Decline of postmillennialism - resources?

[bond-servant]

I have a friend that is writing a paper on the decline of postmillennialism in 19th and 20th century America.

Can anyone suggest books, (besides Mathison's Postmillennialism) that would be helpful? Which ones have influenced you the most?


thanks!

 

[bond-servant]

anyone?

 

[rgrove]

Here's a list I maintain from my blog:

http://rongrove.blogspot.com/2005/06/recommended-postmillennial-books-mp3s.html

I keep another one here:

http://postmill.proboards42.com/index.cgi?board=objections&action=display&thread=1120151565

They should be the same, but they may not always be. One thing I don't include are commentaries or Postmill systematic theologies. I'm not sure if they directly address what you're friend is after, though. They teach Postmillennialism, but don't really discuss it's decline. I'd say this should be done by looking at the rise of amillennialism in reformed circles as well as the historical reasons for the rapid growth of the dispensational system just after the turn of the 20th century. If I can help in any way let me know.

[Edited on 10-17-2005 by rgrove]

 

[rgrove]

Oops... Didn't answer the question regarding influence. I would say Greg Bahnsen's lectures had the most influence in moving me from amill to postmill. I had been studying the issue quite a while and he answered my objections convincingly. Another article that had a big influence on me was from Kenneth Gentry entitled "Victory Belongs to the Lord" in the book Thine Is the Kingdom - Studies in the Postmillennial Hope where he directly addresses the two age theory and demonstrates how it isn't contrary to postmillennialism and that many, such as Gentry himself, adhere to it as well.

Also, thinking about it, I'd say that your friend should look into the decline of historicism as well because I would say the rise of idealism in reformed amillennialism had a lot to do with the erosion of postmillennialism as well due to it's historic attachment to historicism.

 

[Pilgrim]

My understanding is that a lot of the Postmils by the early 20th century were basically liberals who believed in some form of evolution in the sense that human nature was getting better, etc. and it would keep getting better (i.e. making "progress") until we solved the problems of war, poverty, disease, etc. Essentially a naive optimism that was shattered by WWI.

I think Ron is probably right about the growth of Amil in Reformed circles and the decline of historicism, but I haven't done any real in-depth study on this issue.

 

[WrittenFromUtopia]

Victory in Jesus - Greg Bahnsen (paperback)

 

[Pilgrim]

shouldn't this be in the eschatology forum?

 

[ReformedWretch]

Thine is the Kingdom: Kenneth Gentry