Idealism (Christian eschatology)
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In the context of Christian eschatology , idealism (also called the spiritual approach , the allegorical approach , the nonliteral approach , and many other names) involves an interpretation of the Book of Revelation that sees all or most of the imagery of the book as symbolic . Idealism is common among Reformed theologians and it is associated with amillennialism . [1] [2] There exists degrees of Idealism, the most radical form sees it as entirely symbolic, while a more moderate view may allow for some historical fulfillment of events. [3]
Idealism was common in medieval writers and is still taught by some modern theologians. [4]
F. D. Maurice (1805–1872) interpreted the Kingdom of Heaven idealistically as a symbol representing society's general improvement, instead of as a physical and political kingdom. Karl Barth (1886–1968) interpreted eschatology as representing existential truths that bring the individual hope, rather than as history or as future-history. [5] Barth's ideas provided fuel for the Social Gospel philosophy in America , which saw social change not as performing "required" good works , but because the individuals involved felt that Christians could not simply ignore society's problems with future dreams. [6]
Different authors have suggested that the Beast of Revelation represents various social injustices, such as exploitation of workers , [7] wealth, the elite, commerce , [8] materialism , and imperialism . [9] Various Christian anarchists , such as Jacques Ellul (1912–1994), have identified the State and political power as the Beast. [10]
Christian eschatological idealism is distinct from Preterism , Futurism and Historicism in that it does not see any of the prophecies (except in some cases the Second Coming , and Final Judgment ) as being fulfilled in a literal, physical, earthly sense in the past, present or future. [11] It views interpretation of the eschatological portions of the Bible in a historical or future-historical fashion as an erroneous understanding. [12]
See also
References
- ↑ "Idealist Commentaries on Revelation" . Reformed Books Online . 2016-10-30 . Retrieved 2022-11-08 .
- ↑ Stan Campbell and James S. Bell (2001). The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Book of Revelation . Alpha Books. pp. 212–213. ISBN 9780028642383 .
- ↑ Waldron, Sam (2013-02-25). "A Redemptive-Historical, Modified Idealist Approach to the Book of Revelation" . Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary . Retrieved 2022-11-18 .
- ↑ Mounce, Robert H. (1998). The Book of Revelation . Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8028-2537-7 .
- ↑ Encyclopedia of time By Samuel L. Macey , p.186-187
- ↑ Karl Barth and Christian Unity - The Influence of the Barthian Movement Upon the Churches of the World, by Professor Adolf Keller , p.190-192
- ↑ Third Way magazine, April 1987, p.23
- ↑ Who rides the beast?: prophetic rivalry and the rhetoric of crisis in the churches of the apocalypse By Paul Brooks Duff, p. 70, Oxford UP 2001
- ↑ Christopher R. Smith, "Reclaiming the Social Justice Message of Revelation: Materialism, Imperialism and Divine Judgement in Revelation 18", Transformation 7 (1990): 28-33
-
↑
Christoyannopoulos, Alexandre
(2010).
Christian Anarchism: A Political Commentary on the Gospel
. Exeter: Imprint Academic. pp.
123–126.
Revelation
- ↑ The Concise Dictionary of Christian Theology By Millard J. Erickson , p. 95
- ↑ Eschatology. Indexes: the concluding volume of the series Dogmatic theology By Francis Joseph Hall , p.13.
External links
- Preterist-Idealism Archived 2010-07-22 at the Wayback Machine
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