The Rapture
The rapture, for those of you who aren’t familiar with The Left Behind books (a fiction based upon the beliefs of Dispensationalist Premillenialism), is the belief that Jesus will return to earth and take all of the Christians up into the air before raining down unholy terror on the unbelievers for a nice seven years.
Basically the Christians miss out on the 20d6 points of damage that everyone else takes.
It’s important for me to mention this because it’s taken as a fact by much of my family and the surrounding peoples of Northeast Mississippi.
So. Some facts about this belief:
1) It is hugely popular belief among Baptists and other smaller branches of American Christianity.
2) Not supported by the early church. The early church taught that the church would be delivered after the 7 years of 20d6 damage.
3) Gained populairty primarily during the 1900s.
4) Gained attention in theological circles in 1957.
5) Now this is probably the most widely held belief among American Protestants.
6) Was not believed by Calvin or Luther and has never been Catholic dogma.
Further timeline information as well as scriptural support can be found here. (Wikipedia link)
So for my family and friends who subscribe to this belief, I would encourage you to read the information on Wikipedia and comment.
And to close, a question: would any of you be interested in a article on the debate about whether a tribulation will happen or not? Is the entire book of Revelation symbolic?
October 8th, 2008 07:25
That’s very interesting. I bet most rapture believers think what they believe is somehow long-standing dogma.
October 8th, 2008 09:15
Lots of Christians, especially Baptists, assume that all midern-day Christians subscribe to the rapture-tribulation belief.
Typically, the CoC doesn’t believe in it, some do, but most that I’ve studied with just can’t find the Biblical basis for that belief. Before I go too deeply into it, let me stress my initial “it doesn’t matter a whole lot” feelings…
I personally believe in a “Judgement Day” or whatever you want to call the end of the world, and that’s similar enough to the rapture-tribulation belief that I’m not sure why it’s such a hotly contested topic, but whatever.
Personally, I’d prefer there to be a rapture and tribulation period before God shuts the server down — so (in the case that we’re right about this “God” thing) everyone gets a second chance — but I just don’t see it happening. Typically I’m not a big scripture-quoter, but since this is the topic and I need to give at least a shallow reason for my belief, here goes:
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.” - 2 Peter 3:10 (NIV)
That just doesn’t sound like the remainder of the population gets a “two-minute warning” to get right after the other guys have gone away. I hope I’m wrong…
—-
As to your closing question, that’s a big door you’re opening. I’d enjoy it, but you’re gonna have to find a way to move through the points orderly so it’s a discussion on the facts, not a bouncing-around furball
Multiple posts probably to granularly hit separate ones.
October 9th, 2008 15:46
A mutual friend of ours said I should post an Seventh-day Adventist response, so, like a good lackey, I will. I would agree with Patrick above, where who does and does not believe in the Rapture is pretty sticky. I, myself, am not sure of all the denominations that endorse it or not. Adventists are premillenarians, but definitely do not believe in the Rapture. We do not find any evidence in the Bible that points to a Rapture or even really supports the idea. Philosophically, it doesn’t make much sense, either. What kind of loving God pulls out the “real righteous” and has them watch along while people suffer in the hopes that some “half righteous” get the wake-up call? As for second chances, that’s kind of a moot point because *all* of our life at the present is full of second chances. At any moment we can give up on saving ourselves and let Someone else do it. (And as far as big booming miracles and disasters bringing people to their senses, all we have to do is look at the Exodus story, where immediately after seeing the 10 Plagues hit Egypt, after being led by a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day, and after watching the sea part, and, yes, even after witnessing the magnitude of God’s presence on Mt. Sinai, the Israelites still turn and worship a golden calf. So much for putting stock into humanity’s ability to come clean…) Anyway, I think part of our views on the Second Coming as well as the Rapture has to do with our views on death and hell, as well. Put succinctly, we are annihilationists when it comes to hell, and we do not believe in the separation of the soul and body (therefore, no immediate translation into Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory).
October 9th, 2008 15:49
Gah, sorry, I mistyped, there! Adventists are Post-millenarians, not pre. That’s a huge difference and should be noted. >
October 14th, 2008 15:01
I would be interested in this article.
October 23rd, 2008 21:57
Get on it, let’s get granular Mr. ParKs
November 11th, 2009 12:09
It was over a year ago when I last commented… that means that I’m the person using your blog the most within the past year… for SHAME
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