The Rapture Trap: A Catholic Response to End Times Fever

Really great book! I was formerly a Protestant who converted to Ukrainian Greek Catholic or Ukrainian Catholic as called in the USA. Certain aspects of Protestantism just never did make sense to me. At its very best, the Rapture looked suspicious. Mr. Thigpen gives a real serious historical look at the origins of this movement and it rather shocking in parts actually. When you look at things from the "Sola Scriptura" philosophy of Protestantism, things can get really murky because everything is taken out of context and history is eliminated. Its only when you take a "historical theological" approach that everything becomes much more clear. When did the Rapture doctrine first appear in history? When did it become so popular much later? Mr. Thigpen answers all these questions. There is one page in particular where he asks about 20 rhetorical questions that pulls no punches and just buries the notion of the rapture. If you already believe in the rapture, you will probably never buy this book. If you are questioning if it makes sense, and why if its true then why isn't it written all over the place in Holy Scripture or the writings of early Church Fathers and Doctors? Wouldn't it be in BOLD PRINT, and not something questionable? This book is worth a good look at. Its really, really good. He does have a Ph.D. so its not like he is uneducated in his subject matter.

The caption on the cover of the book reads, "A Catholic Response to `End Times' Fever." The author provides just what is needed for us to approach this subject. Dr. Thigpen does a notable job of showing that as Catholics we belong to a Church inoculated by the Holy Spirit against such errors by the immunization of the teaching Magisterium. While books may abound, written on a variety of subjects, basing their conclusions on the books of Sacred Scripture, Dr. Thigpen masterfully shows that there is only one authority having the right to interpret Scripture. Hence, the Magisterium stands as the sure foundation for Biblical studies and the backbone of Church teaching. He assures his readers that there is danger in standing outside of the Church's infallible Teaching. He cites many true-life examples of those who followed some charismatic leader and believed falsehoods about the end-times. He directs much attention to the consequences inherent in following any private revelation, including those surrounding apparitions, even Marian apparitions, rather than the Tradition of the Church. How many people, even in the last century and a half, have sold everything based on hopes that led only to uncovering their disillusionment? Using the gospel passage of the First Sunday of Advent, Cycle A (Mt 24:39-42) which points to the Lord's Second Coming, and in which the Church compares it to the time of Noah, when no one realized that tragedy was about to strike "until the flood came and carried them all away," Dr. Thigpen gives a fine example of how at least part of the message is distorted by the "end-times" rapture interpreters. Many people, who have come down with "End Times Fever," like the devotees of New York Times best seller, "Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth's Last Days," by Tim F. LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, the "Left Behind Series," and others, promote an interpretation of this gospel passage that actually results in predicting a Third Coming! In short, they combine what they believe is the teaching of these lines with that of the words of Saint Paul in his First Letter to the Thessalonians (4:14-17). Anyway, Dr. Thigpen asks the question, "In the days of Noah, who was taken (swept ... away), and who was left?" He himself answers that "the wicked were taken away in judgment ... and the righteous (Noah and his family on the ark) were left behind in safety." His conclusion is that "If the rapture teachers are correct in thinking that this passage applies to the close of the age, then it would seem to prove the opposite of what they teach about who gets taken and who gets left behind." Listening to CDs of this book (recorded by Saint Joseph Communications), I found it powerful to hear the Church's interpretation being read to me from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Article 7 of the Profession of Faith, "From Thence He Will Come Again to Judge the Living and the Dead" (668-679). Dr. Thigpen gives the reader a dose of the real teaching on the subject. While some may claim that the period of the Antichrist and the Tribulation, a time supposed to come after the "Rapture," will be followed by a period of "earthly" peace, based on their interpretation of the "Thousand Year Reign" of Christ (see Rev 20:4), the Catechism speaks of Christ's Coming quite differently, as something beyond this world and following the "Church's ultimate trial." This is part of what we are obliged to believe as Catholics:------------------------------------------- Before Christ's second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the "mystery of iniquity" in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh (675). The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection. The kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God's victory over the final unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from heaven. God's triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgment after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world (677).------------------------------------------- Where is the Third Coming, when the Second Coming is described definitively as such? To believe another interpretation than the Catholic Church's would be pure hype and, therefore, would be ludicrous. After reading Dr. Thigpen's book, the best guidance I can really give is only a summary of what he concludes, i.e. that the series and its theology are dangerous. I say, for that reason, they should be "left behind!" He stresses, "...They will deceive you. They will fill your head with flawed history, faulty theology, and twisted interpretations of Scripture. They will lead you astray in matters of eternal importance." For a subtle example, one response to the "Rapture" doctrine he described is that people, believing they are saved and that they will be swept up at the Lord's coming, can fall into the trap of thinking they need do nothing until then. That is not what Saint Paul urges in his Letter to the Romans. He says now is the time to prepare for our salvation, i.e. the Lord's coming. Now is the time to grow spiritually. Now is the time to live and act as Christians according to gospel principles. Now is the time to overcome our fallen human nature. Now is the time to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ!" (Rom 13:14). This is professing our faith in action!I consider this a necessary read or prescription for anyone "running the fever" or tainted by any symptoms that normally accompany this condition, however it was transmitted to them.

Lays out the case against the rapture using scripture and history.

GREAT BOOK!!!

As I am the only member of my extended family who is not a "Rapturist," having converted to Catholic many years ago, I feel the need to keep informed about what the rest of my family believes and where they went wrong in their thinking. This book does not disappoint, as it approaches the problem both historically and practically. It is not laborious to read, and is extremely informative. The author does not get sidetracked on tangents, as he well might, given the complex nature of historical discussions, but says only what needs to be said to help you understand. The examples he uses to illustrate points are well-chosen.

Paul Thigpen is a super fantastic author. I love his style and how he tells the story. This is a must read especially for people who believe in the Rapture which of course is false doctrine.

This book's focus is on1) the theological basis (and history) of the rapture belief;2) its implications for Christians; and3) the errors and misrepresentations included in the book Tribulation Force, which is an early episode of the Left Behind series.In addition, I want to commend the author for an unusually good (and brief) explanation of Christian teaching regarding why mankind's circumstances called for a Messiah, and what His coming means for us born after His life on earth.Highly recommended.

Fine

As someone who was an evangelical Protestant now Catholic who firmly believed in the Rapture, this book was a fantastic read! It helped me to understand those proof texting passages of the Bible that Rapture believers use to defend their stance. I was a big lover of the "Left Behind" series and, since becoming Catholic, I was looking for books to help me understand the Catholic stance. This book was definitely 1 of them that made me see much more clearly and helped me defend the Catholic position on "and times" theology that certain evangelical Protestants attest to.A strong recommendation for Catholics to understand this subject and help equip them to defend their faith in the matter. I also recommend for non Catholics but all I ask is that one who is part of these sects that attest to the "end times" theology is to read this book with an open mind and no denominational bias.

Excellent description of the unbiblical rapture which millions of people mainly evangelicals and fundamentalist and a scattering of other churches ( small c ) believe is going to happen. The Holy Catholic Church dosen't teach on a 3rd coming of Christ which evangelical protestants actually believe is going to happen secretly, Dr Thigpen gets right to the bottom of this rapture lie and if everyone who believed in this false teaching read this book then I truly believe reading this book would truly open there eyes. Pax Christi.