Models of Eschatology

Below are the overheads from week 3 on Postmillennialism [No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 Below are the opening comments and outline on Postmillennialism.

Postmillennialism

Places the return of Christ after the millennial period.

To better understand postmillennialism it helps to look back on the World around the turn of the 20^th century when postmillennialism was at its zenith. The hope and optimism of the secular world was reflected in Christianity.

Postmillennialism dates back to the middle ages, but it took the optimistic view of the future which arose around the turn of the century to make it the dominant model of eschatology for a short season.

The Industrial Revolution had already been changing world in some countries for decades. The use of electricity was expanding. The Wright brothers had invented a flying machine, Henry Ford was mass producing the automobile, great ocean liners were steaming across the world’s oceans, radio was making mass communication possible, and diseases never before controlled were being conquered. It’s been called the Golden Age of Modern Physics when even an unknown postal clerk could get in the act by publishing theories that would transform the world through his Theory of Relativity.

A modern style of music was being born in America down tin-pan alley by Irving Berlin

and other great composers. In 1906 the first radio transmission of music took place.

Paris was the artistic capital of the World. The visual arts saw Picasso invent cubism, abstract painting push artistic limits and a new style called Art Nouveau (French for new art) became popular which featured flowing, rhythmic curved lines that spread from art to architecture to furniture to silverware and about anything else that could be designed.

I decided to add a little class to the joint by adding an example of this type of work in the thumbnail image here.

This was a golden age in all human endeavors where medicine, science, the arts, and industry were doing things never before dreamed possible.

Wealth was being created on a scale never before seen in human history as well which allowed Christians to pool their resources and finance missionary work around the world by full-time missionaries in large numbers for the first time.

In this heady time when wealth and imagination and creative inventions were making everything seem possible it is was the perfect moment in time for a model of eschatology to make it seem that Christianity would spread around the globe to every crevice of human existence. That it would usher in the utopian existence of the millennial period when peace and prosperity and Christianity would be universal and culminate in the triumphant return of Christ.

(Outline)

Postmillennialism

Starts with Joachim of Fiore (1135 – 1202) 12^th century monk.

I. Zenith around the turn of 20^th century.

A. Challenges Premillennialism for dominant position in eschatology.

B. Secular world argues that with modern advances man has out grown the need for religion.

II. The modern state of Israel is not relevant to this model.

III. Christians do go through the tribulation.

IV. Tribulation gives way to the spread of Christianity.

V. Millennium is period when gospel spreads to all people on earth.

VI. Millennial period

A. Could be an actual period of 1,000 years.

B. Could be symbolic representation of a long period of time.

VII. No rapture before the Second Coming.

VIII. Christ returns physically.

IX. Final judgment and eternity after millennial period.

I hope you have a good week and look forward to seeing you next Wednesday at 6:30.