Origins of Pan Millennialism

The term, “Pan Millennial-ism,” was coined by Reformed Theologian Dr. William E. Cox, who early in his ministry became disillusioned with literal interpretations of Bible Prophecies that taught Israel would come into physical existence as a nation, once again. Because he could see no evidence that Israel would ever become a nation again, Cox decided that literal interpretation of the prophecies concerning Israel was heretical. He stated this as his reason for rejecting the Pre-Tribulation-Rapture paradigm in his treatise entitled, “Why I Left Scofieldism.” 

The doctrine of a pre-tribulational rapture did not originate with Charles Scofield, but Cox ignores this point and proclaimed the teaching that Israel would be physically restored as a nation to be Scofieldism and heresy. 

Unfortunately, Cox died before 1948, when the prophecy about Israel’s physical restoration as a nation was miraculously fulfilled. 

Despite the startling evidence that Dr. Cox was mistaken about physical Israel and that those who interpreted the scriptures literally on that point were not heretics after all, many Reformed Theologians and their followers continue to follow his lead in denying the place of physical Israel in eschatological studies. Rather than engaging in dialogue that validates the importance of the whole Bible, including the Bible prophecies which fill the scriptures from beginning to end, many continue to shrug shoulders and say, “So what? It’ll all pan out in the end.”  

Most pan millennialists, who use this narrative to avoid Bible prophecy studies and discussion, are unaware that W. E. Cox’s foundational paradigm regarding Bible prophecy was based on faulty reasoning [concerning national Israel] when he coined the term “Pan Millennial” and that the term itself is associated with antisemitism.

 

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