The Eschatical Perfection of the World in God

This article introduces the distinction between pre‐eschatical and eschatical horizons as the basis for the criteria of Christian ‘future‐talk’. Whereas pre‐eschatic horizons are constituted by everyday experience on the logic of extrapolation, eschatical horizons are constituted by the experience of the self‐disclosure of the triune God as the ultimate, as the eschatoi. Different types of concepts in the tradition to grasp the future have to be valued as pre‐eschatical. However, eternity has to be identified eschatically with the inner‐trinitarian relationships of the love and life of the triune God. The ultimate future of human beings consists in becoming included in the inner‐trinitarian relationships in a direct manner. The natural world will also partake, but to an unknown extent.