Formed in 1914, the Assemblies of God (AG) is one of the largest Pentecostal bodies in the world and from the very beginning placed great importance on the second coming of Christ. However, in recent decades, a segment of AG ministers and educators have begun to re-examine the theological underpinnings of the denomination’s eschatology. Many of the historic expressions of eschatology are losing popularity within Pentecostal circles, particularly the long relationship with dispensational premillennialism. Methodologically the dissertation comprehensively explores AG eschatological positions over the past
century based on three primary sources: the official statements of faith and other approved papers, periodical literature, and popular doctrinal works. Chapter Two surveys the literature by pertaining to eschatology AG scholars within the tradition. Chapter Three is a historical analysis of official AG statements on eschatology found in the statements of faith and approved papers. Chapter Four is a reception history of how eschatological doctrines
were received and expressed by AG adherents in the Pentecostal Evangel, the official organ of the AG, from 1914–2005. Particular attention is given to how these expressions were shaped by the pneumatological beliefs, historical events, and the influence of dispensationalism. Chapters Five and Six summarize the findings from the various voices within the AG and set out to construct a set of contemporary, yet contextual, eschatological statements that reflect the past and at the same time imagine the future.