Crucial Questions about the Kingdom of God

by George Eldon Ladd

In Crucial Questions About the Kingdom of God, George Eldon Ladd brings to the modern student of eschatology both an up-to-date survey of the literature of the kingdom of God and a fruitful discussion of some of the more crucial problems facing this concept which lie at the root of the controversies over this central theological subject. / Rather than uncritically repeating the old inherited positions, Ladd makes a thorough and independent study oriented to the entire stream of biblical interpretation, and presents here the conclusions he feels the biblical data requires. Including the important literature on the subject in the French, German, and English, the author treats briefly the eschatological interpretations of the ancient, medieval, and modern writers. The section focusing on modern interpreters covers the formulations since Schweitzer and concludes with the modern search for a synthesis of the kingdom as futuristic and as a present reality. / Feeling the biblical evidence requires a premillennial interpretation of the concept of the Kingdom of God, Ladd’s own exegesis of the futurity and presence of the kingdom and of a millennial interregnum represents an informed and critical pre-millennialism. He presents these formulations over against the popular dispensational form of the chiliastic position and against the amillennial position whose criticism of premillennialism, the author says, is limited to only its special dispensational form.

Genres: Theology

199 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

George Eldon Ladd (1911–1982) was a Baptist minister and professor of New Testament exegesis and theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.

Ladd was ordained in 1933 and pastored in New England from 1936 to 1945. He served as an instructor at Gordon College of Theology and Missions (now Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary), Wenham, Massachusetts from 1942–45. He was an associate professor of New Testament and Greek from 1946–50, and head of the department of New Testament from 1946–49. In 1950–52 he was an associate professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, Calif, becoming professor of biblical theology in 1952.

Ladd's best-known work, A Theology of the New Testament, has been used by thousands of seminary students since its publication in 1974. This work was enhanced and updated by Donald A. Hagner in 1993.

Ladd was a notable, modern proponent of Historic Premillennialism, and often criticized dispensationalist views. His writings regarding the Kingdom of God (especially his view of inaugurated eschatology) have become a cornerstone of Kingdom theology. His perspective is expressed in The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views, R. G. Clouse, editor (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1977) and the shorter and more accessible The Gospel of the Kingdom (Paternoster, 1959).

Reviews

[Alan Steier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good explanation and defense of the premillenial view of eschatology with regard to the kingdom of God. As a biblical theologian, Ladd explains well the passages in question and seems to answer the objections the his view in a manner that is understandable. His other book, The Blessed Hope, is another good one providing a clear understanding of his views on the rapture, millennium, and biblical truth related to eschatology.

[Michael Toleno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ladd does a great job of explaining the "already–not yet" nature of the kingdom of God and explains his position as opposed to the dispensational errors (e.g., making a false distinction between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven) and other positions, such as the idea that the kingdom is ONLY future. At the end, he defends premillennialism against other millennial views. (Note: I lean much more toward amillennialism but wanted to read an explanation and defense of premillennialism from a non-dispensational perspective.)

[Dmcconkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a more in depth study of the Kingdom of God than his text on The Gospel of the Kingdom. They are the lectures delivered at Western Baptist Theological Seminary. An excellent study on his life long passion the Kingdom of God

[Jon Cheek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding. Thoroughly biblical study of the kingdom. Primarily focuses on the Gospels and Revelation 20.

[Adam Gossman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love George Ladd.