← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · friedrich braun
Thread ID: 17663 | Posts: 3 | Started: 2005-04-06
2005-04-06 14:08 | User Profile
Can anyone explain the theological differences and nuances between these positions?
2005-04-06 14:42 | User Profile
FB-- This is a question that can involve a great deal of minutiae. However, in general: 1. Historic (Classical) Premilliennialism - the world is growing steadily worse and will continue to do so until the physical, risen Christ returns to begin His thousand-year reign on earth. This Second Coming will be preceded by certain physical events predicted in the Book of Revelation. 2. Dispensational Premilliennialism -- same as above, except adds that all promises made by the prophets in the Old Testament are to physical Israel only (meaning the Jews) not to the Church, that all the Jews will be physically gathered together into one place before the Second Coming, and that the Jews are always and forever the chosen people of God. They also believe that the establishment of the Church was not God's original plan; instead, it was merely a 'backup plan' He had to resort to because the Jews rejected Him. 3. Postmilliennialsim -- the Church is steadily expanding and will eventually convert all the peoples of the earth. A thousand-year era of peace and faithfulness will ensue, after which Christ will return. 4. Amilliennialism -- the millennium (Christ's reign on earth) began when He instituted His Church upon the earth. Good and evil continue to exist side-by-side, and the earth will gradually grow spiritually worse, leading to the tribulations of the faithful predicted in Revelations. After these events (which may be fulfilled physically or metaphorically), Christ will return to judge all.
Amillennialism is the historical view of the Church, and it is my view, as well. Of the other views, the only one I think it truly dangerous (and heretical) is Dispensational Premillennialism, because of its obsession with 'physical Israel.'
If you wish to read further, you can check out this URL -- [url="http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/eschatology/eschatol.shtml"]http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/eschatology/eschatol.shtml[/url] I cannot vouch for the guy's interpretations of doctrine, but his definitions seem sound and comprehensive.
2005-04-06 19:14 | User Profile
FB -- You might also wish to check out this article in Culture Wars -- [url="http://culturewars.com/2004/Gorenberg.htm"]http://culturewars.com/2004/Gorenberg.htm[/url] It is a book review of a book about eschatology, and it covers all the bases very well.