How has ‘end times’ expectation shaped Christian history and theology?

Martyn Whittock is a historian and a Licensed Lay Minister in the Church of England. He has just published a fascinating history of the interpretation of ‘end times’ ideas, The End Times, Again? 2000 Years of the Use and Misuse of Biblical Prophecy. It is clear that applied eschatology has been hugely influential throughout Christian history.

The Theological Foundation of End-Times Beliefs

As a Christian and a preacher, the promise of the return of Jesus (the second coming) and the creation of a new heaven and earth is, personally, a very significant belief. This starts from the point of having personal faith in history having a purpose and an end-point and that God has revealed enough of this through scripture to give us confidence in this fact. However, this is a belief that can, in some forms, seriously impact on (even distort) outlooks and can become something of an obsession.

Historical Application and Radical Movements

It is undeniable that this belief has a track record of being wrongly (though sincerely) used in church history to justify the most extraordinary things. Historical perspectives show how end-times beliefs were applied over the centuries:

• 10th Century: Magyars and Vikings were identified as end-times actors by commentators.
• 17th Century: Radical Christian millenarians, such as the ‘Fifth Monarchy Men’ (who took the name from an interpretation of Daniel chapter 7), passionately held versions of these beliefs.
• 1970s: Outlooks were greatly influenced by the idea that we were living in the ‘last days,’ which was, in effect, a spiritual counterpart to Cold War politics.

The Impact on Modern Society and Politics

Forms of end-times expectation continue to influence a sizeable number of believers in their assessment of Middle Eastern politics, climate change, and Covid-19. It has been used to explore the deep roots of the current US evangelical-right and the Trump phenomenon. Modern Christians would handle their interpretation of prophecy more cautiously if they knew more about the history of mistakes. This is particularly prevalent at times of stress and turbulence, where end-times thinking influences Christian outlook even when it is not the dominant topic of conversation.