Rethinking the End of the World: Understanding Apocalyptic Spirituality

Since the day Jesus ascended into heaven the church has eagerly awaited his second coming. And during the intervening years too many Christians have focused their study of the Bible entirely on discovering the end-time signs of his coming. Does Jesus expect us to focus on dates and signs or does he want us to instead develop a healthy and mature apocalyptic spirituality as we await his coming and the culmination of his plan of redemption and restoration? Many of todays Christians lack a basic understanding of apocalyptic spirituality or do not understand Gods mission through the church. Consequently they fail to see and appropriate the rich truths that can be learned and applied to their lives today. Yes Revelation is a book for today! This book begins by explaining how the historic misinterpretation of end-time Biblical literature has distracted Christians from their true spiritual development and mission. It then explains how developing a proper apocalyptic spirituality can lead believers to healthy applications of end-time teachings. Discover how apocalyptic Biblical literature can help you see the redemptive work that God has in store for us today while we await his imminent return. Christianitys purpose involves more than saving souls and spotting signs of the soon return of Christ. We who seek to be found in Christ are called to be faithful in the meantime to the call to spiritual maturity and be active participants in Gods present work of restoring all things to their created purposes. Cooper has it right--as so many do not. We must not let our excitement about tomorrow distract us from the tasks and possibilities of today! --Barry L. Callen dean emeritus of Anderson University editor of Aldersgate Press editor of the Wesleyan Theological Journal Thinking about the end times as a formative influence on Christian living now is a refreshing twist after a half century of battling charts and self-absorbed timelines. In this book Cooper brings perspective and sanity to the frenetic activity of predicting the end of the world by describing the powerful influence it has on forming us to live in the present as God intends. --Kevin Mannoia chaplain Azusa Pacific University; president International Council for Higher Education; Former Bishop Free Methodist Church; and former president of National Association of Evangelicals Dr. Cooper has written an important book with a critical reminder to the church and its leadership: the world doesnt have to end for the abundant life of the Kingdom of God to begin. As a result Cooper discovers and reminds us that the apocalyptic literature in Scripture is not limited to focusing on the unknown future but also on the very real present. Something we modern evangelicals have too often missed. --Gary Black Jr. assistant professor of theology Azusa Pacific University Seminary co-author of The Divine Conspiracy Continued If you think you could predict what a book on Revelation would be like think again. Cooper has written a book that facilitates the kind of spiritual transformation that the book of Revelation itself was meant to accomplish while helping us avoid the dead-end issues that typify so many discussions of Revelation. A truly helpful book! --Ken Schenck dean of Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University Cooper directs the eyes of the church upward and inward as we read Revelation together not outward to (mis)interpret modern day signs found in the daily newspapers. Cooper has helped recalibrate our interpretative compass as we align trajectory with our ancient Church Fathers right down to other contemporary apocalyptic readers--like Eugene Peterson--who help us revision Kingdom reality. --David Smith vice president for academic affairs Kingswood University B. L. Cooper holds three theological degrees (a Bachelors in Biblical Literature a Masters of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Formation) and writes