Catholic apocalyptic theology?

[UnusVeritas]

I was just wondering what the Church has laid out as must-believe for apocalyptic theology, if anything.

After that, what are common themes among prominent and respected Catholic theologians?

Next, what is the Catholic Church’s position on the rapture and why?

Lastly, can people throw out some uncondemned but maybe not “backed up” apocalyptic prophecies?

I’m looking at writing a novel that will be consistent with Catholic teaching, in response to the Left Behind series.

Thanks and God bless!

 

[ricofall]

Please do not hold back the hard questions (sarcasm of course)
But you did ask some very hard questions and I hope someone can answer them

 

[Megan7]

Please do not hold back the hard questions (sarcasm of course)
But you did ask some very hard questions and I hope someone can answer them

Good post…

Waiting for others to pitch in as well…

 

[JNdoum]

As far as I’m aware, there is no must-believe on Church teaching. There is actually a page here that helped me greatly with understanding the concept, and which delt specifically with the Left Behind series:

catholic.com/documents/false-profit-money-prejudice-and-bad-theology-in-tim-lahaye%E2%80%99s-left-behind-series

Besides this, there are books which make arguments that the book of Revelation is actually about the Catholic Mass, which make excellent points. I only know of one specifically, but there are others. The Lamb’s Supper by Scott Hahn explains this wonderfully.

amazon.com/The-Lambs-Supper-Heaven-Earth/dp/0385496591/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334027342&sr=8-1

Good luck with your book, and God bless.

 

[UnusVeritas]

Thanks for the links! I’ll look at them.

As for the other two posts, yes, I know, I put up the hard ones. But usually there’s some genius on here who gives me exactly what I want to know.

 

[TimothyH]

Catechsim 673-677 tells us what the Church teaches about the end times:

1. the full number of the Gentiles will come into the Church
2. the “full inclusion of the Jews in the Messiah’s salvation, in the wake of the full number of the Gentiles” (#2 will follow quickly on, in the wake of, #1)
3. a final trial of the Church “in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth.”
4. Christ’s victory over this final unleashing of evil through a cosmic upheaval of this passing world and the Last Judgment.
   .
   scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s2c2a7.htm

-Tim-

 

[jochoa]

Next, what is the Catholic Church’s position on the rapture and why?

Lastly, can people throw out some uncondemned but maybe not “backed up” apocalyptic prophecies?

Excellent questions, my friend, and I look forward to discussion! The following are only concepts which have helped me grow closer to knowing Jesus Christ, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are shared in attempts to answer the last question and hopefully help you grow closer as well.

As I try to interpret and understand the Book of Apocalypse and Revelation, I try my hardest to do so given the following understandings:
-We are all children of God because we are all created by Him for His Kingdom. Now whether or not we choose to subject ourselves to living according to His standards is a free choice each person must make on his/her own.
-Given that Catholic means All-Encompassing or Universal, I try my best to find interpretations of Scripture which will be universally applicable to every person.
-Since God commands us to perfect living according to the Greatest Commandments, He must be perfect at living accordingly. Therefore, the Spirit of God can be defined as: Always being and spreading the means to freely be perfectly patient and kind and motivated with all the body, spirit, thoughts, and will equally towards others and the self for the unbreakable peace and happiness of every relationship and the self. Given this goal for living, I try my best to ensure my interpretations are in alignment with growing towards this goal.

An Understanding of the Title and first line of the Book
According to Google, apocalypse can be defined as: An event involving destruction or damage on an awesome or catastrophic scale.

The Title according to DRB: The Apocalypse of Saint John
The first line is: The Revelation of Jesus Christ

One question becomes: how is it that the destruction of a person reveals Jesus Christ?
Please consider the following:
Catholicism knows God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Catholicism knows God has written His Laws on every person’s heart.
Therefore, inside every person there is the Holy Spirit. However, since none of us are perfect, there is also the unholy spirit inside each of us. To understand the Holy Spirit in each of us, recognize that a spirit that is united with the Spirit of God is Holy. Just as a spirit that is not united with the Spirit of God is unholy. When we are living out of unity with the Spirit of God, our unholy spirit is a distinct person. When we are living in unity with the Spirit of God, our Holy Spirit is a distinct person.
Therefore, the universal interpretation of the title is referring to the destruction of the unholy spirit/person within you for the life of the Holy Spirit/person within you, which in turn reveals the unknown facts of Jesus Christ to you.

Thoughts?

 

[jochoa]

Lastly, can people throw out some uncondemned but maybe not “backed up” apocalyptic prophecies?

The following are some concepts of the angels, churches, stars, and candlesticks of the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation.

As a reminder: As I try to interpret and understand the Book of Apocalypse and Revelation, I try my hardest to do so given the following understandings…

Since the Book’s title and first line can be interpreted as the destruction of the unholy spirit within us for the life of the Holy Spirit within us, which in turn reveals the unknown facts about Jesus Christ to us, the Book is describing the process of growing in deep union with God’s Spirit both as a race and individually.

To recognize universally applicable interpretations of the mentioned terms, consider the following:
A church is a body of people which operate according to a set of rules, which have been founded on understandings of life.
A spirit can be defined as image, knowledge, and past-actions of a person.
An angel can be defined as a body that is willing based on a certain mindset or knowledge.
A star is a flame which must work by using energy to burn which spreads light.
A truth is a light of the mind which in order to spread light, must work by using energy to will.
A candlestick is the foundation of the candle, which permits the flame to be sustainable.
A purpose is the foundation and goal of being, which permits the will to be sustainable.

Therefore, but not limited to:
Church=Body of the person
Angel=Mindset of the person
Star=Work of the person
Candlestick=Purpose of the person

Thoughts?

 

[Loveolivia]

http://www.castoffdebt.comlol

 

[jochoa]

Lastly, can people throw out some uncondemned but maybe not “backed up” apocalyptic prophecies?

I would like to share some additional concepts regarding the stars, angels, churches, and candlesticks.

As a reminder: As I try to interpret and understand the Book of Apocalypse and Revelation, I try my hardest to do so given the following understandings…

In my studies and practice, I find there to be 3 sets of 7 Universal Truths (Fullness of Heaven, heaven on earth, and Theology), which are the fullness of achieving the purpose and goal.
All the sets are based on the following purpose/goal: Achieving a society with an unbreakable peace and limitless happiness for every individual and relationship of the society.

The initial set of universal truths are the Works/Stars, which possibly define the Fullness of Heaven (where the resurrected Body of Jesus is)
I find these to be the initial set because it grants a wide-open imagination as to the possibilities in a Heavenly after-life. These are found in the Greatest Commandment: 1. Patience for peace. 2. Kindness for happiness. 3. Motivation for ever-lasting. 4. …with the Body for peaceful and happy feelings. 5. …with the Thoughts for peaceful and happy thoughts. 6. …with what is Willed for peaceful and happy relationships. 7. …with the Spirit for the ability to spread peace and happiness even when not physically being present.

The second set of universal truths are the Mindsets/Angels, which define how to live accordingly given an earthly life in which we must die, require offspring to sustain life and the opportunity to freely choose to want to be a part of God’s Kingdom, and operate in accordance with the initial set. These are the Sacraments of Catholicism.

1. Baptism to offer the life to God. 2. Eucharist to become one with the Body of God. 3. Confirmation to grow in mastering God’s Love. 4. Reconciliation to destroy the unholy spirit within us for the life of the Holy Spirit within us. 5. Anointing of the Sick to reaffirm dedication to God during life’s most trying time…death. 6. Matrimony to dedicate unconditional love to one person, while adding members into God’s Church. 7. Holy Orders to dedicate unconditional love to God’s Church, while helping the people who seek growth in God’s Church.

The third set of universal truths are the Churches, which define the Theology of God. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a simple method to share the concepts. Therefore, I will share the more complicated concepts in a following post.

Thoughts?