Are we living in the end times...Part 2

I want to continue the discussion on the End Times and the Second Coming. I think this topic is important as the Left Behind type of books continue to rise in popularity. It seems that Catholic need to be able to defend the faith and also to understand the difference. Even my non-Catholic readers need to understand the differences as I suspect none are dispensationalists.

Catholics differ significantly in two areas regarding the End Times and Second Coming of Christ. Catholics believe that Jesus established the Kingdom when he became incarnate and lived on earth. The Kingdom is the Church. When Christ returns at the Second Coming, time will end and the Final Judgment will take place. Most dispensationalists and other Rapture followers do not believe that the Church is the Kingdom at all, rather that the Kingdom was offered to the Jews who refused it. The Rapture, therefore, will occur with the 'secret' coming of Christ to liberate the true Christians from earth who "will be caught up together with them [the risen dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thes. 4:17). Those 'left behind' face the disasters spoken of in the Book of Revelation which culminate with Christ Second Coming to establish his earthly reign for a thousand years before time will end. This is a pretribulation or midtribulation belief actually has Christ returning twice: first secretly to ‘rapture’ the faithful and then generally to judge all and establish his earthly reign. The Catholic Church does not believe in any 'secret' return of Christ prior to his Second Coming.

The history preceding the writing of the Left Behind series helps us to better understand the theology from with these books were written. In the early formation of a millenarianism, a general belief in Christ returning to establish a thousand year earthly reign before the end of time. This is contrasted with the doctrinal development of the End Times for Catholics. Augustine’s solid and foundational understanding, developed in his work City of God, that describes ‘City of God’ and ‘city of Satan’ battling in history yet Christ has already determined the winner. This ‘already but not yet’ doctrine is foundational to the understanding of the end of time as culminating with the Second Coming of Christ and his Final Judgment. The Protestant Reformation is a time of increased interest in the apocalypse. The 1800’s, however, was the time in which many new theories of the apocalypse developed. Many new beliefs arose at this time, particularly against Catholic doctrine. The Catholic Church was seen as corrupt and rejected by Christ. Opponents believed that there was no such thing as the Body of Christ and that an individual relationship with Christ was the means of salvation, hence the common phrase, "He you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?"

That is alot to digest, so I will stop there. I will have one more entry on this topic that will bring us to the present and the actual Left Behind series. Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 20:10 | link | comments (2) |
blog

Comments:

#1  26 April 2006 - 06:53

 

I think as Catholics, we don't have to be like many Protestants who are constantly worrying about the end times, studying the 'prophecies', looking for signs.

Because Jesus is already truely present in our midsts; at tabernacles, adoration chapels and being daily consecrated at altars.

I do not think that as Catholics we should (be like Protestants) as concerned about the 2nd coming.

Well, at least thats what I think...

~Estevan~

Anonymous

#2  26 April 2006 - 06:57

 

I think Mother Angelica also made a similar comment during an airing of her programme 'Mother Angelica Live' in 1994.

Anonymous

Comments: