Catholics and the rapture

[1by1]

I'm not Catholic, and I'm not interested in starting a debate. I'm merely curious about what the official RCC teaching is regarding what Protestants call the "rapture".

What is the RCC belief regarding this, and the return of Christ?

Thanks.

1by1

 

[Miss Shelby]

That He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and that His kingdom shall have no end.

Michelle

 

[nyj]

I'm not Catholic, and I'm not interested in starting a debate. I'm merely curious about what the official RCC teaching is regarding what Protestants call the "rapture".

What is the RCC belief regarding this, and the return of Christ?

The official position of the Catholic Church on the rapture professed by many Protestants is: There will be no such thing.

As the Nicene Creed states, Jesus will return once to judge the living and the dead and from that point on, His Kingdom will have no end. A rapture means that Jesus Christ will return once to grab certain people up and then return again to do His judgement-thang. However, since Jesus said He would return once more, not twice more, we don't believe that things will go down that way.

God has never spared His faithful from trials and tribulation. Just look at the blood of the martyr's for confirmation of that. Why, when the going gets tough in the end, would He pull His team off the field?

 

[Michelina]

God has never spared His faithful from trials and tribulation. Just look at the blood of the martyr's for confirmation of that. Why, when the going gets tough in the end, would He pull His team off the field?

Did Jesus get to skip the Crucifixion?

 

[artnalex]

1by1,
we don't believe in a rapture as some Protestants believe. We do, however, believe that Jesus will return. And on that day He will judge the living and the dead.



By the way, not all Protestants believe in a Rapture either.

 

[nyj]

Did Jesus get to skip the Crucifixion?

Depends on whether or not you believe Jesus somehow managed to get a flunky to stand in his place while he ran off to France with Mary Magdalene to go raise a family.

However, the orthodox answer would be: No.

 

[Michelina]

Depends on whether or not you believe Jesus somehow managed to get a flunky to stand in his place while he ran off to France with Mary Magdalene to go raise a family.

LOL!!!

BTW, 1x1, Catholics do believe in a 'rapture', the one at the end of the world, right before the judgment.

 

[Veritas]

The Catholic Church is also not dispensational. We believe that there is one path to salvation for all men including the Jews, and that is through Jesus Christ. We believe that the Church is the fulfillment of God's plan of salvation by the sacrifice of His Son. Therefore, all who believe in Him and are baptized are saved and belong to the Church.

 

[KennySe]

Here's an article for you, 1by1. I don't think it's a Catholic source, but it seems like a good overview.
http://www.nationalreview.com/dreher/dreher111802.asp

 

[RhetorTheo]

To expand this a bit, what is the Catholic belief about the End Times? Is it like "Left Behind" (I haven't seen the movie or read the books), just without a Rapture? Is Revelation taken literally?

 

[nyj]

Here's an article for you, 1by1. I don't think it's a Catholic source, but it seems like a good overview.
http://www.nationalreview.com/dreher/dreher111802.asp

Rod Dreher is Catholic.

 

[1by1]

Wow, so many answers in such a short time. Thank you so much.

Agreed, artnalex - not all Protestants believe in the rapture - at least not in the way that many Evangelicals believe it will happen. That includes me. My fellow Protestants would vehemently disagree with me, as they would state that the Bible says that we shall all be transformed and caught up in the clouds to be with the Lord. I personally believe in a different interpretation than they do, as I tend to believe that such an event will only occur at the time the Lord is descending from Heaven at His return, and we will be rise up to meet Him and follow Him down to Earth.

How do Catholics interpret that part of Scripture that describes us being caught up in the air to meet the Lord? Do they believe it is merely symbolic?

 

[Michelina]

the Bible says that we shall all be transformed and caught up in the clouds to be with the Lord.

We all will NOT be transformed. We will all be raised from the dead, almost all will somehow be 'reconstituted'. We don't know how, God does.

I personally believe in a different interpretation than they do, as I tend to believe that such an event will only occur at the time the Lord is descending from Heaven at His return, and we will be rise up to meet Him and follow Him down to Earth..

uh-oh, 1x1, you believe what we do, so long as you understand that it will be a new Earth, the old one having been consumed by fire.

How do Catholics interpret that part of Scripture that describes us being caught up in the air to meet the Lord? Do they believe it is merely symbolic?

We don't believe it is merely symbolic but we can't know the particulars til we see them. Then we will understand the SS fully.

 

[Miss Shelby]

How do Catholics interpret that part of Scripture that describes us being caught up in the air to meet the Lord? Do they believe it is merely symbolic?

As a resurrection which occurs on the last day.

Michelle

 

[Filia Mariae]

A good link is:


The Rapture