Eschatology (theology)

  

One

     Eschatological oppositions that date back to the New Testament is a useful way to begin the continual tension of subsequent interpretations of Christian hope (Macquarrie, p 86).   Some of the basic tensions in current eschatology is the group that believes that the end has already come (realized eschatology), those that believe that the kingdom is already in process of being realized (inaugurated eschatology) and those that believe that the end still lies ahead (future eschatology) (Macquarrie, p 86). .  First we need to know what eschatology is.

     The dictionary defines eschatology as any system of doctrines concerning last, or final, matters as death or the afterlife.[1] More specifically eschatology is defined as literally the “study of (or doctrine of) the end of times.” A technical term that is used to describe notions of what will happen at the “end”- either the end of a person’s life or, more commonly, the end of the world.[2]  

     Rahner indicates that eschatology is the view of the future which man needs for the spiritual decision of his freedom and his faith (p 334). Rahner also reminds us that to extrapolate from the present into the future is eschatology (p 337). 

      Schwarz reports that forecasting the end of the world was already popular during the time of Jesus.  Jesus’ followers were convinced they could predict the beginning of the eschaton and the return of Jesus.  Jesus rejected such an idea.  He said, “About that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (p. 309).  

It is certain from Scripture that God has not revealed to man the day of the end.  And if faith and hope are to exist, the future should be essentially concealed (Rahner, p 329).  Yet it is not an uncommon belief that the eschaton has already occurred.     Macquarrie explains that the individual’s hope for salvation has become the dominant form of religious hope, rather than the social hope, and even more important a cosmic hope of a new heaven and a new earth to correspond with a renewed natural order – the total hope (p 87) 

to be continued........

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[1] L. Urdang and S.B. Flexner and others. Editors. The Random House College Dictionary. (Random House:

 New York, 1975)

[2] Ehrman, Bart. The New Testament. 4^th Ed.(Oxford University Press:New York, 2008)