In Luke 21:32 and Matthew 24:34, Jesus states that "this generation
will certainly not pass away until all these things take place". Yet
some of the things described still do not appear to have taken place. How is
this apparent contradiction reconciled from a Christian perspective?

Nickelby,

The context of Jesus' remarks are an answer to the question His
disciples asked earlier in the chapter:

Matthew 24:3  Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came
to Him privately, saying, ?Tell us, when will these things be? And
what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age??

Although Jesus' disciples thought that He would return in their
lifetimes, He did not say that.  The signs referred to herald His
return to reign on the earth for a thousand years.  And the signs
began in the 1900s and some still remain to occur.

Here is the context:

The Coming of the Son of Man
   
Matthew 24:29 ?Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun
will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will
fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all
the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He
will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will
gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven
to the other.
   
32 ?Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has
already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is
near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it[d]
is near?at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will
by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and
earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

The tribulation period referred to has yet to occur.  So I don't see a conflict.

It is important too to understand "dispensations" - the eras, or
periods of time in which God was and is dealing with man in a
particular way. Some believe there are three, other believe seven and
still others eight or more. Some people in fact believe the
dispensations can theoretically be infinite. What is interesting
however is that virtually all Christians agree that there "are"
various dispensations. With that in mind Christ could very well have
been referring to the "era" as "this generation", in other words, not
the people of the Mosiac dispensation or the Abrahamic dispensation,
but those of the Christian, or post-Christ dispensation. If this is
the case then the "generation" that was living during Jesus' time is
the same generation living today, making his statement quite accurate
and therefore true on it's face.

You may get some better insight into this school of thought by reading
this article.

STUDY THE BIBLE DISPENSATIONALLY
http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/studybible-dispensation.html

Does this answer your question?

tutuzdad-ga

Jesus' remarks should be looked at in context. Matthew 24;29 mentions
the tribulation and verse 31 mentions the gathering of his ' chosen
ones'. These are the 144,000 mentioned at Revelation 7;4 and 14;1.
These situations are yet in our future. That Jesus said he would be
coming ' in the clouds' indicates his presence would be noted and the
results felt, not necessarily that he would actually be physically
seen. This is proved by the scripture at John 14;19-21 '. 19 A little
longer and the world will behold me no more, but YOU will behold me,
because I live and YOU will live. 20 In that day YOU will know that I
am in union with my Father and YOU are in union with me and I am in
union with YOU. 21 He that has my commandments and observes them, that
one is he who loves me. In turn he that loves me will be loved by my
Father, and I will love him and will plainly show myself to him.?
THE WORLD WILL BEHOLD ME NO MORE!. See him no more. 
Those who love and OBEY all Jesus' teachings will be allowed to
UNDERSTAND all about him. The 'Generation' that sees the wars,
earthquakes, pestilences and strife that Jesus said would mark the '
last days' would not all pass away in death. The world has been seeing
these signs since the start of World War One. We ARE in the last days.

A lot of times when the bible is read the reader reads to much into
what is said.  Most of what is written is a symbol for somthing else. 
The books of the bible were written hundreds of years after Jesus
died.  The writers were able to write in what ever they felt like. 
Jesus probably never said that.  Try looking at the statements in a
more symbolic approach.  Don't read into it.

although a bit of a belated reply, the only answer I can supply to
meanjoegreen is 2 Timothy 3;16,17 [ 16 All Scripture is inspired of
God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things
straight, for disciplining in righteousness, 17 that the man of God
may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work". ALL
SCRIPTURE. All of the 40 writers were ' inspired' and NONE of them
added their own ideas. To claim otherwise is to deny God's authorship
of the Bible. And Jesus expressed his Father's attitude at Matthew
12;30 He that is not on my side is against me, and he that does not
gather with me scatters.