Eschatology Poll Update & Fun With Christian Kitsch

We’ve had a great response to our eschatology poll thus far! A total of 12 votes have been counted. Only 12? Well, you have to remember that it is an eschatology poll of all things. I would’ve considered five votes a success! So here’s the breakdown thus far (if you need definitions for the following terms then click here to read an earlier post on the subject):

Dispensational Premillenialism: 1 vote
Classical Premillenialism: 2 votes
Amillenialism: 4 votes
Postmillenialism: 1 vote
“Whatever the Left Behind Novels Say”: 0 votes (thankfully)
Undecided: 2 votes
Other: 1 vote (although the voter basically said that they’re undecided about the first three choices)

Thanks to everyone who has participated thus far.

I have a couple of observations: First off, I’m surprised at the number of Amill votes, since Dispensationalism still appears to be the reigning eschatology in the evangelical church today. I have noted a resurgence in Amillenialism in the past few years, but the results still seem odd (of course we have only gotten 12 votes so far, so things may change). Anyone have any thoughts about this? Secondly, while we certainly appreciate people casting their votes, we would love it if a few of you would comment on your choice (which position you subscribe to and why).

Finally, while surfing the web for a pic for this post, I noticed that the majority of artwork concerning the Second Coming is just downright kitschy! Why? I’m not sure, but be sure to have fun with the sample of Christian kitsch below!

The not-so-secret Rapture

Talk about literal interpretation!

I’m not sure if this is supposed to be the rapture or just a ‘bad trip’.

Groovy eschatology (I wonder if Jack Chick did this one???)

It’s the pièce de résistance of eschatology kitsch (nifty robes)!

crabman Says:
February 15, 2008 at 2:28 pm

Why is all the art about the rapture? Do you guys have a problem with the rapture? Isn’t there any goofy amill art? This seems a little biased.

Josh Says:
February 15, 2008 at 3:10 pm

Hi crabman [or Jimmy Clegg: same IP address :-)]. Thanks for the comment!

No, we don’t have a problem with the rapture at Quadrivium. As a matter of fact, a few or our contributors are strong adherents to a dispensational eschatology (that includes a rapture). Besides that, only the last three pictures are explictly about the rapture anyway. The first could easily be interpreted as Amill (since everybody sees Jesus) and the second…well…I’m not really sure WHAT it’s about.

As to goofy amill art. I just posted what came up in a Google images search. You have to admit that 90% of the art and literature produced about the second coming in recent times has been from a decidedly dispensational slant. It’s just a matter of probability.

Thanks for commenting!

A.P. Sullivan Says:
February 15, 2008 at 4:27 pm

Hey, I should have included this in my article on art. This is really deep, moving art. It really speaks to the inner man. (Sarcam Alert)

Hey Crabman/Jimmy,
I am decidedly premill/dispensational, and I don’t think there’s a bias here, just really bad “art”.

persifler Says:
February 15, 2008 at 7:03 pm

I too am a pre-mil rapture type BUT! I’m not dogmatic about pre- or a- trib rapture. I’m not a Larkin or Hege dispensational-mural purist. Since it is not an essential, and I have already suffered through a Church split in the past mostly due to a militant approach to the “pre-mil/pre-trib” eschatology… I’m not going to get bent over this issue ever again.