The obedience of the church as a prelude to the "Parousia" : ecclesial and temporal factors in New Testament eschatology

Abstract

The thesis investigates the possibility, nature and implications of a pre-parousial ecclesiastical maturity within the context of New Testament eschatology. It is a biblical presentation of the hope for the completion of the church's internal and external mission prior to the Parousia, arguing that the obedience of the church in its accomplishment of its mission both expedites and precipitates the terminal apocalyptic events. It is argues that the New Testament motif of the expectation of a latter-day glory of the church is an epochal event that is a primary factor in understanding the timing of the apocalyptic events of the terminal generation.