Basic Guide to Eschatology, A: Making Sense of the Millennium [Paperback]

Millard J. Erickson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1998

In this fair, careful, and accessible study, leading evangelical theologian Millard Erickson provides an overview of various end-times perspectives.

Each position Erickson examines includes (1) a brief overview, (2) its history, (3) a more thorough examination of its major concepts and of the arguments offered in support of them, and (4) an evaluation of both its positive and negative aspects.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Erickson has been fair in stating and evaluating the various views. . . . This book is a good place to begin in your quest for your own convictions. -- Russ Bush, Southwestern Journal of Theology

Erickson is to be commended for the fair, balanced, and careful treatment he has given to each position. -- Earl Radmacher, Eternity

Has value for all students of prophecy. -- Prairie Overcomer

Lucid and well-organized. . . . Each chapter begins with an overview of the position, followed by a short history, and then a more detailed defense. A brief evaluation . . . concludes the discussion of each position. -- Douglas Erlandson, Christian Scholars Review

Puts forth clearly and responsibly historically held post-, a-, and premillennial views. . . . A balanced and fair book. -- Robert Coughenour, Reformed Review

Useful for understanding options that have been and remain important for a large number of Christian churches. -- ADRIS Newsletter

About the Author

Millard J. Erickson is Distinguished Professor of Theology at Baylor University's Truett Seminary and at Western Seminary, Portland. He is a leading evangelical spokesperson with numerous volumes to his credit, including Christian Theology, Does It Matter What I Believe? and Postmodernizing the Faith.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Baker Books; Revised edition (December 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801058368
• ISBN-13: 978-0801058363
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #381,609 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Millard J. Erickson (B.A., University of Minnesota, B.D., Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, M.A., University of Chicago, Ph.D., Northwestern University) has taught theology at several evangelical seminaries. He has written over twenty-five books and numerous articles. He and his wife, Virginia, have three daughters and live in Mounds View, Minnesota.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very scholarly, reads like a textbook, April 23, 2000

By 

"shofar" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Basic Guide to Eschatology, A: Making Sense of the Millennium (Paperback)

This new edition of an earlier work is a very evenly balanced, scholarly work. It reads like a history book in some places and like a textbook in others. There are no dogmatic assertions made for any position, and the author's own opinion is well hidden -- you do not even know what it is until the end of the book.

The book covers a great deal of material including overviews of the traditional viewpoints of the millenium and the timing of the rapture. It includes basic arguments from each position and the persons who are the spokesmen for those positions. One of the prominent features is that evaluations are given of both positive and negative aspects of each position which is a big plus. While the arguments do not go into the greatest detail, they are not unduly brief so as to be unuseful. The scholar as well as the layman will find the book inviting.

Although the book is a newer addition and covers the recent trends in dispensationalism for example, it does not have information about the prewrath rapture position, which is becoming a major theory. It does however cover some of the less popular, or "mediating" positions such as the partial rapture view and the imminent posttribulational view.

This is a very informative and well written book. The author is quite fair to all positions and never engages in personal attacks. The book was written at the request of seminary students for an objective reference to the different eschatological options they would have when they would someday minister. Written by a scholar with the heart of a minister, their request has been well served in this book.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, Organized, and Balanced, May 1, 2000

By 

D. Stephens (Wimberley, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Basic Guide to Eschatology, A: Making Sense of the Millennium (Paperback)

What I appreciate most about this book is its organization. In particular, part 2 of the book, the various millennial positions, employs these subheadings for each chapter: Overview, History, Tenets, and Evaluation (both positive and negative); since each view uses the same subheadings, it allows for easy comparison. Part 1 of the book, Background Views, was interesting reading; however, I didn't see how it connected with parts 2 and 3. Then again, I confess I haven't read widely in this field. I thought the presentation of each of the millennial views was more clear in this book than in Clouse's "The Meaning of the Millenium," although I enjoyed and recommend that book, as well.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Overview, May 8, 2005

By 

Wayne Mcdaniel (Lawrence, KS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Basic Guide to Eschatology, A: Making Sense of the Millennium (Paperback)

Erickson does an excellent job of presenting various Eschatological views on the the Millenium and return of Christ. For each of the major views he presents a brief summary, history, the basic arguement for the position and its advantages and disadvantages. He presents each position from such a balanced perspective that one does not even know what his own view is until the very end.

My only disapointment with the book and the reason I give it 4 instead of 5 stars is that he barely even mentions the preterist view, as if it is not even worth considering.