. London, UK: Banner of Truth Trust.
- North, Gary. 1990. Millennialism and Social Theory. Tyler, Tx: Institute For Christian Economics.
- Davis, John Jefferson. 1996. The Victory of Christ's Kingdom: An Introduction to Postmillennialism. Moscow, ID: Canon Press.
- Bahnsen, Greg. 1999. Victory in Jesus: The Bright Hope of Postmillennialism (ISBN 0-9678317-1-7) Texarkana, AR: Covenant Media Press.
The above Postmillennialism References are taken from the Wikipedia Postmillennialism entry.
- Loraine Boettner Anthology including writings on Postmillennialism
- Historicism Research Foundation a Postmillennial Historicist group
[edit] Amillennial
- Riddlebarger, Kim. 2003. “A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times.” (ISBN 0-8010-6435-X Paperback: 1903-02-20) Baker Book House.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Goldsworthy, G. "The Gospel in Revelation - Gospel and Apocalypse", Paternoster Press, 1994, ISBN 0-85364-630-9.
- ^ Tattersall, L. "Letters from heaven - Bible talks from the book of Revelation", Perspective Vol. 10 No. 3&4, 2003.
