Tuesday, August 30, 2005

"As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the demand."

This quote was written by the famous US humorist and lecturer Henry Wheeler Shaw under the pseudonym, Josh Billings.

Let me start by first welcoming you to my first ever "blog" and explain what I'm attempting to do. I hope to play the role of facilitator to discussion. And while I have my own opinions on the subjects I wish to table, for the most part, I'd like to sit back and enjoy watching the discussion unfold. We'll see how well I do at that. I'd like to suggest that your posts be kept brief enough to refrain from re-writing the bible, but feel free to use whatever literary license you feel you need to make your point. I just ask you to attempt to be concise.

As the title of this blog would suggest, I'd like to kick it off by identifying what I have come to understand are the primary doctrinal camps Christianity has divided itself up into - amillennialism, postmillennialism and premillennialism.

Amillennialism (or, no-millennium) is considered to be the most figurative interpretation of the bible and takes the view that the millennium described by John in Revelation is not to be taken literally. That no such earthly kingdom is to be established and that Christ's return will be a single, all encompassing event. The amillennial camp believes the "millennium" period described by John is simply the length of time between the first and second advent of Christ.

Postmillennialism takes the optimistic view, believing the millennium to be a figurative number, like "lots" or "many" but suggest that we are now living in the "millennium". That the church is God's kingdom on earth today. And that the earth will grow in righteousness as the Gospel is spread throughout the world, that righteousness will pervade visibly, ultimately leading up to the return of Jesus Christ.

Premillennialism takes the opposite view and has very little faith in the ability of man to solve the problems of the world without the very direct and physical intervention of Jesus Christ. Their view is considered to be the most literal interpretation of the bible. That the millennium is a literal 1,000 years to be ushered in when the Gospel has been spread to all the earth but goes unheeded as mankind takes itself to the brink of destruction only to be saved by the return of Jesus Christ.

All of us believe passionately we have been given true understanding by God, that He has heeded our prayers for knowledge and understanding, that the rest have been deceived by Satan and his false prophets. If that is true, why do we believe different things? And, does truth really matter?