Millennialism: Facts, Beliefs, and Resources About the Secular Belief

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What is Millennialism?

Millennialism is a religious and secular belief that at some point in the future, the world will be a utopian place full of peace, prosperity, fellowship and justice. The concept revolves heavily around the promises of spiritual salvation after death and is an optimistic vision of humanity. The concept revolves heavily around the promises of spiritual salvation after death and is an optimistic view of humanity. This concept is observed by both religious and secular parts of the world, emphasizing its reach across the globe. Various religions, led primarily by Christianity, have views on this concept.

What are the Different Types of Millennialism?

There are different forms of millennialism including dispensational premillennialism, historic premillennialism, postmillennialism and amillennialism. Each offers a different interpretation of the concept as a whole.

The theologies surrounding the concept of millennialism are quite controversial and harness the power of religious faith, especially across the various forms of Christianity.

What is Dispensational Millennialism?

Dispensational millennialism is an interpretive belief of the New Testament that drives much of the Fundamentalist Christian movement. The roots of this belief trace back, in particular, to the Book of Revelation, the last book in the New Testament, and certain passages in the Bible, and were inspired by the teachings and writings of the English-Irish clergyman John Darby and the publication of the famous Scofield Bible (1909) in America.

Millennialists focus on eschatology – the study of the last times, or, in actuality, what the future may hold. Basing their views on a literal interpretation of selected passages in the Bible and the New Testament, millennialists believe that there is a 1,000-year period (millennia) in which the world will be converted to Christianity. This will herald a golden age where people will celebrate supreme peace and abundance on earth and when God will judge the living and the resurrected dead together. While millennialism was not as widespread as it is now among Christians, it can be traced as far back as the second century. By the fifth century, Augustine taught that passages from Scripture, particularly in the Book of Revelation, which bring together the worlds of heaven, earth and hell in a final confrontation (apocalypse) should be viewed figuratively rather than literally.

Premillennialists believe that Jesus will come before the millennia and thus herald a golden era, while postmillennialists believe Jesus will come after the millennia, following much trial and tribulation.

Dispensationalism, which includes the millennialist doctrine, is based on an interpretive approach to Scripture. It expounds that between creation and the final judgment, there are seven distinct covenants or dispensations in which God interacts with man.

John Nelson Darby, who is sometimes called the Father of Dispensationalism, was an Anglo-Irish evangelist and a very influential figure among the Plymouth Brethren. His translation of the Bible was based on the original Hebrew and Greek texts, and his teachings became even more widespread, particularly in the United States, with the publication of Cyrus I. Scofield’s Reference Bible.

Scofield’s Bible promoted dispensationalism in the United States, gaining great influence among Fundamentalist Christians. An American Bible Student, Scofield published his Bible reference prior to World War I, when there was a great belief that the new millennia would be one of prosperity and abundance and therefore herald the coming of Jesus. The outbreak of World War I made Scofield’s premillennialist approach nearly prophetic.

A modern revision of the Scofield Bible was completed in 1967 and among theologians is often referred to as the Bible of Dispensationalism.

Scofield’s notes on the Book of Revelation inspired several popular religious writers whose works were read by many secularists. Among them was Hal Lindsey, whose best-selling book “The Late, Great Planet Earth” popularized dispensationalist theories, placing them in context of modern day occurrences such as famines, wars, natural disasters and global alliances.

Several key beliefs separated dispensationalist millennialists and fundamentalist schools of thought from others of the Christian faith. One is that there is not a single plan of salvation or one Covenant of Grace for all mankind. The Jewish people and Christians come to God by separate paths and receive different blessings in this life and in the life to come. Another is the emphasis on eschatological beliefs. Dispensationalist millennialists believe that God will fulfill his promise of blessing the people of Israel, and the establishment of the State of Israel is part of the large plan. Their return to the land of Israel will help to expedite the realization of the millennial kingdom, which will be established in Jerusalem where Jesus will rule for a thousand years.

American millennialism, which actually made its way to America from England with the Pilgrims and Quakers, also birthed some of the most active religious movements in the world, including the Mormons, the Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

What is Historic Premillennialism?

In contrast, historic premillennialism is the view that the return of Christ will be a one-time event following an intense time of suffering. At this time, Christians who have endured the pain and suffering will be resurrected and will join Christ in his reign. This combined group will destroy the enemies Antichrist and Satan and begin their 1,000-year reign where there will be nothing but peace and prosperity. After the 1,000-year reign, Satan will rear his ugly head again, and there will be a battle. This time of challenge will result in individuals going to heaven or hell.

What is Postmillennialism?

The postmillenialism theory descends around the time after the 1,000-year reign when Christ will return, and the resurrection of the dead will occur. The key in this theory is that followers do not believe that the reign will literally be 1,000 years. This time will be a distinct period of prosperity for Christians.

Do Lutherans believe in Millennialism?

The theory that is followed by Lutherans is that of the amillennialism theory. This theory states that there will be no millennium of perfect peace in the world that is known as Earth before or after Christ’s second coming. In their view, there is no definite 1,000-year reign of Christ on Earth that will be visible. Lutherans believe this based on quotes in the Bible that state that Christians are looking for “a new heaven and a new earth” (2 Pet. 3:13). This is, according to their views, not an era of prosperity on our Earth as it stands today.

Many Lutherans believe that the theory presented in dispensational premillennialism is biblically unsound and that the Lutheran version of the “end times” is more realistic when reading the Bible. The argument maintains that it is founded on inconsistent rules of interpretation. Lutherans believe that their view is simpler and based on sound interpretation. They believe that the world will continue in an oblivious state to the return of Christ. When Christ does return, he will take judgment on the people at that time.

Obviously, there are mixed views on the concept of millennialism across the Christian faith especially for Lutherans. Their view of amillennialism counters arguments from other forms of Christianity. It is not that they don’t adhere to the concepts of the Bible, but their views on this concept in particular sway from the norm.

What are the problems with Millennialism?

There are different interpretations of the millennialism concept that demonstrate different stories of how Millennialism will play out in our lives to bring the Earth to such a utopian state. Alongside these varied interpretations are 3 criticisms of the entire concept of millennialism.

1. Questioning the timeline given around a definite 1,000-year reign of Christ

The first issue that is raised by many around millennialism is holding the timeline for Christ’s reign for 1,000 years. Many sects of Christianity believe that this timeline is too specific and inconsistent with Scriptures in the Bible. Many believe that the reign is for a definitive period of time but not to be held specifically at 1,000 years. The millennium is merely a symbol of a substantial period of time where Christ will reign. Those that hold the 1,000 years too tight as a timeline are likely to be reading too far into the significance of the period stated in the Scripture.

2. Debating the entire theology as some argue that its interpretation is based on little-documented facts in the Bible

The most significant issue noted across the religious and secular world surrounding millennialism is that the events noted in the theory are not based on solid interpretation techniques. There are a number of controversial statements where the Bible lists conflicting states that would go against a millennialism theory. All the millennialism theories propose timings of the Rapture, where Christ will descend from the heavens onto Earth, which contradict many passages in the Bible. In the Bible, there are references that state that the Rapture will happen just before the Tribulation (the time period where the Antichrist takes power) so that followers of Christ will not have to endure pain or suffering. This contradicts the millennialism theory that states that the period of Tribulation will occur, and Christ will then appear to resurrect believers and lead them into heaven or send them to hell. The issue with millennialism in this case is that there is a lot of debate around what the Bible really meant. Certain quotes can be interpreted in one way and lead to theories with very little substance. Events can get confused and create a false idea of events that will follow.

3. Raising issues about millennialism’s ability to attract radical acts based on a theory of the “end.”

Finally, a significant issue in this day and age is the idea that the view of an “end time” may spark radicalism in society. The idea that the world will end in a particular way, shape or form may breed a scenario where individuals may reflect on a concept like millennialism with a feeling that they know how world events will play out. This, in turn, can lead to extreme strife and radical acts by believers and nonbelievers. It is important to understand the key behind the millennialism theology where Christ will lay judgment on his followers in order to send them to heaven or hell. To the religious believer, this may counteract the problem.

Millennialism is a controversial topic in both the religious and secular world. It is important to understand the issues that surround this theology in order to contextualize how it impacts today’s society.

Resources about Millennialism

Draft of article for the Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of World Religions, 1999

Project MUSE Journal of World History “Longing for the End: A History of Millennialism in Western Civilization”

Why 2k the biblical roots of millennialism

Resource by T.Price

I am a mom of 2 boys who loves to spend time with them doing fun things outdoors. In my spare time I have my own things I enjoy doing such as gardening, reading old books, and being a closet history buff.

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