Journal: Journal of Ministry and Theology
Volume: JMAT 15:2 (Fall 2011)
Article: Chiliasm in the Early Church until Nicea: Apostolic Fathers
Author: Richard J. Perhai

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Chiliasm in the Early Church until Nicea: Apostolic Fathers

Rick Perhai

Academic Dean
Kiev Theological Seminary Kiev, Ukraine

Introduction

The term chiliasm comes from the Greek word χίλιοι meaning a thousand or millennium.1 The Encyclopedia of Christianity points the reader from the term chiliasm to millenarian with the description: “Millenarianism, or chiliasm, was originally the expectation of a thousand-year reign of salvation in which the elect would reign with Christ before the end of world history.”2 By “originally” Fahlbusch and Bromiley refer to the teaching in Revelation 20:2-6 and by various early church fathers. The Encyclopedia of Reformed Faith links millennialism and chiliasm similarly: “Millennialism (Lat.), or chiliasm (Gr.) refers to a type of Christian eschatology organized around the notion of a thousand–year reign of Christ at the close of history. The idea is derived from Rev. 20:2-7, the only biblical occurrences of the expression.”3 While correct to say (strictly in relationship to the reign of Christ), the expression “thousand years” occurs only in Revelation 20:2-7 (three times). Some

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believe, however, a thousand-year reign of Christ at the end of history can be found elsewhere in the New and Old Testaments.4

Modern theologians often defend their view of the millennium by citing early church fathers. Such historical analysis is not mere name dropping. For example, Larry Crutchfield, starting a six-part series on “The Early Church Fathers and the Foundations of Dispensationalism,” expressed frustration that opponents of dispensationalism claim dispensationalists have “no historical antecedents for their doctrine prior to John Nelson Darby.”5 Crutchfield offered counterarguments by means of his historical research. He demonstrated chiliastic connections with the earliest Christian writings after the apostles because they “may be regarded as

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belonging to what Ryrie calls ‘the first and purest centuries’ of church history.”6

Walvoord also appealed to early church history ...