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Will Catholics Be Left Behind: A Critique of the Rapture and Today's Prophecy Preachers
This book is a thorough, Catholic critique of the popular Fundamentalist belief in the "Rapture" - the belief that Christians will be removed from earth prior to a time of Tribulation and the Second Coming. It examines the theological, historical, and Biblical basis for the "Rapture" by carefully examining "premillennial dispensationalism", the belief system in the Left Behind books and propagated by such Biblical prophecy writers as Tim LaHaye and Hal Lindsey.
Written for both the lay person and the serious student, this book combines an engaging, popular approach with detailed footnotes and exhaustive research. Beginning with the big picture, it focuses first on key concepts such as eschatology, the Parousa, "end times", the Kingdom, and the Church. Olson then shows how Fundamentalist author and Left Behind creator LaHaye's many works on "Bible prophecy" are filled with attacks on Catholicism and numerous misconceptions.
Written for both the lay person and the serious student, this book combines an engaging, popular approach with detailed footnotes and exhaustive research. Beginning with the big picture, it focuses first on key concepts such as eschatology, the Parousa, "end times", the Kingdom, and the Church. Olson then shows how Fundamentalist author and Left Behind creator LaHaye's many works on "Bible prophecy" are filled with attacks on Catholicism and numerous misconceptions.
395 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2003
16 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Carl E. Olson
15 books20 followersCarl Olson is the editor of Ignatius Insight, an online magazine that provides readers with essays, interviews, reviews and news related to the Catholic Church and the work of Ignatius Press, one of the world’s largest Catholic publishers. He is also the moderator of the Insight Scoop, the Ignatius Press weblog.
Olson grew up in a Fundamentalist Protestant home in western Montana. After two years of art school, he attended Briercrest Bible College, an Evangelical Bible college in Saskatchewan, Canada, graduating with an associate’s degree in 1991. His wife, Heather, is a graduate of Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Oregon. They married in 1994 and entered the Catholic Church together in 1997; their conversion story appears in the book, Surprised By Truth 3.
In May 2000, Olson graduated from the University of Dallas with a Masters in Theological Studies. For two years he worked as the director of catechesis and evangelization for Nativity of the Mother of God, a Byzantine Catholic parish in Springfield, Oregon. Then, from 2002 to 2004, he was the editor of the award-winning Envoy magazine.
Long interested in Evangelical and Fundamentalist beliefs about the end of the world, Olson has written over two dozen articles about Bible prophecy, the belief in the “Rapture,” and Left Behind books. His first book, Will Catholics Be “Left Behind” A Catholic Critique of the Rapture and Today’s Prophecy Preachers (Ignatius Press, 2003) was the result of years of research on the topic; it was recognized by the Associated Press as one of the best religious titles of 2003.
Carl Olson is also the co-author, with medievalist Sandra Miesel, of The Da Vinci Hoax: Exposing the Errors in The Da Vinci Code (Ignatius, 2004; see www.davincihoax.com). Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, wrote the foreword and described the book as “the definitive debunking” of the best-selling The Da Vinci Code. In addition, historian Dr. James Hitchcock called it “superb and meticulous,” World editor Marvin Olasky described it as a “clearly-written antidote,” and Professor Philip Jenkins of Pennsylvania State University said it “is a delight to read.”
He has also written articles for Crisis, The Catholic Faith, Catholic Parent, National Catholic Register, Envoy, This Rock, First Things, Gilbert!, Touchstone, Canticle, Saint Austin Review, New Covenant, The Catalyst, Lay Witness, National Review Online, CatholicExchange.com, and Catholic.org. He is a contributing editor to This Rock magazine and writes the weekly “Opening the Word” Scripture column for Our Sunday Visitor. Olson also wrote the introduction to [b:Pied Piper of Atheism: Philip Pullman and Children’s Fantasy|2310638|Pied Piper of Atheism Phili
Olson grew up in a Fundamentalist Protestant home in western Montana. After two years of art school, he attended Briercrest Bible College, an Evangelical Bible college in Saskatchewan, Canada, graduating with an associate’s degree in 1991. His wife, Heather, is a graduate of Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Oregon. They married in 1994 and entered the Catholic Church together in 1997; their conversion story appears in the book, Surprised By Truth 3.
In May 2000, Olson graduated from the University of Dallas with a Masters in Theological Studies. For two years he worked as the director of catechesis and evangelization for Nativity of the Mother of God, a Byzantine Catholic parish in Springfield, Oregon. Then, from 2002 to 2004, he was the editor of the award-winning Envoy magazine.
Long interested in Evangelical and Fundamentalist beliefs about the end of the world, Olson has written over two dozen articles about Bible prophecy, the belief in the “Rapture,” and Left Behind books. His first book, Will Catholics Be “Left Behind” A Catholic Critique of the Rapture and Today’s Prophecy Preachers (Ignatius Press, 2003) was the result of years of research on the topic; it was recognized by the Associated Press as one of the best religious titles of 2003.
Carl Olson is also the co-author, with medievalist Sandra Miesel, of The Da Vinci Hoax: Exposing the Errors in The Da Vinci Code (Ignatius, 2004; see www.davincihoax.com). Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, wrote the foreword and described the book as “the definitive debunking” of the best-selling The Da Vinci Code. In addition, historian Dr. James Hitchcock called it “superb and meticulous,” World editor Marvin Olasky described it as a “clearly-written antidote,” and Professor Philip Jenkins of Pennsylvania State University said it “is a delight to read.”
He has also written articles for Crisis, The Catholic Faith, Catholic Parent, National Catholic Register, Envoy, This Rock, First Things, Gilbert!, Touchstone, Canticle, Saint Austin Review, New Covenant, The Catalyst, Lay Witness, National Review Online, CatholicExchange.com, and Catholic.org. He is a contributing editor to This Rock magazine and writes the weekly “Opening the Word” Scripture column for Our Sunday Visitor. Olson also wrote the introduction to [b:Pied Piper of Atheism: Philip Pullman and Children’s Fantasy|2310638|Pied Piper of Atheism Phili
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 20, 2014
This book gives a detailed description of fundamentalist eschatology according to Scofield/Darby/Lindsay and the Moody Bible Institute then contrasts it with Catholic theology.
It focuses on premillennial dispensationalism (rapture > tribulation > new world order > antichrist > parousia > Armageddon > thousand years > end of days) and the supporting scripture, but walks through the four interpretations of The Book of Revelation (futurist, historist, preterist and idealist) and sheds some light on why there are differences of opinion on the book's meaning.
At its core, the two sides of this debate disagree on the definition of The Kingdom.
Catholics believe the Old Testament is fulfilled in Christ, The Church is the New Israel and the Kingdom is a present-day reality which will become fully realized in Heaven after the second coming.
Fundamentalists who ascribe to Scofield believe in two Parousias: one where those who are Saved will be taken up in the Rapture with Jesus (before the Tribulation) and the another when they return to Earth with Jesus to defeat Satan in the Battle of Armageddon before returning to heaven and turning over the Kingdom (on Earth) to the Jews (God's original chosen people) who will finally believe Jesus is the Christ (the warrior Messiah) and worship him on Earth for 1,000 years.
Certainly an eye opener. I wonder how many people who like/believe the Left Behind series of books actually know their full beliefs.
It focuses on premillennial dispensationalism (rapture > tribulation > new world order > antichrist > parousia > Armageddon > thousand years > end of days) and the supporting scripture, but walks through the four interpretations of The Book of Revelation (futurist, historist, preterist and idealist) and sheds some light on why there are differences of opinion on the book's meaning.
At its core, the two sides of this debate disagree on the definition of The Kingdom.
Catholics believe the Old Testament is fulfilled in Christ, The Church is the New Israel and the Kingdom is a present-day reality which will become fully realized in Heaven after the second coming.
Fundamentalists who ascribe to Scofield believe in two Parousias: one where those who are Saved will be taken up in the Rapture with Jesus (before the Tribulation) and the another when they return to Earth with Jesus to defeat Satan in the Battle of Armageddon before returning to heaven and turning over the Kingdom (on Earth) to the Jews (God's original chosen people) who will finally believe Jesus is the Christ (the warrior Messiah) and worship him on Earth for 1,000 years.
Certainly an eye opener. I wonder how many people who like/believe the Left Behind series of books actually know their full beliefs.
July 9, 2012
Every November as the world world comes to the end-as-beginning of another year, Christians look forward to the yearly celebration of the Coming of the Lord as the Babe of Bethlehem while also looking forward to the and the Second Coming of Christ in Glory and the World-To-Come in the Season of Advent. Traditionally also, this is a time for the preaching of the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell as it relates to the individual. And a rich source of material for such preaching is to be found in the final book of the Christian Bible, "The Revelation to John".
This is especially true of Evangelical preaching and popular fiction about the end times, which is more likely to tie events in Revelation to contemporary world events. A popular movement within Evangelical Christian circles which typifies this style of writing is Dispensationalism with its watchword question "Will you be left behind when Christ comes to rapture His Church?" This is a question not usually asked by Catholic Christians, who instead are more likely to ask, "What is the Rapture?"
Carl Olson's "Will Catholics be "left behind? A Catholic Critique of the Rapture and Today's Prophecy Preachers" offers an answer, as well as an answer to the answer, to the question above. Olson, an Evangelical convert to Roman Catholicism, edited the Catholic periodical Envoy and also free-lances for various other Catholic publications. The book was written, in his own words because "the Rapture, and belief in the Rapture, is the heart of a unique and complex view of the Bible, the world, the Kingdom and Israel, and the end of Time" (p13) that is at odds with Catholic (and historical mainline Protestant) theology, and is not to be taken as an isolated doctrine. That is why it is important to understand, and to critique, the rapture.
The book is divided into two sections: part one (chapters one through six) gives an introduction and history of the rapture and it's surrounding theology; and part two (chapters 7-10) provides a critique of the same from Catholic principles. An introduction, glossary of names and of terms, notes, index, a lengthy bibliography of primary sources pointing to further information on the topics covered in the book frame the work as a whole.
In the introduction, Olson shares his own faith journey and interaction with Rapture theology, as well as his motives for writing "Will Catholics Be Left Behind". Chapter one brings us into the world of the rapture and modern bible prophecy movement, as well as summarizing the confusion that Catholic often when presented with rapture teachings, Chapter two provides an overview of the recent popularity of "Left Behind" and other media treatments and begins to analyze the theology behind it, Then in chapters 3 we are introduced to the literalist method of scriptural interpretation as applied to both the Book of Revelation and the Prophets and the Bible as a whole, as well as a brief history of interpretation of the Book of Revelation through the centuries.
Chapters 4-6 bring the focus to the movements and personalities of this theology through the twin lenses of
Dispensationalist-Milllenarianism. Chapter 5 and 6 especially give a history of key movements -offering a brief overview of end-times teachings from the Church Fathers on up to the late twentieth century with special attention to British and American writers- and personalities -such as William Miller, John Nelson Darby, Cyrus Scofield (of the Scofield Reference Bible) Hal Lindsey, and Tim LaHaye (of the Left Behind series of apocalyptic novels)-, as well as clarification of many terms used in teaching and commentaries -explaining the differences between pre-, post, and mid-tribulation; and pre-, post- and amillennialism.
With chapter 7, Olson begins the critique from Catholic principles, concentrating on what Olson says are the three main areas of disagreement between Dispenseationalists and other forms of Christianity: the relationship of Old Testament Israel and the Church (chapter 7), the interpretation of the Scripture (literalist only approach versus a more nuanced understanding) and "Bible Prophecy" with its constant search to match current world events with the events of "prophecy" as it relates to the End Times and its influence upon the believers who accept such views (chapter 8); and the Rapture itself -the notion of believers being caught up and removed from the world scene before the Second Coming (chapter 9). He ends the book with a chapter giving the Catholic view of the end times (chapter 10).
Although Olson himself as he admits, was raised in a Fundamentalist home in expectation of the Rapture, he draws very little upon personal experience in his critique, focusing instead on dispensationalists' own writings as primary source material, on passages of disputed scripture, as well as documents from Vatican II, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and prominent theologians.
Obviously, Olson writes from the perspective of a committed Roman Catholic, but much of his criticism would be agreeable to Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and the other mainline Protestant churches. His book is helpful in understanding the popularity of End Times fervor among our Evangelical and Fundamentalist brethren, sympathetic yet not afraid to point out fundamental errors in method and effect. At the same time, his reliance on written sources only without engaging in dialogue.
The book can appear to be overbalanced in favor of Dispensationalism, with the final chapter a solitary coda on a positive understanding of the End Times, yet is helpful to keep in mind that Olson is not writing a scholarly text, but a popular introduction for Catholics. One [Amazon] reviewer has criticized Olson for not including a discussion of Catholic 'private revelation' and Catholic 'end times prophecies' when giving the Catholic teaching of the End Times(1), but this shows a misunderstanding of the role of private revelation: private revelation is not to be construed as adding anything to doctrine -any such teaching does not belong to the Deposit of the Faith. but is only useful for confirming or illustrating teachings of the faith, and must not contain anything contrary to faith or good morals(2).
references:
(1) http://www.amazon.com/Catholics-Behin...
(2) Poulain, A. (1912). Private Revelations. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved July 9, 2012 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13005...
This is especially true of Evangelical preaching and popular fiction about the end times, which is more likely to tie events in Revelation to contemporary world events. A popular movement within Evangelical Christian circles which typifies this style of writing is Dispensationalism with its watchword question "Will you be left behind when Christ comes to rapture His Church?" This is a question not usually asked by Catholic Christians, who instead are more likely to ask, "What is the Rapture?"
Carl Olson's "Will Catholics be "left behind? A Catholic Critique of the Rapture and Today's Prophecy Preachers" offers an answer, as well as an answer to the answer, to the question above. Olson, an Evangelical convert to Roman Catholicism, edited the Catholic periodical Envoy and also free-lances for various other Catholic publications. The book was written, in his own words because "the Rapture, and belief in the Rapture, is the heart of a unique and complex view of the Bible, the world, the Kingdom and Israel, and the end of Time" (p13) that is at odds with Catholic (and historical mainline Protestant) theology, and is not to be taken as an isolated doctrine. That is why it is important to understand, and to critique, the rapture.
The book is divided into two sections: part one (chapters one through six) gives an introduction and history of the rapture and it's surrounding theology; and part two (chapters 7-10) provides a critique of the same from Catholic principles. An introduction, glossary of names and of terms, notes, index, a lengthy bibliography of primary sources pointing to further information on the topics covered in the book frame the work as a whole.
In the introduction, Olson shares his own faith journey and interaction with Rapture theology, as well as his motives for writing "Will Catholics Be Left Behind". Chapter one brings us into the world of the rapture and modern bible prophecy movement, as well as summarizing the confusion that Catholic often when presented with rapture teachings, Chapter two provides an overview of the recent popularity of "Left Behind" and other media treatments and begins to analyze the theology behind it, Then in chapters 3 we are introduced to the literalist method of scriptural interpretation as applied to both the Book of Revelation and the Prophets and the Bible as a whole, as well as a brief history of interpretation of the Book of Revelation through the centuries.
Chapters 4-6 bring the focus to the movements and personalities of this theology through the twin lenses of
Dispensationalist-Milllenarianism. Chapter 5 and 6 especially give a history of key movements -offering a brief overview of end-times teachings from the Church Fathers on up to the late twentieth century with special attention to British and American writers- and personalities -such as William Miller, John Nelson Darby, Cyrus Scofield (of the Scofield Reference Bible) Hal Lindsey, and Tim LaHaye (of the Left Behind series of apocalyptic novels)-, as well as clarification of many terms used in teaching and commentaries -explaining the differences between pre-, post, and mid-tribulation; and pre-, post- and amillennialism.
With chapter 7, Olson begins the critique from Catholic principles, concentrating on what Olson says are the three main areas of disagreement between Dispenseationalists and other forms of Christianity: the relationship of Old Testament Israel and the Church (chapter 7), the interpretation of the Scripture (literalist only approach versus a more nuanced understanding) and "Bible Prophecy" with its constant search to match current world events with the events of "prophecy" as it relates to the End Times and its influence upon the believers who accept such views (chapter 8); and the Rapture itself -the notion of believers being caught up and removed from the world scene before the Second Coming (chapter 9). He ends the book with a chapter giving the Catholic view of the end times (chapter 10).
Although Olson himself as he admits, was raised in a Fundamentalist home in expectation of the Rapture, he draws very little upon personal experience in his critique, focusing instead on dispensationalists' own writings as primary source material, on passages of disputed scripture, as well as documents from Vatican II, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and prominent theologians.
Obviously, Olson writes from the perspective of a committed Roman Catholic, but much of his criticism would be agreeable to Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and the other mainline Protestant churches. His book is helpful in understanding the popularity of End Times fervor among our Evangelical and Fundamentalist brethren, sympathetic yet not afraid to point out fundamental errors in method and effect. At the same time, his reliance on written sources only without engaging in dialogue.
The book can appear to be overbalanced in favor of Dispensationalism, with the final chapter a solitary coda on a positive understanding of the End Times, yet is helpful to keep in mind that Olson is not writing a scholarly text, but a popular introduction for Catholics. One [Amazon] reviewer has criticized Olson for not including a discussion of Catholic 'private revelation' and Catholic 'end times prophecies' when giving the Catholic teaching of the End Times(1), but this shows a misunderstanding of the role of private revelation: private revelation is not to be construed as adding anything to doctrine -any such teaching does not belong to the Deposit of the Faith. but is only useful for confirming or illustrating teachings of the faith, and must not contain anything contrary to faith or good morals(2).
references:
(1) http://www.amazon.com/Catholics-Behin...
(2) Poulain, A. (1912). Private Revelations. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved July 9, 2012 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13005...
August 19, 2012
Great perspective of the Catholic belief about the rapture, tribulation, and second coming. Very good at comparing the differences between general pretribulation millenialism beliefs and what the Catholic church teaches about the end times. I skimmed some of the critique of the Left Behind Series, because I'm not really interested in them anyway. But the description of the magisterium's teachings all in one place in plain English were very helpful to me. Highly recommended if you are deliving into Catholic theology!
May 22, 2011
I read this YEARS ago, but apparently forgot to post it here...and since the world DID NOT end yesterday (or whatever was supposed to happen), I thought it was an appropriate add. Olson gives a history of "Rapture" prophecies throughout the centuries, and then discusses how these are not at all Biblically based. A great read.
February 25, 2012
Excellent book for Catholics and Protestants alike. Protestants will appreciate knowing the Catholic interpretation of Revelation. Catholics will appreciate knowing how Revelation fits in with the liturgy and receive a much fuller view of Revelation that Protestant's often narrow focus on the end-times.
February 12, 2019
Great book! So insightful! Will be keeping this one for sure on my important shelf. I’m sure that I will read it again many more times and use it for future studies and referencing.
September 22, 2024
A CATHOLIC WRITER PRESENTS A "CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVE ON THE RAPTURE"
(TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
Carl Olson is the editor of Envoy magazine, as well as having been raised in an "anti-Catholic, Fundamentalist home"; he has also co-written 'The Da Vinci Hoax: Exposing the Errors in the Da Vinci Code.'
He wrote in the Introduction to this 2003 book, "A knowledgeable Catholic friend recently asked me: 'Why would a Catholic write a book on the Rapture?' The answer is simple: There is a serious need for a detailed examination of this topic from a Catholic perspective. There is much confusion about the issue, especially among Catholics who are serious about knowing their faith, who spend time explaining it to others, and who defend it against attacks made by anti-Catholic groups and authors." (Pg. 12)
He explains, "The PRETERIST believes that the book of Revelation describes events that have already occurred in the life of the early Church, usually understood as the persecution of Christians by the Jewish leaders and the Roman emperors (especially Nero) and the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.... the modern preterist system was created by the Jesuit Luisde Alcazar (1554-1613) in another attempt to refute the historicist view held by most of the early Protestants. Today, many Christians of the Reformed Protestant tradition are preterists... Some of the best critiques of dispensationalism have been written by preterist theologians. An increasing number of Catholic scholars adhere to preterism, at least in a modified form." (Pg. 81)
He notes, "While the liturgy and tradition of the Catholic Church draw deeply from the liturgical and theological elements of the book of Revelation, there is no official Catholic choice among the four interpretive methods [idealist; futurist; historicist; and preterist]." (Pg. 85-86)
He adds, "The Catholic belief that the Kingdom has been established and is growing even now, until the end, is at complete odds with the futurist, dispensationalist belief that the Kingdom has not yet come and that the King is not even ruling the world!" (Pg. 92) He says, "Catholic doctrine... teaches that the Church is the Kingdom, but that here on earth she exists in a state of expectancy." (Pg. 136) He adds, "If the Church has little or nothing to do with the Kingdom, it would seem odd for Jesus to give the 'keys of the kingdom' to the leader of the Church." (Pg. 236)
He asserts, "Catholics believe that the 'Rapture'---properly understood---and the Second Coming are part of a single, unified event. Believers in Jesus Christ here on earth will be 'caught up together' (1 Thess 4:17) to meet him at the Second Coming... as he returns with all of those saints already with him in glory. The Catholic belief that this 'rapture' and the Second Coming are one event is shared by the Eastern Orthodox, the ancient Oriental Churches, Anglicans, and most mainline Protestant denominations, including Lutherans and Reformed Protestants." (Pg. 288)
He argues, "the continuity is clear. Jesus Christ did not fail in his first coming, nor did he have to change his plan because some of the Jews rejected him. It was always the Father's plan to form the Church, to provide humanity with the means to become a new creation in the new and definitive covenant." (Pg. 347) He summarizes, "the Catholic Church teaches that before the final day of judgment there will be a time of severe testing and tribulation. The Church says relatively little about this time; nothing is said about how long it will last or when it might transpire. However, Catholic doctrine explicitly states that the Church will go through this great trial at the end of time." (Pg. 353)
It is impossible to write a book about the "end times" that everyone will agree with, and Olson's book is no exception. But he makes some pertinent criticisms of the popular "Left Behind"-scenario that is popular among Evangelicals, and this book is very worthwhile reading not just for Catholics, but for any Christians studying apocalyptic literature.
(TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
Carl Olson is the editor of Envoy magazine, as well as having been raised in an "anti-Catholic, Fundamentalist home"; he has also co-written 'The Da Vinci Hoax: Exposing the Errors in the Da Vinci Code.'
He wrote in the Introduction to this 2003 book, "A knowledgeable Catholic friend recently asked me: 'Why would a Catholic write a book on the Rapture?' The answer is simple: There is a serious need for a detailed examination of this topic from a Catholic perspective. There is much confusion about the issue, especially among Catholics who are serious about knowing their faith, who spend time explaining it to others, and who defend it against attacks made by anti-Catholic groups and authors." (Pg. 12)
He explains, "The PRETERIST believes that the book of Revelation describes events that have already occurred in the life of the early Church, usually understood as the persecution of Christians by the Jewish leaders and the Roman emperors (especially Nero) and the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.... the modern preterist system was created by the Jesuit Luisde Alcazar (1554-1613) in another attempt to refute the historicist view held by most of the early Protestants. Today, many Christians of the Reformed Protestant tradition are preterists... Some of the best critiques of dispensationalism have been written by preterist theologians. An increasing number of Catholic scholars adhere to preterism, at least in a modified form." (Pg. 81)
He notes, "While the liturgy and tradition of the Catholic Church draw deeply from the liturgical and theological elements of the book of Revelation, there is no official Catholic choice among the four interpretive methods [idealist; futurist; historicist; and preterist]." (Pg. 85-86)
He adds, "The Catholic belief that the Kingdom has been established and is growing even now, until the end, is at complete odds with the futurist, dispensationalist belief that the Kingdom has not yet come and that the King is not even ruling the world!" (Pg. 92) He says, "Catholic doctrine... teaches that the Church is the Kingdom, but that here on earth she exists in a state of expectancy." (Pg. 136) He adds, "If the Church has little or nothing to do with the Kingdom, it would seem odd for Jesus to give the 'keys of the kingdom' to the leader of the Church." (Pg. 236)
He asserts, "Catholics believe that the 'Rapture'---properly understood---and the Second Coming are part of a single, unified event. Believers in Jesus Christ here on earth will be 'caught up together' (1 Thess 4:17) to meet him at the Second Coming... as he returns with all of those saints already with him in glory. The Catholic belief that this 'rapture' and the Second Coming are one event is shared by the Eastern Orthodox, the ancient Oriental Churches, Anglicans, and most mainline Protestant denominations, including Lutherans and Reformed Protestants." (Pg. 288)
He argues, "the continuity is clear. Jesus Christ did not fail in his first coming, nor did he have to change his plan because some of the Jews rejected him. It was always the Father's plan to form the Church, to provide humanity with the means to become a new creation in the new and definitive covenant." (Pg. 347) He summarizes, "the Catholic Church teaches that before the final day of judgment there will be a time of severe testing and tribulation. The Church says relatively little about this time; nothing is said about how long it will last or when it might transpire. However, Catholic doctrine explicitly states that the Church will go through this great trial at the end of time." (Pg. 353)
It is impossible to write a book about the "end times" that everyone will agree with, and Olson's book is no exception. But he makes some pertinent criticisms of the popular "Left Behind"-scenario that is popular among Evangelicals, and this book is very worthwhile reading not just for Catholics, but for any Christians studying apocalyptic literature.
May 18, 2013
Clears up the confusion for catholics
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews