Michael SVIGEL. The Fathers on the Future: A 2nd Century Eschatology for the 21st-Century Church. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 2024. pp. 287. $29.95 pb. ISBN 1496487664. Paperback. Reviewed by Grant WALDRON, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, TX 75206.

Breaking new ground with historic tools, Dr. Michael Svigel’s Fathers on the Future skilfully articulates the early patristic eschatology put forth by Irenaus of Lyons. Although Irenaus’s eschatological views were largely ignored in the Middle Ages, Svigel expertly extracts the rich premillennial tradition expounded by not only Irenaus, but also by other prominent fathers of the Christian faith. Svigel’s process begins with a brief but helpful overview of his methodology, mentioning other prominent eschatological views and placing his own in the conversation. After arguing for a need for a fitting conclusion to the narrative of creation, fall, and redemption, Svigel offers decades of lengthy and arduous exegetical work to prove the efficacy and fittingness of the Irenaean eschatology. Rather than offer the typical elementary overview of various eschatological views, Svigel aims to provide an intermediate to advanced prescriptive offering of premillennial, Irenaean eschatology.

The earliest Patristic writings, according to Svigel, point to a premillennial eschatology. Premillennialism is the exclusive and mandatory position as a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, the preeminent premillennial seminary, but Svigel’s argument has no need of arguing only from the positions of the early Plymouth Brethren and Dispensational disciples of Schafer, for there is evidence of this view in the early writings of the Didache, The Epistle of Barnabas, Papias, Apollinaris, and Justin Martyr. Although it did not survive the early patristic period–dying out after St. Augustine–it was prominent and disseminated enough that it was held by those in various schools around the burgeoning Christian world.

After Svigel establishes Patristic authority, he utilizes the authority of Scripture by engaging in lengthy exegesis of key Gospel passages relating to the coming kingdom (Matthew 19 and 24), Paul’s eschatological expectation, and the fulfillment of this expectation outlined in Revelation. While there are various understandings of these passages, Svigel admits, the combination of early Patristic authority and the preponderance of evidence coming from the literal, historical interpretation and exegesis of the passages, the scale tips to Irenaeas’s view. Svigel concludes with a joyous picture of the coming life with Christ, emphasizing the gradual nature of our sanctification as a mirror of the gradual glory that will be in the eschaton.

The strengths of Svigel’s book are twofold. First, the sheer amount of scholarly work put into the book is formidable, and it would require a great deal of tact and skill for one to begin debating his conclusions. Secondly, and more importantly, Svigel wisely places the burden of proof on those who hold other views by utilizing the earliest known eschatological view. If one tends towards Patristic exegesis, look no further than the earliest Patristic view of premillennialism. If one tends to hold all views throughout time as equally valid, Svigel shows through his exegesis the validity of the interpretation if it is slightly adjusted and corrected (as all views are through time). The one weakness of Svigel’s argument is that it is tenuous. If any of the many interpretations throughout his book were to be taken another way, one could easily find himself concluding with quite a different eschatology. There are many passages that have to “go right” for the premillennial view to hold up. Of course, eschatology is complex, so no view is simple, but the argument is so complex that some may find it uncompelling because of its lack of simple force.

Through Svigel’s clear outline of his audience and purpose, he has offered a well-researched volume on premillennial, Irenaean eschatology for the seminarian or the lay theologian. Through lengthy research and clarity of language, Svigel builds a strong argument even amidst the variety of views on the subject. Choosing to spend his pages on prescribing his view rather than opposing the others, the title of this book is well-chosen, and the readers of this book will know just what they are picking up.