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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent presentation of the subject, November 8, 2004
Regardless of your current thoughts on the subject, this book will help you tie together any loose ends. It represents a very clear and easily-readable presentation of two opposite views of eschatology: futurism (dispensationalism) and preterism.
Like most evangelical Christians today, I grew up learning and teaching dispensationalism. Many studies in Daniel meant I had the images and calculations down pat. However, there was a nagging doubt involved in stretching the 70th week out for over two thousand years. Suddenly -- and recently -- everything is falling into place.
If you are unfamiliar with any other view of the end times, do yourself a favour and get a copy of this book. Both sides are very clearly presented. Read them and make up your own mind.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Too Brief!!, October 2, 1999
By A Customer
This book allows the common view (futurism) and the emerging view (preterism) to present their eschatological case, specifically concerning the timing of the "Tribulation." Both authors are given two chapters each in order to outline their respective views. Each author is then given one chapter to rebut the other's presentation.Where this book falls short is that the authors are not given an additional opportunity to respond to each other's rebuttals. A couple rounds of additional responce, in my mind, is where great benefit could have been given the reader, but wasn't. Even so, this book serves as a springboard for your own study, which is the stated objective. Each author gives a two page list of favorable books for his position.
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Much-Needed Comparison, June 9, 2003
Evangelical Christianity's fascination with eschatology shows no signs of waning in the near future. Major political and social events continue to fuel the interest in "end-times" speculation, whether the Persian Gulf War, 9/11, or the war in Iraq. A significant indicator of evangelicalism's interest in eschatology is the infamous "Left Behind" series of books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. This series of books has become something of a phenomenon in the publishing industry, and their popularity has not been limited to the evangelical world. Through this series LaHaye and Jenkins have helped popularize an interpretive theological system known as Dispensational, and an eschatology of Pretribulationism. This eschatological framework undergirds the fictional story of the books, and may represent the "end-times" views of a majority of conservative evangelicals. Indeed, many of them have never heard of any other option, and those that have may likely consider other eschatological options as heresy! _The Tribulation: Past or Future?_ provides a helpful introduction to another view of eschatology known as preterism or moderate preterism. Kenneth Gentry presents and defends the view that the events described by Christ in Matthew 24 are an example of fulfilled prophecy through the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Gentry looks carefully at the internal evidence of this text (and others) in an attempt to practice genuine hermeneutics rather than forcing a particular interpretive scheme upon the text. Ice presents and defends the futurist view, particularly Dispensational Pretribulationism, arguing that the events described in the Olivet Discourse are yet future and unfulfilled. The format of the book is a back and forth presentation and response by the authors that allows them to both build the strongest case for their views, and to respond to common criticisms. Written on a popular level, the reader need not have any formal theological training prior to engaging the text. Even so, this book can also serve as an introductory textbook in systematic theology at Bible colleges. Readers will find this book a helpful resource that provides food for thought in today's popular "end-times" speculation. Those who enjoy this volume will also benefit from a review of Gary DeMar's _Last Day's Madness_ (American Vision, 1997), as well as R.C. Sproul's _The Last Days According to Jesus_ (Baker, 1998).
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