Editing Christian eschatology (section)

==History==
[[Eschatology]] within [[early Christianity]] originated with the [[Ministry of Jesus|public life and preaching of Jesus]].<ref>{{cite book |author-last=Rowland |author-first=Christopher |year=2010 |orig-date=2007 |chapter=Part I: Historical Eschatology – The Eschatology of the New Testament Church |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=voEVDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA56 |editor-last=Walls |editor-first=Jerry L. |title=The Oxford Handbook of Eschatology |location=[[Oxford]] and [[New York City|New York]] |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |pages=56–73 |doi=10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195170498.013.4 |doi-broken-date=1 November 2024 |isbn=978-0-19-517049-8 |lccn=2006032576 |s2cid=171574084}}</ref> Jesus is sometimes interpreted as referring to his Second Coming in Matthew 24:27; Matthew 24:37–39; Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62. Christian eschatology is an ancient branch of study in Christian theology, informed by Biblical texts such as the [[Olivet Discourse]] (recorded in Matthew 24–25, Mark 13, and Luke 21), [[The Sheep and the Goats]], and other discourses of end times by Jesus, with the doctrine of the [[Second Coming]] discussed by [[Paul the Apostle]]<ref>{{bibleverse||Romans|2:5–16}}, {{bibleverse||Romans|14:10}}, {{bibleverse|1|Cor|4:5}}, {{bibleverse|2|Cor|5:10}}, {{bibleverse|2|Tim|4:1}}, {{bibleverse|2|Thess|1:5}}</ref> in [[Pauline epistles|his epistles]], both the [[Authorship of the Pauline epistles|authentic and the disputed ones]]. Other eschatological doctrines can be found in the [[Epistle of James]],<ref>{{Bibleverse|James|5:8}}</ref> the [[First Epistle of Peter]],<ref>{{Bibleverse|1 Peter|4:7}}</ref> and the [[First Epistle of John]].<ref>{{Bibleverse|1 John|2:18–28}}</ref> According to some scholars, the [[Second Epistle of Peter]] explains that God is patient and has not yet brought about the [[Second Coming of Christ]], in order that more people will have the chance to reject [[evil]] and find [[Salvation in Christianity|salvation]] (3:3–9); therefore, it calls on Christians to wait patiently for the [[Parousia]] and to study scripture. Other scholars, however, believe that the New Testament epistles are an exhortation to the early church believers to patiently expect the imminent return of Jesus, predicted by himself on several occasions in the gospels. The [[First Epistle of Clement]], written by [[Pope Clement I]] in ca. 95, criticizes those who had doubts about the faith because the Second Coming had, in his view, not yet occurred.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Harris|first=Stephen L.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TGJKeHOmGhwC&q=understanding+the+bible+harris|title=Understanding the Bible: A Reader's Guide and Reference|date=1980|publisher=Mayfield Publishing Company|isbn=978-0-87484-472-6|pages=363|language=en}}</ref>

Christian eschatology is also discussed by [[Ignatius of Antioch]] (c. 35–107 AD) in [[Epistles of Ignatius|his epistles]],<ref>For example, Chapter 6 of the Epistle of St Ignatius to the Romans. Translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, New York: Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1885.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0107.htm>.</ref> then given more consideration by the Christian apologist, [[St Justin Martyr|Justin Martyr]] (c. 100–165).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Osborn |first=Eric Francis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wu6Nr1NgkP0C&dq=justin+martyr+-+eschatology&pg=PA198 |title=Justin Martyr |date=1973 |publisher=Mohr Siebeck |isbn=978-3-16-133261-6 |language=en}}</ref> Treatment of eschatology continued in the [[Western Christianity|West]] in the teachings of [[Tertullian]] (c. 160–225), and was given fuller reflection and speculation soon after by [[Origen]] (c. 185–254).<ref>Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson, eds. ''Ante-Nicene Fathers.'' (16 vol.) Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson, 1994. The writings of Ignatius and Justin Martyr can be found in Vol. 1; Tertullian, in Volumes 3–4; and Origen, in Volume 4.</ref> The word was used first by the Lutheran theologian [[Abraham Calovius]] (1612–1686) but only came into general usage in the 19th century.<ref>Erwin Fahlbusch, Dietrich, "Eschatology", The Encyclopedia of Christianity (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Leiden, Netherlands: Wm. B. Eerdmans; Brill, 1999–2003), p. 122.</ref>

The growing modern interest in eschatology is tied to developments in Anglophone Christianity. [[Puritans]] in the 18th and 19th centuries were particularly interested in a [[Postmillennialism|postmillennial]] hope which surrounded Christian conversion.<ref name="Murray1975">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G_spKwAACAAJ|title=The Puritan Hope: A Study in Revival and the Interpretation of Prophecy|last=Murray|first=Iain Hamish|publisher=Banner of Truth Trust|year=1975|isbn=978-0-85151-247-1|location=London}}</ref> This would be contrasted with the growing interest in [[premillennialism]], advocated by dispensational figures such as [[John Nelson Darby|J. N. Darby]].<ref name="BlaisingBock2000">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xsumJRsOWVMC&pg=PT12 |title=Progressive Dispensationalism |date=2000 |publisher=Baker Books |isbn=978-1-4412-0512-4 |editor=Blaising |editor-first=Craig A. |pages=9–56 |editor2=Bock |editor-first2=Darrell L.}}</ref> Both of these strands would have significant influences on the growing interests in eschatology in [[Christian mission]]s and in Christianity in [[Christianity in Africa|West Africa]] and [[Christianity in Asia|Asia]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Walls|first=Andrew F.|date=November 2016|title=Eschatology and the Western Missionary Movement|journal=Studies in World Christianity|language=en|volume=22|issue=3|pages=182–200|doi=10.3366/swc.2016.0155}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Chow|first=Alexander|date=November 2016|title=Eschatology and World Christianity|journal=Studies in World Christianity|language=en|volume=22|issue=3|pages=201–215|doi=10.3366/swc.2016.0156|hdl=20.500.11820/eebee50d-9975-4575-b5bf-66ceeb392346| s2cid=151356896 |url=https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/files/27675823/Chow_Eschatology_and_World_Christianity_revised_.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722065944/https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/files/27675823/Chow_Eschatology_and_World_Christianity_revised_.pdf |archive-date=2018-07-22 |url-status=live|hdl-access=free}}</ref> However, in the 20th century, there would be a growing number of German scholars such as [[Jürgen Moltmann]] and [[Wolfhart Pannenberg]] who would likewise be interested in eschatology.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter-url=http://universitypublishingonline.org/ref/id/companions/CBO9781139000000A017|title=The Cambridge Companion to Christian Doctrine|last=Fergusson|first=David|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=1997|isbn=978-1-139-00000-0|editor-last=Gunton|editor-first=Colin E.|location=Cambridge|pages=226–244|language=en|chapter=Eschatology|doi=10.1017/ccol0521471184.014}}</ref>

In the 1800s, a group of Christian theologians inclusive of [[Ellen G. White]], [[William Miller (preacher)|William Miller]] and [[Joseph Bates (Adventist)|Joseph Bates]] began to study eschatological implications revealed in the [[Book of Daniel]] and the [[Book of Revelation]]. Their interpretation of Christian eschatology resulted in the founding of the [[Seventh-day Adventist church]].