Chapter One: Are We There Yet?

Why are End Times books so phenomenally successful? What do you see as their good and bad points?

What is "eschatology"?

Explain the statement "Christianity is irreducibly eschatological."

What is the significance of Jesus' resurrection in Christian thinking?

What are some of the challenges facing traditional eschatology?

What does the issue of inerrancy have to do with eschatology?

How do deductive and inductive reasoning apply to our study of the Bible?

The book gives two examples of biblical discrepancies that can be explained historically. Do you know any other examples?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of "Biblical Conformity" and "Biblical Modeling"?

What are some of today’s "But in Christ" questions?

What authority does the Bible have for Christians today?

What is prophecy?

Do Jews and Christians believe in fate?

What did the Israelite prophets have in common with prophets in other countries? How were they different?

How are we to think about uniqueness in religion? (Is only what is unique true?)

What is "false prophecy"? How would we judge a prophet false?

In what ways do the early covenant traditions of Israel influence its later eschatology?

What is "supersessionism"? Is Christianity inherently supersessionistic? How ought Christians to think about Israel/the Jews?

Why was the Exile so important for the development of biblical eschatology?

What are we to make of the fact that so many of the grand prophecies of Israel’s restoration were not literally fulfilled?

 

What is "apocalyptic" literature?

Which (if any) of the the twelve elements of apocalyptic writings (p. XX) make sense to you? Which (if any) do you reject? Why?

What is "theodicy" and how is it related to eschatology?

What is the difference between prophetic and apocalyptic literature?

When and how did apocalyptic thinking develop? In what ways was it subject to outside influences? What do you make of such influence?

What did apocalyptic writers have to say about the fate of outsiders (especially non-Jews)? How do you evaluate their ideas?

Who was Enoch? What is 1 Enoch and why is it important?

Who were the "watchers" and why do they appear in so much apocalyptic literature?

What is "the Son of Man"? Where does the idea come from, how does it develop over time, and what is its significance in Christianity?

What does 1 Enoch have to teach us about the relationship between early Judaism and Christianity?

What insights do you gain from the catalog of quotations at the end of the chapter?

What does the book mean by asking if Daniel and Revelation are books of "historical foresight or theological insight"? What do you think?

What difference does it make to interpret Daniel and Revelation in the context of ancient apocalyptic literature?

In what way are Daniel and Revelation like the story of creation in Gen. 1-3?

What is a pseudonymous writing? How does one judge authorship of such literature? How is it dated?

When, where, and why was the book of Daniel written?

How do the first and second halves of Daniel differ?

In what ways do Daniel (and Revelation) function as social and political criticism?

When, where, and why was Revelation written?

In what ways is Revelation similar to and different from Daniel?

How have Christians managed to "domesticate" the book of Revelation?

When did John think Jesus would return to earth?

How compatible is Jesus with the figure of the "apocalyptic messiah"?

What are the "letters to the seven churches"? What is their value to Christians today?

Who or what is the beast?

What is Revelation’s view of the Roman empire? In what way(s) might that be relevant to modern readers?

In what ways might Daniel and Revelation be relevant to twenty-first century believers?

Chapter Six: Jesus and the Things to Come

What is the significance of eschatology in the study of the historical Jesus?

How do you evaluate claims about "the Jesus of history"?

What is "the dominion/kingdom" of God?

In what ways was Jesus similar to John the Baptist? Different?

What is the evidence that Jesus was "an eschatological figure"?

Who did Jesus think he was and what did he think he was doing?

What is a messiah? Did Jesus think of himself as a messiah?

What does it mean to say that "God’s dominion is characterized by reversal?" If true, what does that mean for us today?

When did Jesus think that the reign of God would commence?

Did Jesus believe in future judgment? Do you?

In what sense do you believe that Jesus was and/or will be vindicated?

What is the relationship between Jesus’ Jewishness, his eschatology, and his self-perception?

Chapter Seven: The Once and Future Kingdom

What is at stake in the claim that "Christianity is not discontinuous with Jesus any more than Jesus is discontinuous with Judaism"?

In what ways did the early Church’s eschatological viewpoint(s) change over time? Why? How would you evaluate these changes?

What is the difference between a "realized" and a "future" eschatology? What are the drawbacks of each perspective? Which do you find more appealing/convincing? Why?

In what ways is Paul an example of a Christian who has a foot "in both camps"?

From your perspective, what is the right balance between the "already" (realized) and the "not yet" (future) eschatological perspectives?

Conclusion: Hope Unseen

What is faith? What ought we to believe about the future?

Explain the statement, "That does not mean that eschatological faith excuses passivity."

What role should eschatology play in the lives of believers?

Appendix: Not Left Behind

What is "premillennial dispensationalism"? Where, when, and why did it develop?

What is the "rapture"? What are some of the key passages cited in its defense? What are some of the problems raised in the book concerning the interpretation of these texts?

Do you consider belief in the rapture to be escapism? What are the positive and negative consequences of such belief?

Do you, with Darby, believe that human history will be only "a progress of evil"? Is the human situation destined to get worse?

In what ways might eschatological belief motivate us to work in the present?

 

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