Revelation and the RCC

[Darrel]

I recently had a debate with some seven day adventist people who were calling the Pope the anti-christ. I learned that the RCC has no official stance on the interpretation of biblical prophecy in Revelation. Although I did read that we believe that Niro was the beast i.e. 666 in the name.

In my opinion revelation was designed to not be exactly interpreted. It seems to be a framework that says watch for this and wait for that. If this is the reason for the RCC to take no official stance in the differing schools of thought I would find this most wise. Is there any official reason for this stance? Has Vatican ever challenged these people who call the Popes Latin title the number of the beast?

This is a quote from this: catholic.com/library/false_profit.asp

What would the Church make of this viewpoint? As we have noted, the Church does not have an official interpretation of Revelation, but a historical rather than futuristic identification of the Beast is suggested by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Discussing the sin of idolatry, it notes that “many martyrs died for not adoring ‘the Beast’ (cf. Rev. 13–14) refusing even to simulate such worship.”

-D

 

[Della]

In my opinion revelation was designed to not be exactly interpreted. It seems to be a framework that says watch for this and wait for that. If this is the reason for the RCC to take no official stance in the differing schools of thought I would find this most wise. Is there any official reason for this stance? Has Vatican ever challenged these people who call the Popes Latin title the number of the beast?

The book of Revelation was mainly intended to covey exactly what you said. Futuristic interpretations are only speculations no matter who makes them because we simply cannot know, until events bear them out, what they mean, much like the verses in the OT that prophesied certain events that would occur with the coming of the Messiah.

About the supposed Latin title for the pope that fundamentalist say adds up to the number of the beast–it is simply wrong. The pope doesn’t go by the title they have invented, so it is plain bunk. I don’t believe the Vatican itself has bothered with all the ridiculous claims made by fundamentalists, but Catholic apologists have. A simple google search would direct you to these or try Dave Armstrong’s website.