The Rapture Exposed: The Message of Hope in The Book of Revelation

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Summary: The idea of "The Rapture" is an extremely popular interpretation of the Book of Revelation in the Bible and a jumping-off point for the best-selling Left Behind series of books. However, most Christian churches and biblical scholars condemn rapture theology as a distortion of Christian faith with little biblical basis. In The Rapture Exposed, Barbara Rossing argues that the Left Behind novels' script for the world's future distorts the Bible, is disingenuous, and flat out wrong. There is neither "rapture" of Christians off the earth, nor does Revelation predict a seven-year tribulation culminating in war in Israel and the Middle East. Rather, Rossing argues, Revelation offers a vision of God's healing love for the world - a love that will not be left behind. The Rapture Exposed makes the case for reclaiming Christianity from fundamentalists' destructive reading of the biblical story and back into God's beloved community.

Contents: The destructive racket of rapture -- The invention of the rapture -- The rapture script for the Middle East -- Prophecy and apocalypse -- The journey begins Rome's worship of victory -- Lamb power -- Nonviolence conquering in Revelation -- The Exodus story in Revelation -- Hijacking the lamb -- Rapture in reverse -- The journey outward -- Epilogue: debunking the rapture by verse -- Reader discussion guide