What's up with Pret-Idealism?
The Hype of Preterism's Schism
2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
Key "New Heavens and Earth" Passage Fulfilled Internally in Christ
PRETERIST-IDEALISM (PI) is being labeled as a new doctrine, or a new finding, when in fact, it is a way of restating some wishful preterest thinking from the past. It is not to be confused with RE-FULFILLMENT.
PRETERIST-IDEALISM (PI) is being labeled as a new doctrine, or a new finding, when in fact, it is a way of restating some wishful preterest thinking from the past. It is not to be confused with RE-FULFILLMENT.
Oh well, here it is.
A) The true focus of Bible prophecy is seen as being ultimately spiritual in nature, applying to all generations. Historical fulfillments in the history of natural Israel, notably in the events of AD30-70, are employed in the Bible as the outward show of the everlasting work of Christ. B) Though Idealism itself was being developed centuries before the Christian era, forms of the "Preterist modifier" have been published by countless spiritually minded writers throughout the centuries, notably in writings of Allegorists (such as John Bunyan), "Noyes Bereans," Quakers, Medieval Monks, Catholic Fathers such as Gregory the Great, and many more. Saint Augustine is considered the father of this classification, though more consistent systems are only now being developed among Historical and Modern Preterists. C) The spectrum of known systems range from those more heavily Idealist (looking to Christ for the substance of prophecy) to those more heavily Preterist (looking to history for the substance of prophecy). (Strictly neither preterist nor futurist ; PreteristArchive.com's native approach ; More Information Here)
HP: Hank Hanegraaff: Q&A: Getting the real message of Revelation (this is why Hank's view is considered "a preterist-idealist scheme" by Tommy Ice)
Preterism: "So you're saying Revelation was describing something that happened in the first century? Yes. Revelation is written to first-century believers about an incredible apocalypse, which was going to take place in the first century. Jesus Christ is making the most apocalyptic of predictions: that Jerusalem and its temple would be destroyed. Jerusalem was the very place, as well as the temple, that gave the Jews their sociological and theological identity. Jesus is now saying that the temple and Jerusalem are going to be utterly destroyed, and that will take place within a generation."
Idealism: If the book speaks to a first-century audience about predictions that have already occurred, what does it say to us today? "Well, in every epoch of time we are going to suffer tribulation. Jesus Christ said, "In this world you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world." In every epoch of time we will face Antichrists and persecution. So just as Romans is relevant to redeemed readers in the 21st century -- though it was written to first-century Christians -- so Revelation is relevant to redeemed readers. Even though you have the quintessential persecution in the first century, Christians are told that they will suffer persecution for the cause of Christ in every epoch of church history."
Idealism: If the book speaks to a first-century audience about predictions that have already occurred, what does it say to us today? "Well, in every epoch of time we are going to suffer tribulation. Jesus Christ said, "In this world you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world." In every epoch of time we will face Antichrists and persecution. So just as Romans is relevant to redeemed readers in the 21st century -- though it was written to first-century Christians -- so Revelation is relevant to redeemed readers. Even though you have the quintessential persecution in the first century, Christians are told that they will suffer persecution for the cause of Christ in every epoch of church history."
What's it all mean? Some of us got tired of feeling old-school.
To which I say, define PRET.
