Realized eschatology is a Christian eschatological theory popularized by

J.A.T. Robinson John Arthur Thomas Robinson (16 May 1919 – 5 December 1983) was an English New Testament scholar, author and the Anglican Bishop of Woolwich. He was a lecturer at Trinity College, Cambridge, and later Dean of Trinity College until his death i ...

Joachim Jeremias Joachim Jeremias (20 September 1900 – 6 September 1979) was a German Lutheran theologian, scholar of Near Eastern Studies and university professor for New Testament studies. He was abbot of Bursfelde, 1968–1971. He was born in Dresden and sp ...

, Ethelbert Stauffer (1902- 1979), and

C. H. Dodd Charles Harold Dodd (1884–1973) was a Welsh New Testament scholar and influential Protestant theologian. He is known for promoting "realized eschatology", the belief that Jesus' references to the kingdom of God meant a present reality rathe ...

(1884–1973) that holds that the eschatological passages in the

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...

do not refer to the future, but instead refer to the ministry of Jesus and his lasting legacy.

Eschatology Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of the present age, human history, or of the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that nega ...

is therefore not the end of the world but its rebirth instituted by Jesus and continued by his disciples, a historical (rather than

transhistorical Transhistoricity is the quality of holding throughout human history, not merely within the frame of reference of a particular form of society at a particular stage of historical development. An entity or concept that has transhistoricity is said to ...

) phenomenon. Those holding this view generally dismiss

eschatology Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of the present age, human history, or of the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that nega ...

theories, believing them to be irrelevant; they hold that what Jesus said and did, and told his disciples to do likewise, are of greater significance than any messianic expectations. Realized eschatology is contrasted with

consistent eschatology Consistent eschatology (Thoroughgoing eschatology) is a theory in theological and biblical studies that interprets Jesus "in exclusively eschatological terms". The view was initiated by Johannes Weiss, and "picked up, developed, and popularized" ...

. The two concepts have been combined in

inaugurated eschatology Inaugurated eschatology is the belief in Christian theology that the end times were inaugurated in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and thus there are both "already" and "not yet" aspects to the Kingdom of God. George Eldon Ladd suggest ...

Criticism

Theologian

John Walvoord John F. Walvoord (May 1, 1910 – December 20, 2002) was a Christian theologian, pastor, and president of Dallas Theological Seminary from 1952 to 1986. He was the author of over 30 books, focusing primarily on eschatology and theology including ' ...

asserts that this view is attractive to liberal Christians who prefer to emphasize the love and goodness of God while rejecting the notion of judgment. Instead, theology professor David Wheeler suggests that eschatology should be about being engaged in the process of becoming, rather than waiting for external and unknown forces to bring about destruction.

References and notes

{{reflist, 2 Christian eschatology Christian terminology

Criticism

See also

References and notes