Statement on Unorthodox Eschatology

Statement on Unorthodox Eschatology

Published Date	March 2023
Organization	Whitefield Theological Seminary
Topics	Eschatology (Hyperpreterism)
Website	hyperpreterism.com

Statement on Unorthodox Eschatology is a Christian statement against erroneous eschatological (end times) views of Full Preterism (or Hyper-Preterism) that is facilitated by Whitefield Theological Seminary.

Initial Signers

The initial signers include:

Drafters of the Norman Statement

Name	Affiliation (for identification purposes only)
Kenneth Gentry	Minister in the RPCGA
Jeff Durbin	Pastor of Apologia Church
P. Andrew Sandlin	President/Founder of Center for Cultural Leadership
Phillip Kayser	Pastor of Dominion Covenant Church
Ardel B. Caneday	Adjunct Porfessor at University of Northwestern
Samuel M. Frost	Pastor of Knightstown Bethel Presbyterian Church
James R. White	Director of Alpha and Omega Ministries
John Frame	Minister in the Presbyterian Church in America
Brian Mattson	Senior Scholar Center for Cultural Leadership
Jeffery J. Ventrella	Senior Counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom
Keith Sherlin	President of Christicommunity
Larry Ball, CPA	Retired Minister in the PCA
Ricky Roldan	Host of Urban Reformed Podcast
Enroe Andre	Licensed Preacher at Christ Presbyterian Church
J. P. Eugene	Former Assistant Pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church
Uriesou Brito	Pastor of Providence Church
John Barber	Professor at Whitefield Theological Seminary
Jason L. Bradfield	Chairman of Whitefield Theological Seminary

Statment

Introduction

Tragically, we live in an age noted for the rapidly accelerating decline of Christian influence in the world at large, which is both encouraged and energized by an increasing level of doctrinal error in the Christian church itself. One crucial area of doctrinal confusion is in the field of eschatology. Too few Christians recognize the enormous significance of eschatology for understanding both Christ’s redemptive work long ago and our present calling in the world today.

Historically, the church has recognized and accepted healthy intramural debate on a number of secondary eschatological distinctives. Yet we must recognize that even in the field of eschatology, certain core issues define the fundamentals and set the parameters of the historic, corporate, public, universal, systematic Christian faith. These are among the very sine qua non of Christian truth claims as revealed in Scripture and believed in history.

In these troubling times in which we live, it is necessary to commit ourselves to the full integrity of the faith once for all delivered to the saints. Thus, we the undersigned do make this statement on biblical eschatology.

Statement

We hereby adopt the following position concerning the unorthodox eschatological doctrine of Full Preterism, Hyper-preterism, or any other Eschatological System promoting any one or all of the following errors which are contrary to the Holy Scriptures, historic creeds and confessions.

That original sin plunged Adam into spiritual death only, and not into physical death [Genesis 2 & 3; Romans 5:12-19; Ephesians 2:13]. That Christ does not have (or retain) a physical body consequent upon His resurrection from death [1 Corinthians 15:3-8; John 20:25-28; Romans 8:34]; or That the sacraments (ordinances) of the church no longer exist for this generation, that the institutional visible Church does not exist, refusing to recognize her officers, authority, and membership [Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:25-26]; or That the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is already past and fulfilled (AD70) therefore denying a physical visible return of Christ at the end of history [Acts 1:8-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17]; or That there is no physical Resurrection of the bodies of believers and non-believers at the consummation of history [John 5:21, 28-29; Romans 8:22-23; Philippians 3:21]; or That there is no future Final Judgment of all men [Matthew 13:36-43; John 5:28-29; Acts 17:31; 2 Peter 2:4-9]; or That there is no end to history in which Christ completes His victory over sin and death. [1 Corinthians 15:22-26; John 6:40, 44, 54; 11:24; 2 Peter 3:12-13]; or

Whereas, these views represent an attack upon and undermining of the holy catholic faith once delivered unto the saints,

Therefore, in the certain Hope of the Resurrection, at the Second Coming of Christ, and the Final Judgment at the end of history, we do hereby find that Full Preterism, Hyper-preterism or any other Eschatological System promoting any one or all of these errors is errant, heretical, and apostate, being therefore contrary to evangelical orthodoxy.