A review of "The Millennial Maze"by Stanley Grenz.
Stanley J. Grenz has written an excellent overview of
the four main eschatological positions within contemporary evangelicalism:
dispensationalist premillennialism, historic premillennialism, amillenialism and
postmillennialism. Or perhaps five, since the school of thought known as
progressive dispensationalism is obviously different from "classical"
dispensationalism.
While Grenz focuses on the debates between modern evangelicals, the book could also be read by those interested in Christianity in general, since the viewpoints described (except for dispensationalism) have deep roots in Church history.
Grenz describes the four versions of eschatology quite fairly and objectively. He explains the real or perceived Biblical proofs for each viewpoint, and also gives the reader an overview of the criticisms that exist of each scenario. The book ends with two more personal chapters in which the author discusses his own views, and why the millennial issue is theologically important. Grenz describes himself as an amillennialist with sympathies for postmillennialism.
As already mentioned, the author includes progressive dispensationalism in his chapter on dispensationalist premillennialism, which may rub the traditional dispensationalists the wrong way. In passing, he also mentions the "reconstructionists" in the chapter on postmillennialism.
There are several books in Zondervan's Counterpoint series which deal with various interpretations of Revelation or the meaning of the millennium. Those are heavier reading. Grenz' book is a good introductory text to the subject for those who find detailed theological exposition too awkward.
Final point. The book was published in 1992 and may therefore be somewhat dated in some of its statements. For instance, I wonder whether the dialogue between classical dispensationalists and covenant theologians really got off the ground? Maybe at some obscure seminary, but the present millennial maze surely seems to favour good old "Left Behind" pre-trib pre-mill dispensationalism as usual!
While Grenz focuses on the debates between modern evangelicals, the book could also be read by those interested in Christianity in general, since the viewpoints described (except for dispensationalism) have deep roots in Church history.
Grenz describes the four versions of eschatology quite fairly and objectively. He explains the real or perceived Biblical proofs for each viewpoint, and also gives the reader an overview of the criticisms that exist of each scenario. The book ends with two more personal chapters in which the author discusses his own views, and why the millennial issue is theologically important. Grenz describes himself as an amillennialist with sympathies for postmillennialism.
As already mentioned, the author includes progressive dispensationalism in his chapter on dispensationalist premillennialism, which may rub the traditional dispensationalists the wrong way. In passing, he also mentions the "reconstructionists" in the chapter on postmillennialism.
There are several books in Zondervan's Counterpoint series which deal with various interpretations of Revelation or the meaning of the millennium. Those are heavier reading. Grenz' book is a good introductory text to the subject for those who find detailed theological exposition too awkward.
Final point. The book was published in 1992 and may therefore be somewhat dated in some of its statements. For instance, I wonder whether the dialogue between classical dispensationalists and covenant theologians really got off the ground? Maybe at some obscure seminary, but the present millennial maze surely seems to favour good old "Left Behind" pre-trib pre-mill dispensationalism as usual!
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