On Wednesday I posted a poll so readers could indicate their preference among six potential topics for the series beginning in January. I have been very pleased with the participation!
As of now, the most preferred topics (in a three-way tie) are:
*How Should we Understand Sin and Salvation?
*What the Bible is Not, and
*Rapture Theology and End-times Baggage
The second tier of preferences (also tied) are:
*What Does Jesus Teach His Followers?, and
*What Jesus Says about the Kingdom of God and Its Significance
I plan to begin preparation for How Should we Understand Sin and Salvation? for January. And I will likely choose the series after that from the top preferences on this poll. If you have not indicated your preference, you can still do so. It could make a difference the series that should begin around March. If the change is massive, it might even make a difference for the January series.
I have a question about your interest in Rapture Theology and End-times Baggage. What are some of the specific issues of this topic that interest you? You can respond in the comments section below.
You can vote, or see the results for yourself, at Where does this Blog Go from Here?
Thanks again for your excellent response! ~Tim
Jesus Without Baggage 
I grew up in The Rapture theology. I’d like to see its history. Also, the varieties in it. Pre-, Mid-, Post-, and Amillenium thinking. You chose a tough series.
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Thanks for sharing, Sheila. It is very helpful.
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I will add that pre, mid, and post tribulation rapture are positions that are held by various dispensationalists; the most vocal are the pre-tribulationist. Amillennialism is one of three views on the millennium: called premillennial, postmillennial, and amillennial. Dispensationalists are premillennial.
Thanks for sharing. I will address these issues.
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Yes, they are all dispenstionalists. We weren’t allowed to dig deep into these other views (we were pre-tribs) lest we get seduced by those teachings. They were merely condemned in the pulpit. Withholding other points of view or decrying them without dialogue was the M.O. of my upbringing.
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My husband was raised in a Rapture-teaching church. Lots of specific timelines and detail on exactly what will happen. I don’t know what sort of questions to ask to even begin unpacking the Rapture. As far as I know, it is a recent theological invention. But I’d like to know what your thoughts are – is Rapture something the 1st & 2nd century Christians had in mind or is it not even a part of historical Christian thought?
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Fikalo, I was raised a dispensationalist. As I began to question dispensationalist beliefs, I did extensive research into the doctrinal system and its history. You are right that it is a recent invention–developed by one man in the 1830s; before that there was no
dispensationalism.
Whatever the early Christian thoughts on Paul’s story of ‘meeting him in the air’ has nothing in common with the dispensationalist view.
Thanks for your helpful response; it will help me in my planning.
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Regarding rapture/end times theology, I would like to know more about historical church thought on the subject. I’d also like to see a discussion on the implication of this doctrine in daily life–its fruit.
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Thanks Barbara. I will include views of the historical church on rapture and end times issues. I think the impact of dispensationalism on daily life and its fruit is very important and extremely harmful. We will certainly address that.
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I am currently attending a Bible study on the book of Revelations lead by the local Episcopal priest. It is very interesting and informative. I have always considered Revelations to be suspect and wondered at its inclusion in the REAL Bible. It is seldom read in the liturgical readings, and some priests use an alternate reading when it appears.
I have enjoyed your several series of thoughts and expect that this will be up to the same standard. It is a really tough subject and I’m looking forward to its start!
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Thanks Sue. The book of Revelation tends to be very confusing to today’s believers because we are unfamiliar with the apocalyptic genre. I will talk about what the book of Revelation does and does not mean–and it does not mean what dispensationalism teaches.
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