Eschatology and Societal Engagement

While talking with some friends about how our eschatology affects our approach to cultural engagement, one pointed out that often it breaks down this way:

• Premillenialists - expectancy of society going from bad to worse leads to abandonment of culture and politics
  
• Amillenialists - theology of two kingdoms causes a dichotomy between politics and religion
• Postmillenialists - expectation of societal improvement through Christian influence drives engagement

This summary has some historical validity and makes postmillenialism appear quite attractive to the Christian who recognizes Christ's lordship over every area of life and culture, but we should note that these resulting approaches are not necessary results of the eschatology. Nor is societal engagement the exclusive domain of postmillenialism. Advocates of that view may insist that the pessimism of the alternate decimates hope and destroys engagement, but this is simplistic. I can expect things to get worse futuristically and globally and still hope to affect my sphere of influence temporally and locally - which is the call of love. A Red Cross worker may realize that most of the earthquake survivors they are tending will die, yet desire to save as many as possible and lessen the pain of the rest. At the end of the day, the optimism of postmillenialism has a hard time dealing fairly with Scriptures' warnings about these last days in which we live:

• (2 Ti 3:1) “...in the last days there will come times of difficulty."
• (2 Ti 3:12-13) “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
• (Mt 24:4-14) "[anti-Christs], [wars], [famines], [earthquakes]...all these are but the beginning of the birth pains...and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake...and because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold."
• (Revelation) - see whole book

In light of these and other similar passages, it seems reasonable to interpret parables like Mt 13:31-33, not as suggesting the world will improve because of Christendom, but encouraging us that the kingdom of heaven will expand to have a global effect.

WHY DO WE CARE? Good question. I think there's a couple reasons:

• Because we think Jesus and Paul very consciously prepared their disciples to suffer. We know from experience the difference between engaging a difficulty you've mentally prepared for and being blindsided by pain. My five year old, Simon, isn't huge, and can hit me as hard as he wants when I've got my abs ready, but if he sucker punches me, I'm gonna buckle.
• Because we care about social engagement. Long-term, I believe things are going from bad to worse, but I believe there is much we can do in the present to love and serve our neighbors, to guard the innocent, and to glorify God through the enjoyment of culture in this present age. If our social engagement is fueled by a postmillenial hope, I fear the inevitable demise of that hope will mean the faltering of our engagement.
• Because we are at a constant risk of letting good things displace the gospel. Political action and cultural engagement are good things, but they are secondary things.