calvinism and amillenialism

[ghs1994]

are these two peas in a pod? do most calvinists believe in amillenialism? if so, how come? what scriptures do you know that support amillenialism? i only ask for curiosity and not to debate with any of you.

also, i wonder is calvinism solely about soteriology or does it base the label or name on God's sovereignty more? what is the root of why a calvinist is called a calvinist?

thanks for your help.

 

[Paleoconservatarian]

Actually, a good number of Calvinists are and have been postmillennialists. Charles Hodge, for instance. Some few are premillennialists. Still, I'd say the majority are amills, if they take a definite stance at all. You can find out as much or as little as you like about the Reformed arguments for each starting here: http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Eschatology/

No, Calvinism isn't solely about soteriology, nor is it solely about the sovereignty of God. It is true that we place a great deal of emphasis on both, but I'm not sure we can take either one and set it as a primary or axiomatic doctrine. We must of course begin with the fact of God's self-revelation, which is the only way we can know him at all. And Scripture reveals God to be both sovereign and gracious (it is in fact the inspired history of redemption). And really, God's sovereignty is bad news for us unless he condescends to redeem us, and salvation isn't all that great unless he is sovereign.

 

[cygnusx1]

MILLENIALISM IN THE REFORMATION

Daniel W. Petty​

Conclusion


The Lutheran, Reformed, and Anglican traditions remained basically amillennial or postmillennial. Premillennialism did gain some standing within these traditions in the late- and post-reformation period. During the devastating Thirty Years War of the early 1630s, there were occasional speculations about the beginning of the millennium, as in the cases of the German Calvinists Johann Alsted (1588-1638) Johannes Cocceius (1603-1669) (Gerstner 15-16). During the same period the growth of the Puritan movement in England witnessed a flowering of millenarian doctrines, as illustrated by the views of Puritan Presbyterian Thomas Brightman and Cambridge scholar Joseph Mede. Both believed the events of Revelation were taking place in their own time. The Thirty Years War was proof that the vials of wrath were still being poured out, and the remaining vials symbolized the final events before the dawning of the millennium--the destruction of the Catholic Church and papacy, the destruction of the Turks, and the conversion of the Jews (Clark 122-123). Many sermons of the period saw the outbreak of civil war in England in the 1640s as the final struggle with Antichrist and evidence of the approaching millennium (Hill 33-35, 96-97).

However, speculations such as these were exceptions during the Reformation period. The Lutheran, Reformed, and Anglican traditions generally followed the views of the earliest reformers such as Luther and Calvin, who relied heavily on Augustine. Most protestant churches remained basically amillennial or postmillennial well into the 18th century.

http://www.lessonsonline.info/MillennialismReformation.htm


What Does The Bible Teach About The End Times? (Bryn MacPhail)

(Reformed) Amillennialism (David J. Engelsma)

Amillennialism (Anthony Hoekema)
Postmillennialism (Loraine Boettner)
Postmillennialism: Wishful Thinking of Certain Hope? (Kenneth Gentry Jr.)​

 

[Beoga]

are these two peas in a pod? do most calvinists believe in amillenialism? if so, how come? what scriptures do you know that support amillenialism? i only ask for curiosity and not to debate with any of you.

also, i wonder is calvinism solely about soteriology or does it base the label or name on God's sovereignty more? what is the root of why a calvinist is called a calvinist?

thanks for your help.

Here are some quotes compiled by a friend of mine on amillenialism that you might find helpful:
http://www.monergism.com/Amillennialism and The “Future” Kingdom of God.html

 

[ReformedChapin]

I'm a calvinist and I'm undecided, they are not two peas on a pod. If the Lord leads me in that direction I will fully accept it.


some reformed baptist hold to a premillenial position.

 

[arunma]

I would guess that amillenialism has more to do with the Presbyterian Church than with Calvinism (not to bash Presbyterians, I myself being in a PCA church). Calvinism at its core is simply the doctrines of grace as summarized in the TULIP acronym. There is a much broader Reformed theology which includes Covenant theology, ecclesiology, etc. One can easily be Calvinist and not believe in amillenialism. I, for example, believe in premillenialism. Of course I was part of a Reformed Baptist church back in college...

 

[ghs1994]

I would guess that amillenialism has more to do with the Presbyterian Church than with Calvinism (not to bash Presbyterians, I myself being in a PCA church). Calvinism at its core is simply the doctrines of grace as summarized in the TULIP acronym. There is a much broader Reformed theology which includes Covenant theology, ecclesiology, etc. One can easily be Calvinist and not believe in amillenialism. I, for example, believe in premillenialism. Of course I was part of a Reformed Baptist church back in college...

i thought your church affiliation used to be baptist. i was surprised to see a calvinist sign on your name.

 

[ReformedChapin]

i thought your church affiliation used to be baptist. i was surprised to see a calvinist sign on your name.

reformed baptist

I tend to follow the camp as well

 

[arunma]

i thought your church affiliation used to be baptist. i was surprised to see a calvinist sign on your name.

Ah, you may have missed the thread in which I explained this, so I'll provide the abridged version. Back in college I was part of a Reformed Baptist church. When I moved for graduate school, I unfortunately found myself in a place with no conservative Calvinist church. Fortunately, the PCA sent a church planter to start a church in town (how's that for providence?), and I figured that PCA was quite close enough to my theological leanings that I'd like to get onboard. So now I'm running with the Presbyterians.

 

[drstevej]

When I was at Westminster Seminary we had professors who were Premil, Amil and Post mil. All were Calvinists.

The majority were Amil.

 

[ReformedChapin]

Steve do you recommend someone who holds to believers baptism and a historic premill go to Westminster?

 

[drstevej]

Steve do you recommend someone who holds to believers baptism and a historic premill go to Westminster?

Sure. I was and am a dispy, credo-baptist, Amyraldian.

I didn't go to change them and they treated me with respect.

 

[heymikey80]

are these two peas in a pod? do most calvinists believe in amillenialism? if so, how come? what scriptures do you know that support amillenialism? i only ask for curiosity and not to debate with any of you.

Calvinists range across the map, though many are amillenial. Which perplexes premils. As I was premil and I am amil (technically), I'll be happy to put the thrust of the argument in context.

The Millenium is referred to in a single chapter of Revelation, 20. The placement of the Millenium in its own context, and then in history, is an interesting process of exegesis for each of the three views, but let's get one thing straight: eschatology defined by the Millenium is really majoring on the minors. We're talking about one chapter, two or three references to the Millenium, in an apocalyptic book. Is that really something anyone should hang membership in Christ's church on? To me it's exceeding clear: it's not.

The Millenium refers to a time between the First Resurrection and the Release of Satan from restraints in Revelation.

Amils ask, When would people in the time with a living memory of Jesus' Resurrection consider the First Resurrection to occur? The answer appears to us to be, the time of Jesus' Resurrection. The absence of a political government at the time following Jesus' Resurrection adds to our view that the Millenium isn't a political government. It's actually the time of the Church, the reign of the Kingdom of Heaven. Other statements throughout the New Testament about this Kingdom, along with the general tenor of the Gospel of Jesus' Resurrection and Reign, also appear as confirmation of the existence of the Kingdom -- but not as a government of men.

also, i wonder is calvinism solely about soteriology or does it base the label or name on God's sovereignty more? what is the root of why a calvinist is called a calvinist?

I think sovereignty is the main contrast to other theological viewpoints, but the theology itself concentrates on the purpose and processes of the Spirit of God in the lives of Christ's people.

Calvinism is more than soteriology, it's about ecclesiology and hamartiology and anthropology as well as being a particular theology. Because of its view of God, it's view of everything is different.

 

[HamletsChoice]

are these two peas in a pod? do most calvinists believe in amillenialism? if so, how come? what scriptures do you know that support amillenialism? i only ask for curiosity and not to debate with any of you.

also, i wonder is calvinism solely about soteriology or does it base the label or name on God's sovereignty more? what is the root of why a calvinist is called a calvinist?

thanks for your help.

post mill here

 

[drstevej]

post mill here

post almost 20K myself.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

Amill with postmil leanings myself.

 

[drstevej]

Ahhhh, millennialism!

 

[Iosias]

are these two peas in a pod? do most calvinists believe in amillenialism? if so, how come? what scriptures do you know that support amillenialism? i only ask for curiosity and not to debate with any of you.

A lot of Calvinists do, some would also agree with Postmillennialism and some would accept Premillennialism.

http://www.monergismbooks.com/A-Case-for-Amillennialism-Understanding-the-End-Times-p-16973.html

also, i wonder is calvinism solely about soteriology or does it base the label or name on God's sovereignty more? what is the root of why a calvinist is called a calvinist?

Calvinism is far broader than just soteriology.

http://www.monergismbooks.com/Institutes-of-the-Christian-Religion-Hendrickson-p-17635.html
http://www.monergismbooks.com/Institutes-of-Elenctic-Theology-3-vol.-set-p-16340.html
http://www.monergismbooks.com/Systematic-Theology-p-16426.html
http://www.monergismbooks.com/Reformed-Dogmatics-Vol.-1-Prolegomena-p-16437.html

 

[Cajun Huguenot]

When I was at Westminster Seminary we had professors who were Premil, Amil and Post mil. All were Calvinists.

The majority were Amil.

That's right. Eschatology should never be a considered as a scale of orthodoxy.

I personally fit into an optimistic Amill/postmill view.
Kenith

 

[cajunhillbilly]

That's right. Eschatology should never be a considered as a scale of orthodoxy.

I personally fit into an optimistic Amill/postmill view.
Kenith

Me too cajunhuguenot