Elijah

Did Elijah return in John the Baptist?

Broad agreement

Common ground. All traditions hold that Malachi's promise is fulfilled in John, that John himself denied being Elijah personally, and that Luke 1:17 -- "in the spirit and power of Elijah" -- is the key to how both can be true. None teaches reincarnation.

Malachi promises Elijah before the day of the LORD. Jesus says of John "he is Elijah who is to come", while John, asked directly, answers "I am not". Christian traditions have almost uniformly resolved this by reading John as coming in Elijah's role and spirit rather than as Elijah returned in person.

Roman Catholic

John comes in the spirit and power of Elijah, fulfilling the prophecy in his office rather than in his person. Luk 1:17

Eastern Orthodox

The same reading; the Forerunner is honoured under that title, and Elijah is expected again before the second coming rather than identified with John. Luk 1:17

Anglican

John fulfils the Elijah prophecy typologically; his own denial in John 1:21 is taken at face value. Jhn 1:21

Reformed / Presbyterian

The prophecy is fulfilled in John's ministry, not in a personal return. Mat 11:14

Baptist

The same reading. Mat 17:12

Adventist

John fulfils the Elijah role, and the passage is also read as pointing to a final Elijah-like message before the end. Mal 4:5

Traditions not listed have no position recorded here. That is a gap in what we have written down, not a statement that they are silent.