The Coming of God: Christian Eschatology

Systematic Contributions to Theology #5

by Jürgen Moltmann

Winner of Grawemeyer Award In this remarkable and timely work - in many ways the culmination of his systematic theology - world-renowned theologian Jurgen Moltmann stands Christian eschatology on its head. Moltmann rejects the traditional approach, which focuses on the End, an apocalyptic finale, as a kind of Christian search for the "final solution." He centers instead on hope and God's promise of new creation for all things. "Christian eschatology," he says, "is the remembered hope of the raising of the crucified Christ, so it talks about beginning afresh in the deadly end." Yet Moltmann's novel framework, deeply informed by Jewish and messianic thought, also fosters rich and creative insights into the perennially nettling questions of eschatology: Are there eternal life and personal identity after death? How is one to think of heaven, hell, and purgatory? What are the historical and cosmological dimensions of Christian hope? What are its social and political implications. In a heartbreakingly fragile and fragment world, Moltmann's comprehensive eschatology surveys the Christian vista, bravely envisioning our "horizons of expectation" for personal, social, even cosmic transformation in God.

Genres: Theology, Philosophy, Christianity, Religion, Christian

412 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Jürgen Moltmann is a German Reformed theologian. He is the 2000 recipient of the Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion.

Moltmann's Theology of Hope is a theological perspective with an eschatological foundation and focuses on the hope that the resurrection brings. Through faith we are bound to Christ, and as such have the hope of the resurrected Christ ("Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3, NIV)), and knowledge of his return. For Moltmann, the hope of the Christian faith is hope in the resurrection of Christ crucified. Hope and faith depend on each other to remain true and substantial; and only with both may one find "not only a consolation in suffering, but also the protest of the divine promise against suffering."

However, because of this hope we hold, we may never exist harmoniously in a society such as ours which is based on sin. When following the Theology of Hope, a Christian should find hope in the future but also experience much discontentment with the way the world is now, corrupt and full of sin. Sin bases itself in hopelessness, which can take on two forms: presumption and despair. "Presumption is a premature, selfwilled anticipation of the fulfillment of what we hope for from God. Despair is the premature, arbitrary anticipation of the non-fulfillment of what we hope for from God."

In Moltmann's opinion, all should be seen from an eschatological perspective, looking toward the days when Christ will make all things new. "A proper theology would therefore have to be constructed in the light of its future goal. Eschatology should not be its end, but its beginning." This does not, as many fear, 'remove happiness from the present' by focusing all ones attention toward the hope for Christ's return. Moltmann addresses this concern as such: "Does this hope cheat man of the happiness of the present? How could it do so! For it is itself the happiness of the present." The importance of the current times is necessary for the Theology of Hope because it brings the future events to the here and now. This theological perspective of eschatology makes the hope of the future, the hope of today.

Hope strengthens faith and aids a believer into living a life of love, and directing them toward a new creation of all things. It creates in a believer a "passion for the possible" "For our knowledge and comprehension of reality, and our reflections on it, that means at least this: that in the medium of hope our theological concepts become not judgments which nail reality down to what it is, but anticipations which show reality its prospects and its future possibilities." This passion is one that is centered around the hope of the resurrected and the returning Christ, creating a change within a believer and drives the change that a believer seeks make on the world.

For Moltmann, creation and eschatology depend on one another. There exists an ongoing process of creation, continuing creation, alongside creation ex nihilo and the consummation of creation. The consummation of creation will consist of the eschatological transformation of this creation into the new creation. The apocalypse will include the purging of sin from our finite world so that a transformed humanity can participate in the new creation.

Reviews

[Simon Wiebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! Hab das Buch richtig verschlungen! Man spürt in Moltmanns Gedanken seinen weiten und ausgewogenen Blick. Seine drei Schwerpunkte in Eschatologie fand ich sehr einleuchtend: personale Eschatologie, kosmische Eschatologie und geschichtliche Eschatologie. Meist werden heute
entweder eine kosmische oder personale in Lehre und Predigt aufgegriffen. Aber beides zu betonen, finde ich schon wichtig.

Besonders gut fand ich im allgemeinen die personalen Ausführungen, bei den geschichtlichen Aspekten das Kapitel zur Wiederbringung aller Dinge (Streit um Allversöhnung), bei der kosmischen Eschatologie seine Überlegungen zur Vernichtung oder Verwandlung der Welt (finde da die östliche Denkrichtung einer Vergöttlichung der Welt nach wie vor höchst spannend).

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moltmann is one of the theologians who has shaped my thinking most, primarily though his work The Crucified God, which invigorated my thinking about who God is and what God has done in Jesus. I’ve only read a few of his other, many, books. This one probably goes to number two on my list of favorite books of his.

It’s a long, sometimes meandering, examination of eschatology. Parts of it seem like rabbit trails unnecessary for the overall plot of the book. The best parts are when he talks about the messianic and millennial spirit throughout Christianity and how this spirit remains in the secular age. We’re all looking for utopias and messiahs, to some degree.

The most controversial, and also most inspiring, part is when he concludes with universal salvation. Well, “concludes” is not quite right as kept going for another few chapters. Controversial is right though, even if the idea of God making the cosmos right by ultimately reconciling with every person and creature, is beautiful and hopeful. I suppose anyone who reads my Goodreads reviews will note a theme as lots of universalist ideas are showing up in the likes of Jersak, Hart, Origen, Gregory and more.

It goes against so much tradition and so much of what I grew up being taught. But maybe questioning those things in search for deeper truth is not all bad.

Maybe being driven to tears as I read the hopeful and beautiful teachings of Moltmann, Hart and others is not bad?

For the first time, I actually want to tell people about the God I’ve always believed in. Evangelism is sort of appealing when God looks like Jesus.

But I digress. This book takes its place as a favorite, and is a must read for developments in Christian eschatology in the 21st century.

[Jonathan Brat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shoutout Bonkovsky for the reminder to read more Moltmann.
I am biased, since the venn diagram of Jurgen’s convictions juxtaposed to my own forms a nearly perfect circle, but for me he is the best among the 20th century reformers.

[Caleb Rolling · Rating 3 out of 5]

More accurately, 3.5 stars. Moltmann soars at points yet crawls at others. His theology is earthy and “real,” which ought to be the case with other theologies, also. His construal of an eschatology for the modern era is commendable and should be consulted.

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alternates between promising and atrocious. He has some great sections on the nature of death and time, which are about as good as any I have read. He shows nicely how Revelation 1 contrasts with Greek thought: Christ is the one who is, and was, and is to come (notice he did not say "will be," which is what a good Greek would have said). This shows in a nutshell that the future is the coming of God.

Then proceeds with an analysis of Constantinian and Augustinian models of eschatology. If the Kingdom has come in the presence of the State (the former) or the Church (the latter), then while a future coming of Christ might still be hoped for, such a hope will be marginalized because the Kingdom is already now.

He then torpedoes his own ship with a strange rant--and there is no other way to describe it--with a plea to save the environment and third-world countries. I felt like I was at an Al Gore eco-terrorist conference. I am not a free-market capitalist, and I admit horrible things have been done to the environment, but his analysis is simply off. He claims that the evil white man made Africa poor. Granted, the evil white man did horrible things, but a better claim would be that the European exacerbated an already bad situation. Even before the European came, many tribes were selling each other into slavery, practicing magic, and worshiping idols. The European didn't cause that. (I do agree with him on forgiving third-world debt. I'm not sure it will fix anything, but it is a nice sentiment: if a civilization doesn't have a strong work ethic and a future-oriented vision, change will simply not happen.).

He ends with a nice section on the future feast of God, which is a much better model of the afterlife than merely contemplating the Platonic Forms for all eternity.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can think of this volume as a Protestant “dogmatics” in which Moltmann interprets human history and experience in light of the future toward which we are drawn. I value the way in which Moltmann examines critically common theological assumptions, thereby challenging us embrace a clearer understanding of God’s sovereignty and to practice greater humility. For example, he writes, “Anyone who teaches ‘the principle of grace’ cannot at the same time teach ‘the Last Judgment’ as apocalyptic karmic law. If at ‘the Last Judgment’ we were to be judged only according to what we have done, then the outcome of the proceedings would be in our own hands; it would then be we ourselves who decided on our salvation or our damnation. We … should need no God for it …. A God who is bound to this law, and who can do no more than implement it, is neither free nor godlike.”

[Mitch Mallary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece; a central text for anyone wishing to pursue the depths (and heights!) of Christian eschatology.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books that's very easy to read, but needs to be read multiple times. It has layers of rich ideas that need to be carefully sifted through.

[Bob Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you read one book by Jurgen Moltmann....you should probably read Theology of Hope. But if you read two books by him...well you should probably read The Crucified God.

But seriously, this book should be high up on the list for any one interested in Moltmann's theology, Christian eschatology or Christian theology in general.

Moltmann deviates from the 'normal' presentation of eschatology by focusing on several topics: (1) death, (2) political eschatology, (3) ecological eschatology (4) Cosmic eschatology and (5) divine eschatology. Moltmann provides historical context for the different views of the church and how they have developed over the centuries. He then provides a new way of looking the questions of eschatology.

Eschatology, the doctrine of the last things, usually is the end or almost supplemental material to most systematic theologies. For Moltmann, eschatology is vitally important because it helps us define our lives today because it exists in the present. It directs how we should act in relation to our own mortality, our relationships with others, our politics, our environment and God himself.

God is moving in history and he is exceeding the expectations of the church. Today's Evangelical eschatology is surprisingly narrow compared to the vision that Moltmann lays out. Eschatology is intimately related to the gospel and our current lives. Reconciliation with our enemies, with those who are different and our environment are key aspects of Moltmann's theology. Absent are the common themes of the Left Behind series with its focus on the 'rapture' and the tribulation. Instead, Moltmann provides a more optimistic and hopeful vision of eschatology.

Moltmann is known to be difficult to understand. This book is much more accessible than some others in his library. He almost feels like he has left a great deal of the speculative theology behind and has focused more on addressing the current concerns. But this does not mean that it is an easy read. The reader will sometimes struggle to comprehend some of the more obscure passages.

I highly recommend this to all Christians, but admittedly, the modern Evangelical reader who can barely read through pop "Christian" books will have a hard time getting through this.

Grade: A+

[Steve Irby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished "The Coming of God: Christian Eschatology," by Moltmann.

One really doesnt summarize Moltmann, one mainly quotes him.

The eschatological proviso: "[A]lthough Christ has already been raised from the dead, we have not yet been raised. Through the strength of grace Christ has broken the power of sin, but the end of deaths reign is still to come. So in Christ we are indeed reconciled with God, but we still live and die in a unredeemed world, and together with this world look with longing for the new creation."

His coverage of universalism was some of the best and most compelling I have read, though I still dont buy it. He got there by using Christ as prototypical. Christ's decent into hell was the part that leads him to universalism (His section on Christs harrowing of hell was very good.). I believe he made a great case for postmortem evangelism but not universalism; though the stresses he places on universalism, which I could see placed on postmortem evangelism, are clarified by his being a determinist and my not.

This history of eschatology and millianism were really good.

I will say that this, his last book in his contributions to systematic theology, is the first where he really comes out as a Calvinist, or really even mentions it. He is still my favorite theologian--no offense intended.

[Rob Chappell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jurgen Moltmann is my favorite contemporary Lutheran theologian because he draws on multiple streams of the Christian faith tradition to articulate a holistic, inclusive understanding of the Gospel and its implications for the present age as well as the "life of the world to come." I enjoyed reading this book because of the vast tapestry of sources that the author used to present his vision of Christian eschatology, which is the capstone of his "theology of hope." His exposition is thoroughly biblical and interacts positively and creatively with Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish sources. I had been a Trinitarian Universalist since 1992, so Moltmann was "preaching to the choir" in my case, but his hope-filled exposition of Christian eschatology was both enlightening and reaffirming to me then -- and it still is now.

I highly recommend this book to all armchair theologians, especially those with an open mind and an open heart. :)

[Austin Mathews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Few people can talk about death and resurrection life without reducing these quintessential topics to platitudes and speculation. Moltmann here delivers his most controversial conclusions (including his long-awaited defense of universal salvation), some of which I cannot agree with; yet, his passion for life and his hope for the transfigured world in the expectation of God’s glorious indwelling is awesome and awe-inspiring. Lots and lots of highlights here, and much to return to, especially regarding the book of Revelation, the significance of Jesus’ resurrection, and the final joy of glory.

[Jenson Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Coming of God is extensive, dense, controversial, and beautiful. It’s easy to get lost in this book and re-read chapters that seem to go on different rabbit trails. Moltmann does always bring the reader back to his eschatological vision of hope. This is the grounding foundation throughout the book. Moltmann does a wonderful job of presenting other eschatological views that have influenced modern theology, so if you’re interested in a general study of eschatological trends, this is a good place to start.

[Cameron Coombe · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of his later works, Moltmann never fails to impress and stimulate with his explorations. Especially notable here are his treatments of millenarianism and universalism.

[Jason Garwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some parts had me leaping for joy, other parts had me searching for whiskey to dull the pain. Cheers! 🥃

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last chapter's worth the price of admission.

[Niamh]

In short, I feel that Moltmann tries to combine eternity and time for his eschatological vision in an unhappy marriage.

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had not read much of Jurgen Moltmann's work before reading this. I am amazed and impressed with this work. He indicates his late conversion to Christianity and "curiosity" being his only theological virtue has made him less systematic and tied to a particular tradition's defense in his theology. The former is almost certainly too modest and the latter is not as true as he would like. (He definitely shows his Calvinist and Lutheran roots here, but in surprising ways.)



What I find most meaningful in this work is that, unlike many other works on eschatology (theology of the end of history, personal death, eternal life, etc.) is that it actually takes the links between a person's death as a person, the path of history, and the promised biblical consummation and renewal of all creation seriously and strives to integrate them. His writing is very lucid and this English translation is well done.



I would say the most moving material is in his chapters on "Death as a Consequence of Sin or Life's Natural End," "Where Are the Dead?" and "Death, Mourning, and Consolation." He lays down a consistent theological view that says that given what God has promised we can do no less than expect that the whole person God has created dies wholly, is raised as a whole person, and glorified.



This takes on even greater meaning when he spends a significant part of the middle of the book eschewing all forms of historicized eschatology (in the form of reactionary and utopian visions - and instead of retreating from the political sphere, seeks to ground the quest for transformation of the world to more justice and ecological sustainability in the reality of God's faithfulness to the promise of salvation and the redemption of all things. His understanding of the Last Judgment is masterful, as is his chapter on cosmic eschatology which argues for the scriptural perspective of the real renewal of the entire cosmos in eschatological glory. Overall, I find his general theological schema of nature - grace - glory to be a rich one.



Moltmann seeks to show the problems with traditional views of eternal life without a body (the immortality of the soul alone) and how things like the nuclear and ecological threats being experienced today with the possible extinction of much of the life on earth help us recognize that we as a people on this planet, for the first time in history, live with a time limit. We can't undo what has been done, but we can work toward the vision that God has for creation to keep pushing back the time limit. Of course, Moltann recognizes that any transformation of the world to the full Reign of God is in God's hands, not humans. But he recognizes that commitment to the God of Jesus Christ admits of no effort to flee the world's troubles or to become airy gnostics or docetists.



There are times when Moltmann, for all of his concreteness in other areas, reverts to an essence ontology in describing God's 'making space and time' for creation by 'withdrawing himself and his omnipresence' and then will, in the end, restore his full presence and so renew creation. At times, I wish he had been more consistently Trinitarian in articulating the relationship of creation in time to the renewed creation. I also think that he still presents a fully consummated reality that is just a bit too "content" with a 'passive' dwelling in God.' I am sure there must be more to do for eternity and that God's creative abundance will continue to shape and mold reality in new ways. Because if Moltmann's view of eschatology is right, and the entirety of human history will ultimately be transfigured and redeemed, I anticipate there will be quite a lot to do, even in eternity!

[Naum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic. Mind blowing. My favorite Moltmann book thus far (and I have now read 6; and have just begun *Ethics of Hope* after completing this one) aside from *The Crucified God*. As with other Moltmann books, dense reading in some parts, but bone shiveringly profound in others.

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[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite books.

[Lauren Henry]

on chalkboard in henry's lecture flashback, 01.07