Historicism (Christian eschatology)
Encyclopedia
Historicism is a method of interpretation, in Christian eschatology
, by associating biblical prophecies with actual historical events as well as identifying symbolic beings with historical persons or societies. In prophetic theology, the main texts of interest are apocalyptic literature
such as the Book of Daniel
and the Book of Revelation
. The historicist paradigm has evolved almost 2000 years, where historicist methods have been applied to ancient Jewish history
, the Roman Empire
, Mohammedism, the Papacy
, the Modern era and even into the End of Days
.
One of the most influential aspects of the Protestant's historicist paradigm
was the view that the Pope
was the Antichrist
. This view really popularized in the eighteenth century. In response to the historicist approach, Catholicism
developed the preterist
and futurist approaches to apocalyptic literature. All of these approaches, in Christianity, have been designed to suit their own ends, whether Protestant or Catholic
.
The historicist approach was also used to predict the end of the world. Some examples of this pursuit is seen with post-Reformation Britain, in the works of Charles Wesley
who predicted that the end of the world would occur in 1794, as based on his analysis of the Book of Revelation
. In nineteenth century America, William Miller
proposed that the end of the world would occur on the 22nd of October, 1844, based on a historicist model used with Daniel 8:14. Miller’s historicist approach on the Book of Daniel spawned a national movement, in the United States, known as Millerism. Thus, the Seventh-day Adventist Church was born. This denomination continues to maintain a historicist reading of biblical prophecy as essential to its eschatology.
was carried out by Victorinus
in 300 AD, considered to be one of the earliest Historicist commentators. An overview of the various prophetic expositions from the third century to the fifth centuries demonstrates that prophecies were uniformly interpreted within a Historicist framework by the Latin (later Catholic) writers.
Looking to the future fulfillment of certain prophetic passages, Christian theologians concluded that the events of Biblical prophecy (especially as contained in the books of Daniel
and Revelation
) encompassed the entire Church Age from the ascension of Christ
to his second advent.
Throughout the medieval era the Historicist interpretation became increasingly modified and developed by the expositions of Andreas
, Primasius (both 6th century), Bede
(730 AD), Anspert, Arethas
, Haymo
, and Berengaud (all of the ninth century).
. Prefiguring the revolt that was about to come, the 10th century Catholic bishop Arnulf
of Orleans was the first to apply the 'man of sin
' prophecy in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9 to the papacy. The same interpretation was given by the Catholic abbot Joachim of Floris in 1190 and the archbishop Eberhard II in 1240.
Out of the Reformation
and Counter Reformation, Reformers and Catholics devised different schemes of interpretation, which they each used to claim that the other was the apostate church. From the Reformers arose the historicist paradigm. As such, the Pro-Catholic positions took root when the Jesuit Doctor of Theology
, Francisco Ribera
proposed Futurism
in 1590, as well as the Spanish Jesuit Luis de Alcazar who proposed Preterism
.
. Protestant historicists saw prophecy fulfilled down through the centuries and into the modern era. Rather than expecting a single Antichrist to rule the earth during a future Tribulation period, Martin Luther
, John Calvin
and other Protestant Reformers
saw the Antichrist as a present feature in the world of their time, fulfilled in the papacy. They were unanimous in this interpretation lending emphasis to their reformation. It led them to protest against Rome and it became their rally and battle cry.
Controversial features of the Reformation
ist Historicist interpretations is the identification of the Antichrist
(1 and 2 John), the Beasts
of Revelation 13, the Man of Sin
or Man of Lawlessness
in 2 Thessalonians 2, the "Little horn" of Daniel 7 and 8, and the Whore of Babylon
(Revelation 17) with the Roman Catholic Church, the Papacy and Papal States
, and each successive Pope
himself.
, the year-day principle, and the view of the papal Antichrist—was dominant in English Protestant scholarship during much of the period from the Reformation to the middle of the nineteenth century (and continues to find expression in some groups today), it was not the only one on offer in the broader pre- or non-critical marketplace. Arising in Great Britain and Scotland, William Kelly
and other Brethren became the leading exponents of dispensationalist premillennial eschatology. By 1826 literalist interpretation of prophecy took hold and dispensationalism
saw the light of day The dispensationalist mode of interpretation derived from the historicist model of interpreting Daniel and Revelation and the theory that there was a gap in prophetic fulfillment of prophecy proposed by Futurism
, but dispensationalism took a decidedly anti-Catholic position.
, is the following traditional view: Neo-Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and the Roman Empire
. Additionally, the "little horn" in Daniel 7:8 and 8:9 was viewed by historicists as the Papacy.
According to Seventh-day Adventists, the reference to changing "times and law" (Daniel 7:25) refers to the change of the Christian sabbath from Saturday to Sunday, and the attack on the sanctuary (Daniel 8:11) to the mediatorial ministry of Roman Catholic priests. The "time, times and half a time" (Daniel 7:25) represents a period of 1260 years spanning 538 CE and 1798 CE, when the Roman Catholic Church dominated the Christian world. The feet of the statue in Daniel 2, made of mixed iron and clay, represent modern Europe
. The "cleansing" of the sanctuary in Daniel 8:14 (KJV) and judgment scene in Daniel 7:9-10 refer to an investigative judgment
beginning in 1844.
Christian eschatology
Christian eschatology is a major branch of study within Christian theology. Eschatology, from two Greek words meaning last and study , is the study of the end of things, whether the end of an individual life, the end of the age, or the end of the world...
, by associating biblical prophecies with actual historical events as well as identifying symbolic beings with historical persons or societies. In prophetic theology, the main texts of interest are apocalyptic literature
Apocalyptic literature
Apocalyptic literature is a genre of prophetical writing that developed in post-Exilic Jewish culture and was popular among millennialist early Christians....
such as the Book of Daniel
Book of Daniel
The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...
and the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
. The historicist paradigm has evolved almost 2000 years, where historicist methods have been applied to ancient Jewish history
Jewish history
Jewish history is the history of the Jews, their religion and culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions and cultures. Since Jewish history is over 4000 years long and includes hundreds of different populations, any treatment can only be provided in broad strokes...
, the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, Mohammedism, the Papacy
History of the Papacy
The history of the papacy, the office held by the Pope as head of the Catholic Church, spans from the time of Saint Peter to present day.During the Early Church, the bishops of Rome enjoyed no temporal power until the time of Constantine...
, the Modern era and even into the End of Days
End of Days
End of Days is a 1999 American action horror thriller film directed by Peter Hyams starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robin Tunney, Rod Steiger, Kevin Pollak, CCH Pounder, Udo Kier and Gabriel Byrne as Satan...
.
One of the most influential aspects of the Protestant's historicist paradigm
Paradigm
The word paradigm has been used in science to describe distinct concepts. It comes from Greek "παράδειγμα" , "pattern, example, sample" from the verb "παραδείκνυμι" , "exhibit, represent, expose" and that from "παρά" , "beside, beyond" + "δείκνυμι" , "to show, to point out".The original Greek...
was the view that the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
was the Antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
. This view really popularized in the eighteenth century. In response to the historicist approach, Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
developed the preterist
Preterism
Preterism is a Christian eschatological view that interprets prophecies of the Bible, especially Daniel and Revelation, as events which have already happened in the first century A.D. Preterism holds that Ancient Israel finds its continuation or fulfillment in the Christian church at the...
and futurist approaches to apocalyptic literature. All of these approaches, in Christianity, have been designed to suit their own ends, whether Protestant or Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
.
The historicist approach was also used to predict the end of the world. Some examples of this pursuit is seen with post-Reformation Britain, in the works of Charles Wesley
Charles Wesley
Charles Wesley was an English leader of the Methodist movement, son of Anglican clergyman and poet Samuel Wesley, the younger brother of Anglican clergyman John Wesley and Anglican clergyman Samuel Wesley , and father of musician Samuel Wesley, and grandfather of musician Samuel Sebastian Wesley...
who predicted that the end of the world would occur in 1794, as based on his analysis of the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
. In nineteenth century America, William Miller
William Miller
-United States government:* William Miller , North Carolina governor, 1814–1817* William S. Miller , US congressman from New York* William Read Miller , governor of Arkansas...
proposed that the end of the world would occur on the 22nd of October, 1844, based on a historicist model used with Daniel 8:14. Miller’s historicist approach on the Book of Daniel spawned a national movement, in the United States, known as Millerism. Thus, the Seventh-day Adventist Church was born. This denomination continues to maintain a historicist reading of biblical prophecy as essential to its eschatology.
Early historical interpretations
Prophetic commentaries in the early church were often partial or incomplete, usually interpreting individual passages rather than entire books. The earliest complete commentary on the book of RevelationRevelation
In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing, through active or passive communication with a supernatural or a divine entity...
was carried out by Victorinus
Victorinus
Marcus Piavonius Victorinus was emperor of the secessionist Gallic Empire from 269 to 271, following the brief reign of Marius. He was murdered by a jealous husband whose wife he tried to seduce.-Reign:...
in 300 AD, considered to be one of the earliest Historicist commentators. An overview of the various prophetic expositions from the third century to the fifth centuries demonstrates that prophecies were uniformly interpreted within a Historicist framework by the Latin (later Catholic) writers.
Looking to the future fulfillment of certain prophetic passages, Christian theologians concluded that the events of Biblical prophecy (especially as contained in the books of Daniel
Book of Daniel
The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...
and Revelation
Revelation
In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing, through active or passive communication with a supernatural or a divine entity...
) encompassed the entire Church Age from the ascension of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
to his second advent.
Throughout the medieval era the Historicist interpretation became increasingly modified and developed by the expositions of Andreas
Andreas
Andreas is a common male name in Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Flanders, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The name derives from the Greek noun ἀνήρ – with genitive ἀνδρός –, which means "man" . See article on Andrew for more information...
, Primasius (both 6th century), Bede
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
(730 AD), Anspert, Arethas
Arethas
Arethas is the Greek form of the Arab name Al-Harith. It can refer to:* Arethas , Arab Christian martyr in Yemen* Arethas the Kindite , ruler of the Kindite Arabs* Al-Harith ibn Jabalah, Ghassanid king...
, Haymo
Haymo
Haymo was a German Benedictine monk who served as bishop of Halberstadt, and was a noted author.-Biography:The exact date and place of his birth are unknown. Haymo entered the Order of St. Benedict at Fulda as a youth, where the celebrated Rabanus Maurus was one of his fellow-students. He went...
, and Berengaud (all of the ninth century).
Historicism up to the Reformation
This broad form of Historicism held sway in Christianity from the 4th Century until the ReformationReformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
. Prefiguring the revolt that was about to come, the 10th century Catholic bishop Arnulf
Arnulf
Arnulf , a Germanic name common in the Middle Ages and rare at present, may refer to:*Arnulf of Metz, saint *Arnulf of Eynesbury, saint*Arnulf of Carinthia...
of Orleans was the first to apply the 'man of sin
Man of Sin
The Man of Sin or Man of Lawlessness is a figure referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, who is usually equated with the Antichrist.-Second Thessalonians, Chapter Two:...
' prophecy in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9 to the papacy. The same interpretation was given by the Catholic abbot Joachim of Floris in 1190 and the archbishop Eberhard II in 1240.
Out of the Reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
and Counter Reformation, Reformers and Catholics devised different schemes of interpretation, which they each used to claim that the other was the apostate church. From the Reformers arose the historicist paradigm. As such, the Pro-Catholic positions took root when the Jesuit Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy....
, Francisco Ribera
Francisco Ribera
Francisco Ribera was a Spanish Jesuit theologian, identified with the Futurist Christian eschatological view.-Life:He was born at Villacastín. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1570, and taught at the University of Salamanca. He acted as confessor to Teresa of Avila...
proposed Futurism
Futurism (Christian eschatology)
Futurism is a Christian eschatological view that interprets the Book of Revelation, the Book of Daniel, the Olivet discourse and the parable of the Sheep and the Goats as future events in a literal, physical, apocalyptic, and global context...
in 1590, as well as the Spanish Jesuit Luis de Alcazar who proposed Preterism
Preterism
Preterism is a Christian eschatological view that interprets prophecies of the Bible, especially Daniel and Revelation, as events which have already happened in the first century A.D. Preterism holds that Ancient Israel finds its continuation or fulfillment in the Christian church at the...
.
Protestant historicist interpretations
The Protestant reformation was born of the rediscovery of Christ's salvation and identifying the papacy as the AntichristAntichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
. Protestant historicists saw prophecy fulfilled down through the centuries and into the modern era. Rather than expecting a single Antichrist to rule the earth during a future Tribulation period, Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
, John Calvin
John Calvin
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530...
and other Protestant Reformers
Protestant Reformers
Protestant Reformers were those theologians, churchmen, and statesmen whose careers, works, and actions brought about the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century...
saw the Antichrist as a present feature in the world of their time, fulfilled in the papacy. They were unanimous in this interpretation lending emphasis to their reformation. It led them to protest against Rome and it became their rally and battle cry.
Controversial features of the Reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
ist Historicist interpretations is the identification of the Antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
(1 and 2 John), the Beasts
The Beast (Bible)
The Beast of Revelation, may refer to two beasts in the apocalyptic visions by John of Patmos, as written in the Book of Revelation. The first beast comes from "out of the sea". The second beast comes from "out of the earth" and directs all peoples of the earth to worship the first. This first...
of Revelation 13, the Man of Sin
Man of Sin
The Man of Sin or Man of Lawlessness is a figure referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, who is usually equated with the Antichrist.-Second Thessalonians, Chapter Two:...
or Man of Lawlessness
Antinomianism
Antinomianism is defined as holding that, under the gospel dispensation of grace, moral law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation....
in 2 Thessalonians 2, the "Little horn" of Daniel 7 and 8, and the Whore of Babylon
Whore of Babylon
The Whore of Babylon or "Babylon the great" is a Christian allegorical figure of evil mentioned in the Book of Revelation in the Bible. Her full title is given as "Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and Abominations of the Earth." -Symbolism:...
(Revelation 17) with the Roman Catholic Church, the Papacy and Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
, and each successive Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
himself.
Modern historicism
The 19th century was a significant watershed in the history of prophetic thought. While the historicist paradigm--together with its pre- or post-millennialismMillennialism
Millennialism , or chiliasm in Greek, is a belief held by some Christian denominations that there will be a Golden Age or Paradise on Earth in which "Christ will reign" for 1000 years prior to the final judgment and future eternal state...
, the year-day principle, and the view of the papal Antichrist—was dominant in English Protestant scholarship during much of the period from the Reformation to the middle of the nineteenth century (and continues to find expression in some groups today), it was not the only one on offer in the broader pre- or non-critical marketplace. Arising in Great Britain and Scotland, William Kelly
William Kelly
William Kelly or Bill Kelly may refer to:*Bill Kelly , American football player at the University of Montana and in the NFL*Bill Kelly , American football player and coach...
and other Brethren became the leading exponents of dispensationalist premillennial eschatology. By 1826 literalist interpretation of prophecy took hold and dispensationalism
Dispensationalism
Dispensationalism is a nineteenth-century evangelical development based on a futurist biblical hermeneutic that sees a series of chronologically successive "dispensations" or periods in history in which God relates to human beings in different ways under different Biblical covenants.As a system,...
saw the light of day The dispensationalist mode of interpretation derived from the historicist model of interpreting Daniel and Revelation and the theory that there was a gap in prophetic fulfillment of prophecy proposed by Futurism
Futurism
Futurism was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century.Futurism or futurist may refer to:* Afrofuturism, an African-American and African diaspora subculture* Cubo-Futurism* Ego-Futurism...
, but dispensationalism took a decidedly anti-Catholic position.
Advocates of historicism
Notable advocates and influential expositors of the historicist method in prophetic theology, are as follows:- Martin LutherMartin LutherMartin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
(1483–1546) - Thomas BrightmanThomas BrightmanThomas Brightman was an English clergyman and biblical commentator. His exegesis of the Book of Revelation, published posthumously, proved influential. According to William M...
(1562–1607) - Alexander Forbes (1564–1617)
- Joseph MedeJoseph MedeJoseph Mede was an English scholar with a wide range of interests. He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he became a Fellow from 1613. He is now remembered as a biblical scholar. He was also a naturalist and Egyptologist...
(1586–1639) - Robert FlemingRobert Fleming, MinisterRobert Fleming was a Scottish Presbyterian Minister. Following the Restoration of King Charles II, he declined to accept bishops in the Kirk...
(1630–1694) - Jacques-Bénigne BossuetJacques-Bénigne BossuetJacques-Bénigne Bossuet was a French bishop and theologian, renowned for his sermons and other addresses. He has been considered by many to be one of the most brilliant orators of all time and a masterly French stylist....
(1627–1704) - Isaac NewtonIsaac NewtonSir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
(1642–1727) - Campegius Vitringa (1659–1722)
- Matthew HenryMatthew HenryMatthew Henry was an English commentator on the Bible and Presbyterian minister.-Life:He was born at Broad Oak, a farmhouse on the borders of Flintshire and Shropshire. His father, Philip Henry, had just been ejected under the Act of Uniformity 1662...
(1662–1714) - John GillJohn Gill (theologian)John Gill was an English Baptist pastor, biblical scholar, and theologian who held to a firm Calvinistic soteriology. Born in Kettering, Northamptonshire, he attended Kettering Grammar School where he mastered the Latin classics and learned Greek by age 11...
(1697–1771) - Frederick Aldoph Lampe (c.1670–1729)
- Charles DaubuzCharles DaubuzCharles Daubuz or Charles Daubus , was a Church of England clergyman and theologian.Daubuz was a French Protestant divine, who became vicar of Brotherton. In his youth, he removed to England on the revocation of the Edict of Nantes . He was the author of a few theological works, most notably of A...
, M.A. (1673–1717) - Johann Albrecht BengelJohann Albrecht BengelJohann Albrecht Bengel , Lutheran pietist clergyman and Greek-language scholar known for his edition of the Greek New Testament and his commentaries on it.-Life and career:Bengel was born at Winnenden in Württemberg, Germany....
(1687–1752) - Bishop T. NewtonThomas NewtonThomas Newton was an English cleric, biblical scholar and author. He served as the Bishop of Bristol from 1761 to 1782....
(1704–1782) - Thomas ScottThomas Scott (commentator)The Rev. Thomas Scott was an influential preacher and author who is principally known for his best-selling work A Commentary On The Whole Bible and The Force of Truth, and as one of the founders of the Church Missionary Society.- Life :...
(1747–1821) - George Stanley FaberGeorge Stanley FaberGeorge Stanley Faber was an Anglican theologian and prolific author....
(1773–1854) - John Cunninghame (18th Century)
- William MillerWilliam Miller (preacher)William Miller was an American Baptist preacher who is credited with beginning the mid-nineteenth century North American religious movement now known as Adventism. Among his direct spiritual heirs are several major religious denominations, including Seventh-day Adventists and Advent Christians...
(1782–1849) - Alexander KeithAlexander Keith (Free Church minister)Alexander Keith was a Church of Scotland minister. He was a graduate of Marischal College. Eldest son of George Skene Keith of Keith-hall and Kinkell, where he was born at the manse in 1791. From 1816 to 1840 he was rector of the parish of St...
(1791–1880) - Edward Bishop ElliottEdward Bishop ElliottEdward Bishop Elliott was an English clergyman and premillennarian writer.Edward Bishop Elliott graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1816. He was given the vicarage of Tuxford, Nottinghamshire in 1824 and later was made prebendary of Heytesbury, Wiltshire. In 1849 he became incumbent of St...
(1793–1875) - Albert Barnes (1798–1870)
- Christopher WordsworthChristopher WordsworthChristopher Wordsworth was an English bishop and man of letters.-Life:Wordsworth was born in London, the youngest son of the Rev. Dr. Christopher Wordsworth, Master of Trinity and a nephew of the poet William Wordsworth...
(1807–1885) - James Wylie (1808–1890)
- Ian PaisleyIan PaisleyIan Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
(b. 1926)
Visions of Daniel
The Protestant historicist interpretation of the four kingdoms, in the Book of DanielBook of Daniel
The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...
, is the following traditional view: Neo-Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. Additionally, the "little horn" in Daniel 7:8 and 8:9 was viewed by historicists as the Papacy.
According to Seventh-day Adventists, the reference to changing "times and law" (Daniel 7:25) refers to the change of the Christian sabbath from Saturday to Sunday, and the attack on the sanctuary (Daniel 8:11) to the mediatorial ministry of Roman Catholic priests. The "time, times and half a time" (Daniel 7:25) represents a period of 1260 years spanning 538 CE and 1798 CE, when the Roman Catholic Church dominated the Christian world. The feet of the statue in Daniel 2, made of mixed iron and clay, represent modern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The "cleansing" of the sanctuary in Daniel 8:14 (KJV) and judgment scene in Daniel 7:9-10 refer to an investigative judgment
Investigative judgment
The investigative judgment is a unique Seventh-day Adventist doctrine, which asserts that a divine judgment of professed Christians has been in progress since 1844. It is intimately related to the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and was described by the church's prophet and pioneer...
beginning in 1844.