Realized eschatology is a Christian eschatological theory popularised by J.A.T. Robinson, Joachim Jeremias,

Ethelbert Stauffer Ethelbert Stauffer (May 8, 1902 in Friedelsheim – August 1, 1979 in Erlangen) was a German Protestant theologian and numismatist. Life Stauffer was the son of a Mennonite preacher born and raised in Worms. After attending the local grammar schoo ...

(1902–1979), and C. H. Dodd (1884–1973) that holds that the eschatological passages in the

New Testament The New Testament (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, as well as events relating to Christianity in the 1st century, first-century Christianit ...

do not refer to the future, but instead refer to the

ministry of Jesus The ministry of Jesus, in the canonical gospels, begins with Baptism of Jesus, his baptism near the River Jordan by John the Baptist, and ends in Jerusalem in Christianity, Jerusalem in Judea, following the Last Supper with his Disciple (Chri ...

and his lasting legacy.

Eschatology Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of Contemporary era, present age, human history, or the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic and non-Abrah ...

is therefore not the end of the world but its rebirth instituted by Jesus and continued by his disciples, a historical (rather than transhistorical) phenomenon. Those holding this view generally dismiss

eschatology Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of Contemporary era, present age, human history, or the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic and non-Abrah ...

theories, believing them to be irrelevant; they hold that what Jesus said and did, and told his disciples to do likewise, are of greater significance than any messianic expectations. Realized eschatology is contrasted with consistent eschatology. The two concepts have been combined in

inaugurated eschatology Inaugurated eschatology is the belief in Christian theology that the end times were inaugurated in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and thus there are both "already" and "not yet" aspects to the Kingdom of God. George Eldon Ladd sugge ...

Criticism

Theologian John Walvoord asserts that this view is attractive to liberal Christians who prefer to emphasize the love and goodness of God while rejecting the notion of judgment. Instead, theology professor David Wheeler suggests that eschatology should be about being engaged in the process of becoming, rather than waiting for external and unknown forces to bring about destruction.

References and notes

{{reflist, 2 Christian eschatology Christian terminology

Criticism

See also

References and notes