It feels like the end times - Christian Nationalism, war in Iran, and we can't even trust that our food is safe to eat anymore. A lot of people are carrying summertime sadness and doom-loop anxiety. Given this, what does eschatology actually teach, and how does bad end-times theology fuel fear?
In this episode, we unpack eschatology (the study of the end times) beyond Left Behind theology. We map pre-millennial vs. amillennial vs. realized eschatology, explain why Revelation is resistance literature, not a prophecy chart, and trace how apocalyptic fear is used to justify Christian Nationalism, war, and "invasion" rhetoric about immigration β and how a progressive eschatology of hope teaches salvation as a way of life lived in community. We get honest about doomscrolling, heat waves, and why tech billionaires build bunkers while the rest of us just feel tired β and offer 3 practices to hold sadness without spiraling.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Cold Open - Why Everything Feels Like the End
4:45 Book Contest Winners!
7:10 Why Everything Feels Apocalyptic
13:47 What Is Eschatology & The Dangers of Misinterpreting Revelation
18:33 Reading Revelation as a Resistance Narrative
24:55 Different Ways of Thinking About Eschatology (The End Times)
29:26 Premillennialism vs Postmillennialism
40:50 How fear-based Eschatology fuels Greed, Christian Nationalism & War
51:10 Hope as practice: salvation as a way of life
1:06:24 Shout Out to Michael - Our Listeners Give Us Hope
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https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack! The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.
What is The Progressive Christians Podcast?
We're the love your neighbor kind of Christians, not the storm the capitol kind. So, if you're curious about what a socially and politically progressive Christianity looks like, this podcast is for you! In each episode we discuss politics, pop culture, and anything else we find interesting from the perspective of progressive Christianity.
The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram, https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians
The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church.