Category Archives: History

POSTMILLENNIALISM’S HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

History February 6, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026-011 by J. Macleod

Gentry note:
This is a helpful article about postmillennialism by someone other than me! It is an insightful historical study by J. Macleod. I though that you deserve a break today. (McDonalds used to use this phrase in their advertising jingle when they were a fast-food restaurant. Now their service has slowed so much, I think they should consider this slogan: “Same-day Service!”)

McLeod’s article:

Eschatology is the study of the doctrine of the “last things”. Traditionally, positions have been defined by one’s views on the return of Christ — whether it will be before or after the “millennium”. The “millennium” (literally “a thousand years’) is the name given to a long period of gospel blessing promised in the Word.”Postmillennialism” is the view that the Second Coming (or the Second Advent) of Christ will take place after the millennium. Here the minister of Duthil-Dores Free Church deals with how ideas about this have developed. Next month, the Biblical basis for this point of view will be examined. Continue reading →

CHRIST AND OUR CALENDAR

History, Worldview August 1, 2025 Leave a comment

PMW 2025-063 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Gentry note:
These few paragraphs are taken from Oscar Cullman’s book, Christ and Time. His book is arguing that God controls time and that history is properly divided by the birth of Christ as the key event in history. In other words, he is presenting ancient Christianity’s Christo-centric view of history. These few sentences below are important to understand.

Cullmann:
Our system of reckoning time does not number the years in a continuous forward-moving series that begins at a fixed initial point. That method is followed, for example, in the calendar which Sextus Julius Africanus created at the opening of the third century A.D., and in the Jewish calendar, which thinks it possible to fix the date of the creation of the world, and hence designates that event by the year 1 and simply numbers forward from that point. Our system, however, does not proceed from an initial point, but from a center; it takes as the mid-point an event which is open to historical investigation and can be chronologically fixed, if not with complete accuracy, at least within a space of a few years. This event is the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Thence proceed in opposite directions two enumerations, one forward, the other backward: “after Christ,” “before Christ.” Continue reading →

REFORMATION & MODERN POSTMILLS

History, Theologians July 25, 2025 Leave a comment

.PMW 2025-061 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In a previous posting I listed a few ancient postmillennial writers, noting that this would have been a budding postmillennialism, not a full-blown postmillennial scheme. In this article I will present the names of some Reformation postmillennialists, as well as some contemporary ones

Reformation Postmillennialism

As Donald Bloesch notes, “postmillennialism experienced an upsurge in the middle ages,” as illustrated in the writings of Joachim of Fiore (A.D. 1145-1202) and others. But a more fully developed postmillennialism enjoys its greatest growth and influence in the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries, especially under Puritan and reformed influence in England and America. Continue reading →

WAS LIGHTFOOT A “PRETERIST”? AGAIN.

History, Preterism, Revelation July 1, 2025 Leave a comment

PMW 2025-053 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

My mistake
I am returning to a thought that I had written on previously on my Postmillennial blogsite: I am explaining why I no longer hold that John Lightfoot of the Westminster divines was a preterist. I do this because Gary DeMar for some reason rebukes me for changing my understanding of Lightfoot. In a post on the American Vision website, DeMar asks: “Why is Gentry dismissing an author like Lightfoot whose works are filled with preterist arguments?”

I would note in the first place that I am not “dismissing an author like Lightfoot”! I admire and appreciate Lightfoot as a great Reformed scholar and remarkably brilliant Hebraist.
Continue reading →

SOME ANCIENT PRETERISTS

History, Preterism May 30, 2025 Comments: 3

PMW 2025-042 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Jerome writingSince the 1990s the preterist perspective has been making its presence felt in contemporary prophecy discussions. Unfortunately, dispensational eschatology, which arose in the 1830s and is built on the futurist system, thoroughly dominates evangelical preaching, education, publishing, and broadcasting today. Consequently, evangelical Christians are largely unfamiliar with preterism, making it seem to be the “new kid on the block.” Preterism, however, is as hoary with age as is futurism. And despite its overshadowing in this century, it has been well represented by leading Bible-believing scholars through the centuries into our current day. Continue reading →

EARLY DATE DIFFICULTIES (3)

AD 70, History, Objections, Revelation May 21, 2024 Comments: 2

Nero redivivusPMW 2024-039 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

I am continuing a brief series on problems scholars have with the early (pre-AD 70) date of Revelation. I am using his Leon Morris’ book: The Revelation of St. John (2d. ed.: Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987) as my main source. Let’s get to work!

A most unusual phenomenon seems to appear in Revelation, according to Morris. His third argument is very popular among late-date theorists. This evidence regards the very unusual and ancient legend known as the Nero Redivivus myth. Morris briefly explains the myth and confidently employs it: “Again, it is urged that the book shows evidence of knowledge of the Nero redivivus myth (e.g. xvii. 8, 11). After Nero’s death it was thought in some circles that he would return. At first this appears to have been a refusal to believe that he was actually dead. Later it took the form of a belief that he would come to life again. This took time to develop and Domitian’s reign is about as early as we can expect it” (Morris 37). Continue reading →

IS PRETERISM ANTI-SEMITIC? (1)

Ethics, History, Preterism January 11, 2022 Comments: 6

PMW 2022-003 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Anti semitismPreterism is anti-Semitic. Pure and simple. To the core, through-and-through. It denounces Jews and Israel. And it must do so to maintain its distinctive theology. It involves a persecutional mindset.

At least that is what prophecy populists maintain, and what a number of scholars (who should know better) argue. But why do they make this charge?

Preteristm teaches that several New Testament prophecies apply to the AD 70 destruction of the temple. Is preterism’s focus on the Jewish judgment in AD 70 anti-Semtic? This is a serious moral charge. How does the preterist postmillennialist answer it? Are we guilty of such a sin? Continue reading →