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EARLY CHURCH
Ambrose
Ambrose, Pseudo
Andreas
Arethas
Aphrahat
Athanasius
Augustine
Barnabus
BarSerapion
Baruch, Pseudo
Bede
Chrysostom
Chrysostom, Pseudo
Clement, Alexandria
Clement, Rome
Clement, Pseudo
Cyprian
Ephraem
Epiphanes
Eusebius
Gregory
Hegesippus
Hippolytus
Ignatius
Irenaeus
Isidore
James
Jerome
King Jesus
Apostle John
Lactantius
Luke
Mark
Justin Martyr
Mathetes
Matthew
Melito
Oecumenius
Origen
Apostle Paul
Apostle Peter
Maurus Rabanus
Remigius
"Solomon"
Severus
St.
Symeon
Tertullian
Theophylact
Victorinus

HISTORICAL PRETERISM
(Minor Fulfillment of Matt. 24/25 or Revelation
in Past)
Joseph Addison
Oswald T. Allis Thomas Aquinas
Karl Auberlen
Augustine
Albert Barnes
Karl Barth
G.K. Beale Beasley-Murray
John Bengel
Wilhelm Bousset
John A. Broadus
David Brown
"Haddington Brown"
F.F. Bruce
Augustin Calmut
John Calvin
B.H. Carroll
Johannes Cocceius
Vern Crisler
Thomas Dekker
Wilhelm De Wette
Philip Doddridge
Isaak Dorner
Dutch Annotators
Alfred Edersheim
Jonathan Edwards
E.B.
Elliott
Heinrich Ewald Patrick Fairbairn
Js. Farquharson
A.R. Fausset
Robert Fleming
Hermann Gebhardt
Geneva Bible
Charles Homer Giblin
John Gill
William Gilpin
W.B. Godbey
Ezra Gould
Steve Gregg
Hank Hanegraaff
Hengstenberg Matthew Henry
G.A. Henty
George Holford
Johann von Hug
William Hurte
J, F, and Brown
B.W. Johnson
John Jortin
Benjamin Keach
K.F. Keil
Henry Kett
Richard Knatchbull Johann Lange
Cornelius Lapide
Nathaniel Lardner
Jean Le Clerc
Peter Leithart
Jack P. Lewis
Abiel Livermore
John Locke
Martin Luther
James MacDonald
James MacKnight
Dave MacPherson
Keith Mathison
Philip Mauro
Thomas Manton
Heinrich Meyer
J.D. Michaelis
Johann Neander
Sir Isaac Newton
Thomas Newton
Stafford North
Dr. John Owen
Blaise Pascal
William W. Patton
Arthur Pink
Thomas Pyle
Maurus Rabanus
St. Remigius
Anne Rice
Kim Riddlebarger
J.C. Robertson
Edward Robinson
Andrew Sandlin
Johann Schabalie
Philip Schaff
Thomas Scott
C.J. Seraiah
Daniel Smith
Dr. John
Smith
C.H. Spurgeon Rudolph E. Stier
A.H. Strong St. Symeon
Theophylact
Friedrich Tholuck
George Townsend
James Ussher
Wm. Warburton
Benjamin Warfield
Noah Webster
John Wesley
B.F. Westcott William Whiston
Herman Witsius
N.T. Wright
John Wycliffe
Richard Wynne
C.F.J. Zullig

MODERN PRETERISTS
(Major Fulfillment of Matt. 24/25 or Revelation
in Past)
Firmin Abauzit
Jay Adams
Luis Alcazar
Greg Bahnsen
Beausobre, L'Enfant
Jacques Bousset
John L. Bray
David Brewster
Dr. John Brown
Thomas Brown
Newcombe Cappe
David Chilton
Adam Clarke
Henry Cowles
Ephraim Currier
R.W. Dale
Gary DeMar
P.S. Desprez
Johann Eichhorn
Heneage Elsley
F.W. Farrar
Samuel Frost
Kenneth Gentry
Hugo Grotius
Francis X. Gumerlock
Henry Hammond
Hampden-Cook
Friedrich Hartwig
Adolph Hausrath
Thomas
Hayne
J.G. Herder
Timothy Kenrick
J. Marcellus Kik
Samuel Lee
Peter Leithart
John Lightfoot
Benjamin Marshall
F.D. Maurice
Marion Morris
Ovid Need, Jr
Wm. Newcombe
N.A. Nisbett
Gary North
Randall Otto
Zachary Pearce
Andrew Perriman
Beilby Porteus
Ernst Renan
Gregory Sharpe
Fr. Spadafora
R.C. Sproul
Moses Stuart
Milton S. Terry
Herbert
Thorndike
C. Vanderwaal
Foy Wallace
Israel P.
Warren Chas Wellbeloved
J.J. Wetstein
Richard Weymouth
Daniel Whitby
George Wilkins
E.P. Woodward

FUTURISTS
(Virtually No Fulfillment of Matt. 24/25 & Revelation in 1st
C. - Types Only ; Also Included are "Higher Critics" Not Associated With Any
Particular Eschatology)
Henry Alford
G.C. Berkower
Alan Patrick Boyd
John Bradford
Wm.
Burkitt
George Caird
Conybeare/ Howson
John Crossan
John N. Darby
C.H. Dodd E.B. Elliott
G.S.
Faber
Jerry Falwell
Charles G. Finney
J.P. Green Sr.
Murray Harris
Thomas Ice
Benjamin Jowett John N.D. Kelly
Hal Lindsey
John MacArthur
William Miller
Robert Mounce Eduard Reuss
J.A.T. Robinson
George Rosenmuller
D.S. Russell
George Sandison
C.I. Scofield
Dr. John Smith
Norman Snaith
"Televangelists" Thomas Torrance
Jack/Rex VanImpe
John Walvoord
Quakers :
George Fox |
Margaret Fell (Fox) |
Isaac Penington
PRETERIST UNIVERSALISM |
PRETERIST-IDEALISM
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Samuel Frost
Former Full Preterist
"If, in fact, we
are living during the times of the "healing of the nations",
then this is ongoing in fulfillment to the Scriptures.. If this, then,
is so, then one must concede the argument of 'fulfillment already -
manifestation not yet' (my argument in a nutshell)." |
 |
Samuel is a writer and speaker on the early church and its
transforming hope. With a Bachelor of Theology from Liberty
Christian College in Pensacola, FL. Samuel has completed his Master
of Arts in Christian Studies and a Master of Arts in Religion from
Whitefield Theological Seminary (with combined credits from Reformed
Theological Seminary/Orlando and Cleveland Church of God School of
Theology/Ohio). Samuel is a member of the
Evangelical Theological Society and Society of Biblical Literature.
Samuel is the author of Misplaced Hope and Exegetical Essays on the
Resurrection of the Dead.
LATER WRITTEN WORKS
(Former
Hyp - Written following his
departure from full preterism)
-
2/16/13:
This is Where Hyper Preterism Logically Goes (2013)
"the fact is that no one, and I mean no one, ever attempted a more
systematic treatment of modern Full Preterism than Max King’s The Cross
and the Parousia of Christ. It still remains the largest volume ever
written on the subject. Max was the first person in history to attempt a
full-fledged consistent application of “all prophecy was fulfilled” by
the time of A.D. 70. You can’t site J.S. Russell, Milton Terry, or Ernst
Hampden-Cook (all 19th century writers). They were not Full Preterists.
They were Preterists. Preterism has a long history. Full Preterism goes
back to Max King in the late sixties."
-
1/24/13:
Romans 13 and the Day of
the Lord (2013) "Paul
plainly expected many ages and “generations” to come: “to Him is the
glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus, to all the generations of the age
of the ages. Amen” (Eph. 3:21). Does this sound like a man that expected
his generation to be the final generation? Hardly."
-
1/6/13: Congratulations to
Sam Frost and
Michael Mgw Miano for a successful and important debate. Clips are
available on Facebook; DVDs on the way..
-
12/4/12:
Why I Left Preterism (2012) Excerpted citations and
reviews archived below. (Just bought the pdf and am amazed at the level
of scholarly substance laying out the unintended consequences of Full
Preterist doctrine.
-
11/16/12: Matthew
16:27-28 "Supposedly, these verses go a long way in demonstrating
the Hyper Preterist contention that all prophecy was fulfilled in AD
70... However, if it is conceded that these verses do, in fact, teach
the idea that the Son of Man’s “coming in his kingdom” is to be related solely, that is, exclusively to
the razing of Jerusalem in the Jewish War of 66-70 AD, then the Hyper
Preterist thinks he or she has virtually demonstrated the point that all
prophecy was fulfilled by this time."
-
9/5/12:
Position Paper #1: The Olivet Discourse "We can all agree that the
material here includes the razing of Jerusalem by the Roman armies in
the Jewish War of 66-70 A.D. The question before us is, Can all of the
gathered materials in the Gospel discourses exclude further future
descriptions post 70 A.D.?" (Launching a new scholarly direction with
regard to meanings.. Well worth the subscription cost.)
-
5/1/12:
Scholar, Philip Mauro
"This is far more acceptable in “explaining” what appears to some as a unsteady
stream of Church History. There is a steady stream. It didn’t start in AD 70. It
started with the arrival of Messiah; with his pouring out the Spirit."
-
3/24/12:
An Easy Way to Defeat A Hyper Preterist |
An Easy Way to Defeat a Hyper Preterist: Part 2 "We may certainly argue that “the death is destroyed” (καταργήσαντος
μὲν τὸν θάνατον – 2 Tim 1.10). But, this is only in consideration of the powers
in submission to Christ, the man. “death no longer has dominion over him in that
he no longer dies.” This is due to his resurrection. Notice, too, that the
aorist used in 2 Tim 1.10 is before AD 70. Jesus destroyed “the death” at the
cross and resurrection. He nailed it to the cross. He made an open show of it.
Death was defeated when Jesus came out of that tomb. "
-
2/25/12:
Feature Article by Todd Dennis
-
10/19/11:
Full Preterism Refuted
"On Sovereign Grace Preterism,
Christian Ortiz posted (an) article from his Pastor. James Metzger
posted as response as well. The pastor’s response is actually pretty
solid, laying out the basic differences. The major point at which
scholars would disagree is concerning Jesus’ reference to “this
generation”
-
10/10/11:
Degrading the Gospel
"It is a stated dogma of Full
Preterism: history, procreation, cannot ever, ever, ever, ever end.
There can be no “may” or “it might”, or any inference that God “may”
according to some inforeseen plan that is known only to him end history
or procreation. There is no “may.” Siegle and Green mean, very clearly,
that history and procreation is infinite. The Bible teaches this, they
say. It is a necessary, logically deduced conclusion derived from the
other aspects of Full Preterist doctrine."
-
9/5/11:
Why is Full Preterism Dangerous?
"Being a Full Preterist, by some, is a “gift” from God. This is not far
from “intiates” who “only” understand the Bible through the
understanding of “revelation” given to them that the rest of the Church
(which is blind) does not have. This is
Danger Number 1. It is, of course, true that “faith” in Jesus
Christ (salvation) requires the work of the Spirit upon those whom God
has called. But, to say that a particular doctrine of a particular group
with a particular eschatology requires a secret “insight” that others
are not “blessed with” is, well, kind of loopy. Whatever happened to
simply studying and coming to conclusions?"
-
8/29/11: Soul and Body
"This was the
answer given when asked if the Full Preterist view of the afterlife
means that pain, sorrow, sin, and evil will be done away with, and if we
have that now, then why can we not manifest the afterlife here in this
life? "
-
1/2/11:
David Chilton on Full Preterism
"Todd Dennis then asks, “ONE
SOLUTION TO FP UNIVERSALIST CONUNDRUM IS PLACING UNIVERSAL
CONVERSION FARTHER INTO THE FUTURE — BUT DOES SUCH A GRAND FUTURE
EXPECTATION (THE “PARADISE MANDATE” YET TO BE CONSUMMATED) STILL QUALIFY
AS FULL PRETERISM? IF THE BIBLE ANTICIPATES WORLD-WIDE CONVERSION..
WOULDN’T THAT BE A PROPHECY AS OF YET UNFULFILLED?” Yes, Todd, it
would." |
Part 2
-
5/22/10:
Full Preterism and the Problem of Infinity
"I have been shamelessly accused of almost everything one can think of
for breaking ranks on this issue. I follow no ranks. I am not one to
insist that “no one can leave the compound!” I go where my studies and
my conscience before God leads me, period. I don’t “tow the line” for
anyone, any party, or ...any
movement."
EARLIER WORKS
"Preterism
is an interpretive system that is locked on the events of 66-70 A.D. It
views this as the decisive eschatological event. The Second Coming,
Resurrection of the Dead and Great Judgment are seen as having taken place
in and around these years.
This is a contradiction to Christian orthodoxy and its Creeds, Councils
and all the Reformed, Baptist, and Methodist Standards (and we wonder
why preterists are called "heretics"!)."
-
Frost on Isaiah 65 and "infinity"
(2009) "no Preterist has
been able to say to me that 'nothing changes' when we physically
die. In other words, it is correct to say 'I am glorified' today in
the Body of Christ, as He is Glorified. However, is this
glorification FULLY MANIFEST or APPARENT today? Now, ask yourself:
will it be in heaven when I physically die? Will anything change?
Will I still be the same, old bumbling Sam Frost that I am here on
earth? Will I still be subject to occasional sin? Error? If not, why
not? Do I get 'something else' in Heaven? It is not so much that we
'get' something else, but that that which WE HAVE (II Cor. 5.1-2)
will be ENTIRELY in FULL OPERATION - FULL ON POWER. If this, then,
is so, then one must concede the argument of 'fullfillment already -
manifestation not yet' (my argument in a nutshell)."
-
Hosean Allusions in First
Corinthians
(2006) - "One has to do forensic work in I Cor 15. The oft repeated analogy is
that of listening to one end of a phone conversation and trying to
figure out the other end. Deductions, clues, hints, implications and
inferences can be drawn so that a fairly accurate construction can be
had. It was “made known” (vdhlw,qh) to Paul from "the ones of Chloe"
that "selfish rivalries" (;ridej) had broken out among the Corinthians
(1.11). No doubt, those rivalries were theologically driven at bottom,
manifesting ethical and practical differences which began to wreak havoc
in the way the Corinthian households gathered together for worship and
fellowship."
-
An Analysis and Critique of
Taken to Heaven in A.D. 70: Blessings Expected at the Parousia
(IPA, Inc., 2005). "There is an increasingly surfacing division
current within preterist studies between the “heaven now” denomination and
the “heaven when you die” one. Such is to be expected. Ian D.
Harding has recently penned Taken to Heaven in A.D. 70 (335 pp.),
published by Ed Stevens’ publication arm, International Preterist
Association, Inc. The book is endorsed by Arthur Melanson and Walt
Hibbard on the back cover. It is important to the preterist movement
because it is the first major work noting the differences within the
preterist camps.
[A]s Harding himself states, the book is directly written to those
preterists who hold to what has been called the “heaven now” view
(Harding, xiv). This view, in his words, if true “takes away all
meaning of language” (107). It is to be admitted that the view
expounded upon by Max King in Cross and Parousia of Christ and
the view represented here are two completely different approaches within
preterism. They both operate from the same framework, of course, but
the agreement ends there and this book makes it clearer than any other I
have read.
The book does not pretend to be a “scholarly” piece. The author never
quotes authors like King and others that espouse the opposing view. He
simply interacts with the other view by stating something like, “[s]ome
preterists say that the glorification promises were fulfilled at the
Parousia in the living pre-Parousia Christians while they remained on
earth” (107). That would be the view of Max King, more or less, and
those who align themselves with his approach more or less. There is not
much discussion about the meaning of “body” from its corporate aspect.
Indeed, much of what Harding does is simply assume that “glorification”,
“made alive” and “catch away” are robbed of meaning if not taken
literally. Whether or not he proves this is another thing. "
-
Saint
Athanasius and Preterism (2005) "The Church must receive what is incontrovertible, but reject what raises serious problems in order to work out a solution within its own traditions that best resolves these problems for the sake of maintaining biblical truth (even if this means eliminating older paradigms which have created the problems in the first place). There will be, and always have been, cries of “heresy” from self-proclaimed “purists” and “keepers of the traditions”. This is to be expected. But, the ever faithful, and, in Luther’s case, the faithful few, keep raising the issues and pointing out the hypocrisy, arbitrariness, and inconsistency until such a voice is raised within the holy church that the “few” become the “many.”
-
Propositions of Preterism
(2005) "as our dear saint has noted, we are without “vision and prophet.” We are not guided by burning bushes, splitting Red Seas, clouds by day and fire by night.
These are things seen. Yet, because redemption had not yet come, the children of Israel needed a
schoolmaster." "the church is perfect according to the word of God,
and not according to what we SEE. That is judging the church as a child, wanting to go back to Egypt. Modern day yearning for the good old days sound like this: “wouldn’t it be easier if Jesus just came back and did some really cool miracles? Wouldn’t it be easier if we just discovered the ark of Noah? Wouldn’t it be easier if we could have incontrovertible proof that Jesus returned in A.D. 70?"
-
A Critical Response to Kurt Simmons' Bi-Millennialism
(2004)
"The question is,
when were these given authority to judge? It must be when they came to life (both are aorist aspects). Thus, when they came to life, they were given thrones and authority to judge, being that they were ‘with Christ.’ This is closely akin to ‘being
seated with Him in heavenly places.’ It is this that John is picturing here. When did any ‘come to life’ in Christ?"
-
A Critical Response to the Kloskes' Exegesis of I Corinthians 15
(2004) "The “transformation” happens to both the living and the dead at the same time. KK appear to agree with this as the quote above shows, but the “change” given to the “dead” is different from the “change” given to the living, who go on living and eventually die. At the moment of their death they are “changed” by being given a “spiritual body.” However, as the quote above shows, KK believe that they have already, “spiritually speaking” or “internally” been changed with an added dimension of not yet being changed, finally (thus, leaving them to the charge of futurism of some sort). "
(On
The Second Coming)
"The formula for prophecy in the OT is that Event A is announced, then,
when it occurs, the saying, "then you shall know that I am the Lord"
applies. One cannot argue in silence that many Jews holed up within the
walls of Jerusalem did not repent at the last minute with the
realization of their crime against Christ. History, from three
accounts, reports of prodigies and signs in the skies. Eusebius repeats
those reports as well. The only thing the early church failed in doing
was not tying the Second Coming doctrine to those events (which many
mention - Barnabas, Justin, Irenaeus, Clement, etc.). This single
event, according to Chrysostom and Athanasius, signaled the spiritual
and covenantal transfer from old to new. All that modern Preterists do
is simply apply this transference to eschatological categories. We just
simply take a step further, logically, than did our blessed
predecessors." (Why
I am not a Preterist)
(On
Origen)
"On the
whole, he correctly sets forth their eschatological viewpoints. At times
he may read too much into a portion of their works, but that is rare.
Yet, after this useful scholarly work which he has done, at the end he
sides with Origen…in his fanciful interpretation of I Corinthians
15:35,38” (p.6, Preterism). Actually, I do not side with Origen at all
on those passages. I merely state that Origen did not have the
flesh-body recomposed at the Second Coming but rather a “germ” of that
body is used to build a “spiritual body”. I do not hold to that idea. I
stated it only because I wished to show that a flesh-body resurrection
was not the only view of the resurrection by the end of the second
century. Be that as it may, Adams does quote me fairly." ("Millennial
Post" - 12/03)
(On
Max King)
"Ironically, it was in this academic cradle of Eschatology that the
search for the Historical Jesus was born. There was a problem, and no
doubt 70 C.E. figured into the solution somewhere, but 70 C.E. was
hardly the 'end of the world' and we are hardly in the "new heavens and
the new earth." No one could say that the "resurrection of the dead"
took place then. Well, someone did say it. His name was Max King.
In surveying the history of
Covenant Eschatology, I cannot find in print, prior to King, a view that
constructed the model he put forth." (A
Brief History of Covenant Eschatology)
Was ALL Bible Prophecy Fulfilled by AD70?
No.
Sam Frost defines "Hyper Preterism" - Any form of Full Preterism which
ends prophetic fulfillment in AD70. "Now, sure,
they will say, people still come into the city of the New Jerusalem and christianity spreads and has spread for the last 2,000 years, BUT THIS
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING THE BIBLE PROMISED, PROPHESIED, or
PREDICTED according to what I now call: Hyper Preterism."
"I was going to
entitle this series, “Preterism Has No Future”, but decided against it.
I think certain forms of what has come to be known as Full Preterism
(FP) has no future in terms of surviving outside the internet community.
The academic community has all but rejected it"
-
Samuel Frost -
Towards a Fuller Preterism (10/31/2010) "This.. is the real deal of
what FP teaches: the earth will never, ever, never, ever never never
know peace.......WAR IS THE NORM on earth for INFINITY. Folks....this is
now unmasked..... " (HyP Response:
"What the true proverb says has happened … "The dog returns to its own
vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the
mire.")
- Response to Green on Towards a Fuller
Preterism (11/3/10) - "Green here asserts that “in accordance with
BIBLE PROPHECY” we are still “growing”. So, let’s think logically
here. If BIBLE PROPHECY is still BEING fulfilled (still growing as
the PROPHETS said) beyond A.D. 70, then…..well, you can do the math.
But, in case you missed that, Green says it
again: the Bible “describes” the age to come. Now, this was the
whole point of my paper, was it not. But, if this is true, then the
Bible speaks “beyond” A.D. 70. And, if it so speaks (prophesies),
then what exactly is the problem, Dave? You have made my point:
Bible Prophecy was not “all” fulfilled in A.D. 70! Q.E.D. If it
“describes” (read, prophesies), then, clearly, all prophecy is not
yet fulfilled. This underscores my point: ongoing FULFILLMENT. Ask
a Covenant Creationist if prophecy is, in any way, shape, or form,
“being fulfilled” today. It is THIS TYPE of FP that I am
attacking. It’s not a straw man."
"Full Preterism is the ONLY
Millennial scheme that does not have this Final State - which should make it
suspect, right there. "
Sam Frost (Siegle HyP response: "My
understanding of the "final state" of the believer (a descriptive term that
is never used in Scripture) would relate to his entering into Covenant with
God through identification with and participation in the already
accomplished "resurrection-life" that belongs to the "age to come."")
Frost, 11/12/10: "There are so many horns of the Full Preterist
dilemma coming at me like a flood lately…..things I never really paid
attention to.."
Frost, 11/15/10: (Sam's older statement in book "House
Divided") "The Preterist scheme is simple: the end of the age took place in
AD 70, and at that time, the "age to come" was inaugurated by the Second
Coming of Christ.....The Kingdom was established in that day and is now
fulfilling passages that speak of its eternal, never ending growth and
increase..." (229). You can already see that issue with me there. But, you
can also see my allusion to Isaiah 9.6 ("increase") and how I had not
formulated an end to history yet. This was my Full Preterist view. The point
of this is to point out the "now fulfilling".....That has always been in my
preaching (mustard seed growth), and even in House Divided, no one picked up
on it then as they are now. So, it demonstrates what I used to believe, and
how the argument from infinity has made a huge impact in my thinking as
well. I wasn't searching for this. I was quite happy where I was at. But, I
do operate from two things, one of which you mentioned. First, Scripture...
So, I now had a choice: choose what I have always believed, or tow the Full
Preterist line even to the point of "paradox". But, that would mean I
abandon my epistemology - and that was not going to happen, either. These
choices - far more important to me than some speculative point of Full
Preterism (infinite procreation) have become crystal clear. Crystal clear. "
SAM FROST FINDING AGREEMENT AMONG FULL
PRETERIST GROUPS THAT REFUTES THE TRADITIONAL TEACHING THAT "ALL BIBLE
PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED IN AD70" //
CREATES NATURAL DEFINITION FOR "HYPER-PRETERISM" - "ALL BIBLE
PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED IN AD70"
-
Sam Frost:
BCS, Ch. 21 Pt. 1 (11/5/10) "The “buzz” going around on the other
Preterist websites is that they, too, see “ongoing fulfillment.” If this
is the case, then Full Preterism needs to drop the moniker that “we
believe ALL prophecy was fulfilled in A.D. 70.” They weren’t. The
prophecies concerning the “age to come” are being fulfilled today.
-
On Prophecy - "I suppose the difference is that I believe that this
goal is prophesied. Once it is accomplished perhaps then
God will end history. I don’t know when He will, just that he has
revealed in the Bible that he will (Eccl 3.11; Is
41.4, et al)."
-
On Full Preterist Covenant Creationism - "One has to buy into the
entire system it seems in order for the "parts" to work. But when
one starts questioning the parts, that's where it breaks down. "
(On David
Chilton) "And as I showed in my recent article, Chilton did
not "drop" all the aspects of the "Paradise Mandate" and "consummation"
when he became a FP. This prompted Todd Dennis to ask whether he really
was a "full" preterist in the sense that every single prophecy was
fulfilled BY AD 70. Clearly, as his own words prove, he carried on the
"Age to come" message in the same manner. I had the opportunity to
speak with Chilton a few times, and read his book since 1987, when I
first got it. I know his views inside and out. It's what I cut my
teeth on in Bible College. His lectures on "new heaven and new earth"
were written AFTER he became a FP. that's what makes them significant
as my article points out. He firmly believed, as do all
postmillennialists, in a renewed and transformed CREATION that will
eventually manifest itself on earth as it is in heaven. Where earth and
heaven are one and the same." (DiD, 1/5/11)
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"EVENTUAL GOSPEL UNIVERSALISM"
Peace on Earth where all competing religions
eventually bow the knee to Jesus in defeat -- such as
Paganism did in the conversion of the Roman Empire to King
Jesus
312
"Surely, it was not in vain that Jesus said, ‘I am
the Light of the World.’ ‘God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that
the world through him might be saved.’ ‘I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw
all men unto myself.’" James Stuart Russell, The
Parousia (emphasis in original) |
|

James Stuart Russell |
David Chilton on "Eventual Gospel
Universalism" Here is Chilton before his conversion to full preterism
(if his view qualifies.. that is what is under dispute regarding Sam's
theology) and after:
(Before)
""It is certainly true that righteousness does not dwell in
the earth in an absolute sense; nor will this world ever be
absolutely righteous, until the final enemy is defeated at the
Second Coming of Christ.. according to God's promise, the saving
knowledge of Him will yet fill the earth, as the waters cover
the sea." (Days of Vengeance,
544)
(After) "Once the Lord
came to destroy the scaffolding of the Old Covenant structure,
the New Covenant Temple would be left in its place, and the
victorious march of the Church would be unstoppable. According
to God's predestined design, the world will be converted; the
earth's treasures will be brought into the City of God, as the
Paradise Mandate (Gen. 1:27-28; Matt. 28:18-20) is consummated
(Rev. 21:1-27)." (from "New Heavens and Earth")
DOES SUCH A GRAND FUTURE
EXPECTATION (THE "PARADISE MANDATE" YET TO BE CONSUMMATED) STILL QUALIFY
AS FULL PRETERISM? IF THE BIBLE ANTICIPATES WORLD-WIDE
CONVERSION.. WOULDN'T THAT BE A PROPHECY AS OF YET UNFULFILLED? (Sam on
1/5/11: "Yes, Todd, it would.")
Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them sing aloud on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples;
To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute on them the written judgment—
This honor have all His saints.
Ps. 149
WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID
Ed Stevens
"I was also reading Sam Frost's new book, Misplaced Hope, which is an
excellent rebuttal against Jonathin Seraiah's critique of Preterism.
His book reminded me again of the extreme lack of writings by Christian
leaders immediately after AD 70. Indeed, Sam did a marvelous job of
further minimizing the number of post-70 documents even more by
suggesting that Barnabas and Clement may have been written before AD
70. This makes the number of post-70 "Apostolic Father" writings even
fewer. It was not the purpose of Frost to solve the mystery of the
post-70 silence, but rather simply to assume it as fact throughout his
book. And it is this silence, which all church historians acknowledge,
that pushes me toward the rapture view."
(Silence Demands a Rapture)
Mike Sullivan (2009)
"Beloved, do not be deceived, is not biblical “preterism”
rightly being taught concerning the timing and nature of God’s completed
redemptive plan for man that many of us have come to know and love. It
is carnal futurism both in the timing and nature of fulfillment – plain
and simple. ""There is no more
weeping, because God’s people have been forgiven of their sins. For all
Partial Preterists and even some “Full Preterists,” this is a “Gnostic”
and a shallow view of the passage. However, this is the NT’s
eschatological goal of redemption, and we must reject their “literal
phases” propped up with their invented “not yet” and “ongoing
fulfillments” which the NT authors know nothing of taught
(sic)."
(Rebuts
Sam Frost's Theology)
Samuel Frost's
view that the kingdom came in the first century and yet that Jesus is now
conquering the world through the gospel is much closer to traditional
Christianity, and appears to have the endorsement of Dr. Talbot. If
Sam's "Ongoing
Fulfillment" relates to the
conquest of the Gospel over all nations, kings and religions, does that
qualify as Full Preterism?
-
Mike
Sullivan, David Green, Ed Hassertt:
SAM FROST'S DEPARTURE FROM FULL PRETERISM INTO THE
PARTIAL PRETERIST / PRETERIST IDEALIST WORLD OF TALBOT
(9/10/2010) "In Sam’s end of the world article he claimed that Full Preterist’s understand
the long ages of Isaiah 65 as teaching “spiritual abundance.” I followed this up
with asking Sam if this meant that he changed his interpretation of the
passage (to the FP one), or if he was being misleading in that he was still
holding onto a PP Postmillennial (PPP) hermeneutic (it is spiritual [“spiritual
abundance”] AND literal – the long ages will be seen as the passage is “fully
manifested/fulfilled” over time). Again, Sam dodged the question. How
scholarly, respectful, and loving."
-
Sam Frost: "no Preterist has
been able to say to me that 'nothing changes' when we physically
die. In other words, it is correct to say 'I am glorified' today in
the Body of Christ, as He is Glorified. However, is this
glorification FULLY MANIFEST or APPARENT today? Now, ask yourself:
will it be in heaven when I physically die? Will anything change?
Will I still be the same, old bumbling Sam Frost that I am here on
earth? Will I still be subject to occasional sin? Error? If not, why
not? Do I get 'something else' in Heaven? It is not so much that we
'get' something else, but that that which WE HAVE (II Cor. 5.1-2)
will be ENTIRELY in FULL OPERATION - FULL ON POWER. If this, then,
is so, then one must concede the argument of 'fullfillment already -
manifestation not yet' (my argument in a nutshell)."
1.
The kingdom would come as a mustard seed in the Parousia in AD 70.
2. Then after the Parousia in AD 70, the kingdom will grow for untold
thousands of years until it finally "fill[s] all the earth,"
in fulfillment of
Daniel 2:35 and other prophecies.
A Brief History of Covenant
Eschatology
By Samuel Frost,
M.A.R.
Aug 26, 2004
It is my contention, based on my
research, that Covenant Eschatology is enjoying a status today that it
has never enjoyed in the history of the Church. Part of that reason is
the Internet. Information no longer exclusively belongs to the academic
world. Such a change in information technology, namely the printing
press, was a factor in the Reformation (16th century), whereas before,
knowledge belonged to the educated. Freedom of thought found in the
Renaissance, coupled with Luther's radical individualism and freedom of
the conscience soon brought about a change more encompassing than Luther
ever imagined. It brought with it many headaches as well.
Covenant Eschatology has always
been around in some form or another. The Gnostic expressions of
Christian appropriation saw itself as living in the time of the
'fullness' of God's grace and mercy. Certainly, Athanasius, champion of
orthodoxy, could write in the 5th century that "death has been swallowed
up in victory" through the resurrection of Christ and this victory is
now enjoyed by all Christians "all over the world."
Those early Christians, documented
so well by the historian Eusebius, saw the Fall of Judaism and the
subsequent Fall of Rome (312 C.E.) as universal victories of the
reigning King Jesus. These two events were seen as fulfillments
of Scripture. Thus, Bishop Augustine could not see the reason for a
1,000 year reign after the Second Coming of Christ, for the First Coming
of Christ had rendered the world into His mighty power. That is,
Christ was already reigning and the Church was already ruling.
It can be very easy, then, to see
that such a view of the Kingdom of God could merge into the Holy Roman
Church. Now that the Church obtained the Purple in Rome, what else could
these people do but rule and protect her domains? When the Crown is
offered by God Himself, as Eusebius certainly saw it, you take it.
For our brief study here, however,
it is important to know that a shift in Eschatology from the "in the
yonder" to the "right now" helped pave the way for a European
domination. After the Reformation, this sense of dominion-oriented
Christianity did not cease in the least. The English Parliament,
Cromwell's Parliament, was thoroughly Puritan and Presbyterian. The
Mayflower Compact, penned by the first Americans, was thoroughly
Puritan. Those English ships did not set sail for Columbus’ lands of
"milk and honey" (as they were called) just to find new and exotic
trees. They set sail for dominion.
The dominion that occupied these
thinkers was, by and large, Post-millennialism. Both the Post and
A-millennial schools share many things in common (Bishop Augustine
worked out an A-millennial model). The Second Coming of Christ occurs
and there is no earthly reign that follows.
The issue, then, was, What does
the Church do with all of those dominion passages of God's Kingdom found
in the Prophets? Simple: the "time is now." However, what does
one do with those passages that speak of terrible times in the "last
days"? More than that, what does one do with the book of Revelation?
By the 18th century, a Preterist
school, as it came to be called in the 19th century, attempted to answer
those questions. The Reformed Scholastic Period of the 17th century
hashed out a difficult and intricate system of Protestant doctrine that
is still felt today. Keep in mind that this is just one hundred years
from Luther’s initial move towards a break with the Mother Church. The
openness of critical studies into the Bible and experimentation with new
models apart from Roman theology (though working within its Aquinian
categories of Latin theology and terminology, often championing
Augustine and Athanasius) launched a new era in Christian studies.
The Church was no longer the
supreme voice for matters of faith and practice. Interpretation
and hermeneutics became the means by which the Bible would
proclaim itself. Sola Scriptura (note the Latin) became
the foundation on which Protestantism and its dizzying variances were
built. Just after 200 years, a case for Covenant Eschatology was
blossoming.
The studies of the Hebrew Bible,
never before done (since Jews were regarded as outside the Kingdom),
yielded further studies into the Talmud and other Jewish literature. By
the time we come to Bishop John Lightfoot, one of the signers of the
Westminster Confession of Faith (1649), a case was being made that II
Peter 3 was actually the wars of the Jews and Romans in 66-70 C.E. I
ask the reader to note that it makes no sense for the dominion mandate
of Post-Millennialism to end in a universal conflagration supposedly
taught in II Peter 3.
The understanding that Matthew
24 largely dealt with those wars was seen as early as John Chrysostom
(6th century). Eusebius more than paved the way that Daniel 9 and
Matthew 24 were largely referring to those events. However, what
would happen, textually speaking, if II Peter 3 was also
referring to that event? The reason I mention the brief history of the
Reformation is the freedom of thought theoretically could allow
someone like a John Lightfoot or a John Owen (the "Prince of Puritan
preachers") to posit that II Peter 3 was indeed in reference to
70 C.E.
It does not take a historian to
see the connection that I am making under the rubric of development
within Christian doctrine. The ramifications of positing that II
Peter 3 was indeed merely an apocalyptic portrayal of C.E. 70 were
not seen immediately. This interpretation was largely ignored if even
known. But it was there. Someone made the connection. By the 19th
century, J. Stuart Russell, just over three hundred years of the
Reformation and its principles of interpretation, made an even more
startling connection: the book of Revelation was dealing with 70
C.E.
Milton S. Terry, theologian of the
late 19th century, wrote his mammoth Biblical Hermeneutics (which
is still one of the textbooks I studied at Whitefield Theological
Seminary). Terry followed Russell to a T. However, and this is
important, Terry expounded on the principle of hermeneutics that came
out of Reformation scholastics.
Thus, it was the principles
that developed from the Reformation that paved the way for Covenant
Eschatology. The Bible was now largely being seen through historical
eyes. Biblical criticism exploded. Only one thing remained: the creeds
of the church have always taught the end of the world and the Second
Coming of Christ.
Russell and Terry both maintained
that God, at some point in time, would indeed end the world. Both saw
the millennium as the church age – and the millennium in Revelation
20 ends. This view was properly called, Preterism. It maintained
an 'end' of the world, even though most prophecies in the Bible had been
fulfilled.
During the middle of the 20th
century, higher critics of the Bible began to see that Jesus had indeed
imagined that he would 'return' in that generation to bring about the
New Heavens and the New Earth. However, some disagreed with that notion
and posited that Jesus never said anything like that. Instead,
the 2nd century church and its rabid preoccupation with the 'end of the
world' and the ‘soon return’ of Christ placed those words in Jesus'
mouth, thus giving their views biblical authority.
Ironically, it was in this
academic cradle of Eschatology that the search for the Historical Jesus
was born. There was a problem, and no doubt 70 C.E. figured into the
solution somewhere, but 70 C.E. was hardly the 'end of the world' and we
are hardly in the "new heavens and the new earth." No one could say that
the "resurrection of the dead" took place then. Well, someone did say
it. His name was Max King.
In surveying the history of
Covenant Eschatology, I cannot find in print, prior to King, a view that
constructed the model he put forth. When King originally began to
construct this view in 1971, he was unaware of the works of others who
had come before, such as the development of the ideas found in Eusebius,
Augustine, Turretin, Lightfoot, Owen, Russell and Terry.
Answering critics who said that
his work was not "scholarly" enough, King launched into a fifteen-year
period of research interacting with higher critics such as Bultmann,
Schweitzer, Dodd and Cullmann, all heavy hitters in the theological
world. Cullmann's 'mid-point' Eschatology, Ladd's 'already-not yet,'
Dodd's 'realized eschatology,' and Schweizter's de-eschatologized
'historical Jesus' informed King's position, whether in reaction to
their contentions, or modifications of them on various points.
Equally, Evangelical scholars such
as Herman Ridderbos, George Eldon Ladd, and Charles Hodge contributed to
King's arguments. J.A.T. Robinson’s monumental study on Paul's 'body'
language provided a plank on which King could continue to forge an
eschatological view entirely unique from its predecessors, but owing a
great deal of gratitude for their works as well.
In many ways, King's eschatology
started from the same approach as Dodd's 'realized eschatology.' Both
saw the inauguration of the kingdom. However, unlike Dodd, King actually
posited that the Second Coming of Christ took place around the events of
70 C.E. Still further, he posited that the logical, consistent
treatment of Scripture must yield that the resurrection of the dead took
place as well. Proposing that the kingdom was not just inaugurated, but
consummated, was radical.
Let me put this another way: if
the prior views of Matthew 24 and II Peter 3 are seen in
light of 70 C.E., then the logical conclusion is that the resurrection
of the dead and Second Coming of Christ must also be seen here. However,
this logical inference was not deduced previously. In fact, it was not
even considered. One of the reasons, perhaps, is that the creeds and
confessions are all unanimous that the Second Coming and resurrection of
the dead (that is, the "self-same body" in the casket) will one day be
reformed and reunited with its soul. This being the case, Christian
theology had been ingrained with this framework, and it was hard,
even for Terry and Russell, to step outside of that framework.
By and large, regardless of what
millennial scheme one adopted, the Christian framework had a beginning
and an end to the world, closed by the Second Coming and Final
Judgment of all souls. King posited that all of those things are so
connected that it would make no sense to parcel them out over thousands
of years. So, what does one do, then, with the resurrection of the dead?
King’s solution was to first show
that the Bible never taught or expected a physical resurrection
of the dead, save Christ’s. While King put forth this view in his
earlier work, The Spirit of Prophecy, it was the main focus of
his later and much more developed work, The Cross and Parousia Christ.
This was what Dr. Kenneth Talbot has called Neo-Preterism. It was a bold
new step.
Earlier, George Bush (not the
President), a the theologian of the 19th century, wrote that the 'body'
in the casket does not necessarily come out of the casket intact.
Origen, in the 3rd century, held this idea as well. So did some of the
Gnostic writers. Thus, according to King, the resurrection was a
resurrection of souls from Hades, and was invisible to the naked eye.
There was another problem,
however. Paul is very clear about the continuity of the "body." "It
is sown, it is raised." The same 'it' that was sown is the same
‘it’ that will be raised. The 'it' is clearly in reference to the
"body," for Paul is answering the question: "in what body are
they raised?"
It is very easy to see why
Christianity has been insistent on the "self-same body" resurrection. If
the "body" there is the individual physical body, then it will
also be raised. King’s solution to this dilemma was to redefine "body"
in a soteriological sense, and not in an individiual or physical sense.
Again, he derives some of his thoughts from Ridderbos, Robinson and the
general shift of scholarship to read Paul in Hebraic rather than just
Hellenistic terms.
King's work, done in the 1970s and
80s, has given rise to preterist circles throughout the world. By the
1990s there were several groups, websites, churches, and conferences
being hosted. These came with more books and publications, some from
those who worked closely with King such as Don Preston, Jack Scott and
William Bell. Edward Stevens, who at first followed King's scholarship,
came to reject King's 'corporate body' resurrection schema for another
direction.
Many from the Reformed
reconstructionist, Post-millennial camps became "preterists" themselves,
while maintaining a Reformed ideology (often hard, if not impossible in
some cases, to do). There are more publications than ever before on this
subject, but mainstream scholarship and the press has yet to really pick
up on it.
Transmillennialism, a term coined
by Tim King, is forging ahead with understanding our times as the 'age
to come.' That is, if these things have indeed happened, then what and
how are we to live and perceive our world of men and things? There are
sharp differences among Transmillennialists and pop Preterists.
Some have created their own
idiosyncratic form of Preterism, like Kurt Simmons' 'Bi-Millennialism.'
Following Russell, Ed Stevens recently argued that the "rapture" of the
saints literally took place in 70 C.E. We might bemoan shoddy Preterist
exegesis on the Internet, but there is a deeper, more studious
expression growing in the published literature.
What all of these schools agree on
is that the Second Coming took place, and, therefore, we are not
'eagerly awaiting' for one to happen in our day. Theology, and by that I
mean justification by faith, sanctification, church-life, ethics and
morality, politics and philosophy within Christendom has all been done
within the framework that one day all of this will come to an end.
By contrast, Transmillennialism
and various forms of preterit scholarship are attempting to work out a
full-fledged worldview without an end in sight. This has, to my
knowledge, never been done. Only the future will tell us if, in fact,
Russell and King have paved the way to a brighter, braver, bolder
tomorrow for Christianity in general, and the world at large, by laying
the foundation stones of Covenant Eschatology.
Author Note:
Samuel M. Frost, M.A.R. is a writer and speaker on the early church and
its transforming hope. With a Bachelor of Theology from Liberty
Christian College in Pensacola, FL. Frost has completed his Master of
Arts in Christian Studies and a Master of Arts in Religion from
Whitefield Theological Seminary (with combined credits from Reformed
Theological Seminary/Orlando and Cleveland Church of God School of
Theology/Ohio). Currently Frost is working on his Ph.D. in Biblical
Languages from Whitefield Seminary, and is a member of the Evangelical
Theological Society and Society of Biblical Literature. He is the author
of Misplaced Hope (Bimillennial 2002) and serves as a teaching elder of
Christ Covenant Church. He and his wife Anne Marie and four children
live in Brandon, FL.
This article first appeared in Living
Presence Journal, Summer 2004, Vol 14, No. 2.
-
Dr.
Kenneth G. Talbot:
Samuel Frost and the Westminster Confession
(2009) "Here Mr.
Frost acknowledges himself as rightfully being a ‘heretic’ in light of
Reformed theology. We also read in: The Constitution of Christ Covenant
Church, Organized by Samuel Frost, in Section 1:A 1:2, Frost and others
where they wrote: “We are
fully aware of the opinion by many that preterism is regarded as a
“damnable heresy.”
Dr. Talbot
continues: Again, Mr. Frost clearly understands the implications
of his doctrine in light of both Reformed and Evangelical Christianity.
Why would he acknowledge that he is rightfully being called a ‘heretic’
and a ‘damnable heretic’ (not my words, but Mr. Frost’s and Mr.
Green’s), and then complain about being called a ‘heretic’ and a
‘damnable heretic’ at that? Let’s see if this is logical."
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