Religious Thought Series: What Paul Actually Taught About the End of the World (Hybrid)

In the Twinkling of an Eye – What Paul Actually Taught About the End of the World

A large segment of Protestant Christianity mostly in unaffiliated “free” evangelical and fundamentalist traditions continues to emphasize a literal return of Jesus to reign over the earth, preceded by a strange world-wide disappearance of believers, called the “rapture,” based on two passages in Paul’s letters. But a growing number of biblical scholars, including some evangelicals, have concluded that Paul’s teachings on “salvation” and the so-called “end times” has been completely misunderstood by populist authors. In fact, in many ways what he actually taught might even be stranger and more off-putting to traditional evangelical Christianity.

Facilitated by Rev. James Butler

Jim Butler has been the pastor of Lakewood Presbyterian Church since 2001. He holds a Master of Divinity from Pittsburgh Theology Seminary and was awarded a doctorate from Princeton Theological Seminary for an ethnographic research project on suicide bereavement experiences among Christians and their implications for the practice of ministry.

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