 From the Reformation to the middle of the 19th century, the "seals in Revelation" have been interpreted through various methods, such as the historicist view that most Protestants adopted and the views of preterism and futurism that post-Reformation Catholic circles promoted.Idealism was also a fairly major view that became realized since the time of Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (AD 345-430).The preterist usually views that John was given an accurate vision, of a course of events that would occur over the next several centuries, to fulfill the prophetic seals.