Posted on 10/22/2004 8:11:53 AM PDT by missyme
The publishers of "Left Behind" are launching a new series that challenges the end-times theology of the phenomenally popular books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.
Illinois-based Tyndale House Publishers says the first book in the new series, "The Last Disciple," by "Bible Answer Man" Hank Hanegraaff and award-winning fiction author Sigmund Brouwer, asks the question, "What if the prophecies of Revelation have already been fulfilled?"
The opposing interpretation of the Bible is presented in a historical novel centered in first-century Rome and Jerusalem, the publishers say, as "these historical sites begin to experience the turbulence Christ prophesied as the beginning of the 'last days.'"
"Tension mounts as a villainous adversary seeks to find the disciple John's letter (the book of Revelation) and destroy it," a promo reads. "As a result, the early Christians must decipher a mysterious code in order to survive."
Hanegraaff, president and chairman of the board of the evangelical-based cult watchdog Christian Research Institute International, hosts a daily radio program, "Bible Answer Man," that boasts more than 6 million listeners a week.
"This series of novels constitutes one of the most significant projects I have ever been privileged to be involved in," Hanegraaff said in a statement. "Indeed, this initial novel is intended to be the first 'shot' in a debate that I believe will produce a paradigm shift -- a change in the way many in the church look at the end times."
He hopes the book will help people "read the book of Revelation, as well as the rest of Scripture, through the eyes of the early believers to whom it was originally written."
Hanegraaff also wrote best-sellers "The Prayer of Jesus," "Resurrection," "Christianity in Crisis," and "Counterfeit Revival."
Hanegraaff succeeded Christian Research Institute founder Walter Martin after Martin's death in 1989. Some Christians have criticized Hanegraaff for moving beyond Martin's critique of groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses and charging prominent evangelists with false teaching.
Hanegraaff contrasts the "Exegetical Eschatology" in his book with "Left Behind's" Dispensational theology, which grew in popularity in the 19th century and is embraced by many evangelical Christians today.
Dispensationalists believe in a future "rapture" of the church in which Christians will be suddenly taken to be with Jesus Christ before a seven-year period called the Tribulation. Jesus then will establish a 1,000-year reign on earth before Satan is released again on earth and then thrown in the lake of fire. They believe God will then establish a new heave and earth.
Hanegraaff believes most of the prophecies of Jesus and the book of Revelation were fulfilled with the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. The tribulation, he contends, was the persecution of believers during the reign of Emperor Nero in Rome. When Jesus returns again, Hanegraaff says, he will immediately judge all peoples and establish a new heaven and earth.
Meanwhile, Tyndale has signed with LaHaye and Jenkins to extend the 12-book "Left Behind" series, creating two additional books.
The plot of one takes place before the first book, "Left Behind," and the other is set after the 12th book, "Glorious Appearing."
They'll be waaaaaaaaaaay down on my reading list...
Why?
Close?? Only in the imagination of some futurists.
There is a modern secular state called Israel that exists. Is it akin to biblical Israel? Hardly.
Oh NO!! They just can't give this up can they? And this from someone who read every single one of them!
I will also read this new series by Hank, hoping it is interesting! Good Christian fiction is a blessing.
I was going back through some studies on the Immaterial Part of Man by Lewis Sperry Chafer in his Systematic Theology, and later watched a bit of DeNiro playing the beast in Frankenstein.
Too bad we don't have more literature and academia who find in depth stimulation by first studying Scripture and theology and then applying it to film.
I'm also amazed how classical literature isn't more often reviewed along those timeless themes as presented in Scripture. Plenty of robust depth to tickle the senses of any 'philosoph' of the arts.
Don't tell me,...the LaHaye series leads into a Star trek scene of the Borg morphing into the Matrix and bringing the City of God back to Earth.
Me too, but it is a passion of mine to study it. I would be interested to know what you mean by "historic" premillennialism as opposed to "dispensational". Could you elaborate a bit. I think I know, but I am not sure.
Are you really writing a novel? How exciting. I always think about doing that, but I start them, and then never finish. Hope you do!!
I haven't read that yet, but people who have told me about it, do think it is true. How weird is that?
Oh now I am intrigued! I will check out your link. Thanks.
Do you really want the government, especially if it falls back into the hands of the Democrats, to have complete access to monitor your every movement and expenditure? Prophecy aside, that's pretty short-sighted if you ask me.
Since so many people are reading TDC and accepting what it says as true (France is being flooded with tourists going to see the sites described in the book and trying to find the codes for themselves right now), concerned scholars, primarily Christian, felt the need to counteract Brown's claims with reliable history.
From what I have read about tdc, I don't have an interest in reading it. If I want to read Christian fiction, I just come to FR and read some GRPL posts. ;-)
Actually when I'm in LA one of my favorite pastimes is to look for buildings and places that were described in old Detective novels.
Dan Brown has said publicly that he believes the Merovingian thing and wrote TDC specifically with the purpose of popularizing it.
That's what I gathered from people who read it. I will pass on this one.
Uh oh! :-)
With all due respect, He didn't say we couldn't know the season, quite the contrary, we can. We just can't know the day or the hour.
Maybe the slammies realise one thing -- when someone attacks the tenents of a faith and publishes it in the media, it leads to many weak minds thinking the attack is true -- and so many who've never read the bible but have read the Da Vinci C's think the churchs are wrong and that the Gnostic truth is THE truth
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