Thursday, December 20, 2007

Pre-Trib

I had never heard of this Christian stream previously: Pre-Trib.

Here's what I learned:

In 1991 Dr. Tim LaHaye became concerned about a perceived swaying from the pretribulational doctrine. In 1992 Dr. LaHaye released his book on the rapture: No Fear of the Storm from Multnomah Press. It was re-released in 1998 as Rapture Under Attack. In the process of preparing the first edition of his rapture book, Dr. LaHaye was impressed with the gatherings of the Albury Park and Powerscourt Conference in Britain during the late 1820s and early 1830s where leaders gathered to discuss issues relating to Bible prophecy. Dr. LaHaye contacted Dr. Thomas Ice and discussed the possibility of calling a similar meeting...

...the newly formed Pre-Trib Research Center (PTRC)...was conceived by Dr. LaHaye for the purpose of encouraging the research, teaching, propagation, and defense of the pretribulational rapture and related Bible prophecy doctrines...The Pre-Trib Research Center has over 200 members in association with its efforts. Most of the top prophecy scholars, authors, and popularizes are members of the Center and Study Group. The association of these prophecy experts, which have been facilitated by the Pre-Trib organization, has contributed to the inspiration of dozens of books, articles, conferences, and events that express and defend the literal interpretation of Bible prophecy and the pre-trib rapture.

...PTRC wants to impact Pastors and individual Christians with the central role and importance that Bible prophecy, especially the any-moment possibility of the rapture, should play in the life of the church. Dr. LaHaye and PTRC stresses three practical implications that flow from the rapture teaching. The first implication of pretribulationism is that it leads to godly living in an unholy age.


What does this mean? This:-

PTRC Doctrinal Statement

We believe that the sixty-six, canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, alone and in their entirety, comprise the God-inspired Scriptures which, therefore, are inerrant in their autographs.

We believe the Bible should be interpreted normally, as with any other piece of sane literature, by a consistently literal hermeneutic which recognizes the clear usage of speech figures.

We believe that Christ will literally rapture His church prior to the 70th week of Daniel, followed by His glorious, premillennial arrival on the earth at least seven years later to set up His 1,000 year kingdom rule from Jerusalem over the earth.

We believe that God's plan for history demands a consistent distinction between national Israel and the church which includes an ongoing plan for national, ethnic Israel that culminates in Christ's millennial kingdom.


I am no expert but that last phrase, a consistent distinction between national Israel and the church which includes an ongoing plan for national, ethnic Israel, means that these are the best possible Christian friends of Zionism that we can have [see here, for example, as well as here]. Of course, I am not sure there will be that seven-year hiatus or the 1000 year Kingdom. And the concept of rapture is equal to that of gilgul neshamot, i.e., the transmigration of souls, by me. But I don't eat pork either so I am more than willing to wait.

If that is so, well, then I am glad I was featured at their recent conclave, their recent Annual Pre-Trib Study Group Conference during December at Dallas, Texas. There were around 500 people there including many Christian broadcasters, authors, publishers, college and seminary professors, lecturers, preachers, pastors and a number of non-ministry types.

Here are two comments I received:

Thanks for the part you played in this year's conference. You were a "hit".


and

By the way, my interview with you made a great impact on those at the conference as well. It is dramatic to have you men from Israel on the radio and in these conferences. Thank you so very much.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just found your interesting thoughts. You and your readers might enjoy reading "Roots of (Warlike) Christian Zionism" and "Pretrib Rapture Diehards" (by historian Dave MacPherson) which I found on the "Powered by Christ Ministries" site under "Dave MacPherson Archives." MacPherson proves that the "pre-tribulation rapture" belief is only 177 years old, that it didn't take over American evangelicalism before 1909, and that it is inherently anti-Jewish! His bestselling book covering the entire history of this bizarre, latter-day view is "The Rapture Plot" (Armageddon Books online). John Dennis

Anonymous said...

I failed to mention that if you Google "Thomas Ice (Bloopers" and "LaHaye's Temperament" (you mentioned both men), you will see them from a different angle. All most interesting, right? John Dennis

Anonymous said...

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