Return of Christ

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Little_Katie

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I was wondering…

What are the official Catholic teachings on the Second Coming / Return of Christ.

I will be attending a Bible Study tomorrow night, with a majority of protestants attending.The topic for the study is Christ’s return. I want to be fully prepared so that I can give a good Catholic (name removed by moderator)ut to the study.

I’m doing some reading on my own, but I’d appreciate your tips too!
 
Little_Katie said:
I was wondering…

What are the official Catholic teachings on the Second Coming / Return of Christ.

I will be attending a Bible Study tomorrow night, with a majority of protestants attending.The topic for the study is Christ’s return. I want to be fully prepared so that I can give a good Catholic (name removed by moderator)ut to the study.

I’m doing some reading on my own, but I’d appreciate your tips too!
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Read these two articles:

Are We Living in the Last Days?
In conclusion, it can be seen that the Catholic Church says relatively little about future events leading up to Christ’s Second Coming. Many of her teachings are rejections (either implicit or explicit), not affirmations, of particular beliefs such as the dispensational dichotomy between the Church and Israel, the “secret” Rapture, and the earthly millennial kingdom. What she does teach is quite clear, as well as succinct: there will be a Second Coming, a time of trial which the Church must endure, an Antichrist, a conversion of Israel to Christ, a definitive judgment of all people, and the fulfillment of the Kingdom that has already begun in the Church. Within those parameters, Catholics may freely roam, search the Scriptures, and seek to better understand the Word of God.
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Questioning the “Left Behind” Rapture
 
ziapueblo said:
Read these two articles:

Are We Living in the Last Days?

Questioning the “Left Behind” Rapture
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I second ziapueblo’s recommendations, and feel I must add my own :twocents: .

Protestant Evangelical Bible studies are problematic for Catholics for the these reasons:
  1. They don’t interpret the Bible the same way or with the same meaning as the Church.
  2. They tend to lead people all around the Bible, “proving” this or that by stringing together several verses out of context to make their position seem the right one.
  3. Catholics who go to Evangelical Bible studies are considered ripe for conversion.
  4. The Evangelicals will either dismiss whatever the Catholic has to add to the discussion out of hand or they will gang up on him, demanding he explain why the Church teaches this, that, or the other thing based on the Bible alone.
I always discourage Catholics from participating in such one-sided Bible studies because they either end up being frustrated or they make them question their faith, if they don’t have a solid understanding of the Bible and it’s place in Sacred Tradition.

A bit of quick reading in the Catechism isn’t usually enough to be able to answer well-rehearsed Evangelical theological constructs, especially if led by someone whose has studied quite thoroughly (from the Evangelical point of view) or the pastor of a church.

Just saying–beware.
 
a Second Coming, a time of trial which the Church must endure, an Antichrist, a conversion of Israel to Christ, a definitive judgment of all people, and the fulfillment of the Kingdom that has already begun in the Church
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I would like to add that the signs of the end of the world will not take place specifically in that order.
 
Here’s what the Church teaches:

When each of us dies, our souls are immediately judged by God. This is called the Particular Judgment. At this point we begin our eternal destiny. If we are going to hell, our souls go directly there. If we are deemed worthy of heaven, our souls will go directly to heaven, or if we are going to heaven but are in need of purification, we may go to Purgatory first for a while (everyone in Purgatory will eventually go to heaven). Whatever our fate, our souls will stay there (heaven or hell) until the end of time, at which time the Second Coming will occur.

At the Second Coming at the end of time, those Christians still alive and who are in a state of sanctifying grace will be taken to heaven (what some Protestants think of as of the rapture). Then will occur the General Judgment. At that time the souls of the living and the dead will be reunited with their bodies and brought together in God’s presence and judged before all. Those who have already been judged in the Particular Judgment will be brought from wherever their souls were -heaven, hell or Purgatory-- and have their judgment confirmed before all, so that both the justice and mercy of God will be manifest to all.

After this, time and Purgatory will be no more and all will enter with their souls and bodies into their eternal destiny, either hell or heaven.

This is an extremely bare-bones sketch, so if you want to get the details, see the five articles I linked below:

rosary-center.org/ll57n1.htm
rosary-center.org/ll57n2.htm
rosary-center.org/ll57n3.htm
rosary-center.org/ll57n4.htm
rosary-center.org/ll49n6.htm

In addition, you have to learn to recognize erroneous teachings about the End Times popularized by fundamentalists. In other words, toss out the “Left Behind” and “Late, Great Planet Earth” baloney. Here are some resources to help you develop some discernment in these areas:

catholic.com/library/rapture.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/2000/0011fea2.asp
catholic.com/library/false_profit.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/2002/0211fea3.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/2000/0001fea1.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/1995/9510ntg.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/2002/0209fea5.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/1998/9812chap.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0304bt.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/1997/9705chap.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/1994/9409fea4.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/1994/9410fea2.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/2000/0009bite.asp

Finally, here are some resources to help you develop a well-balanced Catholic understanding of the Book of Revelation, biblical prophecy, and eschatology. All of these are HIGHLY recommended:

The Navarre Bible Commentary on the Book of Revelation
The Navarre Bible Commentary on the Major Prophets
The Navarre Bible Commentary on the Minor Prophets
amazon.com/gp/search/ref=br_ss_hs/102-2381711-9848916?platform=gurupa&url=index%3Dblended&keywords=navarre+bible

The End: The Book of Revelation, tape/CD series and Study Guide by Dr. Scott Hahn.
saintjoe.com/more-info.php?product=177&Title=The-End

Will Catholics Be “Left Behind”? by Carl Olsen
ignatius.com/ViewProduct.aspx?SID=1&Product_ID=260&AFID=12&

The Rapture Trap: A Catholic Response to “End Times” Fever, by Paul Thigpen
amazon.com/Rapture-Trap-Catholic-Response-Times/dp/0965922820

The Lamb’s Supper, by Dr. Scott Hahn.
amazon.com/gp/product/0385496591/sr=8-1/qid=1148926012/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-2381711-9848916?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Rapture: The End Times Fiction that Leaves Truth Behind, by David Curie
amazon.com/Rapture-End-Times-Error-Leaves-Behind/dp/1928832725/ref=sr_1_1/105-8298365-5498833?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188139548&sr=1-1

Revelation Revealed, tapes/CD series by Michael Barber
saintjoe.com/more-info.php?product=245&Title=Revelation-Revealed

Coming Soon, a book on this same topic by Michael Barber
amazon.com/Coming-Soon-Unlocking-Revelation-Applying/dp/193101826X

Introduction To Prophecy, CD set by Steve Wood
familylifecenter.net/cart/product_detail.cfm?Id=613

As a previous poster noted, there’s no way you can get a good grasp of this subject in one sitting, and hopefully you won’t get too blindsided or abused at tomorrow’s meeting, but you’ll be glad to have the above resources waiting for you when you get home.
 
I think we should be more worried about our own end time rather thn that of the end of the world:
CCC 1007 - *Death is the end of earthly life. Our lives are measured by time, in the course of which we change, grow old and, as with all living beings on earth, death seems like the normal end of life. That aspect of death lends urgency to our lives: remembering our mortality helps us realize that we have only a limited time in which to bring our lives to fulfillment:
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Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, . . . before the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.*
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Della said:
I second ziapueblo’s recommendations, and feel I must add my own :twocents: .

Protestant Evangelical Bible studies are problematic for Catholics for the these reasons:
  1. They don’t interpret the Bible the same way or with the same meaning as the Church.
  2. They tend to lead people all around the Bible, “proving” this or that by stringing together several verses out of context to make their position seem the right one.
  3. Catholics who go to Evangelical Bible studies are considered ripe for conversion.
  4. The Evangelicals will either dismiss whatever the Catholic has to add to the discussion out of hand or they will gang up on him, demanding he explain why the Church teaches this, that, or the other thing based on the Bible alone.
I always discourage Catholics from participating in such one-sided Bible studies because they either end up being frustrated or they make them question their faith, if they don’t have a solid understanding of the Bible and it’s place in Sacred Tradition.

A bit of quick reading in the Catechism isn’t usually enough to be able to answer well-rehearsed Evangelical theological constructs, especially if led by someone whose has studied quite thoroughly (from the Evangelical point of view) or the pastor of a church.

Just saying–beware.
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I know exactly what you mean. It doesn’t hurt to try though. I’m usually well versed enough in scripture to hold my own (as I used to be a protestant myself), but this was a topic I only knew the silly protestant take on.

Honestly I’d RATHER go to a Catholic bible study, but there isn’t one being offered here on base. Stinky…
 
Another question…

I’ve read all the articles and am wondering… where do protestants get the idea that the tribulation will last 7 years??? I want to know how to counter it when I tell them that the tribulation length is unknown. I’m almost certain someone will say “no, it will be 7years.”
 
Little_Katie said:
I know exactly what you mean. It doesn’t hurt to try though. I’m usually well versed enough in scripture to hold my own (as I used to be a protestant myself), but this was a topic I only knew the silly protestant take on.

Honestly I’d RATHER go to a Catholic bible study, but there isn’t one being offered here on base. Stinky…
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Would you be open to starting one? Might this be a calling? I ask because I’ve started two in my parish, and this was how my motivation began.
 
Strategery said:
Would you be open to starting one? Might this be a calling? I ask because I’ve started two in my parish, and this was how my motivation began.
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Actually I am starting one- but it’s only for women. They made me the president of the Catholic Women of the Chapel. It would be cool if we could have a coed group that met though.

I’m excited, first CWOC meeting is next Monday. I’m only 20 and the other ladies who will attend are likely reasonably older than me. I’m hoping that they won’t feel uncomfortable being taught by the youngest one in the group >.<.
 
Little_Katie said:
Another question…

I’ve read all the articles and am wondering… where do protestants get the idea that the tribulation will last 7 years??? I want to know how to counter it when I tell them that the tribulation length is unknown. I’m almost certain someone will say “no, it will be 7years.”
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I will be back later today to answer this, i hope I won’t be too late for you, but I am on a tight schedule at the moment. Hold tight!
 
Little_Katie said:
Another question…

I’ve read all the articles and am wondering… where do protestants get the idea that the tribulation will last 7 years??? I want to know how to counter it when I tell them that the tribulation length is unknown. I’m almost certain someone will say “no, it will be 7years.”
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Here is a quick, accurate history of Dispensationalism to get you started. It’s from a Reformed author, but he doesn’t say anything objectionable to Catholics in his article.

The 7 days comes from a very elaborate interpretation of various verses from the KJV version of Revelation:
Rev. 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
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The phrase “a time, and times, and a half time” are interpreted as the 7 years of the “Great Tribulation” in which the remnant believers who came to believe after the Rapture will have to undergo living through the time of the Anti-Christ. At least, that’s what I was taught when I was a member of the Assemblies of God several years ago. There was debate as to whether or not the Rapture would happen before the GT or during or after, as I recall.
 
For pre-tribulationists they get the seven years mostly by the way they interpret the 70th week of Daniel in Daniel 9:22-27. They believe that each week is 7 years, and that the final week is the Great Tribulation. They believe in what is called a gap theory, meaning that the first 69 weeks began with King Artaxerxes and it ended at the death of Christ, and that the Church age being a mystery to Daniel led to him not to prophesy concerning it leaving a gap period, and then Daniel jumps to the time of the Antichrist and prophesy’s that age as the 70th week.

As for a Catholic perspective, the gap theory is rejected. As for the time when the 70 weeks begins is not actually that important because many great scholars have calculated it out with various results. In my opinion I accept that it probably began with King Artaxerxes, but by rejecting the gap theory I believe the 70 weeks ended at the at the death of Christ. Theodoret the Bishop of Cyrus gave the interpretation that I accept for the final week.

Daniel 9:27
**And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week; **

The new covenant will be given to the believers in this week, and He will fill them with all power.

**and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. **

sacrifice according to the law will come to an end when the true sacrifice of the innocent lamb, who takes away the sin of the world, is offered; when it is finally offered, the other will cease.

**And for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, **

that is, that formerally venerable and fearsome place will be made desolate. A sign of the desolation will be the introduction into it of certain images forbidden by the law; Pilate was guilty of this by introducing into the divine temple by night the imperial images in violation of the law (according to Josephus Ant. 18.55-59).

In case the Jews should think the divine temple would recover its former splendor and glory, he consequently added…

even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."

until the end of the age the consumation of the desolation will continue, undergoing no change.
 
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