The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views (Spectrum Multiview Book) [Paperback]

George Eldon Ladd (Author), Robert G. Clouse (Author), Anthony A. Hoekema (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 23, 1996 | Series: Spectrum Multiview Book

Christ is coming again.

Since the first century, Christians have agreed that Christ will return. But since that time there have also been many disagreements. How will Christ return? When will he return? What sort of kingdom will he establish? What is the meaning of the millennium? These questions persist today.

Four major views on the millennium have had both a long history and a host of Christian adherents. In this book Robert G. Clouse brings together proponents of each view: George Eldon Ladd on historic premillenniallism, Herman A. Hoyt on dispensational premillennialism, Loraine Boettner on post-millennialism and Anthony A. Hoekema on amillennialism.

After each view is presented, proponents of the three competing views respond from their own perspectives. Here you'll encounter a lively and productive debate among respected Christian scholars that will help you gain clearer and deeper understanding of the different ways the church approaches the meaning of the millennium.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This work is an excellent introduction to the discussion as well as a pointer to additional works on the subject." (TSF Bulletin)

"A stimulated debate and an excellent learning tool . . . . The book opens a fresh and fruitful dialogue." (Southwestern Journal of Theology)

"Congratualtions to IV Press and to editor Clouse for bringing together the most adequate dialogue yet, on the divergent eschatological understandings found in modern evangelicalism." (Prebyterian Covenant Seminary Review)

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: IVP Academic (July 23, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877847940
• ISBN-13: 978-0877847946
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #106,149 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 74 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite Good, but could have been better August 2, 2002

By J. F Foster

Format:Paperback

Eschatological views within evangelicalism have long been a source of serious division between believers. This book, in a succinct way, offers the presentation of 4 major views of the millennium, each view represented by one scholar. Like other books of its kind, the book is presented in such a way that each eschatological position is presented by the scholar advocating such a position, and then the other 3 scholars representing other points of view have the opportunity to critique the presentation. Given that the four scholars represented in this book are all respected to varying degrees, I felt that this format worked quite well in this book.

I felt that the two views represented the best were by far the historic premil and amillennial views articulated by Ladd and Hoekema respectively. Both did a good job of providing a rather thorough presentation of their respective views. I also felt that Hoekema did the best job of critiquing the other 3 views in his short rebuttals to the other 3 proposals. Ladd certainly could have been better in this regard.

I frankly wasn't expecting much from Hoyt, and both his presentation of dispensational premil and his rebuttals were about what I expected - which was disappointing. As was pointed out in the rebuttals to his view, Hoyt did not even attempt to provide an exegesis of Rev. 20:1-6 in his proposal, which is a monumental deficiency in his presentation. In addition, Hoyt, like many dispensationalists unfortunately, had no effective way to defend their 'literal' interpretation technique against the many well argued points made against it by the other 3 scholars.... Since interpretation technique is the central issue in each millennial view presented, Hoyt's inability to effectively defend the technique he is adopting to argue his position is another serious deficiency in his presentation.

But in my view, the biggest disappointment was Boettner's presentation on postmillennialism. Like Hoyt, no analysis of Rev. 20 is found in his proposal, and even worse, Boettner doesn't offer up any significant exegesis of any Biblical passages at all. Boettner's entire argument is not one that is Biblically based, but is one that tries to experientially look at the world and argue that it's getting better over time. As Ladd points out, this is a double edged sword, but even more than that, even if one accepts Boettner's premise, that doesn't automatically mean that postmillennialism is the correct eschatological view. His presentation was universally deficient, and that's a real shame coming from a scholar as respected as Boettner. And this is the main reason why I'm giving this book 4 stars instead of 5. As a view, postmillenialism was not represented well at all here, and that's unfortunate. Put simply, this view was not presented with any Scriptural basis at all.

The other major criticism I have of the book is Clouse's postscript which seems to heavily criticize premillennialism. I found Clouse's postscript to be flat out inaccurate in parts, or at the very least, seriously outdated in its criticisms. Premillennialists, as a group, do not shun the liberal arts as a legitimate and necessary field of study, nor do they shun social activism as a result of their eschatology. It is true that there are way too many end times hunters on the scene who repeatedly make themselves look bad by trying to predict certain end times events by interpreting supposed present day signs of the end of the world. I certainly agree that to the extent that these end times hunters are 'teachers' in the Biblical sense, they should be held to severe accountability when their teachings prove to be wrong, but that way too often, these guys are instead given a free pass to continue teaching error and that this is an embarassment to the entire Body of Christ. But Clouse's other negative contentions regarding premillennialism are decidedly out of place and inaccurate.

Overall, I think many readers will come away from reading this book with a much better understanding of what the points of contention are between the varying millennial views, and why such points of contention exist. While the postmillennial view clearly should have been presented better, the book still provides a solid basis to understand what each view is saying and why they are saying it. The reader may also conclude, as I did, that each view presented has certain strengths and weaknesses, and that no system of millennialism has been proposed that doesn't have weaknesses in it. But this book will provide a very good jumping off point for readers to further explore these views in more detail and reach their own convictions about which millennial view is most faithful to the entirety of Scriptural truth. Read more ›

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensible (IMHO) for Understanding the End Times May 31, 2002

By David T. Wayne VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Like most modern evangelical Christians, I was brought up in the faith to believe that the bible taught that there would be a rapture, followed by a seven year tribulation period, followed by the second coming of Christ where He would set up a millennial kingdom in Jerusalem where he would reing for 1000 years, followed by a final coming where he would usher in the eternal state with a new heavens and a new earth.

Back in the early 90's I was studying for ministry and I figured that someone would probably ask me my view of the end times some day, so I decided I needed to study it for myself. So, I acquired a 28 tape set on the end times by one of the leading conservative scholars in America. I listened to all of them, as he explained and defended the above scheme and I came away from that thinking that I would never be able to persuade someone of that position unless they were already heavily predisposed to believing it. What I mean is that I couldn't find a rapture/tribulation, etc. in any of the Scriptures that this teacher used.

So, scratching my head, I did a little more research and came across this book. It opened my eyes to the fact that there were other views of the end times that were held by Christians who believed the Bible was the word of God. I had been told in the past that the only people who don't follow the rapture/tribulation etc., scheme were people who didn't believe the Bible.

I won't tell you what view I adopted, other than to say that I found that all of the views had much to commend them, from a Scriptural standpoint, except the one I formerly held.

This book does an excellent job of letting the representatives from the various schools of thought speak for themselves, and it allows critiques in a scholarly and irenic manner.... I would urge anyone who feels strongly about their view of the end times to read this book. It may or may not change your mind, but hopefully it will at least open your mind to some new possibilities when it comes to end times scenarios. Read more ›

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful introduction to Second Coming views January 20, 2003

By Gontroppo VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Many people are unaware that there are several views of how we should interpret the New Testament's teaching about Christ's Second Coming. In many churches, only one view is ever presented, and often this is the most recent one, unknown in the history of the church until the mid-1800s.

Books like this one help you to see that evangelical Christians have different ways of interpreting the Bible's teaching about the end of the world. This may prove unsettling at first, but it is good to be aware of other people's views when the New Testament is not as clear as some would like us to believe.

It is also helpful to see that the main teaching, that Jesus is coming again to take those who believe in him to be with him forever, *is* clear.

Another helpful book, also available from Amazon, is Steve Gregg's Revelation: Four Views - a parallel commentary, which presents several of these views side by side, in their authors' own words.

Both books are warmly recommended.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Fairly good introduction--but inconsistent May 10, 2004

By Steve Fast

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This books provides a basic understanding of the 4 contrasting views of the kingdom of God as seen through the lens of the millennium. It helps to have a basic knowledge of the doctrine of the millennium before you read the book as no one explains the basic views themselves.

Each of the contributors explains their view more or less competently, although Hoekema (amillennialism) has by far the most rigorous and well-organized essay. Ladd's essay is also quite good. Hoyt's essay is more about the dispesationalist scheme of Biblical interpretation, and he consistently confuses the concept of metaphorical or symbolic interpretation, arguing in his essay that such interpretation is "literalism" when any speaker of English would tell you that it is not.

Boettner's contribution (post-millennialism) was downright disappointing as he had no Biblical exegesis to back up his admittedly engaging presentation of his view. Some of the responses by each contributor to the other's position are fairly rude, in particular Ladd, but also Hoyt to an extent.

The editor's careless work decreased the value of the book. He did not require all the contributors to address their exegesis of key questions, like that of Rev. 20. He allowed Boettner to get away with a sloppy essay that proved nothing. And he allowed Hoyt to blather on and on in his essay and his responses about "literalism," when any dictionary would show that literalism is not what Hoyt says it is.

In summary, you can dig an understanding of the four views of the millennium out of this book, but the editor could have made it much easier.