Christians have throughout history difference of opinion on various issues. Sometimes a particular view would be condemned officially, sometimes different views are allowed. The latter is possible when Scripture is not clear about the issue. For the Catholic Church it is easy to declare the official position since Pope, through the magisterium, has the ultimate say in matters of faith and practice. That does not mean there is no diversity of theological opinion among Catholics. There is so much of room to differ. For the Protestants it’s so messy since there is no unifying head as such to correctly interpret the text. Protestants are, therefore, more prone to cultic groups emerging within them.
Nowadays Young Earth Creationism and Dispensational Premillenialism are two positions widely common among Christian laity specially in the Protestant Churches. Young Earth Creationism is that view which believes in the ‘literal’ interpretation of days of Genesis, and consequently the age of the earth as some 6,000 years. ( Augustine said he interpreted Genesis literally, but Augustine’s approach was to read the text from the author’s perspective, not from his perspective). Dispensational Premillenialism is the view which says that rapture will be followed by seven year tribulation, at the end of which Jesus will return with the saints to defeat the Evil one and reign with the saints for one thousand year on earth, followed by the final defeat of the forces of evil to usher in the new heaven and new earth.
Both Young Earth Creationism (YEC) and Dispensational Premillenialism (DP) are very recent invention. Since YEC strongly advocates for some 6,000 years old earth. The implication is that current textbooks used in all the universities of the world are mistaken because all of them underscore for 4.5 billions years old earth. This also means to say that Muslims, Buddhist, Hindus, Shintoist, atheists, most Christians and host of other people are all wrong in their scientific enterprise. This claim is incredible. But are all these people really wrong? YEC proponents say they are.
I have no hesitation in saying that YEC is built on wrong interpretation of the texts: Bible and nature. They have been more successful in shooing away seekers than bringing them in. Since their interpretation is bizarre their target audience is most often children and old people, whose intellectual defence mechanism is not robust. Strangely, though the position is theologically and scientifically bizarre this is extremely popular among Christians in the West. And it is now being exported to India too. But I believe once it takes root it will damage mission in India more than anything else.
Dispensational Premillenialism was invented by one J N Darby in the late 19th century. Recently popularized by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins’ Left Behind Series this has now become the most popular millenial position among Christian laity. But let us be clear. This position is the least common one among theologians of all shape and size. Old Testament Scholar as well as New Testament scholars have made it clear that Dispensationalists interpretation of text is mistaken at various points. But I think most lay Christians don’t read theologians! Apart from hermeneutical error proponents of this position have supported Israel at the expense of the Palestinian. This I think is the most bizarre implication of having wrong theology. No doubt God is not through with Israel yet. Romans 9-11 is clear about that. But that does not mean Israel occupies the unique position even now as it did before the advent of Jesus.
On both counts the Catholic church has a well balanced theology. Protestants need re-formation of theology!
Nowadays Young Earth Creationism and Dispensational Premillenialism are two positions widely common among Christian laity specially in the Protestant Churches. Young Earth Creationism is that view which believes in the ‘literal’ interpretation of days of Genesis, and consequently the age of the earth as some 6,000 years. ( Augustine said he interpreted Genesis literally, but Augustine’s approach was to read the text from the author’s perspective, not from his perspective). Dispensational Premillenialism is the view which says that rapture will be followed by seven year tribulation, at the end of which Jesus will return with the saints to defeat the Evil one and reign with the saints for one thousand year on earth, followed by the final defeat of the forces of evil to usher in the new heaven and new earth.
Both Young Earth Creationism (YEC) and Dispensational Premillenialism (DP) are very recent invention. Since YEC strongly advocates for some 6,000 years old earth. The implication is that current textbooks used in all the universities of the world are mistaken because all of them underscore for 4.5 billions years old earth. This also means to say that Muslims, Buddhist, Hindus, Shintoist, atheists, most Christians and host of other people are all wrong in their scientific enterprise. This claim is incredible. But are all these people really wrong? YEC proponents say they are.
I have no hesitation in saying that YEC is built on wrong interpretation of the texts: Bible and nature. They have been more successful in shooing away seekers than bringing them in. Since their interpretation is bizarre their target audience is most often children and old people, whose intellectual defence mechanism is not robust. Strangely, though the position is theologically and scientifically bizarre this is extremely popular among Christians in the West. And it is now being exported to India too. But I believe once it takes root it will damage mission in India more than anything else.
Dispensational Premillenialism was invented by one J N Darby in the late 19th century. Recently popularized by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins’ Left Behind Series this has now become the most popular millenial position among Christian laity. But let us be clear. This position is the least common one among theologians of all shape and size. Old Testament Scholar as well as New Testament scholars have made it clear that Dispensationalists interpretation of text is mistaken at various points. But I think most lay Christians don’t read theologians! Apart from hermeneutical error proponents of this position have supported Israel at the expense of the Palestinian. This I think is the most bizarre implication of having wrong theology. No doubt God is not through with Israel yet. Romans 9-11 is clear about that. But that does not mean Israel occupies the unique position even now as it did before the advent of Jesus.
On both counts the Catholic church has a well balanced theology. Protestants need re-formation of theology!
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