Editor’s Introduction -- By: John Warwick Montgomery

Journal: Global Journal of Classical Theology
Volume: GJCT 02:1 (Dec 1999)
Article: Editor’s Introduction
Author: John Warwick Montgomery


Editor’s Introduction

John Warwick Montgomery

With this issue of the Global Journal, we enter upon our second year of publication. Reactions have been uniformly positive. A recent letter is typical:

“It seems long ago that I had the privilege to sit under your instruction at [Trinity’s] Apologetic Institute in Strasbourg. We look forward to another workshop. In the meantime I have logged on to your journal and try to stay updated on your voluminous and precise efforts at defending the faith. I purchased the Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics and was drawn to your book review. Your points are well taken and instructive.” Clearly, the Global Journal is fulfilling its objectives.

But readers of the Editor’s Introduction do not want to be subjected only to the plaudits that the publication has elicited. They deserve a comment or two on substantive theological issues. Needless to say, what follows represents only the Editor’s ranting and raving: no official Trinity position is being espoused.

I am presenting a paper on “Prophecy, Eschatology and Apologetics” at the 51st Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society (Danvers, MA, near Boston, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, 17 November). The theme of the conference is Eschatology, so I was fascinated to read a news report in the British publication Protestant Truth (September-October issue), titled, “Dr. Paisley Expresses His Understanding of the Times.” The article informs us that Ian Paisley (the Northern Irish firebrand EuroMP who, when the Pope visited the European Parliament some years ago, denounced him personally as the Antichrist) “has identified the seat which he believes has been reserved for the Antichrist at Strasbourg.” This is Parliamentary seat number 666, which has not yet been assigned! Paisley is also convinced that the new European currency (the Euro) carries the mark of the Beast, and he “also disclosed that the ‘Tower of Babel’ is being used on posters emanating from Europe and views this ‘as a truly suggestive prophetic sign.’“

This would be amusing if it were not so dangerous. In my book, Human Rights and Human Dignity, I note that “American evangelicals, taking their lead from pop eschatologist Hal Lindsey, frequently assert that the European Economic Community, with its ten [!] members, represents the ten toes of the great image in the Book of Daniel and thus is a vehicle of the antichristic end times.” In point of fact, the EEC (now the European Union) has never had ten members; it jumped from nine to its current membership well passing that number! And Paisley’s “Tower of Babel” posters in Strasbourg were in fact advertisements for contemporary music concerts—probably worthless aesthetically, but hardly anti...

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