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Eschatology

Eschatological Aside – Preterism

We have discussed the four major views of Eschatology in previous articles. Today, we will take a quick aside to look at Preterism.

Preterism believes the various events of Eschatology have already happened. There are various degrees of Preterism for which we must take account.

Preterism comes from the latin word for past i.e. Past-ism. Preterism views the many of the prophecies in the New Testament as typically understood to be in the future (the end of the world) have been fulfilled in our past.

For instance, many Evangelicals see the events of Revelation are yet to be in the future (Futurism) but the Preterist sees many of the events as happening in our past but John’s (the writer of Revelation) then future.

The historic Christian church’s only statement on Preterism speaks against Hyper-Preterism (aka Full-Preterism).

  • Preterism (Orthodox Preterism)
    • Tribulation happened in the past (70AD)
    • Millennium occurring now between Christ’s Advent and Christ’s Second Advent (Second Coming)
    • Christ’s Second Advent yet future
    • New Creation yet future

Every view, except Dispensational Premillennialism, can have leeway within the scope of Partial Preterism. Dispensational Premillennialism is strictly a futurist view.

  • Hyper-Preterism (Heterodox Preterism)
    • Tribulation happened in the past
    • Millennium happened in the past
    • Christ’s Second Coming happened in the past
    • New Creation happened in the past

Full Preterism denies any passages of Scripture which point to events still in the future. It is considered heterodox (not conformed to historic Christian beliefs) by orthodox (historically accepted) Christianity. In other words, Full Preterism is heresy.

Full Preterism possesses no significance historically speaking. C. Michael Patton explains, “Full- or hyper-preterism is the belief, in essence that Christ has already come, we are in the New Heaven and New Earth, and the resurrection has already happened. It is not taken seriously (at least full-preterism) in any academic circles. There are only outspoken fringe groups who would claim the doctrine. … Hyper-preterism is simply not something that deserves the time. (BTW: I think that everyone would do the same if the flat earth society set up a booth).”

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