Christianity Portal

In fundamentalist Christian eschatology, the Rapture is the name given to the future event in which Jesus Christ will descend from Heaven, accompanied by the spirits of all the saints of God, both from the pre-incarnation period and after, who have passed on prior to the rapture, and then the bodily remains of these saints are transported from Earth to meet the Lord and be rejoined with their corresponding spirits in the air. Immediately after this, all Christians alive on the earth are simultaneously transported to meet the Lord and those who have preceded them in the air. All are transformed into immortal bodies like Jesus' body, often referred to as the "resurrection body". This doctrine gained popularity in the 1830s, and more recently in the 1970s, with proponents of the premillennialist, and in particular the dispensationalist, interpretations of scripture. However, proponents of the doctrine have argued that it can be found in the early Church fathers and the New Testament. Image File history File links Portal. ... Rapture (Latin raptus, Koine Greek harpazo) has two connotations derived from its classical origins, one spiritual and poetical, the inspired vision granted to a prophet (Ezekiel, Daniel) or to a poet stemming from his invocation of the Muses (Hesiod, Virgil)— or in apocalyptic literature to a writer combining both natures... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      In Christian theology, Christian eschatology is the... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... For other uses, see Second Coming (disambiguation). ... Saints redirects here. ... Christ en majesté, Matthias Grünewald, 16th c. ... This article is about Christian saints. ... At the bottom of the hands, the two letters on each hand combine to form יהוה (YHWH), the name of God. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... Body of Resurrection is a typical term of Esoteric Christianity, used to indicate a spiritual body associated with a special enlightenment or experience. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      This article is about Premillennialism in Christian... Dispensationalism is a school of Bible interpretation that is associated with fundamentalist Christianity; the primary alternative within the evangelical community is covenant theology. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers... This article is about the Christian scriptures. ...

There is much disagreement amongst rapture proponents over when the rapture will occur in relation to the Tribulation, a seven-year period preceding the second coming of Christ to the earth, or indeed, if the duration of the Tribulation will be seven years or only a 3 1/2 year period. Some understand the tribulation of Matthew 24 as having already taken place in 70 AD at the destruction of Jerusalem. (see Preterism). Three different views predominate. The first is that it will take place sometime prior to the Tribulation. The second is that it will take place mid-way through the Tribulation. The third is that it will take place after the Tribulation, when Christ comes to earth to establish His kingdom, the Kingdom of God, taking over rulership of the world for 1,000 years. (see Millennialism). A fourth view has recently developed, called the Pre-Wrath view. Image:Durer Revelation Four Riders. ... For other uses, see Second Coming (disambiguation). ... The Olivet discourse or Little Apocalypse is a passage found in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew (24), Mark (13) and Luke (21), occurring just before the narrative of Jesuss passion beginning with the Anointing of Jesus. ... Preterism is a variant of Christian eschatology which holds that some or all of the biblical prophecies concerning the Last Days (or End Times) refer to events which actually happened in the first century after Christs birth. ... Kingdom of Heaven redirects here. ... Millennialism (or chiliasm), from millennium, which literally means thousand years, is primarily a belief expressed in some Christian denominations, and literature, that there will be a Golden Age or Paradise on Earth where Christ will reign prior to the final judgment and future eternal state, primarily derived from the book...

Etymology

"Rapture", when used in eschatological terms, is an English word used in place of the Latin word raeptius; taken from the Vulgate, which in turn is a translation of the Koine Greek word harpazo, which is found in the Greek New Testament manuscripts of 1 Thessalonians 4:17. In many modern English translations of the Bible, harpazo is translated; "caught up", or "taken away". For the eschatological beliefs of various religions, see End Times. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... The Vulgate Bible is an early 5th century version in Latin, partly revised and partly translated by Jerome on the orders of Pope Damasus I in 382. ... Koine redirects here. ... This article is about the Christian scriptures. ... A manuscript (Latin manu scriptus, written by hand), strictly speaking, is any written document that is put down by hand, in contrast to being printed or reproduced some other way. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... For other uses, see Bible (disambiguation). ...

"Harpazo" har-pad'-zo Koine Greek; "forcibly snatched away", "taken for oneself". Koine redirects here. ...

History of doctrine

The Catholic and Orthodox churches as well as the Reformed denominations have no tradition of such a teaching and reject the doctrine, in part because they cannot find any reference to it among any of the early Church fathers^[1]. Some also reject it because they interpret prophetic scriptures in either an amillennial or postmillennial fashion, as being more spiritual than physical. The name Catholic Church can mean a visible organization that refers to itself as Catholic, or the invisible Christian Church, viz. ... Orthodox icon of Pentecost. ... -1... Amillennialism (from the Latin prefix a meaning no, mille meaning thousand, and annum meaning year) is a view in Christian eschatology named for its denial of a future, thousand-year, physical reign of Jesus Christ on the earth, as espoused in the premillennial and some postmillennial views of the Book... It has been suggested that Reconstructionist Postmillennialism be merged into this article or section. ...

Proponents of the rapture insist that the doctrine of amillennialism originated with Alexandrian scholars such as Clement and Origen^[2] and was later brought wholly into Roman Catholic dogma by Augustine.^[3] Hence, the church up until then held to premillennial views, which see an impending apocalypse from which the church will be rescued after being raptured by the Lord. This is even extrapolated by some to mean that the early church espoused pretribulationism.^[4] Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens), was the first member of the Church of Alexandria to be more than a name, and one of its most distinguished teachers. ... Origen Origen (Greek: Ōrigénēs, 185–ca. ... Augustinus redirects here. ... St. ...

Some Pre-Tribulation proponents maintain that the earliest known extra-Biblical reference to the "Pre-Tribulation" rapture is from a sermon falsely attributed to the fourth-century Church Father Ephraem the Syrian, which says, "For all the saints and Elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins."^[5][6] However, the interpretation of this writing, as supporting Pre-Tribulation rapture, is debated.^[7][8] Pseudepigrapha (Greek pseudos = false, epi = after, later and grapha = writing (or writings), latterly or falsely attributed, or down right forged works, describes texts whose claimed authorship is unfounded in actuality. ... The Church Fathers or Fathers of the Church are the early and influential theologians and writers in the Christian church, particularly those of the first five centuries of Christian history. ... Ephrem the Syrian (Syriac: , ;Greek: ; Latin: Ephraem Syrus; 306–373) was a deacon, prolific Syriac language hymn writer and theologian of the 4th century. ...

There exists at least one 18th century and two 19th century Pre-Tribulation references, in a book published in 1788, in the writings of a Catholic priest Emmanuel Lacunza ^[9] in 1812, and by John Darby himself in 1827.^[10] However, both the book published in 1788 and the writings of Lacunza have opposing views regarding their interpretations, as well. 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... For the overture by Tchaikovsky, see 1812 Overture; For the wars, see War of 1812 (USA - United Kingdom) or Patriotic War of 1812 (France - Russia) For the Siberia Airlines plane crashed over the Black Sea on October 4, 2001, see Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 1812 was a leap year starting... Year 1827 (MDCCCXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

The rise in belief in the "Pre-Tribulation" rapture is sometimes attributed to a 15-year old Scottish-Irish girl named Margaret McDonald (a follower of Edward Irving), who in 1830 had a vision that was later^[11] published in 1861. Edward Irving (August 4, 1792 - December 7, 1834), Scottish church divine, generally (but wrongly) regarded as the founder of the Catholic Apostolic Church, was born at Annan, Dumfriesshire. ...

The popularization of the term is associated with teaching of John Nelson Darby, prominent among the Plymouth Brethren, and the rise of premillennialism and dispensationalism in English-speaking churches at the end of the 19th century. In 1908, the doctrine of the rapture was further popularized by an evangelist named William Eugene Blackstone, whose book, Jesus Is Coming, sold more than one million copies. The first known appearance of the theological use of the word "rapture" in print occurs with the Scofield Reference Bible of 1909.^[12] For other persons named John Darby, see John Darby (disambiguation). ... The Brethren are a Christian Evangelical movement that began in Dublin, London, Plymouth, and the continent of Europe in the late 1820s. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      This article is about Premillennialism in Christian... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      A current... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... William Eugene Blackstone (October 6, 1841-November 7, 1935) was an American evangelist and Christian Zionist influenced by Dwight Lyman Moody, and author of the Zionist Blackstone Memorial of 1891. ...

In 1957, Dr. John Walvoord, a theologian at Dallas Theological Seminary, authored a book, "The Rapture Question," that gave theological support to the Pre-Tribulation rapture; this book eventually sold over 65,000 copies. In 1958, J. Dwight Pentecost authored another book supporting the Pre-Tribulation rapture, Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology, that sold 215,000 copies. John F. Walvoord (May 1, 1910 - December 20, 2002), was a Christian author and theologian. ... Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) is a conservative graduate-level theological seminary located in Dallas, Texas, which has been, according to its mission statement, equipping godly servant-leaders for the proclamation of His Word and the building up of the body of Christ worldwide since its founding by Lewis Sperry Chafer... J. Dwight Pentecost (born 1915) is a Christian Theologian best known for the book Things to Come Academic background He currently is Distinguished Professor of Bible Exposition, Emeritus, at Dallas Theological Seminary. ...

During the 1970s, the rapture became popular in wider circles, in part due to the books of Hal Lindsey, including The Late Great Planet Earth, which has reportedly sold between 15 million and 35 million copies and by the movie "A Thief in the Night" which based its title on the scriptural reference 1 Thessalonians 5:2.^[13] Lindsey proclaimed that the rapture was imminent, an idea that he based on world conditions at the time. The Cold War and the European Economic Community figured prominently in his predictions of impending Armageddon. Other aspects of 1970s global politics were seen as having been predicted in the Bible. Lindsey suggested, for example, that the seven-headed beast with ten horns, cited in the Book of Revelation, was the European Economic Community, a forebear of the European Union, which at the time aspired to ten nations; it now has 27 member states. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... Harold Lee Hal Lindsey (born November 23, 1929) is an American evangelist and Christian writer. ... Hal Lindsey, author of numerous fiction and non-fiction books, wrote The Late, Great Planet Earth as a contribution to the non-fiction pre-millennialist dispensationalist body of literature. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Armageddon (disambiguation). ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... For other uses, see Bible (disambiguation). ... Visions of John of Patmos, as depicted in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. ... The European Community (EC) was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ...

In 1995, the doctrine of the Pre-Tribulation rapture was further popularized by Tim LaHaye's book series, Left Behind, which sold tens of millions of copies and was made into several movies. A panel from Tim LaHaye’s multi-million selling ‘’Left Behind’’ series, depicting the fate LaHaye anticipates for those who do not follow Jesus Christ. ... Left Behind is a series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, dealing with Christian dispensationalist End Times: pretribulation, premillennial, Christian eschatology viewpoint of the end of the world. ...

The doctrine of the rapture continues to be an important component in fundamentalist Christian eschatology today. Many fundamentalist Christians continue to feel that world conditions point to the rapture, Tribulation, and return of Christ occurring soon. Fundamentalism is a movement to maintain strict adherence to founding principles. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      In Christian theology, Christian eschatology is the...

Scriptural basis

Supporters of the doctrine of the rapture generally cite the following primary sources^[14] in the New Testament (the following are quoted from the NKJV): This article is about the Christian scriptures. ... The New King James Version (NKJV) is a modern Bible translation, published by Thomas Nelson, Inc. ...

• "In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
  (John 14:2–3)

• "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."
  (Philippians 3:20-21)

• "And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?""
  (1 Corinthians 15:49–55) Note that the saying that is quoted toward the end of these passages comes from the Old Testament as follows: "Death is swallowed up in victory" is from Isaiah 25:8 and "O Death, where is your sting?" is found in Hosea 13:14.

• "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."
  (1 Thessalonians 4:15–17)

• "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way."
  (2 Thessalonians 2:1-7)

For other uses, see Gospel of John (disambiguation). ... The Epistle to Philippians is a book included in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. ... (Redirected from 1 Corinthians) See also: Second Epistle to the Corinthians and Third Epistle to the Corinthians The First Epistle to the Corinthians is a book of the Bible in the New Testament. ... (Redirected from 1 Thessalonians) The Epistles to the Thessalonians, also known as the Letters to the Thessalonians, are two books from the New Testament of the Christian Bible. ... The Epistles to the Thessalonians, also known as the Letters to the Thessalonians, are two books from the New Testament of the Christian Bible. ...

Views on the timing of the rapture

One of the tenets of the dispensationalist interpretation of Bible prophecy is that in the prophecy of 70 weeks from the book of Daniel (Daniel 9:27), between the 69th and 70th weeks there is a break, lasting an unspecified period of time. Thus, the 70th week of seven years has not yet occurred. This seven-year period will mark the end of the current dispensation, and is referred to as the Tribulation. There is considerable debate among Christians who believe in the rapture in regard to the timing of the rapture relative to the Tribulation. Most views hold that Christian believers will be either removed from, or protected from the judgment of God's wrath. The Prophecy of Seventy Septets (or literally seventy times seven) appears in the angel Gabriels reply to Daniel, beginning with verse 22 and ending with verse 27 in the ninth chapter of the Book of Daniel (Scherman, Rb. ... Image:Durer Revelation Four Riders. ...

Comparison of Christian millennial interpretations

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Pre-Tribulation

The Pre-Tribulation rapture is the view that the rapture will occur before the beginning of the Tribulation period. According to this view, the Christian Church that existed prior to that seven-year period has no vital role during the seven years of Tribulation, and will therefore be removed. Many people who accept Christ after the rapture will be martyred for their faith during the Tribulation.^{[citation needed]} Saint John the Divine, which some believe is the apostle John, is seen in Revelation 4:1 as representing the Church caught up to Heaven. John hears the Trumpet and a voice that says, "Come up hither", and he is translated in the Spirit to Heaven and then sees what will happen for those left on earth. The Pre-Tribulation rapture is the most widely held position among American evangelical Christians.[documentation needed] It has become popular in recent years around the world and through the work of dispensational preachers such as Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost, Tim LaHaye, Dr. J. Vernon McGee, Chuck Smith, Dr. Chuck Missler, Jack Van Impe, and Dr. Grant Jeffrey. ^[15] Categories: Saints | Ancient Roman Christianity | Christianity-related stubs ... J. Dwight Pentecost (born 1915) is a Christian Theologian best known for the book Things to Come Academic background He currently is Distinguished Professor of Bible Exposition, Emeritus, at Dallas Theological Seminary. ... A panel from Tim LaHaye’s multi-million selling ‘’Left Behind’’ series, depicting the fate LaHaye anticipates for those who do not follow Jesus Christ. ... J. Vernon McGee was born in 1904 in Hillsboro, Texas. ... Charles Chuck Ward Smith (born June 25, 1927) is the founder of Calvary Chapel and is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. ... Charles Chuck Missler is an author, conservative Bible teacher, and founder of the Koinonia House ministry based out of Coeur dAlene, Idaho. ... Jack and Rexella Van Impe Jack Leo Van Impe (born June 15, 1931) is a televangelist who appears on his weekly television show Jack Van Impe Presents. ... Grant R. Jeffrey is a teacher of Bible prophecy and apologist for Evangelical Christianity. ...

Imminent or not imminent?

Some who believe in a Pre-Tribulation rapture warn that the rapture is imminent, saying that all of the prophecies concerning the latter days have been fulfilled to the extent that the rapture could take place at any moment. Others suggest that certain requirements must first be met before a rapture can occur, such as these:

1. The nations of the world must unify their currency onto a universal standard.
2. There will be peace in Israel (Ezekiel 38).
3. There will be a one-world government, to correspond to the 7th beast of Revelation, prior to the Antichrist's 8th beast government.
4. The Jewish temple in Jerusalem must be rebuilt in its original place.
5. Observance of Old Testament commandments concerning animal sacrifices must be reinstated.
6. There will be a great falling away and the AntiChrist will be revealed. Thessalonians 2

Mid-Tribulation

A minority view, with few proponents^{[citation needed]} today, is that the rapture happens half-way through the seven-year Tribulation. This view is supported by the 7th chapter of Daniel (Verse 25), where it says the saints will be given over to tribulation for "time, times, and half a time" which is interpreted to mean 3.5 years. That is, half way through the seven years of the tribulation. At this juncture, the Antichrist commits the "abomination of desolation" by desecrating the Jerusalem temple (to be built on what is now called The Temple Mount.) ^[16] The Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple (Hebrew:  ; The Holy House), refers to a series of structures located on the Temple Mount (Har HaBayit) in the old city of Jerusalem. ...

Prewrath rapture

Main article: Prewrath

The prewrath rapture view is that the tribulation of the church begins toward the latter part of the seven-year period, being Daniel's 70th week, when the Antichrist is revealed in the temple. The great Tribulation, according to this view, is of the Antichrist against the church at this time. The duration of this tribulation is unknown, except that it begins and ends during the second half of Daniel's 70th week. References from Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are used as evidence that this tribulation will be cut short by the coming of Christ to deliver the righteous by means of rapture, which will occur after the sixth seal is opened and the Sun is darkened and the moon is turned to blood.^[17] However, by this point many Christians will have been slaughtered as martyrs by the Antichrist. After the rapture comes God's seventh-seal wrath of trumpets and bowls (a.k.a. "the Day of the Lord"). ^[18] The Day of the Lord's wrath against the ungodly will follow for the remainder of the seven years. ^[19] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Seven Seals is the newest album by the german Powermetal-Band Primal Fear, released in November 2005. ...

Post-Tribulation

The Post-Tribulation rapture (or "Post-Trib") view places the rapture at the end of the Tribulation period, based on passages such as 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, seen as quoting the words of "the Lord" as indicated in Matthew 24:29-31 (see table below). From this perspective, Christian believers will be on the earth as witnesses to Christ during the entire seven years, until the last day of the tribulation period. In Christian eschatology, the Post Tribulation Rapture doctrine is the belief in a combined Resurrection and Rapture (eg. ...

Post-Tribulation advocates find no scriptural support for the so-called "Yo-Yo Theory", which they describe as the first-Second Coming of Christ in the clouds for the rapture and then coming back again for a second-Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Coming in two parts or the Second and Third Coming).^[20] However, the pre-trib believers would say that they do not support two comings of Christ. The first is for the Church (and not a return)- then Christ will return to the Earth to set up the millennial kingdom. The Rapture is not considered to be the coming of Christ but a specific snatching away of the Church. For other uses, see Second Coming (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Second Coming (disambiguation). ...

The Post-Tribulation view brings Christ's "appearing" and his "coming" together in one all-encompassing, grand event. Matthew 24:29–31; "Immediately after the tribulation of those days…they shall gather together his elect…", is cited as a foundational scripture for this view. Pat Robertson describes the end times this way in his 1995 novel The End of the Age. Another supporting scripture is John 17:15-16, where Jesus prays that the Father not take his (Jesus') disciples from the earth, but that he (the Father) would nevertheless "keep them from the evil one." This is taken to preclude a Pre-Trib or a Mid-Trib rapture to heaven at any time. ^[21] Prominent authors supporting this view are Walter Ralston Martin, John Piper, George Eldon Ladd, Robert H. Gundry, and Douglas Moo. Marion Gordon Pat Robertson (born March 22, 1930) is a televangelist from the United States. ... Dr. Walter Ralston Martin (September 10, 1928 – June 26, 1989), was an American Evangelical minister, author, and Christian apologist who founded the Christian Research Institute in 1960 as a para-church ministry specialising as a clearing-house of information in both general Christian apologetics and in countercult apologetics. ... John Piper John Stephen Piper (born January 11, 1946, Chattanooga, Tennessee) is a Reformed Baptist minister, author, and theologian, currently serving as senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ... George Eldon Ladd (1911-1982) was a Baptist minister and professor of New Testament exegesis and theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. ... Robert Horton Gundry is a noted Biblical scholar. ...

Agnostic position

This is a lesser-known position that maintains that the Scriptures are intentionally unclear about the relationship of the rapture to the Tribulation. As a result, believers could anticipate the return of Jesus to the clouds at any moment while yet watching for the rise of the Antichrist. This position claims to harmonize two seemingly contradictory threads.

Date setting

Generally, believers in the rapture of the church no longer make predictions regarding the exact timing of the event itself.^{[citation needed]} The primary scripture reference cited for this position is Matthew 24:36, where Jesus is quoted saying; "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone" (NASB). Gary Demar has jokingly challenged "date setters" to sign a contract turning over all their assets to him on the day after they claim the Rapture is to occur (he has written a book, Last Days Madness, endorsing the preterist position and challenges many of the popular ideas of Bible prophecy). The New American Standard Bible (NASB) is an English translation of the Bible. ... This article or section is currently being developed or reviewed. ...

Any individual or religious group that has dogmatically predicted the day of the rapture, referred to as "date setting", has been thoroughly embarrassed and discredited, as the predicted date of fulfillment came and went without event.^[22][23] Some of these individuals and groups have offered excuses and "corrected" target dates, while others have simply released a reinterpretation of the meaning of the scripture to fit their current predicament, and then explained that although the prediction appeared to have not come true, in reality it had been completely accurate and fulfilled, albeit in a different way than many had expected.

Conversely, many of those who believe that the precise date of the rapture cannot be known, do affirm that the specific time frame that immediately precedes the rapture event can be known. This time frame is often referred to as "the season". The primary section of scripture cited for this position is Matthew 24:32-35; where Jesus is quoted teaching the parable of the fig tree, which is proposed as the key that unlocks the understanding of the general timing of the rapture, as well as the surrounding prophecies listed in the sections of scripture that precede and follow this parable. For the plant species, see Ficus. ...

Some notable rapture predictions include the following:

• 1792 - Shakers calculated this date

• 1844 - William Miller, founder of the Millerites, predicted the return of Christ to occur on October 22, 1844 revised after an initial prediction for the 1843/1844 Hebrew Year. The failure of Jesus to appear on this date after his followers had sold all their possessions was referred to as The Great Disappointment.

• 1981 - Chuck Smith undogmatically predicted that Jesus would likely return by 1981.

• 1988 - Publication of 88 Reasons why the Rapture is in 1988, by Edgar C. Whisenant.

• 1989 - Publication of The final shout: Rapture report 1989, by Edgar Whisenant. More predictions by this author appeared for 1992, 1995, and other years.

• 

  Posters placed in public locations around the New England area in 1992
  1992 - Korean group "Mission for the Coming Days" predicted October 28, 1992 as the date for the rapture.^[24]
• 1993 - Seven years before the year 2000. The rapture would have to start to allow for seven years of the Tribulation before the Return in 2000. Multiple predictions.

• 1994 - Pastor John Hinkle of Christ Church in Los Angeles predicted June 9, 1994. Radio evangelist Harold Camping predicted September 27, 1994.^[25]

• 1997 - Stan Johnson of the Prophecy Club predicted September 12, 1997.

• 1998 - Marilyn Agee, in The End of the Age, predicted May 31, 1998.

• 2060 - Sir Isaac Newton undogmatically proposed, based upon his calculations using figures from the book of Daniel, that the rapture could happen no earlier than 2060.^[26][27]

This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... William Miller William Miller (1782 - 1849) was an American Baptist preacher, whose followers have been termed Millerites. ... William Miller The Millerite tradition is a diverse family of denominations and Bible study movements that have arisen since the middle of the 19th century, traceable to the Adventist movement sparked by the teachings of William Miller. ... The Hebrew calendar (‎) or Jewish calendar is the calendar used by Jews for religious purposes. ... The Great Disappointment was an event in the early history of certain Christian denominations, when Jesus failed to reappear on the appointed day of October 22, 1844 as some Christians expected. ... Charles Chuck Ward Smith (born June 25, 1927) is the founder of Calvary Chapel and is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. ... Edgar C. Whisenant is a man who predicted the Rapture would occur in 1988, sometime between Sept. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1092x1470, 286 KB) What: Jesus is coming on Oct 28, 1992 poster (one of many in the Boston, MA area) Soucre: Digital photo by Aaron Sherman (c) 2002. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1092x1470, 286 KB) What: Jesus is coming on Oct 28, 1992 poster (one of many in the Boston, MA area) Soucre: Digital photo by Aaron Sherman (c) 2002. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... Harold Camping (born July 19, 1921) is the president of Family Stations, Inc. ... Sir Isaac Newton in Knellers portrait of 1689. ...

Cultural references

Movies

The first full-fledged rapture movie was A Thief in the Night. That film was followed by three sequels and a novel, and set up the genre of the rapture film. With only a few exceptions the genre died out by the end of the 1970s only to resurface again in the 1990s with such films as Apocalypse, Revelation, The Rapture, Left Behind: The Movie, and The Omega Code. Cloud Ten Pictures specializes in making end-time films. A Thief in the Night is a 1972 Christian end times film directed by Russell S. Doughten. ... Apocalypse is the first film in Cloud Ten Pictures Apocalypse film series about the end times. ... Apocalypse is the first film in Cloud Ten Pictures Apocalypse series about the end times. ... The Rapture is a 1991 psychological/religious drama film starring Mimi Rogers, Darwyn Carson, Patrick Bauchau, Marvin Elkins, David Duchovny, and Stephanie Menuez; directed by Michael Tolkin; rated R; 100 minutes long; and produced by New Line Cinema. ... The Omega Code is a 1999, Evangelical Christian made film starring Casper Van Dian as the protagoniost, Dr. Gillen Lane, and Michael York as the the antoganist, Alexander Stone. ... Cloud Ten Pictures is a film production company located in St. ...

In 2002, Dirk Been and Joel Klug (former "Survivor" cast members) starred in the movie Gone, which is about three lawyers who are left behind in the Philippines. The film was nominated for 'Best Christian Movie of the Year' by Christian Beats magazine and was seen on the Dove Awards on national TV. "Gone" went on to be seen by an estimated 1.2 million people. It was written and directed by Tim Chey.^[28]

In 2008, ROK Motion will release "Rapture" a thriller set in 2018. Urban decay is rife. Crime, drugs and poverty have reached epidemic levels. Rapture used the innovative casting method of auditioning online via a website BTMS to cast its two lead actors and support roles. For the 1991 film, see The Rapture (film). ...

Books

In 1950, the novel Raptured by Ernest Angley was published. It's a fictional novel based on the accounts foretold in the books of Daniel and Revelation. The novel focuses on a man whose mother is raptured along with other Christians, while he is left behind in the tribulation period.^[29] Ernest Angley (born August 9, 1921 in Gastonia, North Carolina) is an international Christian evangelist, based in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. ...

In 1995, Left Behind was published. The rapture is a major component of the premise of the book and its various spin-offs. These books greatly revived public interest in this concept.^{[citation needed]} The plot of the book was used as a basis for a 2000 movie and a 2006 video game. Left Behind is a series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, dealing with Christian dispensationalist End Times: pretribulation, premillennial, Christian eschatology viewpoint of the end of the world. ...

In Mark E. Rogers' book The Dead, published in 2001, those chosen for salvation disappear in a blinding flash of light. It is possible for people who have been left behind to redeem themselves in the eyes of God; those who do are immediately raptured. Sacrificing oneself to help others is one way of being redeemed. Some characters are actually under attack by reanimated corpses, or by Legion himself, at the time of their rapture. The blinding flash of light totally disorients the corpses who witness it, rendering them incapable of any action at all for a short time. The humans are literally "caught up" "in an instant" by God. Biography Born in 1952, author-illustrator Mark E. Rogers was named Class Artist in 1970. ...

Television

On May 8, 2005, in Episode 19 in season 16 of The Simpsons titled "Thank God It's Doomsday", Homer predicts the rapture. After seeing a movie titled Left Below (a parody of Left Behind), he becomes paranoid and predicts that the rapture will occur at 3:15 p.m. on May 18. In another episode, Simpsons Bible Stories, the Simpsons fall asleep in church and wake up to find the Rapture occurring. Along with The Flanders family, Lisa is raised up to Heaven, but Homer pulls her back down so she can go to Hell with the rest of the family. Simpsons redirects here. ... Thank God Its Doomsday is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons sixteenth season. ... Homer Simpson is also a character in the book and film The Day of the Locust. ... is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Simpsons Bible Stories is the eighteenth episode of The Simpsons tenth season. ... Nedward Ned Flanders is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. ...

In the Drawn Together episode "Lost in Parking Space, Part One", Princess Clara, a devout Christian, warns her unconcerned housemates that the rapture is coming, even going so far as to contact a rapture hotline run by Kirk Cameron (star of Left Behind: The Movie). When her housemates later run off to the mall without her, she fears they have been taken off to heaven and she has been left behind. Drawn Together is an American animated television series that uses a sitcom format with a TV reality show setting. ... Lost in Parking Space, Part One is the twenty-ninth episode of the animated series Drawn Together. ... Princess Clara is a fictional character in the animated series Drawn Together. ... Kirk Thomas Cameron (born October 12, 1970) is an American actor, director, and Christian evangelist who is most notable for his role as Mike Seaver on the sitcom Growing Pains. ...

"Rapture" is the twelfth episode of the third season from the science fiction television series, Battlestar Galactica. In this episode Athena commits suicide in order to be reborn (raptured) on a Cylon ship. Rapture is the twelth episode of the third season from the science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica. ... This article is about all the media that use the name Battlestar Galactica. ...

In the Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode "Kidney Car", Master Shake is seen wearing a racing helmet upon returning from a demolition derby in which he wrecked Carl's car. When questioned about the purpose of the helmet by a suspicious Carl, Shake claims it is "For the Rapture". For the movie, see Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters. ... Kidney Car is the thirty-fifth episode of the animated series Aqua Teen Hunger Force. ... Master Shake is one of the three lead fictional characters on the animated television series Aqua Teen Hunger Force (ATHF). ... Aqua Teen Hunger Force - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

In the second episode of the fourth season of HBO's "Six Feet Under" titled "In Case of Rapture", a 49 year old Christian woman called Dorothy Sheedy abandons her vehicle which displays a bumper sticker "I BRAKE FOR THE RAPTURE!" having witnessed the accidental liberation of numerous helium filled 'sex dolls' from the back of a truck. As they float off into the atmosphere she mistakes this event for the Rapture falsely perceiving them in heavenly white gowns and rushes into the middle of a busy road that she may join them in their ascent to Heaven, whereupon she is hit by a vehicle and instantly killed. Her husband is never aware of the reason for her running into the traffic but benignly accepts her death as God's will without question or curiosity. For other uses, see HBO (disambiguation). ... For the death metal band, see Six Feet Under (band). ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... Bumper stickers are often used on commercial vehicles so that employers can receive feedback about the driving habits of their employees A bumper sticker is an adhesive label or sticker with a message, intended to be attached to the bumper of an automobile and to be read by the occupants... General Name, symbol, number helium, He, 2 Chemical series noble gases Group, period, block 18, 1, s Appearance colorless Standard atomic weight 4. ... A sex doll is a type of sex toy, imitating a human body for simulated sexual acts. ...

Music

At the height of the Jesus Movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the rapture figured prominently in popular songs by secular artists, such as "Are You Ready?" by Pacific Gas & Electric (#14 in August 1970) and "In the Year 2525" by Zager and Evans (#1 in July 1969). Also at that time, the song "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" was written and performed by Larry Norman, one of the founders of the nascent "Jesus Rock" movement in the early 70s. Other examples of apocalyptic themes like the rapture, the Anti-Christ, Armageddon and The Second Coming of Christ in Norman's writing are: "U.F.O." from the 1976 album "In Another Land", Six Sixty Six" from the same album and "Messiah" from Stop This Flight. Examples of apocalyptic themes in Bob Dylan's writing are "When He Returns" from the 1979 album Slow Train Coming and - quoting 1 Corinthians 15:49–55 - Ye Shall Be Changed, released on The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3: Rare And Unreleased, 1961-1991. Other songs about the Christian end times include "Goin' by the Book", "The Man Comes Around" by Johnny Cash, from the album American IV: The Man Comes Around, released in 2002, and "Tribulation" by Charlie Daniels. Later popular songs based on the Apocalypse, if not explicitly the Rapture, are "1999" by Prince and "It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)" by REM. Norman Greenbaum's song "Spirit in the Sky" is also related to the subject. Avenged Sevenfold's song titled "To End The Rapture" from the album Sounding the Seventh Trumpet.Senses Fail's song titled "The Rapture" from their album Still Searching. For the first century movement surrounding Jesus of Nazareth, see Early Christianity The Jesus movement was the major Christian element within the hippie counterculture, or, conversely, the major hippie element within the Christian Church. ... This article or section needs to be wikified. ... // Charles Wuorinen, aged 32, becomes the youngest composer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. ... In the Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus) is the title of a hit song from 1969 by the Lincoln, Nebraska duo Zager and Evans, which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks, commencing July 12. ... Zager and Evans were a Lincoln, Nebraska rock-pop duo of the late 1960s and early 1970s named after the its two name-sake members, Denny Zager and Rick Evans. ... // Perhaps the two most famous musical events of 1969 were concerts. ... Larry David Norman (born April 8, 1947 in Corpus Christi, Texas) is an American singer-songwriter considered the forefather of Contemporary Christian Music, an attribution which he denies. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Antichrist. ... For other uses, see Armageddon (disambiguation). ... This article refers to the religious usage of the term. ... UFO can mean: Unidentified flying object United Future Organization, a Japanese-Brazilian electronic jazz band UFO, the rock band that previously featured Michael Schenker UFO, the Gerry Anderson TV series United Farmers of Ontario, a political party that formed the government in Ontario from 1919 to 1923 U.F.O... In Another Land is the title of an album recorded by Larry Norman in 1975. ... This article is about the recording artist. ... Slow Train Coming is singer-songwriter Bob Dylans 19th studio album, released in 1979 by Columbia Records. ... (Redirected from 1 Corinthians) See also: Second Epistle to the Corinthians and Third Epistle to the Corinthians The First Epistle to the Corinthians is a book of the Bible in the New Testament. ... The Man Comes Around is the title track from Johnny Cashs American IV: The Man Comes Around, released in 2002 (see 2002 in music). ... For the song of the same name, recorded by Tracy Byrd and later by Jason Aldean, see Johnny Cash (song). ... Prince (UK) singles chronology Lets Work (1982) 1999 (1982) Little Red Corvette (1983) Prince (UK) singles chronology The Holy River (1997) 1999 (1998) The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (1999) 1999 is one of Princes most well-known songs and a defining point in his rise to superstar status. ... For other uses, see Prince (disambiguation). ... Its the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) is a song by the rock band R.E.M., found on their 1987 album Document and the 1988 compilation Eponymous. ... R.E.M. is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia in 1980 by Bill Berry (drums), Peter Buck (guitar), Mike Mills (bass guitar), and Michael Stipe (vocals). ... Spirit in the Sky is a song written by Norman Greenbaum and released in 1969. ... For the self-titled album, see Avenged Sevenfold (album). ... Alternate cover Re-Release Cover Sounding the Seventh Trumpet is the first full length album from American metal band Avenged Sevenfold. ... Senses Fail is a Ridgewood, New Jersey based band that draws heavily from the punk, emo,[1] screamo,[2] and hardcore genres. ... Deluxe Edition (2007) Still Searching is the second full-length album by Senses Fail, released on Vagrant Records. ...

Internet

On August 2, 2001, humorist Elroy Willis posted a Usenet article titled; "Mistaken Rapture Kills Arkansas Woman". This fictional, satirical story about a woman who causes a traffic accident and is killed when she believes the rapture has started, circulated widely on the Internet and was believed by many people to be a description of an actual incident. Elements of the story appeared in an episode of the HBO television drama Six Feet Under, and a slightly modified version of the story was reprinted in the US tabloid newspaper Weekly World News. The story continues to circulate by electronic mail as a chain letter.^[30] Usenet (USEr NETwork) is a global, decentralized, distributed Internet discussion system that evolved from a general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name. ... 1867 edition of Punch, a ground-breaking British magazine of popular humour, including a good deal of satire of the contemporary social and political scene. ... For other uses, see Six feet under. ... Hillary Rodham Clinton on the cover of the Weekly World News. ... Electronic mail, abbreviated e-mail or email, is a method of composing, sending, and receiving messages over electronic communication systems. ... For other uses, see Chain letter (disambiguation). ...

One organization, the Rapture Fund, is offering a "Rapture Will" that provides terms by which a Christian can transfer his or her estate to the Rapture Fund in the event of the Rapture. The organization's website indicates that funds are to be used for publication of the Gospel during the Tribulation.^[31] For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Gospel (disambiguation). ...

Video Games

In the videogame BioShock the underwater city is called Rapture, named by its creator as a mockery of common belief. A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... BioShock is a first-person shooter[10] video game by 2K Boston/2K Australia (previously Irrational Games),[11] designed by Ken Levine. ...

In Final Fantasy VIII, the special spell Rapture is available to Selphie Tilmitt when she reaches her limit break. This spell attempts to destroy all non-boss enemies by giving them wings and sending them directly to heaven - whether they want to see the light or not. Final Fantasy VIII ) is a console and computer role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ...

See also

• Ascension
• Antichrist
• Apocalypse
• Armageddon
• Bible Prophecy
• Christian eschatology
• Covenantalism
• Dispensationalism
• End Times
• Eschatology
• Futurism
• Left Behind
• Number of the Beast
• Post Tribulation Rapture
• Prewrath
• Prophecy
• Rapture Ready
• Resurrection
• Revelation
• Summary of Christian eschatological differences
• Second Coming
• Tribulation
• Unfulfilled historical predictions by Christians

Also refers to the process of gaining Enlightenment and several meditation techniques. ... In Christian eschatology, the Antichrist or anti-Christ means a person, office, or group recognized as fulfilling the Biblical prophecies about one who will oppose Christ and substitute himself in Christs place. ... St. ... For other uses, see Armageddon (disambiguation). ... Bible prophecy, or biblical prophecy is the belief that the exegesis and hermeneutics that relate to those scriptures containing various prophecies regarding global politics, natural disasters, the future of the nation of Israel, the coming of a Messiah and a Messianic Kingdom, and the ultimate destiny of humankind are true. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      In Christian theology, Christian eschatology is the... This article needs cleanup. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      A current... // In the three Abrahamic Religions (Islam, Judaism, and Christianity), the End Times are depicted as a time of tribulation that precede the predicted coming of a Messiah figure. ... For the eschatological beliefs of various religions, see End Times. ... Futurism is an interpretation of the Bible in Christian eschatology placing the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Book of Revelation and the Book of Daniel in the future as literal, physical, apocalyptic and global rather in the past as literal, physical and localised (i. ... For other uses, see Left Behind (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Number of the Beast (disambiguation). ... In Christian eschatology, the Post Tribulation Rapture doctrine is the belief in a combined Resurrection and Rapture (eg. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Prophecy (disambiguation). ... Rapture Ready is one of the largest and oldest Evangelical Christian sites on the Internet. ... Look up Resurrection in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Revelation of the Last Judgment by Jacob de Backer Revelation is an uncovering or disclosure via communication from the divine of something that has been partially or wholly hidden or unknown, which could not be known apart from the unveiling (Goswiller 1987 p. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For other uses, see Second Coming (disambiguation). ... Image:Durer Revelation Four Riders. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Boston Globe is the most widely-circulated daily newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts and in the greater New England region. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Christianity Portal

Image File history File links Portal. ...

Support a rapture

• Rapture Ready (see also Rapture Ready)
• Rapture: Lord's Coming from Biblecentre.org
• The Rapture of the Church, position statement of the Assemblies of God
• A chronological chart of Revelation, depicting multiple raptures
• Rapture Forums Website and Discussion board for the Rapture

Rapture Ready is one of the largest and oldest Evangelical Christian sites on the Internet. ... For other uses, see Assemblies of God (disambiguation). ...

Oppose a rapture

• Essays on Rapture from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
• The Left Behind Deception by Steve Wohlberg (Adventist Review)
• Farewell to the Rapture by N. T. Wright (Bible Review, August 2001)
• Barbara Rossing Interview at Trinity Institute (', 2007)

Tom (N.T.) Wright, Bishop of Durham Tom (N.T.) Wright is the Bishop of Durham of the Anglican Church and a leading British New Testament scholar. ...

Neutral

• The Rapture: Hoax or Hope? at Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
• The different views of the rapture in relation to the Great Tribulation by David M. Williams