Dislocating the Eschaton? Appraising Realized Eschatology

Was Jesus Christ a deluded prophet who expected an imminent collapse of the world followed by the dawning of a kingdom that has never eventuated? Some who reject Christianity think that he was, and as a consequence are highly suspicious about any other claims that are attributed to Jesus. However, o...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Burley, Mikel 1972- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Springer Netherlands [2017]
In: Sophia
Year: 2017, Volume: 56, Issue: 3, Pages: 435-452
IxTheo Classification:AB Philosophy of religion; criticism of religion; atheism
HC New Testament
KAJ Church history 1914-; recent history
KDD Protestant Church
NBQ Eschatology
Further subjects:B Eschaton
B Kingdom of God
B Realized Eschatology
B Rudolf Bultmann
B Jesus Christ
B C. H. Dodd
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Summary:Was Jesus Christ a deluded prophet who expected an imminent collapse of the world followed by the dawning of a kingdom that has never eventuated? Some who reject Christianity think that he was, and as a consequence are highly suspicious about any other claims that are attributed to Jesus. However, other interpretations of the apparently eschatological pronouncements in the New Testament exist, one of which is realized eschatology, this being the idea, roughly, that the kingdom or reign of God was realized in or through the ministry of Jesus itself. Debates surrounding the competing interpretations of New Testament eschatology raise fascinating issues, both exegetical and conceptual. Exploring some of these issues from the perspective of philosophy of religion, informed by theological and biblical studies, this article argues that realized eschatology is a religious option that, contrary to common criticisms, is neither incoherent nor implausibly reductive.
ISSN:1873-930X
Contains:Enthalten in: Sophia
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1007/s11841-016-0534-0