Reasoning steps: Return of Christ and final judgement

Verdicts: F13 · Return of Christ and final judgement. Method: conventions, scoring and proximity eras. Scripture is the primary measure; fathers are weighed by era (Era I to c. 150 = 1.0, II = 0.8, III = 0.6, IV = 0.4).

F13.1: Return of Christ and final judgement

Step F13.1.1: Scripture

Acts 1:11 (‘will come in the same way’); Matt 25:31–46; Acts 17:31 (a day to judge the world by a man he has appointed); 2 Cor 5:10; 2 Tim 4:1 (‘who is to judge the living and the dead’).

Step F13.1.2: Patristic evidence

Didache (Era I): ’the world shall see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven’. Polycarp: ‘He comes as the Judge of the living and the dead’. Irenaeus: ‘His [future] manifestation from heaven in the glory of the Father’. Sources: didache-f13-s1 · polycarp-f13-s1 · irenaeus-f13-s1.

Step F13.1.3: Weighing decision

Unanimous from Era I. Verdict: consensus.

• Confidence: High.

Step F13.1.4: Source-proximity weighing

• Scripture (benchmark): A visible return (Acts 1:11) and universal judgement (Matt 25; 2 Cor 5:10). (Scripture confidence: high)
• Assessment: Scripture and Era I agree; all nine confess it.

Post-750 development by tradition

Catholic

Confesses Christ’s return and judgement.

• F13.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Creeds.

Orthodox

Confesses Christ’s return and judgement.

• F13.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Creeds.

Oriental Orthodox

Confesses Christ’s return and judgement.

• F13.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Armenian creed: ‘He is to come with the same body … to judge the quick and the dead’ (verified).

Lutheran

Confesses Christ’s return and judgement.

• F13.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): AC XVII: ‘Christ will appear for judgment’.

Anglican

Confesses Christ’s return and judgement.

• F13.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Art. IV: ‘until he return to judge all Men at the last day’.

Presbyterian

Confesses Christ’s return and judgement.

• F13.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): WCF XXXIII.

Reformed Baptist

Confesses Christ’s return and judgement.

• F13.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): 1689 32.

General Baptist

Confesses Christ’s return and judgement.

• F13.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Orthodox Creed (judgement articles; to verify).

Anabaptist

Confesses Christ’s return and judgement.

• F13.1 (fathers 4/4; Scripture 4/4): Dordrecht XVIII (to verify wording).