Originally published in "The Lord's Coming Herald & Wesleyan Bible Prophecy Advocate," May 2009
Toward Understanding Post-tribulationaism
Post-tribulationalism is the belief that the rapture of the living church and resurrection of the righteous dead takes place at the complete end of whatever "tribulation" on earth that there might happen to be.
This term is widely used today in the context of the debate generated by a scholarly evaluation of, and reaction to, the teachings of popular Scofield/Darbyism.
In the teachings of popular Scofield/Darbyism the rapture of the church is always pretribulational. However, there have been, and still are, many who would question that "pre-trib" stance, contending, instead for a so-called "mid" or even a "post" tribulation rapture of the church postion. All of this, as was previously stated, falls within the context of Scofield/Darbyism. What we are teaching, however, derives from an entirely different context than that of Scofield/Darbyism.
First, you should know that the context for the Scofield/Darbyite debate over the position of the rapture of the church is set in the presupposition of the existence of some future "seven year" end-time prophetic time frame time table of events with which to start.
It is important that people get the full impact of this nuance. The Scofield/Darby generated debate on the position of the rapture of the church is all tied, part and parcel, to a certain novel theory of interpreting Daniel's prophecy of the 70 Weeks.
The theory is that of Sir Robert Anderson, and it informs the Scofield Darbyite constituency that all of Daniel's 70th week is supposed to be viewed as some future end-time seven year great tribulation period.
SRA's interpretation of Daniel 9:27, then, provides the ideational context in which the whole modern, very divisive Scofield/Darby rapture position question controversy has been framed.
But what if one is a "Wesleyan" and not a Scofield/Darbyite?
What if one believes, like John Wesley did, that Christ is the divinely-intended covenant-maker of Daniel 9:27, and not SRA's Roman Antichrist conundrum?
It's a whole new ball game from now on!
Talk about pulling the rug completely out from under a totally vicious cycle of preclusionalism---the proverbial picture of the dog chasing his own tail around in endless circles---a "MENTALITY"---, if you will!
You got it, friends, you got it.
Related Article Links
Meet Logical End-time Bible Prophecy
Learning To Think Outside The Box
Daniel's 70th Week: Future Tribulation Period Or Present Gospel Age?