As someone deeply rooted in the Fundamental-Evangelical-Dispensationalist community for over two decades, my life and theology were intricately woven around end-times eschatology. I had invested years studying and defending these beliefs. However, my most intense examination of the subject came when I enrolled in a doctoral program at Dallas Theological Seminary—arguably the only academic institution in the world that openly advocates for the pre-tribulation rapture theory. What I didn’t anticipate was that this very experience would lead me to abandon the doctrine I had long held dear.
Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) is well-known for its unwavering commitment to Dispensationalism and pre-tribulation rapture theory. Here, the apocalyptic end-times are depicted as a cataclysmic event, mirroring the most dramatic scenes in a Marvel movie: systems collapsing, disasters shaking the Earth’s very core, and a final supernatural showdown.
Moments before this chaotic scenario, according to pre-tribulation rapture theory, Evangelicals are miraculously rescued and transported to paradise. This leaves behind other Christian denominations, such as the Catholics and Orthodox, to face the horrifying ordeal. Try and imagine what would happen to a school bus filled with small children driving on the highway when all of a sudden the driver is abducted.
As part of my doctoral studies, I enrolled in a class specifically designed to examine the pre-tribulation rapture theory in depth and equip students to defend it robustly. With textbooks, scholarly articles, and heated classroom debates, the course was a comprehensive investigation of the subject. However, it didn’t offer a fair treatment of all views. Instead, it promoted the pre-trib rapture view.
The Turning Point
Ironically, it was in the trenches of defending the pre-tribulation rapture theory that the first cracks began to appear for me. As I delved into counter-arguments again pre-trib rapture, I found myself increasingly sympathetic to the objections raised. I also realized how weak the arguments for the pre-trib rapture view were. Whether it was the hermeneutical approach, the exegesis of key biblical texts, or the historical context in which certain prophetic texts were written, doubts began to accumulate.
As a Jew trained to read the Scriptures rigorously, I couldn’t ignore the glaring problems any longer. I began to realize that the theory was less biblically solid than I had thought. Certain scriptural interpretations, which I had taken for granted, appeared forced or contrived under closer scrutiny. Even the historical and cultural context of specific biblical passages seemed to contest rather than affirm the doctrine.
In an environment where the pre-tribulation rapture theory was considered almost sacrosanct, questioning its validity was no small matter. Yet, the academic rigor and intellectual honesty made it impossible for me to continue upholding a doctrine I no longer found convincing.
After much soul-searching and re-study of the Scriptures, I came to the difficult decision to disavow the pre-tribulation rapture theory. While it wasn’t easy to let go of a belief that had shaped my religious identity for so long, intellectual integrity and scriptural fidelity took precedence.
In a twist of irony, it was my quest to robustly defend the pre-tribulation rapture theory that led me to abandon it. My time at Dallas Theological Seminary—meant to solidify my beliefs—instead turned out to be a journey of transformation. And it all happened in a classroom, within the hallowed walls of an institution that had championed the very doctrine I eventually left behind.
I’d like to invite you on a brief journey—a mere 2-hour read—exploring my own path and the reasons I left behind the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine, all laid out in my new micro-book.”Left Behind Deconstructed: Why I Left Pre-Tribulation Rapture Behind“
