NationMaster - Encyclopedia: The Indwelling

Left Behind is a series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, dealing with Christian dispensationalist End Times: pretribulation, premillennial, Christian eschatology. In other words, it deals with a Christian viewpoint of the end of the world. It is also the title of book 1 in the series. It is published by Tyndale House, a firm with a history of interest in dispensationalism. Image File history File links This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company or organization to promote their work in the media. ... A novel is an extended work of written, narrative, prose fiction, usually in story form; the writer of a novel is a novelist. ... Timothy F. LaHaye (b. ... Jerry B. Jenkins is a novelist and biographer whose books usually feature evangelical Christians as protagonists. ... Dispensationalism is a conceptual overview and interpretive framework for understanding the overall flow of the Bible. ... The Last Judgement - Fresco in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo The end times are, in one version of Christian eschatology and in Islam, a time of tribulation that will precede the Second Coming of Jesus. ... History Main article: History of Christianity See also: Timeline of Christianity The history of Christianity is difficult to extricate from that of the European West (and several other culture-regions) in general. ... Albrecht DÃ¼rer - Four horsemen of the Apocalypse Look up eschatology on Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Tyndale House is a publisher founded in 1962 by Kenneth Taylor, in order to publish his paraphrase of the Epistles, which he had composed while commuting to work at Moody Press in Chicago. ...

Books

Note: The books are listed in story-line order but numbered in order of publication.

A third prequel called The Rapture (taking place between The Regime and Left Behind) and one final novel taking place after Glorious Appearing are planned. There are also graphic novels, CDs, and a Left Behind series for teens. Audio dramatizations based on the first thirteen titles have also been produced for broadcast on Christian radio. The first two books have been made into movies by a Canadian motion picture studio, Cloud Ten Pictures. A series written for teens has also been written, called Left Behind: The Kids or The Young Tribulation Force Series. The plot of this series is the same as the adult series, but the main protagonists are teenagers. The main books were also turned into movies, Left Behind: The Movie, Left Behind 2: Tribulation Force, and Left Behind: World at War. Book 1 in the Left Behind Series Left Behind is a series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, dealing with Christian dispensationalist End Times: pretribulation, premillennial, Christian eschatology. ... The Tribulation Force is an organisation formed by those left behind after the Rapture as portrayed in the fiction series Left Behind, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. ... Nicolae is the third book in the Left Behind series. ... Book 1 in the Left Behind Series Left Behind is a series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, dealing with Christian dispensationalist End Times: pretribulation, premillennial, Christian eschatology. ... Apollyon appears in the New Testament (Book of Revelation 9:7 â€“ 11) leading the locust-like swarm of demons that will be released in the End Times: 7. ... Book 1 in the Left Behind Series Left Behind is a series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, dealing with Christian dispensationalist End Times: pretribulation, premillennial, Christian eschatology. ... Book 1 in the Left Behind Series Left Behind is a series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, dealing with Christian dispensationalist End Times: pretribulation, premillennial, Christian eschatology. ... Book 1 in the Left Behind Series Left Behind is a series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, dealing with Christian dispensationalist End Times: pretribulation, premillennial, Christian eschatology. ... Graphic novel is a term for a long-form comic book, usually with lengthy and complex storylines, and often aimed at more mature audiences. ... Interference colors. ... Commercial Christian radio is a radio format that plays popular music styles with a focus on the Christian message and associated politically-motivated topics. ... Cloud Ten Pictures is a film production company located in St. ...

Two spin-off series have been written; a political series by Neesa Hart, and a military series by Mel Odom. author of many famous books including Fat And Dog Ugly, Big Cheeks, and Blubberworld; mastering in the art of toyalty ... Mel Odom (born 1957) is a writer who has published more than 140 books. ...

Summary

The books deal with the rise of the Antichrist: a Romanian named Nicolae Jetty Carpathia, whose political rise leads him from membership in the Romanian Parliament to the Presidency of Romania, and on to the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations. Under his rule, all the countries of the world merge into a single political entity under United Nations administration. Armies are disbanded, and an era of world peace established. All media are consolidated under the "Global Community Network" and religions are merged into one faith. Somewhere into the story, Carpathia is proclaimed "Potentate of the Global Community", and later becomes revered as a god. In Christian eschatology, the Antichrist has come to mean a person, image of a person, or other entity that is the embodiment of evil and utterly opposed to truth, while convincingly disguised as wholly good and a bringer of truth. ... Nicolae Carpathia, as played by actor Gordon Currie. ... An aerial view of Parliament of India at New Delhi. ... This is a list of Presidents of Romania: Note: The official function of President of Romania did not exist until March 1974. ... A large number of international organizations and other bodies have a Secretary General or Secretary-General as their chief administrative officers or in other administrative capacities. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945. ... World peace is a future ideal of freedom, peace and happiness among and within all nations. ... A potentate (from the Latin potens, powerful) is an informal term for a person with potent, usually supreme, power. ... The Global Community is the fictional, autocratic world government in the Left Behind series. ... A deity or a god, is a postulated preternatural being, usually, but not always, of significant power, worshipped, thought holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, or respected by human beings. ...

Throughout the series, Carpathia and the world at large become increasingly antagonistic toward any group that does not follow the newly established religion. The world also experiences many cataclysmic judgements sent by God. The term God is used to refer to a specific monotheistic concept of a supernatural Supreme Being in accordance with Christianity, and is capitalized in the English language as a proper noun. ...

Carpathia's efforts are resisted by a group of people known as the "Tribulation Force". After millions have vanished, this group of people believe that they have been "left behind" after the "Rapture". In search for what has been going on, they form the Tribulation Force, centred around a church in Chicago. Newly adopting the Christian faith, they are exposed to more tribulation that is to come. In face of this, they seek to oppose Carpathia as the "Antichrist". The Tribulation Force is an organisation formed by those left behind after the Rapture as portrayed in the fiction series Left Behind, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. ... For other meanings, see Rapture (disambiguation). ... ...

Characters

Characters from the teens series include: Rayford Steele, as portayed by actor Brad Johnson Spoiler warning: Rayford Steele is a fictional character from the Left Behind series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. ... Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-412 The Boeing 747, commonly called the Jumbo Jet, is one of the most recognizable of the modern airliners and is the largest airliner currently in service. ... Spoiler warning: Cameron Buck Williams, as played by Kirk Cameron in the film version of Left Behind A fictional character in the Left Behind series of novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, Cameron Buck Williams found his life turned upside down by the sudden disappearance of millions of... Spoiler warning: Actress Janaya Stephens portrays Chloe Steele in the movie version of Left Behind. ... A fictional character of the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, Bruce Barnes is pastor of the New Hope Village Church in Chicago. ... Hattie Durham is a fictional character in the Left Behind series, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. ... Nicolae Carpathia, as played by actor Gordon Currie. ... Leon Fortunato was once a highly respected member of the U.N...until he suddenly switched sides to Carpathias group, easily swayed by the Romanians charm. ... A fictional character in the Left Behind series of Christian novels, Dr. Chaim Rosenzweig is the man who has created the Eden formula. ...

These four characters make up what is known as the Young Tribulation Force, which is eventually joined by more characters.

Response

The books have sold very well in the United States, many topping The New York Times list of bestsellers. Nick Parmley, a charismatic Baptist minister from Portland, Oregon, has called on Evangelical Christians to adopt this series as "required reading". In other areas, such as continental Europe—where dispensationalism is largely non-existent—the books have been far less successful. The New York Times is a newspaper published in New York City by Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr. ... Europe forms the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Dispensationalism is a conceptual overview and interpretive framework for understanding the overall flow of the Bible. ...

The popularity of this series has spilt over beyond the Americas and the English-speaking world. It has been translated to many languages including Chinese and Japanese. There is, however, a protracted lag in translation. (As at September 2005, the Chinese version of Book 11 is in the press and the Japanese version of Book 6 has been published.)

Criticisms

In an article enquiring into the series' popularity, Salon magazine writer Michelle Goldberg described what she believed was one of the series' attractions: "On one level, the attraction of the Left Behind books isn't that much different from that of, say, Tom Clancy or Stephen King. The plotting is brisk and the characterizations Manichean." [1] However, she considered the books to be an attack on Judaism and liberal secularism, and pointed out that the near-future "end times" the books are set in seem to reflect the actual worldview of millions of Americans, including many prominent conservative leaders. Screenshot of Salon. ... Tom Clancy Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. ... Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author best known for horror novels. ... // Plot in literature, theater, movies According to Aristotles Poetics, a plot in literature is the arrangement of incidents that (ideally) each follow plausibly from the other. ... Manichaeism was one of the major ancient religions. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ... This article discusses liberalism as a major political ideology, not the usage of the term in specific countries. ... Secularism is commonly defined as the idea that religion should not interfere with or be integrated into the public affairs of a society. ... The Last Judgement - Fresco in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo The end times are, in one version of Christian eschatology and in Islam, a time of tribulation that will precede the Second Coming of Jesus. ... A world view, also spelled as worldview is a term calqued from the German word Weltanschauung (look onto the world). The German word is also in wide use in English, as well as the translated form world outlook. ...

Evangelical concerns

The "Left Behind" books and movies have done much to create an interest in Bible prophecy. Most evangelical Christians including those who believe the Holy Scriptures teach a Post Tribulation Rapture are pleased about this. These novels and movies have helped to break the "conspiracy of silence" that continues to cloak the subject of the End times in most denominations of the Church. However some evangelicals have expressed some concerns over the "Left Behind" series and the doctrine upon which it is based. They feel that a belief system that features an escapist or survivalist attitude to the climactic end-time blood covenant witness to Jesus is not supported by the Bible. Roughly one quarter of the Bible is widely regarded to contain passages which claim to foretell events and mandate conditions on future activities, focused primarily on the people and nations of the Middle East, and on the Messiah. ... The Post Tribulation Rapture doctrine is the belief in a combined Resurrection and Rapture (eg. ... The Last Judgement - Fresco in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo The end times are, in one version of Christian eschatology and in Islam, a time of tribulation that will precede the Second Coming of Jesus. ... Jesus, also known as Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus Christ, is the central figure of Christianity, most of the adherents of which worship him as the Messiah, son of God, and God incarnate. ...

Some evangelicals view the scenarios in the "Left Behind" series as melodramatic and less than inspiring. Some of the scenes in the "Left Behind" series describe Christians as hiding out in safehouses and avoiding the witness of Jesus Christ. They have expressed concern that such actions are out of character for the true Church. This is quite unlike the behaviour of the Apostle Paul and the behaviour of those faithful Christians in the early Church who came up to trial before the powers of Rome. Foxes Book of Martyrs reveals that when the actual hour of trial arrived Christians under persecution did not try to escape. They found themselves pleased to bring their testimony before the kings and rulers of nations, come what may. It is argued by some evangelicals that these dramatic and inspiring elements of Christian faithfulness are missing in these novels. Evangelicalism, in a strictly lexical, but rarely used sense, refers to all things that are implied in belief that Jesus is the savior. ...

Much worth discussion are concerns among many practicing Christians (Evangelicals and otherwise) that the social perspectives promoted in the Left Behind Series unduly sensationalize death and the destruction of masses of people whilst applying a "futurist interpretation" of the Book of Revelation. They argue that such an interpretation was not commonplace in the early Church, which viewed these events as already having occurred. (e.g., in the burning of Rome, Nero as Antichrist, the earlier destruction of the Temple).

Some critics are concerned that exposing teenagers or children to an apocalyptic outlook proposed by the series's author may lead to teenage depression and fanatical fundamentalism in response to the material. In comparative religion, fundamentalism has come to refer to several different understandings of religious thought and practice, including literal interpretation of sacred texts such as the Bible or the Quran and sometimes also anti-modernist movements in various religions. ...

Trivia

LaHaye and Jenkins cite the influence of Russell S. Doughten, an Iowan film-maker who directed a series of four low-budget feature-length films in the 1970s and 1980s about the Rapture and Second Coming. The films' popularity among Christian fundamentalists have led to increased study and speculation as to the events described in the Book of Revelation. Russell S. Doughten accepts a lifetime achievement award from the National Religious Broadcasters in 2002 Russell S. Doughten Jr. ... State nickname: The Hawkeye State Other U.S. States Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Governor Thomas Vilsack (D) Senators Chuck Grassley (R) Tom Harkin (D) Official languages English Area 145,743 kmÂ² (26th) - Land 144,701 kmÂ² - Water 1,042 kmÂ² (0. ... The 1970s in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1970 and 1979. ... // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... For other meanings, see Rapture (disambiguation). ... The prophecies of a Second Coming are various and span across many religions and cultures. ... Visions John the Evangelist, as depicted in the TrÃ¨s Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. ...

Movies based on the series

The success of the Left Behind books have led to the release of three motion pictures based on the series so far. The movies have been produced and released by Cloud Ten Pictures, a Canadian Christian movie studio. Image File history File links Leftbehind4. ... Image File history File links Leftbehind4. ... Cloud Ten Pictures is a film production company located in St. ...

In 2000, the studio released Left Behind: The Movie, based on the first book of the series. In a very unusual marketing scheme, the studio released the movie on video and DVD first, and then released it to the theatres. Though the movie fared well in theaters, it was the video release that turned heads in Hollywood, competing with blockbusters such as Spider-Man, among others. The movie starred former Growing Pains star Kirk Cameron, a practicing evangelist who finds the series inspiring, as Buck Williams. Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man Spider-Man is the name of an extremely successful movie (released on May 3, 2002) which stars Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Willem Dafoe and was directed by Sam Raimi. ... Growing Pains was a television sitcom that ran on the American ABC network from 1985 until 1992. ... Cameron Buck Williams, as played by Kirk Cameron in the film version of Left Behind Kirk Thomas Cameron (born October 12, 1970), better known only as Kirk Cameron, is an American actor who was popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s for his role on the sitcom Growing Pains...

In 2002 the sequel, Left Behind II: Tribulation Force was released, based on the first four hundred pages of the second novel, Tribulation Force. The Tribulation Force is an organisation formed by those left behind after the Rapture as portrayed in the fiction series Left Behind, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. ...

In October 2005, the third sequel, Left Behind: World at War was released first to churches on October 21, 2005 for church theatrical viewings, and is being released to DVD and video on October 25, 2005. The new movie is based very loosely on the final fifty pages of Tribulation Force, and features Louis Gossett Jr. playing the President of the United States, Gerald Fitzhugh. The third movie was the least identifiable with events in any of the books. Recognizable events were the marriages of Buck with Chloe and Rayford with Amanda, the death of Bruce Barnes, and the U.S. president heading an attack, with Britain and Egypt, against the Global Community. Major parts of the movie, however, were not in any of the books: the poisoning of Bibles by the forces of Nicolae, and an attempt by Fitzhugh to assassinate Nicolae. Buck's meeting with the president in the books makes it into the movie, but in a totally different form. October 21 is the 294th day of the year (295th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 71 days remaining. ... The Tribulation Force is an organisation formed by those left behind after the Rapture as portrayed in the fiction series Left Behind, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. ... Louis Gossett Jr. ... A fictional character in the third movie of the Left Behind series; played by Louis Gossett Jr. ...

With the great success of the movies so far, it can be expected that Cloud Ten Pictures will continue to produce more Left Behind films, possibly even covering the entire series. Cloud Ten Pictures is a film production company located in St. ...

It is of special interest to note that in 2004, Cloud Ten Pictures made a deal with Sony Entertainment to release all of its pictures under the Sony banner, and has been doing so ever since. Cloud Ten Pictures is a film production company located in St. ... Sony Corporation (Japanese katakana: ã‚½ãƒ‹ãƒ¼) (TYO: 6758), NYSE: SNE is a global Japanese consumer electronics corporation based in Tokyo, Japan. ...

Encyclopedia > The Indwelling

Contents