Can anyone recommend a primer on John Wesley's eschatology?
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
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7 comments:
Thanks, Greg!
I've decided that, at bare minimum, if a parishioner asks me "What will the end times be like?" I need to have an answer. I need to have a basic eschatological education.
I asked my Wesleyan theology prof, and he said that he thought that Wesley was an amillenialist, but wasn't sure.
I'm not at all convinced that Wesley had an eschatology beyond what it says in the creeds. All that a- post- pre- whatever-millenialist stuff is later than Wesley and I'm not convinced it makes sense to give him one of those labels.
When that hypothetical parishioner comes, why do you need to be able toanswer that question with anything other than, "I don't know, but it will be OK. God is waiting for us there."
Anything else is surely just idle speculation, bo matter how many books it sells.
Ben Witherington has a book with the title Jesus, Paul, and the End of the World. It is a study of the biblical materials.
Does BH3's book cover John Wesley's perspective?
I looked on my bookcase & found a couple of books that have a chapter (6-10 pages) on Wesley's eschatology. Both are pretty old, so they may be hard to find.
John Wesley's Theology Today by Colin W. Williams (Abingdon, 1960)
Basic United Methodist Beliefs edited by James Heidinger (Bristol House, 1986)
Like Dale, I tell people I am pan-millenialist. While it does bring a smile, that is honestly the conclusion I've come to.
Back in seminary (TEDS) I had to take ST-III with the most flaming pre-millenial, rapture-toting prof in existence--My way or the highway. We had to do a huge final project on the four views of the end times, complete with charts, graphs, etc. After all that research, I decided I really was pan-millenialst.
Now for one piece of advice. In my experience the people who ask end times questions in the first place come from pre-millenial/rapture backgrounds. This is a huge deal to them because they've been brought up to believe it is one of the most critical doctrines of Christianity. So if you answer *anything* other than pre-mil/rapture, you've lost them.
Also in my experience, such folks' other beliefs will be so out of line with UMC beliefs that it is best to wish them well. It would never work out.
John,
Randy Maddox, of Duke, gave a lecture at The COnfessing MOvement's Epworth Insititue this past summer on Wesley's escatology. In short he said that Wesley in teh end was an amil, bu early on he was pre and was persuded into post for a short time. It was a great lecture and... if you want to e-mail me your address I will be happy to make you a copy for your own listening pleasure.
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