Rapture of the Church

Category Description for Bible Study/By Topic/Rapture of the Church

The term "rapture" is taken from the Latin Vulgate text of I Thessalonians 4:15-17 and means "caught up." It refers to the time when Christ will call all believers to be united with him at his second coming.

Beliefs regarding the exact timing of this event take severals forms, usually with respect to a period of great tribulation.

The idea of the rapture is held by premillenialists (those who hold that Christ will return prior to a thousand year reign on earth), postmillenialists and amillenialists do not use this terminology or hold this view.