The Parousia in Modern Theology: Some Questions and Comments

Abstract

My aim is to provide a survey of approaches to the parousia in modern theology, and to formulate a number of questions and critical comments which these approaches suggest. In the main part of my paper I propose to describe and assess these modern approaches within their own proper theological and historical context. Then, towards the end, I shall try to set out my own approach to the subject, showing where we may draw fruit-fully upon modern insights and where we must take warnings from modern misunderstandings. One particular problem of procedure arises. Modern theology includes a wide variety of approaches to questions about eschatology, or about the future, which nevertheless give little or no consideration to the parousia. Should such approaches be examined in the present discussion? I suggest a comprom-ise by beginning with a shorter discussion in which we shall glance very briefly at three approaches of this kind with little or no critical comment. Firstly, process thought has much to say about the future.