From the Middle Eastern politics of Donald Trump to the UK’s 2016 EU Referendum, large numbers of Christians are making decisions based on the alleged 'end-times’ aspects of modern politics. Such apocalyptic views often operate beneath 'the radar’ of much Christian thought and expression. In this book, historian Martyn Whittock argues that while the New Testament does indeed teach the second coming of Christ, complications occur when Christians seek to confidently identify contemporary events as fulfilments of prophecy. Such believers are usually unaware that they stand in a long line of such well-intended but failed predictions. In this book, Whittock explores the history of end-times speculations over two thousand years, revealing how these often reflect the ideologies and outlooks of contemporary society in their application of Scripture. When Christians ignore such past mistakes, they are in danger of repeating them. Jesus, Whittock argues, taught a different way.
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Martyn Whittock graduated in Politics from Bristol University, in the UK, in 1980, where his degree special studies were in radical Christian politics and theology of the seventeenth century & also the development of the Soviet State.He taught history for thirty-five years (as Head of History & Director of Humanities Faculty at a number of high schools). Latterly he was curriculum leader for Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural education at a high school in the UK. During this time he developed an interest in early medieval history (especially Anglo-Saxons and Vikings), as well as continuing his interests in radical Christian millenarianism and also Soviet history.He has acted as an historical consultant to the National Trust, the BBC and English Heritage. He is a Licensed Lay Minister, in the Church of England, with an active interest in theology.He retired from teaching in 2016 to devote more time to writing. He lives in the UK.He is the author or co-author of fifty-three books, with total sales in excess of 956, 000. These include school history textbooks and adult history and theological books. The latter are written to make historical and theological themes both engaging and accessible to adult readers.He has contributed guest blogs, and inputs into discussions, on a number of online news platforms and radio shows, regarding faith and politics; has appeared on Sky News discussing US politics and the evangelical right; acted as an historical consultant to a number of radio stations; and is a paid regular columnist for Christian Today (with two columns: the fortnightly 'The Way I See It’ & the monthly 'Window on History’). He is also a regular (monthly) News Reviewer for Premier Christian Radio..embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }