Rapture
The Rapture (meaning "to carry to another place"[1]) is a future event in Christian theology where Jesus Christ will return to Earth to bring his followers to Heaven. In Christianity it is believed that following this amazing event, the world will go through what is called the tribulation. Then later following, will come the millennium (a thousand years).
Tribulation
The tribulation (or the great tribulation) is supposed theory of a period of time somewhere around the rapture, where the Antichrist comes to power and controls the world. It is not entirely agreed among Christians whether the rapture occurs before (Pre-tribulation view), in the middle of (Pre-wrath view), or after the end of (Post-tribulation view) the tribulation, but most Christians seem to hold a Pre-tribulation view. Most Christians agree that the period lasts around seven years.
Millennium
The Millennium is the period following the rapture, and the tribulation, that Christians believe they will live in glory on the Earth. They also believe that Jesus Christ will be in total control over earth for 1,000 years (a millennium).
Books and movies
Books
In 1950, the novel Raptured by Ernest Angley was published, and in 1995, the first of the Left Behind series was published. These and other books have made the story of the rapture and the tribulation popular.
Movies
The Rapture story has been retold in many movies. The most well-known production company is Cloud Ten Pictures. Which have created the Left Behind film series (Left Behind: The Movie, Left Behind II: Tribulation Force, and Left Behind: World at War), as well as several other movies. Some other notable end times movies are A Thief in the Night and The Omega Code.
Rapture Media
Comparison of Christian millennial interpretations, including premillennialist, postmillennialist, and amillennialist viewpoints
Comparison of differing viewpoints amongst premillennialists about timing of tribulation.
References
Other websites
- RaptureReady
- RaptureAlert Archived 2008-04-23 at the Wayback Machine
- ReligiousTolerance Archived 2008-05-16 at the Wayback Machine
- NewFoundationsPubl Archived 2008-11-20 at the Wayback Machine