hundred years, writing that he was no longer certain that the terminal "generation" commenced with the rebirth of Israel. Another detailed analysis, one written by evangelical pastor Ray Stedman, calls it the "Olivet Prophecy: The most detailed prediction in the Bible". According to Stedman: "There are many predictive passages in both the Old and New Testaments, but none is clearer or more detailed than the message Jesus delivered from the Mount of Olives. This message was given during the turbulent events of the Lord's last week before the cross". The Idealist sees no evidence of timing of prophetic events in the Bible. Thus they conclude that their timing cannot be determined in advance. Idealists see prophetic passages as being of great value in teaching truths about God to be applied to present life. Idealism is primarily associated with liberal scholarship, and is not a major factor in current evangelical Christian deliberation over when prophecy will be fulfilled. Within conservative, evangelical Christian thought, two opposite viewpoints of the Great Tribulation have been expressed in a debate between theologians Kenneth L. Gentry and Thomas Ice. Tribulation as a past event (Dr. Gentry) The Great Tribulation occurred during the 1st century. Those events marked the end of God's focus on and exaltation of Israel. Jesus' prophecies marked the beginning of the Christian era in God's plan. The Tribulation is God's judgment on Israel for rejecting the Messiah. The Tribulation judgments will be centred on local events surrounding ancient Jerusalem, and also somewhat affecting other portions of the former Roman Empire. The Tribulation judgments are governed by Jesus as the Christ to reflect his judgment against Israel, thus showing that he is in heaven controlling those events. Tribulation as a future event (Dr. Ice) The Great Tribulation is still to come and is rapidly approaching prospect. Those events marked the beginning of God's focus on and exaltation of Israel. The prophecy says the Christian era will be concluded just after the church is taken from the world. Rather than being God's judgment on Israel, it is the preparation of Israel to receive her Messiah. The judgments involve catastrophes that literally will affect the stellar universe and impact the entire planet. The coming of Christ in the Tribulation requires his public, visible and physical presence to conclude those judgments. See also Last Judgment Life of Jesus in the New Testament Parable of the Budding Fig