Re: [LM_NET] Left Behind Series: FYI Theological-Philosophical Background

[Dennis Hollingsead <hollings@ANDREWS.EDU>]

Even though the series is fiction, for many Evangelical Christians, it
expresses their belief of how the future will unfold. The historical
development regarding the INTERPRETATION of Biblical prophecy follows a
path that favors various interpretations over the years and relate to
current and historical events. Interpretation of prophecy is now in
three basic camps.

1. Historical Interpretation is usually understood as the method used
internally within the book of Daniel, which connects the specifics of
the visions to historical events as they play out over the centuries.
This method also uses the Year-Day principle for the time prophecies.
This has been the method of interpretation used by the Protestant
Reformers and ALL of Protestantism until about 1820-1840.

2. The Preterist Interpretation was developed by Luis De Alcazar
(Alcasar), a Jesuit priest, after the Protestant Reformation began. This
interpretation propounds that all the prophecies referred to Pagan Rome,
the fall of Jerusalem in A.D.70, were fulfilled by about 600 A.D., and
that the Second Coming refers to when Christ is accepted by the
individual. This method also has variant beliefs by various religious
groups, but is not generally accepted or taken seriously by most
Christians today.

3. Futurist Interpretation was developed and promoted by Cardinal Robert
Bellarmine and Jesuit priest Francisco Ribera. This method of
interpretation places most of the events of prophecy into some point in
the future when 3.5 or 7 years (depending on the individual
interpretation) of unparalleled chaos will engulf the world with a
yet-to-be determined anti-Christ individual working the 'non-Christian'
world to perdition. This basic view, along with numerous variations on
the theme was developed, at or near in time, to the Council of Trent as
a theological reaction to the Protestant Reformation and is referred in
our history books as the Counter Reformation. Many Evangelical Christian
groups have also combined the Futurist method of interpretation with the
Secret Rapture teaching, which first appeared in England in the 1830's
with the Irvingites.

This whole topic can be tied in with current events and the problems in
Ireland (the Orange and the Green), as well as background to world
historical events since Augustine, Jerome, Huss, Wycliff, and Tyndale.
The theological and political struggles between European and Arab
countries including the French Revolution can also be seen with some
increased awareness of issues with this background information. To
discuss European history without a religious context is to miss most of
why certain political decisions were made. An argument can also be made
that many Protestants in England during the 1800's believed that Israel
needed to return to Jerusalem in order for Biblical prophecy to be
fulfilled. Today's headlines surely reflect the outcome of this belief
and resulting policies.

For further information on this topic, the following 4 vol. scholarly
reference is quite extensive (including Josephus, Sir Isaac Newton, and
the Scofield Reference Bible)!

The PROPHETIC FAITH OF OUR FATHERS, The Historical Development of
Prophetic Interpretation, by Leroy Edwin Froom (Found in many public
libraries).

It would also be most unfortunate for librarians to remove from their
shelves any book that speaks against another group or identifies through
argument or belief, intolerable or prejudicial positions. There would
not be very many books left, and many classics would have to be removed.
How else can we know and understand the ebb and flow of history?
********************************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Strong, Emily R.
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 10:26 AM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Gen: Left Behind Series

First for all, the Bible is a religious document. The Left Behind series
is a FICTION series, quite obviously NOT the same thing. This series is
also an interpretation of the Bible, and a very poorly written one at
that. I haven't read the whole series, just a couple of them but from
what I have read it is propaganda, and not literature. I have rarely
read anything that it so widely accepted but that subtly teaches
prejudice and intolerance against people with different beliefs.

Emily
********************************************************

Dennis Hollingsead
Administrative Assistant
Vice President for Academic Administration
Andrews University
Berrien Springs, MI  49104
(269) 471-3404
hollings@andrews.edu

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