A Historical-Theological Survey on the Heavenly Sanctuary Existence

Abstract

The majority of Christians doubt the existence of the heavenly sanctuary. They think that its reality is unreasonable and has no sound biblical evidence. Some scholars argue that this is an isolated doctrine in the Seventh-day Adventists that has no parallel in the Christian doctrine in the past. This paper attempts to highlight the concept of the heavenly sanctuary in history. Using the documentary research model and analyzing the data by historical-theological approach, this research concludes that heavenly sanctuary existence is not an isolated doctrine in Christian history. There are periods of acceptance and rejection of its existence. The reason for the rejection in the past was the acceptance of the dualistic concept and allegorical interpretation among Christians. This article’s purpose is to provide a survey on the development of understanding about heavenly sanctuary from the pre-biblical period to the current days.