In Christian eschatology, postmillennialism is an interpretation of chapter 20 of the Book of Revelation which sees Christ's second coming as occurring after or post- the thousand year "millennium".

Although some postmillennialists hold to a literal millennium of 1,000 years, most postmillennialists see the thousand years more as a figurative term for a long period of time (similar in that respect to Amillennialism). Among those holding to a non-literal "millennium" it is usually understood to have already begun, which implies a less obvious and less dramatic kind of millennium than that typically envisioned by premillennialists, as well as a more unexpected return of Christ.

Postmillennialism also teaches that the forces of Satan will gradually be defeated by the expansion of the Kingdom of God throughout history up until the second coming of Christ. This belief that good will gradually triumph over evil has led proponents of postmillennialism to label themselves "optimillennialists" in contrast to "pessimillennial" Premillennialists and Amillennialists.

An important distinction should be made within Postmillennialism to distinguish between Revivalist Postmillennialism (also Pietistic Postmillennialism) and Reconstructionist Postmillennialism. Revivalist Postmillennialism does not involve a theocratic outlook on socio-political life in the way that Reconstructionist Postmillennialism does.

In the United States, the most prominent and organized forms of postmillennialism are based on Christian Reconstructionism and hold to Reconstructionist Postmillennialism (see Gary North, Kenneth Gentry, Greg Bahnsen). Christian Reconstructionism is closely linked to Theonomy which has its roots in Dominion Theology, a theocratic form of Dominionism.

Postmillennialism stands in contrast with Premillennialism and Amillennialism.

References

• Mathison, Keith A. 1999. Postmillenialism. An Eschatology of Hope. Philipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing. (ISBN 0875523897) - Good one volume over-view of Postmillennialism. Written by a proponent.
• Bock, Darrell. 1999. Three Views of the Millennium and Beyond. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing.
• Boettner, Loraine. 1984. The Millennium. Philipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing. (ISBN 0875521134)
• Gentry, Kenneth. 1992. He Shall Have Dominion: A Postmillennial Eschatology. Tyler, Tx: Institute For Christian Economics.
• Gentry, Kenneth. 2003. Thine is the Kingdom: A Study of the Postmillennial Hope. Vallecito, CA: Chalcedon Foundation.
• Murray, Iain. 1971. The Puritan Hope: A Study in Revival and the Interpretation of Prophecy. London, UK: Banner of Truth Trust.
• North, Gary. 1990. Millennialism and Social Theory. Tyler, Tx: Institute For Christian Economics.
• Davis, John Jefferson. 1996. The Victory of Christ's Kingdom: An Introduction to Postmillennialism. Moscow, ID: Canon Press.
• Bahnsen, Greg. 1999. Victory in Jesus: The Bright Hope of Postmillennialism (ISBN 0967831717) Texarkana, AR: Covenant Media Press.

External links

• Loraine Boettner Anthology including writings on Postmillennialism
• Historicism Research Foundation a Postmillennial Historicist group
• The Works of Rev. Prof. Dr. F.N. Lee
• Confidence About the Earthly Triumph of Christ's Kingdom
• Postmillennialism: Wishful Thinking or Certain Hope?
• Cultural Optimism
• The Prima Facie Acceptability of Postmillennialism
• An Exegetical Defense Of Postmillennialism From I Corinthians 15:24-26
• Postmillennialism
• Catholic Encyclopedia "Millennium and Millenarianism"

See also

• Summary of Christian eschatological differences
• Millennialism

Christian eschatology | Christian theology | Theology