How did Jesus approach his future? How did the changes of his day shape his horizon? What can we learn from his context that will help us create a more sustainable future? I've been thinking about these questions for some time. Back in 2004 I wrote a popular essay on this topic, and more recently addressed it in a speech, "In Praise of Scoundrels."

Recently Futures, the leading academic journal read by futurists worldwide published a scholarly paper I wrote on this subject: Gary, J. (2008, Sept.). The future according to Jesus: A Galilean model of foresight. Futures, 40(7), 630-642. [see the article outline below]

In the Galilean model I propose that Jesus saw the future as a dynamic of three paths: Conventional, Counter and Creative. Most people think Jesus was fixed on the long-range future, but I argue his focus was on dynamics that would play out in his society.

A historical reading of Jesus in his social context in Second Temple Judaism is not new. My paper, however, attempts to resolve issues that scholars have yet to address. Jesus, like any strategic or global leader, likely envisioned various horizons of the future: the immediate, the near-term, the generation, and the long-term.

This paper won a Citation of Excellence award, placing in the top 50 of 15,000 articles for 2008

I call this field contextual eschatology, with scholars writing on like N.T. Wright or Scott McKnight, along with more popular authors, such as Brian McLaren. This field contextualizes the notion of the kingdom of God, or its' already/not yet poles to the decisive events which the Jesus movement faced, from the crucifixtion of Jesus in 30 A.D. to the failed national Jewish Revolt in A.D. 70.

I wrote this scholarly article to my peers, who teach futures studies at the graduate level. I encourage them not to overlook Jesus as part of the pre-history of our practice, just because Christian fundamentalism and Zionists misread apocalyptic literature. 

If you are faculty in a college or university context, in history, sociology, political science, theology, or leadership, and are interested in reading how Jesus relates to the both the crises of the 1st and the 21st century, please contact me and request an author copy. I welcome your scholarly critique of the Galilean model, and how we can better read the dynamics of our worlds.

Article Outline:

1. Introduction
2. A first-century Galilean model of foresight
2.1. Jesus’ futures framework
2.1.1. Conventional future
2.1.2. Counter future
2.1.3. Creative future
2.2. The future as landscape
3. The horizon of the kingdom?
3.1. Kingdom as imminent?
3.2. Kingdom as existential?
3.3. Kingdom as inaugurated?
3.4. Kingdom as contextual?
4. Situating Jesus in futures studies
4.1. Teaching the Galilean model
4.2. Connecting to futures studies
4.3. Weighing Jesus as a futurist
5. Conclusion
References