Eschatology historicalism

[Big_Dummy]

Who was the first persons to teach in Eschatology historicalism?

This would include things like the Seven Churches in Revelation being seven dispensations or ages. Later, it would include the pope being the anti-christ, but I am more interrested in the general methods of this or the wider picture.

 

[Spencerian]

Who was the first persons to teach in Eschatology historicalism?

This would include things like the Seven Churches in Revelation being seven dispensations or ages. Later, it would include the pope being the anti-christ, but I am more interrested in the general methods of this or the wider picture.

This article by Catholic Answers Live guest and apologist Carl Olson sums up answers to much of your question better than I could. There really isn’t any one specific person or persons, but many groups in early Christian history, including the Gnostics, tried to relate Scripture (incorrectly) to present-day events or people. Of course, this behavior continues to today, despite Scripture itself warning that no one will be able to interpret the day of the General Judgment.

I wouldn’t trust Wikipedia on this one. In it’s article it notes a man named “Victorinus” as an example of interpretation the Book of Revelation in 300 AD. But the link goes to a Roman emperor that had been murdered years before.

You can also coordinate the first link’s position with Catholic.com’s summation of such things, specifically the so-called “Rapture,” in this article.