Bibelseminar Bonn e.V.

BSB-Journal 2/2011

 

Are we living in the End Times?

 

Yes, and people have been doing this for almost 2000 years. Jesus could have come in the past centuries any time, and he can do it today, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. That is a long time period in which the expectation of his immediate return has been sometimes more and sometimes less pronounced. Before the last turn of the millennium, the expectation was particularly strong, and authors of end time literature earned a „golden nose.“ Eleven years later it has become a little quieter on the subject.

 

„Until he comes again“—so why now is this topic? On the one hand, the current mood allows a more objective dealing with the subject; on the other hand, it is also necessary that Christianity stays alert. To put it straight to the point, none of the contributing authors here knows when Jesus comes back or when the end of the world will be. Anyone who claims something like this is not serious; he or she cannot rely on the Bible and probably wants to make money. The title page has therefore no time on the arrival schedule.

 

The authors have yet a lot to say, what is worth reading. In addition to faculty of Bibelseminar Bonn, there are also contributions from the other side of the Atlantic. Dr. Craig Blaising is Vice President and Provost of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, and one of the most important representatives of progressive Dispensationalism. Areader who has no idea what this term is all about, should surely read his article as well as the presentation slides. Dr. David Mills is Evangelism Professor at the same seminary, and has written on the subject of hell. On the same subject there is also a contribution by Dr. Charles L. Quarles, Dean of the Caskey School of Divinity, Louisiana College. These two articles are particularly up to date, because in the spring Rob Bell published his book „Love Wins,“ in which he tossed overboard the classical idea of hell. That this was perhaps somewhat hasty, becomes obvious in Mills‘ and Quarles’ articles.

 

This journal offers help in answering one of the classical W-question: where do I go? It also reminds that Jesus could return immediately; and that those who expect Him must not develop a spiritual superiority complex, because one feels to have a stronger expectation and better eschatology than others. Already Augustine wrote:

 

I wish all readers a good reading.

 

Until he comes again!

 

Dietmar Schulze

Editor 

 

Previous issues:

BSB-Journal.de 1/2011 for  a normal and for  a wide screen.