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Preterism is a historically orthodox variant of Christian eschatology that holds that many of the prophecies in the Bible about the Last Days were fulfilled in the first century AD (see Luke 21:20). The name is derived from the term preterite, or past perfect tense. Adherents of this view are known as preterists. There is an historically unorthodox variant of this view known as "full preterism" discussed below.
1 Partial Preterism
Partial preterism (also known as "orthodox preterism" by many of its adherents) holds that prophecies such as the destruction of Jerusalem, the Antichrist, the Great Tribulation, and the advent of the Day of the Lord were fulfilled at or about the year AD 70 when the Roman general (and future Emperor) Titus sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Jewish Temple, putting a permanent stop to the daily animal sacrifices.
Most, but not all, preterists also believe the term Last Days refers not to the last days of planet Earth or the last days of humankind, but rather to the last days of the Mosaic covenant which God had exclusively with physical Israel until the year AD 70. As God came in judgment upon various nations in the old testament, Christ also came in judgment against those in Israel who rejected him. The 'last days,' however, are to be distinguished from the "last day," which is considered still future and entails Jesus Christ's " Second ComingThis article refers to the religious usage of the term. For other usages, see Second Coming (disambiguation . The prophecies of a Second Coming are various and span across many religions and cultures. Most notable is the Christian and Muslim belief in the," the resurrectionThis article is about the religious meaning of the word "Resurrection". For other meanings see Resurrection (disambiguation). Resurrection is the raising of a person from death back to life. Deities, too, are reborn: see Life-death-rebirth deity. Resurrec of the righteous and unrighteous dead physically from the grave as Christ was raised physically from the grave, the "Final Judgment", and the creation of a New Heavens and a New Earth free from the curse, sin, and death which were brought about by the fall of Adam. Orthodox preterists recognize that the new creation comes in redemptive progression as Christ reigns, subjugating his enemies, culminating in the destruction of the last enemy, death (1 Cor 15:20-24).
2 Full Preterism
Full preterism differs from partial preterism in that full preterists believe all prophecy was fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem, including the resurrection of the dead and the second coming. This view holds that Jesus' "second coming" is to be viewed not as a physical return, but rather manifested by the physical destruction of Jerusalem in a manner similar to various Old Testament descriptions of God coming to destroy other nations in righteous judgment. Full Preterism also holds that the resurrection of the dead did not entail the raising of the physical body, but rather the resurrection of the soul from the "place of the dead," known as SheolShe'ol is the Hebrew abode of the dead; the underworld, grave or pit. In the Hebrew Bible it is portrayed as a comfortless place beneath the earth, beyond gates, where both the bad and the good, slave and king, pious and wicked must go after death to slee (Hebrew) or HadesHades ( Greek: ‘ Haides or ‘δης Hades ("unseen") means both the ancient Greek abode of the dead and the god of that Underworld. Haidou was the genitive form of the word, meaning "the house of Hades"; its nominative form, Haides was origin (Greek). As such, the righteous dead obtained a spiritual and substantial body for use in the heavenly realm, and the unrighteous dead were cast into the lake of fire. Some full preterists believe that this judgment is still occurring and takes effect upon the death of each individual (see Heb. 9:27). The new heavens and the new earth are also equated with the consummation of the new covenant in AD 70 and are to be viewed in the same manner by which a Christian is considered a "new creation" upon his or her conversion.
