Eschatology and the Early Church

In his work The City of God, Augustine writes that the general resurrection occurs at the second coming of Christ, and not after a thousand year earthly kingdom (i.e., not at some sort of second-second coming). Although deeper study is needed to determine, if possible, whether Augustine leaned postmillennial or amillennial (both camps claim him) it is beyond dispute that he was not premillennial.

Nor were the creeds premillennial, at least not explicitly. If the writers of, for example, the Apostle’s creed were premillennial, then they must not Hal-Lindsian in their fervor, for they say absolutely nothing about an earthly millennial kingdom. Surely if the eschatology of Tim LaHaye and the Plymouth Brethren had been affirmed by the early church, some mention of the pre-trib rapture and millennial kingdom would have been considered appropriate in a summary statement of Christian orthodoxy. Instead, the Apostle’s creed speaks only (I would say completely) of a second coming and a general resurrection.

Both the Apostle's and Nicene creeds state that Christ will come to judge the living and the dead, which again is at least an implicit rejection of premillennialism (because the second coming is associated with judging everyone).

Where have I been?

I've been finishing my book. It's done now--sort of. What I mean is that I have completed a draft manuscript and am trying to find representation. The is new territory for me, I have no idea what's in store if I do find a suitable agent. At any rate that has consumed most of my free time, especially over the last month.

I do need a break, so I expect this hiatus will continue for a while, maybe until mid May or so. Then I really have to get back on endtimes writing in preparation for my fall Sunday school class. Thanks to all of you who have been checking up on me, and sorry I haven't been posting. It's not for lack of desire, but only for lack of time.

Stay tuned!