Hal Lindsey moved prophecy belief from the fringe of evangelical Christianity to the center of American culture for almost two decades. The Late Great Planet Earth, a dispensationalist popularization of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the rapture, the Antichrist…
The sad consequences of the end times theology and entertainment of my youth
When I was growing up in a Baptist church, I was fascinated with end times theology. It was not until later in life that I realized how ahistorical and unscholarly most of that theology was. I read the Left Behind…
Growing Christian movement prioritizes end times focus over U.S. ideals, scholar says
A movement of charismatic Christians that ignores American exceptionalism and embraces “eschatological Israel” is gaining influence in the United States and abroad, observed American religious historian Leah Payne. In a recent address at Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, Payne said this…
Historian shows how America became Israel’s best friend and biggest defender
Ever since Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 Israelis more than 100 days ago, Israel has relied on America, its best friend and biggest defender. If you want to understand how that came to be the case, check out On the Road…
Boebert babbles about God, Satan and the Second Coming
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., never has been bashful in spouting her theological beliefs. Most recently, she told fellow Republicans at a dinner in Knoxville, Tenn., she believes humanity is “in the last of the last days” with the “Second…
4 in 10 Americans believe we are living in the end times
Evangelical Christianity is built on the ever-present possibility of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This belief permeates sermons and songs alike and has spawned a cottage industry of books and movies. Talk of the “end times” often is used…
How Trump’s latest comments on Israel align with evangelical Zionism
Donald Trump is in the news again making negative statements about American Jews while flattering his evangelical fanbase. In my piece last week, I wrote about how the dispensationalist obsession with the end times led evangelicals to embrace the Christian Zionist…
Letter to the Editor: Don’t be so harsh on white males and end-times believers
Letter to the Editor October 11, 2022 Dear Editor: I read with rising anger the recent opinion piece from Rodney Kennedy, “The two apocalyptic movements threatening America.” Bottom line up front: Kennedy is part of the problem, not part of…
The two apocalyptic movements threatening America
Two apocalyptic movements bracket America’s democratic crisis. One predicts a future chaos; the other airs a past history of grievances. The future and the past impinge upon the present to paralyze the potential for positive action. One looks to the…