God in Christianity

=== End times ===
{{Main|Christian eschatology}}

Interpretations of the term Kingdom of God have given rise to wide-ranging [[Christian eschatology|eschatological debates]] among scholars with diverging views, yet no consensus has emerged among scholars.<ref name=familiar77/><ref name=Chil255>''Studying the Historical Jesus: Evaluations of the State of Current Research'' by Bruce Chilton and Craig A. Evans (Jun 1998) {{ISBN|9004111425}} pages 255–257</ref><ref name=Royce246>''An Introduction to the New Testament and the Origins of Christianity'' by Delbert Royce Burkett (22 July 2002) {{ISBN|0521007208}} page 246</ref> From [[Augustine]] to the [[Protestant Reformation]] the arrival of the Kingdom had been identified with the formation of the Christian Church, but this view was later abandoned and by the beginning of the 20th century the [[Apocalypticism|apocalyptic interpretation]] of the Kingdom had gained ground.<ref name=familiar77>''Familiar Stranger: An Introduction to Jesus of Nazareth'' by Michael James McClymond (22 March 2004) {{ISBN|0802826806}} pages 77–79</ref><ref name=Royce246/><ref name=Ladd55>''A Theology of the New Testament'' by [[George Eldon Ladd]] (2 September 1993) {{ISBN|0802806805}} pages 55–57</ref> In this view (also called the "consistent eschatology") the Kingdom of God did not start in the 1st century, but is a future apocalyptic event that is yet to take place.<ref name=familiar77/>

[[File:Langenzenn Stadtkirche - Fenster Wilhelm II 3.jpg|thumb|upright|An angel blows the "last trumpet", as in [[wikisource:Bible (American Standard)/1 Corinthians#15:52|1 Corinthians 15:52]], [[Langenzenn]], Germany, 19th century]]
By the middle of the 20th century, [[realized eschatology]], which in contrast viewed the Kingdom as non-apocalyptic but as the manifestation of divine sovereignty over the world (realized by the [[ministry of Jesus]]), had gathered a scholarly following.<ref name=familiar77/> In this view the Kingdom is held to be available in the present.<ref name=Chil255/> The competing approach of [[Inaugurated eschatology]] was later introduced as the "already and not yet" interpretation.<ref name=familiar77/> In this view the Kingdom has already started, but awaits full disclosure at a future point.<ref name=Chil255/> These diverging interpretations have since given rise to a good number of variants, with various scholars proposing new eschatological models that borrow elements from these.<ref name=familiar77/><ref name=Chil255/>