Conditional Futurism [Hardcover]

Description: Conditional Futurism introduces a new perspective of end-time theology (eschatology). The book holds to Christian futurism while integrating the Apocalypse of John with the conditional dynamics of prophecy taught in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and various other books throughout the Old Testament. The new paradigm concludes that the final antichrist (also known as the man of lawlessness, the beast, and the eighth king) may read the apocalyptic prophecy of his doom while deciding instead to repent of evil and turn to the Lord, which is a biblical option that would fulfill the divine purposes of the apocalypse. This cutting-edge scholarship also develops new biblical models of angels appearing as humans, the descent of Christ into hell, and the kings in Revelation that incorporate with this end-time theology that encourages hope in all circumstances. Endorsements: James Goetz leads us on a tour of the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, to explore what it has to say about future judgment and salvation. He well appreciates that biblical prophesies can have multiple fulfillments and takes this into account in his wide-ranging explorations. Concerning judgment, he argues that the many biblical texts relating to the future are not simply unconditional predictions of what will happen but are conditional outcomes. If we repent, we can avoid the consequences that God says will be our fate. Goetz even holds out hope for postmortem conversion, even from within the Lake of Fire itself. This is a perspective that warrants careful consideration and further exploration. Robin Parry author of The Evangelical Universalist James Goetz's thoughtful defense of 'Conditional Futurism' should have great appeal to any evangelical who yearns for a wider hope. He persuasively argues, first, that Bible prophecies concerning future punishment typically forecast what will happen unless (or until) certain conditions are met and, second, that a strong biblical warrant exislÓ9