A Servant's View

By Ed Stevens - Kingdom Counsel

Ed Stevens Page | Silence Demands a Rapture | Regarding "Annihilationism" | A Servant's View | A Response to "The A.D.70 Doctrine" | Hampden-Cook Preterist Rapture | JS Russell Preterist Rapture

       This whole issue is completely devoted to presenting both arguments against the preterist position, and preterist answers to them. The article starting on page 3 was written by Engbert Vander Werff, editor of Issues, a quarterly 'Christian Journal addressing important issues of our day.' He also writes articles for Christian News occasionally. The December 5, 1988 edition of Christian News carried this article, 'Did the Lord Return in 70 AD?' Jeff Kessel wrote in response to it, 'The Lord Did Return In 70 AD!', which was publishedbothin the January 9,1989 issue of Christian News, and in the June, 1989 issue of Search The Scriptures. Mr. Vander Werff has now submitted a reply to Jeff's article. Following it are rejoinders by both Jeff Kessel and Ed Stevens.

     Mr. Vander Werff stated that he thought most preterists were former premils who had swung to the opposite extreme in over-reaction against the Hal Lindsey form of millennialisin. I do not perceive that to be the case. And I feel that I know quite a number of the people in the preterist movement and where they came from. Besides, SHOULDN'T we change our minds about something if our study of the Scriptures leads us in that direction? There are indeed a number of people now in the preterist movement who once dabbled with the premil position, but there are also quite a few former A-mils and Post-mils. Nearly all the people now in the preterist movement were once futurists. I also know of a few people who held no position before they studied the Bible on their own and came up with the preterist position without even knowing that it existed, or that anyone else believed it.

     Mr. Vander Werff states very confidently that 'preterism originated in the 17th century with a Jesuit friar named Luis De Alcazar (1554-1613).' He also claims to have 'studied the Bible and Christian history with an almost unquenchable zeal.' But somehow he has not noticed the numerous references to a preteriat position scattered throughout the patristic writings of the first three centuries. Preterism didn't originate in the 17th century, nor in the second or third century. It was the original eschatological position held by the NT writers themselves.

     Preterists are categorized by Mr. Vander Werff as being similar in some ways to the Reconstructionists, New Theology and theistic evolutionists. I cannot speak for other preterists, but I consider it an insult to be lumped together with modernist theologians and theistic evolutionists. If nothing else is gleaned from my words here, I hope this gets across: we are not theological liberals or theistic evolutionists! And, in regard to our similarity to the Reconstructionist position? I see nothing wrong with their desire to reconstruct our nation and world around a Biblical-Christian world view. I do not agree with their Post-mil futurist eschatology, but I do appreciate their very conservative and timely approach to malting our world a more Godly place for future generations to live in. All Christians who value the ideals that once made America great would do well to pay attention to what the Reconstructionists are saying. I applaud their efforts to Biblically restore and reconstruct our nation and world, and I beheve every Christian should also. We know you are going to enjoy the contents of this issue. Please write us with any questions or comments you may have.

     (Permission to Reprint Granted by Kingdom Publications)

Please See: Did the Lord Return in A.D.70?