Inaugurated Eschatology: the “Last Days” of the Kingdom
Inaugurated who? Inaugurated eschatology. Eschatology is generally understood as the “study of end times,” but when used with reference to inaugurated eschatology, it refers specifically… Yes, we are talking about the kingdom of God being understood as both “already” (inaugurated) and “not yet” (not consummated). This is pretty much the standard view on the kingdom of God within NT scholarship and is considered essential for those of us who are Third Wave Continuationists (or in the Vineyard movement!). Think along the lines of George Eldon Ladd, or modern scholars such as N.T. Wright, Gordon D. Fee, or G.K. Beale. At any rate, here are eight reasons, with corresponding Scriptures and commentary, that lead me to the conclusion that inaugurated eschatology is the best approach to understanding the kingdom of God. This is not an attempt to list every passage of Scripture that clarifies this eschatological view, as time would need to be spent examining the Gospels in more detail. So as a ...