Listen to this one-hour audio discussion with Brian Simmons where he & Roderick Edwards discuss not only Brian's experience on a hyperpreterist podcast but also the overall false premise of hyperpreterism.

Hyperpreterism is considered a heresy not simply because it is different than the majority view of Christianity but because like Mormonism & Jehovah’s Witnesses, hyperpreterism is a complete disconnect from historic Christian faith.  Hyperpreterism is a novel invention that attempts to revision itself back into history by claiming many theologians of the past were also “preteristic” – however, almost NONE of those past theologians espoused anything like hyperpreterism.  Hyperpreterists clearly are trying to highjack history in the same way they have actually highjacked the theological term “preterism”.

Hyperpreterists spend a lot of time & effort trying to get people to “debate” them using “exegesis” alone – but it really is nothing more than their attempt to have a testosterone match, little different than sword waving fanatics yelling “Allah Akbar!” & pounding their chests.  It gives them a sense a validity. UPDATE: Soon after this response podcast was posted, the host of the hyperpreterist show on which Brian appeared, threatened to sue Brian for of all things, "harrassment".  Now folks, these hyperpreterists come on to the various blogs against them & constantly beat their chests & double-dog dare people to "debate" them & now they have the nerve to threaten to sue people for harrassing them???  It isn't the first time & I suspect it won't be the last time a hyperpreterists ignores 1 Cor 6:5-6...perhaps they have never read those verses since they aren't so-called "time-texts" -- or maybe they think that only applied pre-AD70.  AMAZING! What hyperpreterists ignore is that the “contest” has already been won just like a 30,000 foot bombing – historic Christianity speaks against them, refuting the very premise of hyperpreterism.  Yet, in the same way the sword waving fanatics complain that people are “cowards” unless they come fight them in the streets, so too do many hyperpreterists swell with arrogance when people will not engage them on their false "exegetical" ground.

Exegesis can only be entered into once a correct premise is established – for example, if someone demanded a yes or no answer to the question, “Have you stopped beating your spouse?” – such a discussion would be pointless if the premise was inaccurate.  This is exactly how hyperpreterists want people to interact with them – ignoring the premise that hyperpreterism MUST view God as either having been unable or unwilling (or not “permitting”) His Church to properly understand eschatology for 2000 years.  This is a most arrogant & self-defeating false premise that hyperpreterists MUST accept before they can begin to espouse their views.  I would encourage anyone who attempts to engage a hyperpreterist to go no further with them than to direct them to their false premise.  No doubt, that you will be accused of being a “Roman Catholic” or a “creedalist” or a "coward" if you do not accept their completely individualized interpretative methods.  Never fear, you not only have the backing of Scripture on your side, but also 2000+ years of how Christians have interpreted & understood that Scripture.  The hyperpreterists only have their novel & ever increasing wild speculations upon which it is futile to interact.

I know this will enrage some hyperpreterists, but it is okay.  Those who rage will rage, yet an honest person will consider their position in relation to all of historic Christianity & will humble himself – not at the feet of mere “councils” or “creeds” but at the feet of Christ whom founded His Church by hand-picking apostles, by sending the Holy Spirit to guide those same apostles into all truth, by having those same apostles pass down correct interpretation of doctrine.  Doctrine was NOT “developed” or “evolved” over time but was revealed & fulfilled by Christ & put into proper practice of the Church of which He is the Cornerstone & His apostles are the foundation.

Hyperpreterists are not modern day equivalents to the Reformers as they fancy themselves, but rather they are the mirror image of the radicals who desired to uproot all of Christianity & replace it with a new version. It is no accident that the postmodern/Emergent movement influences so many hyperpreterists.  It is no accident that so many of the hyperpreterists are from the “Restorationist Era” denominations wherein these denominations actually believed the true Church & Gospel was “lost” & needed to be “restored”.  Any sub-group of hyperpreterists, claiming to be the “conservative” wing are really a side group that hardly represents the main of the hyperpreterist movement.

Will hyperpreterism die out?  Probably not.  Just as Mormonism & JWs has continued to grow, so does hyperpreterism but just like those other cults did, the cultic community of hyperpreterism continues to devolve more & more into chaotic & bizaare teachings so that even the so-called “conservatives” of the movement will be spending most of their time (as they have already started doing) claiming “we’re not THAT kind of ‘full preterist’”.

This one-hour audio is a good overall inoculation against the erroneous premises of hyperpreterism.

Click this link to listen to or download the audio:

http://odeo.com/audio/19164783/view

Click this link to add an audio player of this discussion to your own website:

http://odeo.com/audio/19164783/players