Today’s New Reason To Believe

Kenneth Richard Samples

How can a Christian think about eschatology (the study of “last things”) in a careful and intellectually responsible manner?

Let me offer three suggestions for believers to carefully consider when approaching the controversial theological topic of the “end times.”

1. Understanding the Bible’s Apocalyptic Literature

Evangelical theologian and eschatology specialist George Eldon Ladd notes the following:

Revelation is the most difficult of all New Testament books to interpret, primarily because of the elaborate and extensive use of symbolism.

Both apocalyptic books of the Bible (Daniel and Revelation) are very challenging to understand and properly interpret. Throughout church history biblical scholars and theologians have come to a variety of different positions on how these books are to be understood.

Acknowledging this diversity of thought should cause Christians to be measured and cautious in what they assert about the Bible’s teaching on eschatological issues. Far too many believers think that their specific interpretation of end times passages is synonymous with what the Bible actually reveals about the topic. Remember, the Bible must be responsibly studied through a careful analysis of literary genre, grammar, and context.

2. Mere Christian Eschatology

While significant differences over the final events of human history exist, nevertheless all historic Christian theological traditions affirm essential core orthodoxy when it comes to eschatology. Parts two and three of this series elaborate on five significant events on which believers agree. Here’s that list enumerated once again:

Five Point Mere Christian Eschatology

Second Coming of Jesus Christ

General Resurrection of the Dead

Final Judgment of Humankind

Eternal State

New Creation

3. Learning the Major Views on Eschatology

Because the study of future things is a hotly contested topic in Christian theology, believers should take the time and effort to study the field. If you have only been exposed to a form of premillennialism (which is very popular today among evangelicals), then consider looking into one of the best books on the amillennial and postmillennial positions. Or if you have only been exposed to amillennialism (probably the overall Christian consensus position over the centuries), then try reading the best books that defend a form of premillennialism.

Our churches stand to benefit when its members grow in their knowledge of the Bible and of historic Christian doctrine. I strongly recommend that pastors and teachers in churches and colleges encourage their people to read broadly on the topic of eschatology. It is certainly acceptable for churches and Christian colleges to affirm and defend a particular view concerning last things, but those affirmations mean a whole lot more when all the major views have been considered.

Here are a few good books explaining the different evangelical Christian positions on eschatology:

Historic Premillennialism:
George Eldon Ladd, The Blessed Hope.

Dispensational Premillennialism:
John F. Walvoord, The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation.

Postmillennialism:
John Jefferson Davis, Christ’s Victorious Kingdom.

Amillennialism:
Anthony Hoekema, The Bible and the Future

Future articles explore other issues relating to Christian eschatology.

For an introduction to the topic of general eschatology, see Donald G. Bloesch, The Last Things and Robert Clouse ed., The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views.

Kenneth Richard Samples

How can a Christian think about eschatology (the study of “last things”) in a careful and intellectually responsible manner?

Let me offer three suggestions for believers to carefully consider when approaching the controversial theological topic of the “end times.”

1. Understanding the Bible’s Apocalyptic Literature

Evangelical theologian and eschatology specialist George Eldon Ladd notes the following:

Revelation is the most difficult of all New Testament books to interpret, primarily because of the elaborate and extensive use of symbolism.

Both apocalyptic books of the Bible (Daniel and Revelation) are very challenging to understand and properly interpret. Throughout church history biblical scholars and theologians have come to a variety of different positions on how these books are to be understood.

Acknowledging this diversity of thought should cause Christians to be measured and cautious in what they assert about the Bible’s teaching on eschatological issues. Far too many believers think that their specific interpretation of end times passages is synonymous with what the Bible actually reveals about the topic. Remember, the Bible must be responsibly studied through a careful analysis of literary genre, grammar, and context.

2. Mere Christian Eschatology

While significant differences over the final events of human history exist, nevertheless all historic Christian theological traditions affirm essential core orthodoxy when it comes to eschatology. Parts two and three of this series elaborate on five significant events on which believers agree. Here’s that list enumerated once again:

Five Point Mere Christian Eschatology

Second Coming of Jesus Christ

General Resurrection of the Dead

Final Judgment of Humankind

Eternal State

New Creation

3. Learning the Major Views on Eschatology

Because the study of future things is a hotly contested topic in Christian theology, believers should take the time and effort to study the field. If you have only been exposed to a form of premillennialism (which is very popular today among evangelicals), then consider looking into one of the best books on the amillennial and postmillennial positions. Or if you have only been exposed to amillennialism (probably the overall Christian consensus position over the centuries), then try reading the best books that defend a form of premillennialism.

Our churches stand to benefit when its members grow in their knowledge of the Bible and of historic Christian doctrine. I strongly recommend that pastors and teachers in churches and colleges encourage their people to read broadly on the topic of eschatology. It is certainly acceptable for churches and Christian colleges to affirm and defend a particular view concerning last things, but those affirmations mean a whole lot more when all the major views have been considered.

Here are a few good books explaining the different evangelical Christian positions on eschatology:

Historic Premillennialism:
George Eldon Ladd, The Blessed Hope.

Dispensational Premillennialism:
John F. Walvoord, The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation.

Postmillennialism:
John Jefferson Davis, Christ’s Victorious Kingdom.

Amillennialism:
Anthony Hoekema, The Bible and the Future

Future articles explore other issues relating to Christian eschatology.

For an introduction to the topic of general eschatology, see Donald G. Bloesch, The Last Things and Robert Clouse ed., The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views.

by Jeff Zweerink

The Galileo affair, the Huxley-Wilberforce debate and the Scopes Trial. Many skeptics of the Christian faith often trot out these events to support their contention that religion (specifically Christianity) only serves to impede scientific progress. Stated another way, the scientific enterprise and the Christian faith stand in perpetual opposition where scientific progress inevitably renders religion obsolete. Historians of science refer to this position as the conflict thesis , and it holds much sway in public opinion.

A recent study shows just how deeply this thesis penetrates the popular psyche. According to the article published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, a group of 129 volunteers were given summaries of the big bang theory and the primordial soup hypothesis to read. After reading, half the volunteers read a statement indicating these two theories were strong and supported by data. The other half read a statement explaining that the theories raised more questions than they answered. Then the volunteers were given tests to determine their subconscious attitudes toward science and God.

The results demonstrated that positive statements about the strength of scientific models correlated with more negative associations with God and vice versa. The authors argue that these results show that people have a dual belief system. According to the lead author, Jesse Preston,

We can only believe in one explanation at a time…So although people can report explicitly, ‘Look, I’ve been a Christian all my life, and yes, I also believe science and I am a practicing chemist,’ the question is, are these people really reconciling belief in God and science, or are they just believing in one thing at a time?

These results make perfect sense in light of the standard coverage of the interaction between science and religion in popular culture. The constant message that the two inherently conflict will cause most people who have not studied the issue closely to see the interaction as an “either–or” proposition

However, the popular portrayal of inherent discord does not stand up under more detailed scrutiny. In fact, historians of science reject the conflict thesis in favor of a more complex interaction. In the book Science and Religion, Gary Ferngren describes the situation this way:

Although popular images of controversy continue to exemplify the supposed hostility of Christianity to new scientific theories, studies have shown that Christianity has often nurtured and encouraged scientific endeavor, while at other times the two have co-existed without either tension or attempts at harmonization. If Galileo and the Scopes trial come to mind as examples of conflict, they were exceptions rather than the rule.

Despite experts’ rejection of the conflict thesis, it still dominates the thoughts of most in Western society, as affirmed by the results of this latest study. This plight highlights the need for Christians to soundly defend the historic alliance between Christianity and science in the quest for a proper understanding of the creation in which we live.