Methodist view on Revelations

[ADiscipleOnHisPath]

How do Methodists view the message in Revelations?

[overnight]

I can tell you what I as a methodist think about Revelation. This is a book that has quite a bit of imagry and difficult to understand concepts. Will/are the things from Revelation transpire/ing I don't think so. Should we study REvelation yes it is the word of God and therefore can give us a better understanding of God. Should we take Revelation literaly, no. WHen Chrsit comes again hs comes again let us watch but moreover let us witness that none may parish.

http://www.upperroom.org/askjulian/default.asp?act=answer&itemid=55613
here is a link that talks more about what the UMC stand is on Revelation.

[Origen]

How do Methodists view the message in Revelations?

The key verse I use as a lens through which I read Revelation is "Blessed are those servants whom the master will find at work when he arrives" (Matt. 24:46).

One of the dangers of folks off in the theological weeds is premillennial dispensationalism (the perspective found in Tim LaHaye's Left Behind novels). Professor of New Testament theology at the UMC Wesley seminary in DC, Craig Hill, explained the danger of premillennial dispensationalism this way:

The hope of impending departure can lead believers to abandon interest in the world and its problems. The expectation of deteriorating conditions prior to the soon-approaching rapture is morally corrosive, encouraging pessimism, fatalism, and the forsaking of political responsibility. Disengagement from the problems of the world is ethically indefensible, but it is all too common amongst today’s prophecy elite. Their books tell us that nuclear war is inevitable, that the pursuit of peace is pointless, that the planet’s environmental woes are unstoppable, and so on.

Dr Hill has written a great book that any Methodist interested a Methodist understanding of Revelation (and in the bad theology behind Left Behind) will enjoy: In God's Time (http://www.ingodstime.com/).

I also really enjoyed reading the information in the link provided by overnight above. I particularly liked the way Julian began to answer the question How do Methodists read Revelation:

There is no official United Methodist position on the Book of Revelation. So in that sense, all our answers are opinions.

[Origen]

Hello again ADiscipleOnHisPath:

I just noticed that you mentioned in the other thread that you asked the question above as part of your Disciple Bible Study. Which course are you taking now, Disciple I or Disciple IV? Disciple I spends just one week on Revelation if I recall correctly, and Disciple IV spends several weeks on Revelation (the last 16 weeks focus generally on John's writtings).

Either way, you're in good hands in the Disciple Bible Study. And if you are taking Disciple I and enjoying your study of Revelation, I'd recommend Disciple IV. (And some folks may not encourage this, but I'd suggest getting ahold of the Disciple IV manual and tapes and taking a closer look at that presentation of Revelation--it's well done (but don't look at the last tape session alone, though--save that for your group--it's special).)

Take care and God bless.

[Carlos Vigil]

The key verse I use as a lens through which I read Revelation is "Blessed are those servants whom the master will find at work when he arrives" (Matt. 24:46).

One of the dangers of folks off in the theological weeds is premillennial dispensationalism (the perspective found in Tim LaHaye's Left Behind novels). Professor of New Testament theology at the UMC Wesley seminary in DC, Craig Hill, explained the danger of premillennial dispensationalism this way:



Dr Hill has written a great book that any Methodist interested a Methodist understanding of Revelation (and in the bad theology behind Left Behind) will enjoy: In God's Time (http://www.ingodstime.com/).

I also really enjoyed reading the information in the link provided by overnight above. I particularly liked the way Julian began to answer the question How do Methodists read Revelation:


Have you read or heard of the book;, "The Lamb's Supper" by
Dr. Scott Hahn ???

Carlos

[Texas Lynn]

Like everybody else, we're all over the map on that.

More liberal Methodists, and other Mainliners, see it as metaphors. The seven horns of the Beast are an obvious metaphor for the seven hills of Rome.

But we have Methodists who believe without reservation in the Gospel According to LaHaye and Jenkins too.

[Islander]

There is no one Methodist view of Revelation. John Wesley, like Calvin and Luther, believed in the Historicist view which was premillenial but said the 7 year tribulation was really the church age and that 7 years represents the completeness of years not a literal 7 year time period. Today most Methodists are divided between amillenial, premillenial, and dispensational premillenial views. Personally I'm historic premillenialist but I agree with Origin about the problems created by fatalism. Arthur Bloomfield, who died 20 years ago, wrote books from the dispensational viewpoint in the late 70's early 80's and he's the most famous Methodist author of commentary on Revelation that I've heard of. H. Ray Dunning, who I believe is a Wesleyan (the denomination) pastor, wrote a book trying to make a comprehensive Wesleyan theology of Revelation which I bought but I've never had time to read it. The best book on Revelation I've read is a book written by Nazarene and Wesleyan (again the denomination) writers and it gives the different views on Revelation comparing and contrasting them without pushing any view. It's called The End by Everett Leadingham.