A Second Look at the Second Coming

Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended for students of apocalyptic literature.
Review: In A Second Look At The Second Coming, T.L. Frazier provides the reader with a balanced, well-researched treatment of the end-times, as interpreted from the Christian East by faithful Orthodox saints, martyrs, and spirit-filled Fathers of the Faith. A Second Look At The Second Coming is a timely and much needed antidote to the fad-based "world coming to an end" apocalypse frenzy pervasive in some areas of the Christian communities today. A Second Look At The Second Coming will is especially recommended to students of theology, apocalyptic literature, and the prophesied, long-awaited return of Christ.

Rating:
Summary: Refreshing
Review: In the early 70s, I was a big fan of Hal Lindsey's book "The Late Great Planet Earth," which predicted that the Second Coming of Christ was immanent because of his interpretation that it was to occur within one generation of the founding of the modern state of Israel (in 1948). This position is one that he continues to update, and modify, and is also popularized in the writings of others, such as the "Left Behind" series, by Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins.

Back then, as I began my own studies of the Book of Revelation, I was shocked to discover that most major Bible commentaries did not share the view promoted by Lindsey and other preachers of the "pre-tribulation rapture." Not only that, I learned that this particular interpretation was a novel one in Christian history, and relatively recent, first appearing around the 1800s.

Over the years, as I have retreated from this minority view (with many parallels to those of the Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists) to a more traditional position, I have often wished for a volume that would present the historic view of the Christian Church on the Second Coming of Christ in a clear and thoroughly researched manner, especially as it pertains to views popular in many circles of Evangelical Protestantism. This book by T.L. Frazier is that book!

I would recommend this volume to students of biblical prophecy, to people who want to critically examine the views of pre-tribulation writers like Lindsey and Lahaye, and to people who love Church history (or theology) and would like a survey of the historical views of mainline Chrisitianty (whether Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant) on this important subject. Although Frazier is an Orthodox writer, it is my opinion that this book represents the views of most Christians since the days of the Early Church, which is: the Second Coming of Christ is a one-time event, not one that has "pre" and "post" (or even "mid") aspects to it, and He's coming to judge everybody, and not just coming to rescue a select few.

I will say that this volume is not always easy reading. Since Frazier has done extensive research, he may have provided more details than the average reader cares about. Having said that, it's still an important work and worth the effort. One will find sobering information on how some views of biblical prophecy have influenced American foreign policy, particularly toward modern day Israel, with the sad impact that many American Christians are promoting the persecution of fellow Christians in the Middle East.

The major shortcoming of this excellent title is that it has no index. I find myself wanting to look up specific scripture references or the names of writers quoted throughout the book. I would hope that Conciliar Press will rectify this error in future editions!

Rating:
Summary: Good as far as it goes--but something is missing
Review: Mr. Frazier has written an excellent book, most especially in debunking the pop-culture viewpoints featured in books like "The Late Great Planet Earth" and so forth. However, as an Orthodox student (though not necessarily a very learned one) of the End Times, I felt that he left one very crucial element out. On page 161 of his book, Mr. Frazier states that nobody knows exactly who the "restraining power" is. There are many Orthodox Christians, myself included, who would dispute him on this. Mr. Dennis Engleman, author of "Ultimate Things," takes the viewpoint (which I also share) that the last Russian Tsar, the newly-canonized St. Nicholas II, was the "restraining power," whose removal in 1917 was a fulfillment of the prophecy in II Thessalonians 2:7. If we admit that St. John Chrysostom and other Holy Fathers took the Roman Emperor/Empire as the "restraining power," then why should we look for any other interpretation? Certainly there were enough Orthodox saints and other luminaries over the last several centuries who saw Russia as the "Third Rome" to at least take this under consideration.

It is difficult to imagine (though it is certainly possible) that a man of Mr. Frazier's caliber would not know of this interpretation (also held by St. John Maximovitch of San Francisco and other Orthodox luminaries of our time), and yet he never even seems to address it. This, for me, made the book much less than it might have been. It is still an excellent book as far as it goes, but I wish he had at least chosen to address that crucial issue. While I would recommend Engleman's book as the best on this subject that I have read to date, I would still also recommend reading this one after reading Engleman's.

Rating:
Summary: Good as far as it goes--but something is missing
Review: Mr. Frazier has written an excellent book, most especially in debunking the pop-culture viewpoints featured in books like "The Late Great Planet Earth" and so forth. However, as an Orthodox student (though not necessarily a very learned one) of the End Times, I felt that he left one very crucial element out. On page 161 of his book, Mr. Frazier states that nobody knows exactly who the "restraining power" is. There are many Orthodox Christians, myself included, who would dispute him on this. Mr. Dennis Engleman, author of "Ultimate Things," takes the viewpoint (which I also share) that the last Russian Tsar, the newly-canonized St. Nicholas II, was the "restraining power," whose removal in 1917 was a fulfillment of the prophecy in II Thessalonians 2:7. If we admit that St. John Chrysostom and other Holy Fathers took the Roman Emperor/Empire as the "restraining power," then why should we look for any other interpretation? Certainly there were enough Orthodox saints and other luminaries over the last several centuries who saw Russia as the "Third Rome" to at least take this under consideration.

It is difficult to imagine (though it is certainly possible) that a man of Mr. Frazier's caliber would not know of this interpretation (also held by St. John Maximovitch of San Francisco and other Orthodox luminaries of our time), and yet he never even seems to address it. This, for me, made the book much less than it might have been. It is still an excellent book as far as it goes, but I wish he had at least chosen to address that crucial issue. While I would recommend Engleman's book as the best on this subject that I have read to date, I would still also recommend reading this one after reading Engleman's.

Rating:
Summary: Refreshing
Review: Prophecy authors have been pushing the boundaries of irresponsibility for years and finally T.L Frazier is calling them on it. Well written and provocative.

By citing the early Church Fathers and ancient Christian historians, Frazier documents historic Christian beliefs regarding the end times and apocalypse. Any author who claims to know how prophecy "will actually be fulfilled" is pretending to know more than the Church Fathers themselves- the very men put together the New Testament. Anything beyond their "traditional beliefs" is not a "full truth". It is innovation and would be considered heresy by the standards of the early Church. And that is the very problem Frazier addresses; modern Christians value sensational, apocalyptic intrigue above authentic Christian belief.

As an international trade analyst who was raised on heavy apocalyptic teaching as a child, I can truly appreciate Frazier's effort as he counters an entire industry built on specious authors who have not exercised the proper discipline or earned the right to interpret global events.

Rating:
Summary: An ABSOLUTE MUST read for anyone curious about "End Times."
Review: The world is going crazy with the "End Times" mania, and T.L. Frazier incorporates the Apostolic teachings of what the original Christian Church has to say on the subject.

The book is indeed a valuable blessing from God, as so many hungry people are being led astray with the nonsensical teachings of Hal Lindsey, Zola Levitt, and John Hagee (and unfortunately, countless others). There is a reason why the Lord tells us that we will never know when He will return again, only God in Heaven does. Why we men continue to try to figure out God's will, I will never know. But this book will help us understand that speculation on the frantic topic is merely a distraction, and non-scriptural.

This book is an excellent guide to searching the scriptures for God's true feeling on man's quest to BE God, and to debunk the blind leading the blind. Do yourself a favor and read this book with an open heart. You will indeed be blessed! Order fast - the rumor is that this book will not be available long!