Futurism (Christianity)
Futurism is a Christian eschatological view that interprets portions of the Book of Revelation, the Book of Ezekiel, and the Book of Daniel as future events in a literal, physical, apocalyptic, and global context.[1]
For other uses, see Futurism (disambiguation).By comparison, other Christian eschatological views interpret these passages as past events in a symbolic, historic context (preterism and historicism), or as present-day events in a non-literal and spiritual context (idealism). Futurist beliefs usually have a close association with premillennialism and dispensationalism.
History[edit]
Some elements of the futurist interpretation of Revelation and Daniel appeared in the early centuries of the Christian Church. However, the view was not popular. Irenaeus of Lyon (died c. 202), for instance, subscribed to the view that Daniel's 70th week awaited a future fulfillment.[2]
Two Catholic Jesuit writers, Manuel Lacunza (1731–1801) and Francisco Ribera (1537–1591), proposed the futurist view. Lacunza wrote under the pen name "Ben-Ezra", and his work was banned by the Catholic Church. Up until the 19th century, the futurist view was generally shunned by non-Catholics, being seen as a self-defense of the papacy against the claims of the historicist reformers.[3]
The futurist view has grown in popularity in the 19th and 20th centuries, and is currently followed by millions of Christians.[4] However, while this interpretation is popular among U.S. Evangelicals, it is generally rejected by adherents of Catholicism,[5][6] Eastern Orthodoxy,[7] Lutheranism, and Reformed Christianity.[8]