Misthological Models Part 1

The present author released his magnum opus, The Outer Darkness, at the same time Joseph Dillow released his, Final Destiny. Both authors maintain that the outer darkness pictures a loss of rewards for unfaithful believers, but they differ in particulars, especially pertaining to spatial implications of the outer darkness. Dillow leans toward a more thoroughgoing metaphorical understanding of the outer darkness, while Cauley pursues more literal models. After the initial releases of their books, Cauley assisted Dillow in the proofreading of Destiny and made suggestions and inquiries regarding Dillow's treatment of the outer darkness. Dillow, in turn, experimented with various modifications of his model. In the present book, Misthological Models Part 1, Cauley documents some of the variations that he and Dillow discussed. The present book, therefore, provides a history of interpretation regarding the interaction that these two scholars undertook during this span of time regarding these models for the outer darkness and its relation to New Jerusalem. Eventually, Dillow made an ingenuous modification to his model that allowed him to make the outer darkness immediately applicable at the Bema, even during the first part of the tribulation. This differed from the classical misthological position which Cauley had taken in postponing the results of the Bema in regards to the outer darkness until the beginning of the millennium. Cauley found this innovation by Dillow to be appealing, but not without its problems. Consequently, he consulted his friend, Scott Crawford, who had a similar competing model, to see if his model might assist in formulating a more plausible version of Dillow's model. In fleshing out that model, various syntheses of the models were produced for consideration. The present book likewise discusses Crawford's model and these synthetic models as well. At the same time, the differences that Cauley, Crawford, and Dillow take regarding the duration of regret experienced by unfaithful believers as a result of the Bema have also been explained and evaluated. Part 1 of this series lays the foundation for the conclusion that will be reached as the series proceeds regarding the various models considered.