I am wondering how far Kurt Simmons has really stepped away from the view that is commonly called Full Preterism. Based on a recent article, it appears that he is no longer a Full Preterist anymore. I thought Kurt's article was in fact a step in the right direction. If he would see that the change takes place in our life, and not corporately in ad70, then he is a Pret-Idealist. My opinion is that the fundamental difference between Full Pret and my view. That the main motivational event in the minds of every christian in the first century (and beyond) WAS NOT the fall of Jerusalem, but their own impending death. The day that drew near was when they left this mortal realm. I am very pleased to see Kurt's new direction. I am debating on whether or not to call it pret-idealism because it SEEMS his view is that prophecy is personally fulfilled for each in their times.. not corporately in ad70. If it is true that he is teaching no resurrection in AD70, then he is no longer a hyper-preterist. And if the resurrection did not occur in 70AD the the Parousia is also NOT in 70AD.
Kurt Simmons "It also occurs in other eschatological passages to describe the harvest of the saints into the kingdom of God (Matt. 3:12; 13:30). These passages teach that the gathering or harvest was not by rapture, but by martyrdom under Nero and the beast. As each saint died, Christ was there to meet him in the air. If this was true of the martyrs, may it not also be true of every believer? In II Cor. 5:10, Paul said to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Read together with I Thess. 4:17, the result is clear: as we die we are each caught up to meet the Lord in the air “and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
The Sword & The Plow Vol. X, No. 3 – April 2008
Newsletter of the Bimillennial Preterist Association
http://preteristheresy.blogspot.com/2008/04/major-concessions-by-kurt-simmons-no.html
