Kenneth L. Gentry

Good introduction to four views on the interpretation of the Book of Revelation. It would help to narrow down how one views Revelation, even if taking something from each view; and would also help to subtract those views that seem less viable when compared with the others. Each contributor's critical interaction with the other contributors is very helpful.

Revelation is a real complex and confusing book to understand, so this "Four View" may help arrange the issues in the minding some kind of order too, at least, give one a fundamental base when interpreting the text.… (més)

While there is a manner in which these prophetic passages were fulfilled in past historical events, from an Orthodox perspective, these prophecies are also being fulfilled mystically in the ascetic struggle of believers and the purifying, illuminating, and deifying grace of the Holy Spirit at work in the spiritual development of the saints.
Likewise, from an Orthodox vantage point, there is also a manner in which these passages are yet to be fulfilled in the unfolding of world events. Orthodox Christians, however, do not focus their attention on trying to see these prophecies being fulfilled on the world scene, but rather focus their minds on the current spiritual and ascetic battle for the salvation of their souls lest they fall prey to the antichrist forces at work in their personal lives and so deny Christ in word or deed. The view set forth in this film, the Partial Preterist interpretation of prophetic passages, shows us how these prophecies were fulfilled on the stage of Judean history during the first generation of the Christian Church. These past historical fulfillments portray the forces of satanic deception and Divine Grace at work in our own spiritual struggle while, at the same time prefiguring national or world events yet to take place mystically and even visibly on the stage of human history. Although the Preterist view presented in this video denies other possible fulfillments of prophecy in various domains of human existence, a more Orthodox view does not. Rather, an Orthodox perspective would demand that all the various ways of interpreting Scriptural passages must be in harmony with one another and free of dissonance. And, again, the Church encourages us to focus, not so much on past fulfillments and certainly not on future speculations, but on our current spiritual struggles against satanic and antichrist forces that seek the ruin of our souls.… (més)

This book presents the book of Revelation from four different perspectives. After about a 30-page overview, four different authors present their insights.

Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr. covers the Preterist view. There are variations of Preterism, but the general idea is that the Bible’s eschatological promises have been fulfilled. Revelation’s bloody war scenes occurred in the first century. Gentry is an established Revelation scholar who writes clearly, but this is not his most lucid writing.

Sam Hamstra Jr. writes about an Idealist view. I would call it a “spiritual” view. Such interpreters find Revelation to be a message of “assurance, hope and victory” in its relevance to today’s struggles.

C. Marvin Pate, who serves also as the book’s general editor, discusses a “progressive dispensationalist” view. The arrival of Jesus 2,000 years ago is the dawning of a the “age to come,” but it is not yet complete; it awaits the Parousia for its consummation.

Finally, Robert L. Thomas lays out the classical Dispensationalist view, the common futuristic interpretation. While there are still many divisions in this category, Thomas strives to present a “typical” belief.

In my opinion, Steve Gregg’s book http://www.dubiousdisciple.com/2010/12/book-review-revelation-four-views.html on the same topic is more comprehensive and objective, and also more readable. But it’s also much longer; today’s book should be considered a compact, argumentative introduction by comparison.… (més)