Eschatology Question

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Reformed Baptist

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What form of interpretation was most widely held by Protestant/Reformed churches over the longest period of time?

This is not a trivia question on my behalf, I genuinely want to know. If you could point me to some "proof" of it as well, it would be greatly beneficial. I would prefer something online and free, as funds are limited at the moment.

Thanks for any help you can provide.
 
From a layman's understanding,

One's millennial view is only one part of one's eschatological view.

Historic premillennialism (not the modern dispensational kind) existed as a view in the very early church but amillennialism has been, by far, the majority report in Christianity historically. There are various views within amillennialism that have been the primary debate historically such as whether there is a national conversion of the Jews, whether things get much better or much worse right before our Lord's return, etc. But those are all in-house views within amillennialism.

Some may not agree here, but the more I study postmillennialism, the more it seems to have in common with amillennialism. It's almost as if it is a form of postmillennialism. That's why some can see something of postmillennialism in theology as far back as Augustine.

Remember that "a"millennialism means a 'realized' millennium, which began when Jesus ascended and exists now. Jesus is reigning in heaven and will return at the second coming as Judge and for the resurrection of both the living and the dead. At that time, He will fully and finally put the last enemy death under His feet. In the meantime, His Kingdom exists and is being manifest in the lives of His people, a spiritual kingdom.

The modern dispensational premillennialist position began with Mr John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethren, middle 1800's. It sees our Lord's reign as wholly future (and limited to man's [Julian] calendar). It also sees two "Kingdoms"- an "earthly" one that is future for Israel and a "spiritual" one, also future for "the church." It has gone through many changes and is now very confused about what happens to people who have some Jewish blood and which set of promises they have and whether the two "kingdoms" eventually get together. [reformed theology says it is all now, since Christ ascended].
 
George Eldon Ladd In The Blessed Hope and Blomberg and Chung editors of the newly published A Case for Historic Premillennialism: An Alternative to "Left Behind" Eschatology would argue that Historical Premillennialism not Dispensational Premil (which is very new) has been the longest held position. See Millennial Dreams where several of us are wrestling with this topic.
Cordially,
Carol or NewKidontheBlogg on http://millennialdreams.blogspot.com/
 
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I have no time of the evenings to really give a solid reply to this post, but I will say this, that despite what dispensational pre-mill writers today argue, there was very little teaching in the early church concerning pre-mill teaching.

This is one of the biggest points dispensationalist try to make, and I know because I used to be dispensational to the core, they argue that pre-mill was in the church for the first 200 years and then the error of a-mill or post-mill came in through Ambrose, Origen, and later Augustine. Dispensationalist will argue that they allegorized and spiritualized the scriptures away, but this is not true.

The immediate church or postapostolic church after the apostles up to 180 A. D. was strictly a-mill. There is no mention of premill in Clement of Rome he wrote in 90 A.D. None in Ignatius, Polycarp, Anthanasius, or Theophillus. Matter of fact all the creeds and confessions up through the church have been a-mill or post-mill.

Dispensationalist have tried to argue that Justin Martyr was pre-mill and dispensational, but this is not true. Though he might have been historic pre-mill it has been found that he first laid the foundations for covenant theology.
 
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