160 | TE004 | Transcending Eschatology | Part 4 | Choosing Sides

May 8

Date: May 8, 2023

Welcome back to our series on Eschatology - the study of End Time events.

Episode 1: The Doomsday Clock - We discussed our social and cultural beliefs about the End of Time. Typically based on science and entertainment.
Episode 2: The Flip Side - We dove into End Time beliefs that are based on spiritual or religious belief systems. And we looked at some of the major world religions.
Episode 3: Carrying the Torch - We discussed the history and origins of Christian Eschatology - and how it can be traced all the way from Adam and Eve to us today.

Today we move to Christianity - the faith tradition I grew up in. And we start the process of defining what End Time beliefs are held within this religious tradition.

Today's Topic: Transcending Eschatology | Part 4 | Choosing Sides

Picking Teams
Developing a Play Book
Gettin' Millennial With It

// CHAPTER 1: PICKING TEAMS

In the last episode we discussed the fact that there is division within Christianity - and what Christians believe about the End of Time.

Starting with the largest and most obvious division:

Catholicism and Protestantism
I wanted to touch on this one more time simply because it comes back up later in Biblical prophecy
The Catholic Church believes that it is the true church
Now so do many Protestant Denominations
But the Catholic Church takes it to a whole other level
The Papacy in Rome - believes that they are the head of the one true church
And the only reason Protestantism exists is because a bunch of their kids ran away from home
They view Protestants as children who have gone astray
And what do parents do when a child or teenager runs away from home?
They go looking for them - right?
Not to see how they are doing - and congratulate them on starting a new life
No! They go find them so they can bring them home
To their real home - their true home
Where they will be safe
And so it is with the Catholic Church
The belief is that Protestants ran away from their true home
And all need to return to the safety of their parents home
Now this is a very traditional belief - one that led to atrocities like The Crusades
Where the Catholic Church tried to "force" people to return to the Mother Church
And those who refused were killed
If you're my age - you grew up with the band U2 - who came from Ireland - a country split apart by wars between Catholics and Protestants
And I don't believe this behavior has completely stopped
I feel like there are places in the world still where the Catholic Church persecutes those who choose not to be part of their community
But for the most part the physical manipulation has stopped - and the rhetoric has softened
Search for articles on how Catholics view Protestants these days and you'll see what I mean
You'll find statements like:

"We're simply separated people from the same family"
"God is working to reconcile us within His family"
"The daughters who went astray will eventually return to their mother"

But at the end of the day - the sentiment is still there
There should only be one family - and the devision should be repaired
I'm reviewing this because I believe it's one of the most important pieces of church history
It plays a role in our lives here in the United States to be sure:

If you don't believe me - here are just two examples:
First, I'm not going to call America a "Christian Nation" or for sure not a "Protestant Nation"
But for some reason our country seems to be ok with Protestantism and a little suspicious of Catholicism
Look back at the Presidents of the United States
None identified as Catholic until John F. Kennedy
And he was assassinated - along with other members of his family within government
Since then - there hasn't been a Catholic president until Joe Biden
Next, is the Catholic influence in other branches of the government
I find it interesting that one area where Catholics seem to be battling for dominance is in the Supreme Court
There has been a Catholic Justice in the Supreme Court since the 1800s
There was consistently at least one - until the 1990s when it shot up to three
And after the Trump presidency - that number grew
And now there is a supermajority of Conservative Catholics on the court
6 in total
And the impact is obvious
The minute all were in place - the court repealed Roe v Wade
And the court is prepared to walk through a laundry list of our current freedoms in order to determine if they should continue to exist

Like I said - two examples of the way Catholicism is playing a role in our country today
But I also believe the Catholic Church will play a major role at the End of Time
Not the people of the Catholic Church
I don't view Catholic People as dangerous or in some way opposing me as a person
But the church itself - the governing body - the laws - the belief in the one true church concept
That's what could become dangerous
But more on that in a future episode

So as we've seen - there is a major divide between Catholicism and Protestantism. It began with the Protestant Reformation, led to The Crusades, and is still very much alive in the world today.

But if we take the Catholic Church out of the equation - we still have division - even within Protestant Christianity.

According to articles I found online - especially one from PewResearch.org there are:

Numerous distinct religious groups and/or denominations
That number is probably in the hundreds if you're talking large groups like "Baptists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, etc."
Or it could be in the thousands if you begin looking at all the offshoots of these groups, the standalone religions and the cults that have been started within these groups

But it's not the number that's important - whether it's 500 or 50,000:

The problem is the same
And it's obvious...
There is division
People can't agree on religious things
Biblical interpretation
What is right and what is wrong
And the sad thing is that it makes God look bad
To the outside world looking in they simply see a bunch of siblings fighting
Each sibling says they know the truth - so they're right
Which is obviously not true - because you can't have 500 different versions of the truth and have each of them be true
Only one of them can be true - or none at all
Another thing at play here is spiritual warfare
Now this may mean nothing to certain people because there are people who believe in a God - but don't believe in an evil force like Satan
But for those of us who believe in Satan - we tend to believe in a concept called spiritual warfare
That there is a battle going on behind the scenes for the allegiance of every human being past, present and future

If that's you - you might like the series we did a few years ago called "Controversy Theory"
As it was based on this foundational belief that there is a spiritual war taking place all around us

So if you look at the world this way - the division we see in the Protestant Church makes total sense
From a spiritual warfare standpoint - this works well for Satan
If there is truth at all within these churches - it will be that much harder to find
It will be that much harder for people to believe
It's like hiding the proverbial needle in a haystack
If truth will always exist - you may as well try to hide it - to make it harder to find

Now - we could spend the next 10 episodes talking about all the denominations, where they came from, why they exist, what their core beliefs are, why they separated from other denominations, etc.

But that has little to do with our series on the End of Time...

So just know that there are hundreds upon thousands of denominations based on the unique beliefs they choose to hold onto.

And within this set of beliefs are some related to the End of Time.

Not that every church has a belief structure about the End of Time. There may be churches out there that choose not to even have the discussion. Maybe they find it too controversial. Maybe they view it as divisive to their congregation. But for whatever reason - maybe they choose to leave it on the shelf. To agree to disagree. And to leave it up to the individual person if they want to go down that road...

But they are probably in the minority. My guess is that most denominations have a documented belief on the prophetic portions of the Bible.

So that's what we're going to spend a few minutes on this week.

We're going to walk through some high level belief buckets if you will.

Since we would never be able to walk through each denominations unique beliefs about the End of Time - we'll look at some of the higher level categories of belief. Ones that are recognized, and documented pretty well. And for the most part - a lot of the unique denominations will fall into one of these buckets.

So let's start at the top.

// 2. CHAPTER 2: DEVELOPING A PLAY BOOK

Within Christianity - one of the most important decisions a person or group of people have to make is what they want to do with the Bible itself:

Here are just three of the many ways you could choose to view the Bible:

The inerrant Word of God: Every single word was determined by God. There are no errors. There is no debate. God said it, and I believe it
Errant, but very important: So even if there are some problems and contradictions - the Bible is still the inspired book God will use to get the truth to future generations
A good book with some good stuff in it: The Bible is simply a compilation of human writings - some are helpful, some are simply meant to inspire us and there are a lot of artistic, and poetic things left up to our interpretation

Now - that's an oversimplification to be sure. There are probably hundreds of variations in there.

But at the end of the day - the beliefs we choose to carry throughout our lives have to come from somewhere. And if you're a Christian - that place is the Bible. So how we view the Bible will play a very significant role in what we choose to believe.

Next, we have the ways people, groups and denominations choose to interpret Bible prophecy.

So back to the End of Time conversation. The parts of the Bible that have to do with the future, or the End of Time are referred to as Bible prophecy. Books like:

Daniel
Ezekiel
Isaiah
Joel
Zechariah
Matthew
Thessalonians
Revelation

Some of these books contain short snippets of prophetic content while others seem to be almost completely prophetic.

So when a person, or group of people come to these sections of the Bible - they typically have a filter through which they read those sections.

In other words - they've predetermined how they want to interpret the verses.

Over time - you simply have to adopt a filter in order to make sense of everything you read. And once that filter is in place - it is used to help interpret everything from that point on.

So let's look at the Big 5. The five main categories of interpreting Biblical Prophecy:

Preterism:

Non-literal view of prophecy
All prophecies within the Bible have already been fulfilled
The symbols and depictions in the Book of Revelation for example refer to events that took place in the 1st Century
They believe that the Antichrist was the Roman Emperor Nero
They believe that the tribulation and Second Coming of Jesus (in judgement) happened in 70AD when Jerusalem was destroyed

Historicism:

Also non-literal
Sometimes called the continuous historical view
Believes the Book of Revelation is describing the history of the church from the time of Jesus to His Second Coming
Because of this - some of the content in prophecy is history and some is describing future events
But it is difficult to place our current time into the timeline offered in Revelation
This is the belief held by the majority of the Protestant Reformers

Futurism:

Interestingly enough - this view of Bible Prophecy did not exist until the Protestant Reformation
It is believed that Futurism was proposed as part of the counter-reformation - by the Catholic Church
Historicism painted the church, and the Pope in a bad light
But the Futurist view took the spotlight off the church and placed it on future events that can not be known
This is the one lens or filter that attempts to read Bible Prophecy as literal words with real life application
Futurism is also where we get the concept of the Rapture
The Left Behind Series that was all the rage back in the 90s and early 2000s

Idealism:

A belief that Bible Prophecy has no real correlation to anything in history
The belief is that Revelation is a work of fiction
Apocalyptic Literature was a popular genre back in that time period - and Revelation is simply that
A classic tale of the timeless battle between good and evil
Any attempt to read in historical or future events is pointless
The book is simply meant to encourage us that God will win someday
Good will triumph over evil

Eclecticism:

This is a blend of two other beliefs
It's a combination of Futurism and Partial Preterism
So what does that mean?
The belief is that the bulk of the Book of Revelation has already taken place
But that chapters 20-22 describe a future Second Coming of Christ
This belief requires both a literal and non-literal approach in order to fully understand the prophecies

So there you go - 5 major takes on Bible Prophecy. There may be more - but these are the Big 5. And some would say there are really only three that hold water.

In many articles I looked at - they chose only to discuss 3 of the 5:

Preterism
Historicism
Futurism

Which on some level I agree with. Idealism is very much tied to a specific view of the Bible. People who view the Bible as having little to no celestial influence. In other words - choosing to believe that God really had nothing to do with the writing and compilation of the Bible. If this was my view of the Bible - I would most likely be an Idealist not only with the prophetic parts - but probably the entire book. Works of art. Poetry. Good sayings and encouraging words. But nothing more than that.

As for Eclecticism - one article I read put it this way: "It’s an arbitrary method of interpretation that violates its own internal logic by employing mutually exclusive interpretive methods whenever it suits the interpreter."

Sound familiar? This would be the interpretive method of choice these days. In the same way people "church shop." It isn't really about the truth - it's what works for me. Living in a capitalistic society - it's all about me, what I want, what I like and what works for me. Eclecticism seems to be the interpretation method that scratches that itch.

So we'll leave it there - with the Big 3 being Preterism, Historicism and Futurism.

// 3. CHAPTER 3: GETTIN' MILLENNIAL WITH IT

So once you have your filter in place - there is another decision you'll need to make.

And that's how you view the Millennium - a 1000 year period of time described in Bible Prophecy.

Similar to the interpretation methods - here are the Big 3 beliefs about the Millennium:

Premillennialism:

Classic or Historic:

The simple explanation is that the 1000 years exist after Jesus Returns
There will be difficult times on Earth - what we refer to as the tribulation
Then the Second Coming will happen - and Jesus will take those who believe in Him to heaven for 1000 years

Dispensational:

The Rapture happens at some point out of the blue
Then there will be a very defined 7 years of tribulation
Then Jesus will return
And the 1000 years will begin at that point

Post-Millennialism:

The belief that the 1000 years will be before the Second Coming of Jesus
At some point in time (a time we won't fully know) the Millennium (or what they call the Church Age will start on Earth)
During this time the church leads the charge in making the world a better place
Some refer to this as, "Bringing the kingdom from heaven to earth."
During this time many come to know Christ
And the entire world will be cleaned up (if you will) in order for Jesus to return

Amillennialism:

The belief that there is no 1000 year period to come
We are simply waiting for Jesus to return
When He does - believers will go to heaven with Him and non-believers will be judged and sent to eternal condemnation - whatever that means

So there you have it. Again - various ways that Protestant Denomination have chosen to view the description of the Millennium in Bible Prophecy.

Like I said with the various beliefs in how to interpret prophecy - there may be additional views on the Millennium.

But these are the three that boil to the surface.

Now - there is one more set of beliefs I'll walk through before we wrap up.

And this has to do with the Rapture. When we use this word - we're typically referring to the "secret rapture" made popular by Futurists and the Left Behind Series.

But the word "Rapture" simply means, "To be caught up in the air."

So in this case - many people - from many different categories would still believe in a "Rapture" - just not necessarily a secret one...

So here are the Big 3 beliefs on the Rapture:

Pre-tribulation:

The rapture will occur before the time of tribulation happens
This is typically referred to as the "secret rapture" as it happens suddenly and without warning

Mid-tribulation:

The rapture will occur somewhere in the middle of the tribulation
So things will become very difficult and at some point believers will be taken off the Earth
I can't be 100% certain - but it sounds like this would also be a "secret rapture"

Post-tribulation:

The End Times will be difficult - and everyone living at the time will go through it
And when Jesus returns every eye will see Him
And at that time believers will be taken off the Earth - or "raptured"
However - this can't really be called "secret" because it happens at a time where everyone on Earth is watching the events unfold
People won't miss it - because it will be the only thing going on at that time

So there you go. We just walked through:

The 3 major schools of thought on Biblical Interpretation:

Preterist
Historicist
Futurist

The 3 major schools of thought on the Millennium:

Amillennialism
Pre-Millennialism
Post-Millennialism

The 3 major schools of thought on the Rapture:

Pre-trib
Mid-trib
Post-trib

Now - I wanted to walk through these lists first - in order to have this conversation:

The fact that the existence of these major schools of thought is why there is so much debate and devision surrounding Bible Prophecy
Because it's complicated - and people don't agree on these three main elements
Some hold their view and are respectful of people who hold other views
But there are others who hold their view and are quick to tell everyone else they are wrong

So it makes sense to me that the general public often dismisses Bible Prophecy as irrelevant to their lives:

Who wants to jump into a hornets nest if you can just walk around it - right?
Not only is it messy - with all of the various beliefs
But it's also a difficult subject - thinking about the End of Time
Discussing things like tribulation, persecution, manipulation and life as we know it ending

But let's start over. What if we decided to look at Bible Prophecy through a different lens:

What if all the studying we do in order to find the right explanation of Bible Prophecy is actually misguided energy?
What if God "allowed" the Bible to be a bit confusing in this area on purpose?
A level of difficulty and confusion because it maintains a very important element of the Human Condition
That little thing we call "freedom of choice"
Without it - we're victims - or even worse - robots - pawns in some sick and twisted universal game
So what if God treats Bible Prophecy the same way He treats His existence:

You can't prove God exists - therefore it has to be a choice whether or not we believe in Him
Similarly - we can't prove one version of Bible Prophecy to be true - but we can choose to read it and let God speak to us through it on some level

And this is the approach I'm taking in this series.

What if we simply learned it all? Without trying to find the one true explanation?

If we simply read enough to understand what the Bible says - and then be able to describe the various ways people interpret it?

To me - this might just be the best solution. And here's why:

Option 1:

You put all your eggs into one basket
It's the only explanation you study
You become convinced you're 100% right and everyone else is wrong
And eventually your blinders are so dialed in that it's all you can see
Now - let's say your belief turns out to be wrong
What happens? Are you able to pivot quickly and accept the reality you're presented with?
Or are you so caught off guard that you can't make that leap - and you're unable to reconcile things?

Option 2:

You have a good understanding of all explanations
Sure - you might pick one - or resonate more with one than another
But you hold it loosely
And focus on the fact that the bigger issue is not which explanation is right
The bigger issue is that all of them end the same way
At the end of the day - Jesus comes back and makes everything right
As time comes to a close - having a more general view of all explanations allows you to be flexible
Allows you to "read the room" so to speak
As things on Earth start to unravel - you'll be in a good position to interpret what is happening
Things will make more sense to you
And you'll be able to place these events into the larger narrative of one of the explanations you understand

Again - this is my hope for the Transcending Eschatology Series. Not to tell you which one to choose. But to walk through all of the options with you and develop the mind of a generalist. A person who doesn't get locked into one train of thought - but who is able to make good use of multiple trains of thought.

Now I can already hear people asking, "But you are going to tell us what you believe, right?"

A loaded question to be sure.

On the one hand I have no problem telling you which direction I lean. But at the same time I don't want it to become a distraction - and keep us from our ultimate goal - which is to gain an overarching understanding of Bible Prophecy. So we're fully equipped for the End of Time no matter how it goes down.

So here's how I'll do this:

I'll just tell you straight up where I lean - and as we move through the series we'll see how that plays out.

So in terms of how I Interpret Bible Prophecy: I would say I lean toward Historicism - the idea that much of prophecy is describing the past - but that it also attempts to lay out a future timeline

As for the Millennium: I lean toward Classic Premillennialism: That Jesus will return to collect those who believe in Him and will take them to heaven for 1000 years.

And when it comes to the Rapture: I lean toward the Post-tribulation explanation. That all living on Earth at the end, will go through the End Times - or the tribulations that are described in the Bible.

So there you go - do with it what you will 🙂

But like I said - don't allow my explanations to cloud your judgment.

In this series we will take a look at things from a variety of angles. We want to have a good understanding - not a lopsided understanding.

Let's Land the Plane:

I hope you're enjoying the ride we're on through this series.

And I hope this episode specifically gave you a better understanding of how Protestant Christian Eschatology shakes out.

How differing explanations have solidified into well defined buckets of belief over the years.

And how an understanding of all buckets might be better than an understanding of just one.

This week I would ask you to think through each of the lists we discussed today:

Based on your upbringing - do you already place yourself into one bucket or the other?
If you've never had someone tell you what to believe - do you have a gut reaction to the various explanations? If so - which do you resonate with so far?
And finally - are you willing to keep an open mind for the rest of the series to learn a bit more about each of the explanations?

Thank you so much for joining me again. This episode really hit for me this week. I love that it came together the way it did. And I really hope it serves as a jumping off point for the rest of the series.

A foundation if you will to guide us through the more detailed stuff to come.

So I'll leave you with that.

Thanks again for hanging with me. Next week we jump right in. Plain language prophecies about the End of Time.

Have a great week friends, and until next time, keep Transcending Human!

References:

THTranscend HumanTranscend Human Podcastprophecytranscending eschatologyeschatologyend timesend of the worldsecond comingapocalypsechristian eschatologycatholicismprotestantismdenominationsdivisioninterpretationmillenniumrapturetribulation

Daryl McMullen

160 | TE004 | Transcending Eschatology | Part 4 | Choosing Sides

161 | TE005 | Transcending Eschatology | Part 5 | Making It Plain

159 | TE003 | Transcending Eschatology | Part 3 | Carrying the Torch

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST