Synopses & Reviews
An indispensable exploration of the runaway bestselling series!
From Left Behind to Glorious Appearing, the books in the Left Behind series have sold over 60,000,000 copies worldwide and their popularity continues to grow. What makes the books about the apocalypse so popular? What is it about the end times that fascinates millions around the globe? And what does the Bible really say about the end of the world? In Rapture, Revelation, and the End Times, six experts gather to answer these provocative questions and more, guiding readers through the different Christian millennialist views and how they developed. They explore the historical, biblical, social and political issues raised by the Left Behind series' religious perspective, present broad questions that curious readers might ask, and encourage us to reflect on the issues the series raises. An entertaining and informative book for fans as well as skeptics, this is a top-notch resource you won't want to be without!
Rapture, Revelation, and the End Times answers some of the most often-asked questions about this fascinating series of books:
* How popular are the Left Behind books . . . and why?
* What does the Bible say about the end times?
* How did Left Behind's particular vision of the end times develop?
* When do Christians think the end times will happen?
* How are other religions treated in the Left Behind series?
* What social and political messages appear in the Left Behind books?
This MUST-HAVE book also includes a READER'S GUIDE with:
* Reader's Group Discussion Questions
* Full Glossary of Religious Terms
* Suggestions For Further Reading from a Variety of Perspectives
This book has not been approved, licensed, or sponsored by any of the writers, publishers, or distributors of the books in the Left Behind series nor by any person or entity involved in the creation, production, or distribution of any media based on the series.
Synopsis
The "Left Behind series of apocalyptic Christian fiction is an incredibly popular phenomenon. Since 1995, Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins have sold over 50 million copies of their books, and are consistently on the bestseller lists. What does this say about popular Christian fiction? What does it say about pop culture and religion in general? And is there any significance to the biblical references in the books? In this fascinating collection, six contributors discuss aspects of the "Left Behind craze and compare the series interpretation of the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ with the common teachings of western religions. Complete with reading group discussion questions, this is a must-have for readers of "Left Behind, true believers, or science fiction fans who want a smart and comprehensive guide to End Times and popular culture.
Synopsis
An objective look at the
Left Behind series, the significance of the Biblical references in the books, and what they can tell us about apocalyptic Christian fiction in general
About the Author
Bruce David Forbes is the Arthur L. Bunch Professor of Religious Studies at Morningside College. He is the co-editor of
Religion and Popular Culture in America. He holds a Ph.D. in American Religious History from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Jeanne Halgren Kilde is the author of When Church Became Theatre: The Transformation of Evangelical Architecture and Worship in Nineteenth-Century America. She currently teaches in the Religious Studies Department at Macalester College, where she also co-directs their Lilly Project in Work, Ethics and Vocation. She holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Minnesota.
Table of Contents
Preface * How Popular Are the
Left Behind Books, and Why?--Bruce Forbes * What Does the Bible Say About the End Times?--Mark Reasoner * Have Christians Always Believed in the Rapture?--Jeanne H. Kilde * What are the Social and Political Messages in the
Left Behind Books?--Amy Johnson Frykholm * Judaism and Left Behind--Yaakov Ariel * What are the Various Interpretations of the End Times?--Stanley Grenz