Post Modern thinking in Bozeman, MT
A group of us have formed an informal meeting called "TrailBlazer Ministries." "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the 'trailblazer' and perfecter of our faith..." Hebrews 12:2 We will discuss a variety of topics and play a variety of worship music. Contact me at cellist@jesseahmann.com for more information.
Is is really necessary to be a full-preterist?
My question is: as long as a Christian takes a positive view of this world, what's the big deal. After long Theological debates, does it really edify your soul?
Preterism! I Can' Belive It!
I really get a kick out of Todd Strandberg. I recently came across an essay on his site, RaptureReady.com, about how he can’t believe preterism: http://www.raptureready.com/rr-preterism.html
I hope you all enjoy this essay as much as I did. His words are bolded.
Preterism! I Can’t Believe It!
By Todd Strandberg
One of my key reasons for believing in the pre-tribulation rapture is the fact all other views are always trying to undermine pre-tribulationism. Up until now, the most vocal group of opponents has been the post-trib and pre-wrath folks. I'm amazed to find preterism now on the attack, gaining ground by mostly converting pre-tribbers.
First of all, notice the title of his essay, I CAN’T Believe It. Todd, since when does what you think even matter to what is true? You are your own worst enemy to understanding the truth.
What is preterism? This theory argues that all Bible prophecy has been fulfilled; it states that nothing remains on the prophetic calendar. According to preterism, events like the rise of the Antichrist, the tribulation, the rapture, and the Day of the Lord all took place around 70 AD, the year the Romans invaded
Very good, Todd, now that you understand the basics of preterism, we can begin to discuss and ask questions about HOW this can be true instead of ignorantly saying how this CAN’T be true.
I just cannot understand how anyone can follow a preterist line of thinking in light of current world events. As in many cases, pride is one of the most common reasons people begin following doctrinal error. They believe that they are part of a special group that has discovered a hidden truth. Never mind the fact that millions of people have joined them in supporting their folly.
Aww shucks, Todd! There you go again! You used the phrase, “I just cannot understand!” Did anyone catch what he says in his next sentence? He says, “PRIDE is one of the most common reasons people begin following doctrinal error.” Now, where does pride come from? Self? What personal pronoun did he just use in the previous sentence? Does anyone else see the irony in this?
Up until now, I've largely been ignoring preterism because it seemed equivalent to the Flat Earth Society. Well, I can't stand by and watch error run free, so it looks like I'm going to have to add preterism to the list of erroneous rapture views that I need to actively refute.
The heart of this error is based on Jesus' statement that "this generation shall not pass, till all things be fulfilled" (Mat 24:34). It seems easy enough to claim Jesus was speaking about a first-century generation; however, logic ends there when one contemplates the fulfillment of all Bible prophecy.
Logic only ends there for you because your paradigm kills it, Todd. Preterists know how to examine themselves for paradigms, and that is how many of them, including myself, have come to this view.
In order to make 70 AD the magic year, we would have to delete dozens of prophecies that were never fulfilled. When was the Gospel preached to all the nations? When was the Mark of the Beast implemented? What about
We will never understand the future unless we first understand the past. The problem with Todd’s perspective is that he is not interpreting the scripture the way that the first century Christians understood it.
The questions are endless. Why did we have the rebirth of
A very, very, most excellent question, Mr. Strandberg. What if the rebirth of
After being so strict in their interpretation of Matthew 24:34, preterists then run roughshod over many clear statements of Scripture. They say that although the "resurrection" happened in 70 AD, the bodies of Christians were left in the grave.
Did Jesus come to conquer physical death or spiritual death? Read the previous post in this blog with Don Preston’s comments about the resurrection.
Preterists take the dangerous step of spiritualizing all passages of Scripture that relate to the nation of Israel, and claim that these refer to the church, the "New
I don’t understand why this is so dangerous… dangerous to you maybe because it would force you to make a painful paradigm shift?
Preterism produces some bizarre explanations for why the world is still experiencing suffering and calamity. One explanation I ran across cited God's need for population control as the reason for mankind's suffering. Here is what one preterist author wrote:
"I believe that people are born and people die. Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall. God is the providential population controller. He brings famine, disease, natural catastrophes, wars and tumults. One-third of the population of
Preterism provides a greater framing story for why the world is still experiencing suffering and calamity. The problem with Todd’s perspective is that he is so caught up in the physical life and death, he fails to realize that Jesus came to conquer spiritual death and not physical death. Life feeds off of life and there would be no physical life if there were not physical death. People die because that is the nature of Ecology. Ironically, Todd is still as confused as the Jews were in John Chapter 6. Jesus said in verse 51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Preterism confirms and validates Jesus’ statement because we understand the difference between physical and spiritual life. I am sure that Todd realizes that he possesses eternal life for believing Jesus died for his sins, but he fails to realize that his own doctrine contradicts itself.
Don K Preston's answer
Don K Preston,
Thank you for your continual defense of Biblical truth. I have questions
on the resurrection. (big surprise) Maybe you've answered these questions
in other articles or books. So maybe you could point me in the right
direction. David Pease, Tim Martin, myself, and many others want to get
you out to Montana one of these days. Hope to meet you soon.
My ongoing discussions with my PCA pastor about the resurrection have
trapped me. His arguments are shown in (). I can always point to other
verses stating my case for a spiritual only resurrection, but he chooses
these:
1.) Philippians 3:21 (Why does Paul use "Body" in reference to humble state
and "Body" later referring to the glory of Jesus if this is purely
spiritual?)
Response:
A.) The question is the identity of the "body" in the text, or so it seems
to me. It is normally assumed that Paul was speaking of a human body. I
rather take it as the body of Christ that was being transformed from glory
to glory.
B.) Note that in the early part of the chapter, Paul is discussing the
contrast between the two covenant worlds. He talks about physical
circumcision and spiritual circumcision. He has a true seed and a false. The
discussion in V. 21 cannot be divorced from this context of contrast of the
two worlds.
C.) Note that Paul said that it was his earnest hope to attain to the
resurrection. Now, if this is a purely physical thing, and, as is normally
held, every person who has ever lived is going to be raised, how in the
world would / could Paul say that it was his hope to attain to it?
D.) Note also that Paul emphatically declares that the resurrection was in
the process already! Note his statements that it was his desire to attain to
the resurrection. He then said he had not already attained, but, "to the
degree that we have already attained, let us walk by this..." Note that "to
the degree that we have already attained" ! Many commentators through the
years have observed that Paul was or seemed to be, saying that the
resurrection had already begun, but of course, since they had a certain
concept of the resurrection, they rejected that idea-- and Paul's words!
E.) Note that Paul uses the singular "body". He does not say, Who will
change our vile bodies." Now, the Greek does not demand a plural here, but,
the use of the singular, as in Romans 8:23, is surely not coincidental.
F.) Notice also Paul's reference to the "vile body." Did Paul actually
believe that the human body is vile? If so, then he must have considered
Jesus' human body in that same light! I have a tough time thinking or
believing that Paul viewed the human body as vile. However, in the light of
the earlier discussion, of the nature of the Old Covenant, in contrast to
the New, that becomes another story altogether!
G.) Finally, notice that Paul affirms that the resurrection and
transformation of the body was at hand, in 4:5. This cannot be overlooked!
2.)1 Cor 6:14 (Since this passage is in the context of defiling the physical
body, shouldn't we assume v14 is referring to the literal flesh?)
Response: It seems to me that we often overlook the fact that the
resurrection is a multi-faceted thing. The resurrection was not simply being
raised out of the body of sin death covenantally, but, being raised in glory
to live lives of righteousness! Note that in Romans 13:11, Paul told the
Romans that the Day was near, and they were to walk in holiness "as in the
Day." And, here is where it gets interesting. He told them that it was high
time for them to be raised out of sleep! (The resurrection was at hand, in
other words). The point is, that their raising was not of a human corpse,
but, a raising to a higher, more holy, more glorious kind of life,
consistent with the nature of the Day. This is an area of Covenant
Eschatology that is admittedly not explored near enough.
3.) 2 Cor 4:14 (example of the body following the Head in like manner)
Response: I will
not spend a lot of time on this, but simply observe that there is a
corporate concept that is present that cannot be ignored. Take careful
note of the pronouns! They are all plural, they are collectives! Also,
note that there was a dying and coming to life in the text that simply
cannot be taken in a physical body reference (see v. 10-11, where Paul
said that "we are dying, you are living"! Paul's "we" is the Jews and the
Old Covenant that is in the direct context of chapter 3ff, and the "you"
are the Gentiles coming into life through the death of that Old Covenant
world.
4.) Rom 8:18-25 (if we are still suffering, we are still awaiting a future
glory)
Response: We cannot ignore the audience relevance of this text! Paul was not
speaking of everyday, human suffering. He was addressing Christians
suffering for their faith! For a person to ignore this context is really
just bad exegesis.
Also, note that Paul says "the sufferings of this present time." That was
Paul's time, not your's and mine.
There are three words in the text that defy a long delayed future
application:
mello-- The Glory that is about to be revealed in us
Apekdekomai-- eagerly await
Earnest Expectation-- apokaradokeo-- to look with neck outstretched.
These are three very strong words of imminence and urgency. To ignore them
is not solid exegesis. They cannot be ignored.
Furthermore, the creation of the text is Old Covenant Israel, representative
of man under sin. It is not rocks, trees, mosquitoes, etc.! :-) The
prophetic background of the text is Isaiah 26:16f, where Israel labored as a
woman in labor, to bring forth righteousness and failed. But, God promised
the resurrection from that futility!
5.) Gen 3:17-20 (Aren't at least some of the curse passages physical? How did
they get resolved in 70ad?)
Response: Personally, I just don't see the material creation as cursed! When
you consider the following, it presents a problem-- or at least to me.
Psalms 19 says that the creation testifies of God, in a wonderful manner.
See also Romans 1, and a host of other passages that tell us that nature
testifies of God, of His nature and attributes.
Well, if the creation is so cursed, what does that say of the testimony of
nature about God?
To me, this is just a serious problem, in saying that it is the material
creation that is under the curse. It was man, alienated from God that was
under the curse, not the trees, rocks and mosquitoes!
Well, I will close, as it is getting going home time, and I am bushed. I
hope these few thoughts are helpful, and provoke further study.
For His Truth, and in His Grace,
Don K. Preston
Thank you for your continual defense of Biblical truth. I have questions
on the resurrection. (big surprise) Maybe you've answered these questions
in other articles or books. So maybe you could point me in the right
direction. David Pease, Tim Martin, myself, and many others want to get
you out to Montana one of these days. Hope to meet you soon.
My ongoing discussions with my PCA pastor about the resurrection have
trapped me. His arguments are shown in (). I can always point to other
verses stating my case for a spiritual only resurrection, but he chooses
these:
1.) Philippians 3:21 (Why does Paul use "Body" in reference to humble state
and "Body" later referring to the glory of Jesus if this is purely
spiritual?)
Response:
A.) The question is the identity of the "body" in the text, or so it seems
to me. It is normally assumed that Paul was speaking of a human body. I
rather take it as the body of Christ that was being transformed from glory
to glory.
B.) Note that in the early part of the chapter, Paul is discussing the
contrast between the two covenant worlds. He talks about physical
circumcision and spiritual circumcision. He has a true seed and a false. The
discussion in V. 21 cannot be divorced from this context of contrast of the
two worlds.
C.) Note that Paul said that it was his earnest hope to attain to the
resurrection. Now, if this is a purely physical thing, and, as is normally
held, every person who has ever lived is going to be raised, how in the
world would / could Paul say that it was his hope to attain to it?
D.) Note also that Paul emphatically declares that the resurrection was in
the process already! Note his statements that it was his desire to attain to
the resurrection. He then said he had not already attained, but, "to the
degree that we have already attained, let us walk by this..." Note that "to
the degree that we have already attained" ! Many commentators through the
years have observed that Paul was or seemed to be, saying that the
resurrection had already begun, but of course, since they had a certain
concept of the resurrection, they rejected that idea-- and Paul's words!
E.) Note that Paul uses the singular "body". He does not say, Who will
change our vile bodies." Now, the Greek does not demand a plural here, but,
the use of the singular, as in Romans 8:23, is surely not coincidental.
F.) Notice also Paul's reference to the "vile body." Did Paul actually
believe that the human body is vile? If so, then he must have considered
Jesus' human body in that same light! I have a tough time thinking or
believing that Paul viewed the human body as vile. However, in the light of
the earlier discussion, of the nature of the Old Covenant, in contrast to
the New, that becomes another story altogether!
G.) Finally, notice that Paul affirms that the resurrection and
transformation of the body was at hand, in 4:5. This cannot be overlooked!
2.)1 Cor 6:14 (Since this passage is in the context of defiling the physical
body, shouldn't we assume v14 is referring to the literal flesh?)
Response: It seems to me that we often overlook the fact that the
resurrection is a multi-faceted thing. The resurrection was not simply being
raised out of the body of sin death covenantally, but, being raised in glory
to live lives of righteousness! Note that in Romans 13:11, Paul told the
Romans that the Day was near, and they were to walk in holiness "as in the
Day." And, here is where it gets interesting. He told them that it was high
time for them to be raised out of sleep! (The resurrection was at hand, in
other words). The point is, that their raising was not of a human corpse,
but, a raising to a higher, more holy, more glorious kind of life,
consistent with the nature of the Day. This is an area of Covenant
Eschatology that is admittedly not explored near enough.
3.) 2 Cor 4:14 (example of the body following the Head in like manner)
Response: I will
not spend a lot of time on this, but simply observe that there is a
corporate concept that is present that cannot be ignored. Take careful
note of the pronouns! They are all plural, they are collectives! Also,
note that there was a dying and coming to life in the text that simply
cannot be taken in a physical body reference (see v. 10-11, where Paul
said that "we are dying, you are living"! Paul's "we" is the Jews and the
Old Covenant that is in the direct context of chapter 3ff, and the "you"
are the Gentiles coming into life through the death of that Old Covenant
world.
4.) Rom 8:18-25 (if we are still suffering, we are still awaiting a future
glory)
Response: We cannot ignore the audience relevance of this text! Paul was not
speaking of everyday, human suffering. He was addressing Christians
suffering for their faith! For a person to ignore this context is really
just bad exegesis.
Also, note that Paul says "the sufferings of this present time." That was
Paul's time, not your's and mine.
There are three words in the text that defy a long delayed future
application:
mello-- The Glory that is about to be revealed in us
Apekdekomai-- eagerly await
Earnest Expectation-- apokaradokeo-- to look with neck outstretched.
These are three very strong words of imminence and urgency. To ignore them
is not solid exegesis. They cannot be ignored.
Furthermore, the creation of the text is Old Covenant Israel, representative
of man under sin. It is not rocks, trees, mosquitoes, etc.! :-) The
prophetic background of the text is Isaiah 26:16f, where Israel labored as a
woman in labor, to bring forth righteousness and failed. But, God promised
the resurrection from that futility!
5.) Gen 3:17-20 (Aren't at least some of the curse passages physical? How did
they get resolved in 70ad?)
Response: Personally, I just don't see the material creation as cursed! When
you consider the following, it presents a problem-- or at least to me.
Psalms 19 says that the creation testifies of God, in a wonderful manner.
See also Romans 1, and a host of other passages that tell us that nature
testifies of God, of His nature and attributes.
Well, if the creation is so cursed, what does that say of the testimony of
nature about God?
To me, this is just a serious problem, in saying that it is the material
creation that is under the curse. It was man, alienated from God that was
under the curse, not the trees, rocks and mosquitoes!
Well, I will close, as it is getting going home time, and I am bushed. I
hope these few thoughts are helpful, and provoke further study.
For His Truth, and in His Grace,
Don K. Preston
Quest for Truth in Eschatology Led Me to Preterism
This is kind of a long response that I recently wrote to a friend of mine. She knew that I was looking into preparing for the upcoming economic downturn and wanted to know what she could do to better prepare herself for “the END” as she put it. I feel it sums up how I came to learn about preterism:
“I like the subject line of your email.... this is how I was trained to think at one time from my theological presuppositions until I started asking some difficult questions that eventually led me on a quest for what I call "empirical truth." What I learned on my quest for truth put me through a roller coaster of ups and downs of paranoia about preparing for 'the end' and eventually led me to an optimistic outlook for the future and peace of mind. What we believe about the future determines how we live in the present. In my case, it was tied to theology.
I'm sorry to have to bore you with this whole discourse but I feel I must give you the whole story so you know exactly where I stand because the subject line of your email leads me to believe you might be caught up in the same 'end times' paradigm that I was in not too long ago.
As you know, I came from a churchy background. I was raised to believe that the world was going to get worse and worse and worse until eventually God would return to 'rapture' his remaining believers to let Satan have his way on the earth for a literal seven year 'great tribulation' culminating in the battle of Armageddon and then the final judgment as the stars fall from the heavens and earth is destroyed with fire. This scenario may sound familiar to you.
This mindset led me to believe that there was nothing that I could do about the current state of the world or the chaos that it involves. Things were just going to have to get worse, and that was seemingly a 'good' thing because that meant that the rapture was getting nearer. This paradigm led me to believe that I shouldn't have to prepare for hard times because God will soon return for his faithful.
This was all great, until someone told me that the rapture was going to be a 'post-trib' (post-tribulation, or after the great tribulation Revelation speaks about) rapture instead of a pre-trib rapture. I was trained in thought from some of my classes at MSU to first ask HOW something can or can not be true before you first say THAT CAN'T be true when you hear something new that challenges your current presuppositions. If you immediately say THAT CAN'T be true, then you unknowingly expose your personal paradigm and your ability to think open-mindedly, thus defeating yourself in your personal 'quest for truth'. So, I asked HOW can that be true and I went and did the research. I looked and looked and looked in the bible and used many different references and even read every single transcript from every sermon my pastor did on the book of Revelation. I could not find ANY solid evidence for a pre-trib rapture. Therefore, I evolved into the post-trib mindset and knew that the eventual 'great tribulation' was directly approaching and I had to try to survive.
This is when I started freaking out about everything that I read in the news and about the economy. I was in contact with a group of other 'post-tribbers' in the area and they were seriously stockpiling supplies in a fort in the mountains for 7 years. This state of paranoia ensued until someone told me that the battle of Armageddon already happened in the first century, in A.D. 70. You already know my protocol for when I hear something new… I felt this was important to know the truth about, so of course, I looked into it.
Let me just say from here on out, I believe that I have found truth. I still see what is happening in the economy but now I see why it is happening and who is doing it. I also see what their motivation is. It all comes back to what happened in the first century, this is event is important.
After understanding this, I know that we will of course be enduring some hard times financially and you should do whatever you can do to prepare. But this is the key: DON'T FREAK OUT because its NOT the end of the world as some preachers may say... they're wrong. We will get through this and there will be good times yet in the future, maybe not in the context that we enjoy good times today, but retain your optimism. To directly answer your question about what I have done to get myself better prepared? Not much actually... just trying to survive, staying happy, and working at building my business into a multi-million dollar corporation. That's about it. I am looking into the future at new technologies that will help reduce our dependence on $%^$^^&!! diesel fuel and gas and better ways to wean our ranch from the pansy-ass power grid that left my folks without power for three weeks after that big May 3 storm. I want to be on the cusp of these technologies because I am an early-adapter and I have a much better outlook on the future then I once did. I see what our country needs to change and instead of being a retreatist or an isolationist (bunker mentality) I want to be an opportunist to help steer things back on track.
It has been said that sometimes science only evolves a generation at a time. Certainly not in the technology side of science but in our profession of rangeland ecology we know this statement to be true. It seems that certain protocols are used for the sole reason that this is what our predecessors have done. Nobody really questions the methodology because their mind is stuck in a box. This same pattern of thinking, I believe, is the basis for most of the problems that I have found in my theological study. Nobody has heard about preterism because nobody asks questions. People are comfortable with their minds in a box and choose which truth best fits in their presuppositional box. Granted, this truth that they hold on to is only authoritatively true and not empirically true because this truth comes from the pastor of the church that they go to and is limited by the scope of his study at seminary. Also, they chose to go to that pastor for answers because their parents and grandparents always went to that church, which also fits nicely in their presuppositional box.
I look back at this whole theological discussion of “the END” and I can’t help but chuckle. It really is pretty silly, you know. If my former pastor knew that I was asking these sorts of questions, he would proclaim this is surely a sign that the end times are approaching because it says in the bible that false teachers and false prophets would rise in the last days. I am only buying into this “false gospel” of the end times and before I know it, I’ll be walking around with 666 on my forehead or something. I only chuckle about this now because I see the whole picture and how this style of interpretation is self-fulfilling.
The KEY to finding this empirical truth that I was talking about earlier and also advancing yourself in your career is being able to constantly re-evaluate your thinking in a continuous feedback loop like Allan Savory describes in his book Holistic Resource Management. This holistic style of thinking applies to all walks of life and to any issue, including theology. I have taken what I call a holistic approach to bible exegesis and that has led me to where I am today in my current state of understanding and daily joyful bliss. Also, don't go to one pastor if you're looking for answers. Go to multiple pastors and understand what each of their presuppositions are first before claiming to have an unbiased understanding. I assumed the active role of a neutral juror in my quest for truth in eschatology and I likened listening to each pastor's opinion on this subject as a couple lawyers making their case in the courtroom. I gave the verdict to the point of view that could make the best argument--a case that stands up to the test of credible evidence and the test of testimony from multiple witnesses.
The world makes much more sense to me now. Life is good, really, when you understand God always keeps his word and does things when he says he is going to do them (Will Not Delay)! The problem is that we just don't always understand! Sorry for being so long-winded in my reply. Seldom do I see someone like you that sees the trouble that our economy is in and knows that we need to do something about it and wants to learn more. Keep yer chin up and I'll be praying for you.”
Question to Don Preston...
Don K Preston,
My ongoing discussions with my PCA pastor about the resurrection have trapped me. His arguments are shown in (). I can always point to other verses stating my case for a spiritual only resurrection, but he chooses these:
Philippians 3:21 (Why does Paul use "Body" in reference to humble state and "Body" later referring to the glory of Jesus if this is purely spiritual?)
1 Cor 6:14 (Since this passage is in the context of defiling the physical body, shouldn't we assume v14 is referring to the literal flesh?)
2 Cor 4:14 (example of the body following the Head in like manner)
Rom 8:18-25 (if we are still suffering, we are still awaiting a future glory)
Gen 3:17-20 (Aren't at least some of the curse passages physical? How did they get resolved in 70ad?)
Thanks in Advance,
Will not Delay
HOW I BECAME A PRETERIST
I never heard of "preterism" even though I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Bible from Johnson Bible College a long time ago - 1969. Eschatology we was a subject offered there. My grandfather graduated from JBC in 1912, so I asked him if he was a premillenialist, amillenialist, or postmillenialist. He said he was a panmillenialist - it will all pan out in the end. I always believed that Jesus Christ would return - very soon. I accepted the SOON return of Christ without question - without study.My journey to preterism began when I heard of Dominionism. I didn't know what Domionism was, but I was sure that it was a heretical and dangerous teaching. I had heard that domionists wanted to make God's Old Testament laws the law of the land - I decided to preach against this doctrine, but realized I must study their belief's before I could speak. I went to the Christian Book store and asked them if they had any books on Dominionism - they had no idea what I was talking about. I looked through their shelves containing books of the "Coming of Christ" etc. I picked up a book published by Dominion press entitled: PARADISE RESTORED & also THE DAYS OF VENGEANCE An Exposition of the Book of Revelation by David Chilton. I began reading it and hearing myself shout out "that's right", "amen" - "why haven't I ever heard of this." I told a member of the Church I attended that I no longer believed Jesus Christ returned in vengeance in 70 a.d. He told me to keep quiet or I would be marked a heretic. He told me the preacher had debated Joe Balyeat on this subject some time before I came there and our preacher marked him as teaching heretical doctrine. Our congregation was amillenialist. He looked up this Joe Balyeat and purchased his book he had written about Babylon. I eagerly read it and the next time I saw Mr. Balyeat I told him I was now a postmillenialist. He embrassed me as a fellow traveler.
The Bible became much more meaningful to me when I viewed through the lens of a postmillenialist, but I had questions still. I searched for more material and found Don Preston on the web and ordered many of his books and videos of debates on the subject of "Preterism" or as he calls it "Realized Eschatology." The next time I saw Joe Balyeat I told him I was no longer a postmillenialist, but had moved to being a full Preterist - he was not pleased. In our Bible studies we were studying the book of Hebrews - I realized the teacher completely missed the message of Hebrews - I now saw everything through the lens of preterism - and it was clear for the first time in my life.
One day somebody said "If the book of Revelation was written after 70 a.d. then how can you possibly believe Jesus Christ returned in 70 a.d." Good point! I formed a study group to delve into this most important question. If Revelation was written after 70 a.d. then preterism is indeed a false teaching. For about a year 6 or 7 of us studied that question. We all came to the conclusion that Revelation was written prior to 70 a.d. A key book in our study was REDATING THE NEW TESTAMENT by John A.T. Robinson and a book by Gentry. Only two of us have moved on to become full preterists from that study.
My study of Roman history, Josephus and many other books confirmed to me that I was looking at eschatology through the clear lens of Preterism. One year on my way to a Biblical Archaeology Society seminar I decided to go out of my way to pay Don Preston a visit in Ardmore, Oklahoma. I asked him if he could give me an hour of his time to tell me why he believed that Jesus Christ returned in finality in 70 a.d. He gladly spoke to me as, as I filmed him with my new Mini-DV camcorder - not for an hour, but for 4 hours. Don Preston is a brilliant Bible scholar and debater (a debater in the tradition of Alexander Campbell). I urge you to go to his website at: www.eschatology.org for many great study aids and articles. I am just a small voice in the field of preterism, but hope to add a lot more to the study. I have been selling preterist books and videos on ebay for quite a few years now and have sold items to over 1,000 buyers. Preterism is growing. Check back here SOON for more about preterism.
