Expert says end-times rapture theology is nuts

[Ian David]

It is vital that Christians address apocalyptic questions and the proper handling of scriptural texts because there is a powerful sense of ‘an end’ right now in our culture, declared the Rev Dr Barbara R. Rossing

By Ekklesia
Wednesday, January 24, 2007

A leading scholar has said that the end-times rapture theology propagated by many fundamentalist Christian groups, and said to be an influence within the Bush White House, is unbiblical and basically “nuts”.

It is vital that Christians address apocalyptic questions and the proper handling of scriptural texts because there is a powerful sense of ‘an end’ right now in our culture, declared the Rev Dr Barbara R. Rossing at the Trinity Institute's 37th national theological conference on 23 January 2007.

Dr Rossing, who is professor of New Testament at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, is the author of ‘The Rapture Exposed: The Message of Hope in The Book of Revelation.’ She has lectured, preached, and published widely.

This year's gathering, offered by Trinity Church in Wall Street, New York, concludes on 24 January.

In her presentation, Rossing said that the "whole notion of apocalypse, of catastrophic future scenarios and end times is so prominent on our culture radar screen these days."

<snip>


However, faced with global climate change, depletion of the supply of oil, escalating violence from wars around the world, the threat of nuclear weapons, and the pain of those who are being left behind in today's globalize economy, Professor Rossing said saying "no" was not enough.

She continued: "If apocalypse means revealing, then the question for us today is what curtain did Hurricane Katrina pull back? What does it reveal? What do other events unveil for us?" she asked. "Whether the accelerating melting of Greenland's ice, the war in Iraq, or 9/11 and its aftermath, how do we read these signs of the times?"


More:
http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=34&idsub=172&id=7603&t=Expert+says+end-times+rapture+theology+is+nuts

[orpupilofnature57]

1. Well I wouldn't call Shrub the Anti-Christ , but maybe Poppy.

[donco6]

2. A lot of people think all Christians believe in the "Rapture".

It's really reserved for the evangelical and fundamentalist camps. I know Lutherans don't buy it; don't think Methodists or Presbyterians do either. Episcopalians, Catholics . . . nope. At least not officially. And it's a relatively recent addition to Christian theology. But it's been popularlized by those dumbass Left Behind books and campus speakers from a few decades ago (Josh McDowell comes to mind).

[kestrel91316]

5. Rapture BS is definitely NOT from mainstream Christianity.

It is strictly a conservative southern Baptist/Pentecostal/born again/fundie thing.

I was raised Presbyterian and never heard of any of this until I was in college listening to PTL on tv (for entertainment). The Rapture folks are the rabid whackjobs of the RW. Completely nuts.

Unfortunately, these people have painted themselves as THE ONLY TRUE CHRISTIANS. And they apparently have some sort of hold over the media, which perpetuates that lie. So mainstream Christianity gets COMPLETELY ignored.

Google: Dominionism
Know your enemy.

[donco6]

7. Dominionism is even more extreme.

I used to go to a fairly conservative Bible church. They were Rapture types, but did NOT believe in Dominionism. However, a number of folks on that PNAC group are from the Dominionist camp. I think even Rushdoony himself . . .

Talk about whack jobs. . .

[kestrel91316]

16. Rushdoony is the head Dominionist, I think. And yes, PNAC is a nest of

those vipers. IMHO so is the executive branch, and the Republicans in Congress, and part of the Supreme Court.

Dominionism's MO is to get into place BY STEALTH and then show their true hand. The have almost totally consolidated their power. Our gains in Congress in Nov saved our bacon for the time being.

[RoseMead]

3. We needed a "leading scholar" to tell us this?

:crazy:

[More Than A Feeling]

6. No kidding!

:eyes:

[Wanet]

4. I've read The Rapture Exposed

It's a very good treatment of the new, violent rapture theology. I'd recommend it for Christians or others who would like to learn what the traditional church teaching is. -- Wanet

[cosmik debris]

8. So, let me get this straight

A person who believes that a man rose from the dead is saying that someone else's beliefs are nuts. Is that so? Hmmm? I'm glad we got that straight! :shrug:

[Solo_in_MD]

9. Rapture is a bone of contention between the evangelicals and older xtian sects

However, there is enough supporting text that it really cannot be *debunked*. The real argument is that it goes against church tradition (originally Catholic, but propagated to the other older sects). Even among evangelical sects there are there are disagreements as to time line (pre/mid/post) and when (today, next month, next century). Key biblical texts add to this confusion.

Rossing is in error when she claims that there is a new spirit of "it going to happen right now", that attitude was prevalent when the gospels are written and has never changed.

If you read her work and that of other detractors, then read publications by Hal Lindsay and other proponents, its clear it will never going to be settled among the xtians, unless of course it happens.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. The Rapture came on a Tuesday last year.

Didn't you notice? God didn't pick any of us to disappear.

[beingthere]

11. no expertise required. nt

[irislake]

12. I am SO disappointed!

[On the Road]

13. What's "Biblical" is Always Changing

Very few fundamentalists have any clue as to how the historical religious figures they admire interpreted the Bible or thought about the end of the world.

Despite conditions such as barbarian attacks on Rome, St Augustine denied all efforts to draw parallels between the book of Revelation and events in his lifetime.

Our Pilgrim forefathers, being from a Reformed background, were postmillenialists. Far from looking for the rapture and the tribulation, they believed that God's Kingdom would spread throughout the world as foreseen in the Book of Daniel.

But dispensationalism is so strong today that it is incredibly difficult to persuade modern fundamentalists of this.

[sakabatou]

14. No, really?

Just take a gander at fstdt It's got a whole bunch of nutbags. It's also one of my favotites to cheer me up and laugh at the sheer stupidity.

[RebelOne]

15. No, sheer stupidity is over at RaptureReady.com.

They are delusional fundie kooks. I love to visit the site for a good laugh.