The Rapture and the Presidency

I've been reflecting on the fact that two evangelical Christians now seem to be in the lead for the Republican Party's nominee for the presidency in 2012: Rep. Michele Bachmann, who won the Iowa Straw Pool, and Gov. Rick Perry, who announced his candidacy on Saturday and immediately was perceived to be in the top three (with Bachmann and Mitt Romney).

I'm wondering about the implications of having a candidate for the Presidency who believes in the "Rapture," i.e., the belief that in the end times, the "saved," will be caught up into the air, there to join Jesus Christ and those raised from the dead (cf. I Thessalonians 4:17 -"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Cf. also Mt. 24:40-41 - "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill. The one shall one taken, the other left.") Now it must be granted that beliefs concerning the Rapture, especially its timing and sequence in the events of the end times, vary considerably among those Christian groups that hold this expectation. But the fundamental idea is common to all.

Let me say first of all that I do not believe in the Rapture. I regard the passages quoted above from the New Testament as products of a time in which there was an expectation of an immediate end of the world, within a few decades at the most. There was no "New Testament" when these words were uttered, either by Jesus or by Paul, and there would have been no need for one, given the shortness of the remaining time. It was only after those hopes and expectations were disappointed (that first generation died and the end still had not come), that adjustments were made, and it was realized that Christians were going to be around for a long time and needed instruction and inspiration. Thus the New Testament canon was formed over the course of a century or more. The prophecies of a "rapture" were reported, but could no longer mean what they originally had meant. Ever since, Christians have debated what they mean for subsequent generations. There have always been some Christians who have believed that they apply to the time in which they live, up to the present time (as recently as last May 31st).

I do not know precisely what Rep. Bachmann or Gov. Perry believe about the Rapture. But polls have indicated that, in Rep. Bachmann's case at least, 31% of her followers believe in the Rapture. It seems likely that she does too. And I assume that means that she hopes and expects that when the Rapture takes place, she will be among the saved who are "caught up." If so what are the implications of that for her candidacy? Well, I feel that any candidate who believes in the Rapture should be disqualified for the office of the presidency.

The president-elect takes this oath at her or his inauguration:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

I do not see how someone who believes in the Rapture could take this oath in good conscience. They would be affirming their determination to defend the Constitution of the United States even while believing - and indeed hoping - that should the Rapture occur during their term of office, they would be "caught up" and thus be unable to fulfill their presidential obligations. It seems to me that to take this oath in good faith, one would want to be, and intend to be, among those "left behind," in the rapture.

There is no question that if the Rapture does take place, it will be followed by severe social dislocation (what the Bible calls "tribulation"). Airplanes will be left pilot-less; subway trains will lose their engineers; patients on the operating table will lose their chief surgeon, etc. We will need strong hands on the tiller at every level of government to restore order out of the resulting chaos.

Of course, the "saved" could not care less about this. In fact, those who believe in the Rapture probably feel that those left behind deserve to suffer because they are the "damned," so the more chaos the better. But those of us left behind may have different ideas on this.

If the Republican Party ends up nominating for the presidency someone who believes in the Rapture (and who sees himself or herself as among the "saved") won't that send a message that the party cares little for the American people as a whole and just wants to save the skins of the few? But, come to think about it, that's what their fiscal policy is all about! But that's another whole issue.

Home again, home again...

DAY SEVENTY-FIVE: I guess I'll let "seventy-five" be the end of this series. I'm home now, and am already very much in a "non-trip" mode, feeling the pressures of what lies ahead. My brother, Stewart, seems to be doing pretty well in his new location. While I was there, we hosted his friend, Carol, for lunch. We figured out how to program his new answering machine (no mean feat!). I showed him how to make smoothies, and he's following up on that. Since I left he's had more visitors, went out himself to visit an old work colleague who turned out lived in the next building, has gone to his Barbershop Chorus annual Corn Boil. I've made arrangements to go back in October for the dedication of the Chicago Theological Seminary new building at the University of Chicago, and a classmate at the seminary will join me and we'll stay with Stewart. I don't think this would have happened at the old place. So, it sounds good.

I never had a chance to post a photo from our visit with Katie, Savanna and Brendan at Oxbow Lake, NY on our way home the first time (back around DAY SIXTY-EIGHT). So, here it is:

Since my return home from Stewart's, Ellen has gone to several Marlboro Music Festival rehearsals, and today, after church, we joined Katie and Savanna there for a concert of Handel, Copland and Schubert.

Now I'm getting ready to lead a service next Sunday which will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the town of Guilford. The service will feature the famous Guilford "Nine-o'-clock Choir" and the hymns of Isaac Watts. It will be a festive morning. And of course, less than two weeks down the road is the wedding of Jim Tolles and Mary Cooke in Union, Maine where Ellen will be head caterer for the reception and I'll be the officiant. Stay tuned!

Back to Vermont

DAY SEVENTY: Today is my last day here in Elgin with my brother. My niece, Becky, will pick me up late this afternoon and take me to the Elgin METRA station where I get a commuter train into Union Station in time for early boarding of the Amtrak for Albany. I hope to get a good seat. The train leaves at 10pm, arrives in Albany tomorrow at 2:45pm. Ellen will meet me there. I hope to get some sleep on the train but I'm not optimistic. I got very little coming out last Friday-Saturday.

I'm glad I came to be with Stewart during these first days in his new apartment. I'm hopeful that this will work for him but I have some concerns. He will be living alone. His kids, Becky especially, will check in on him frequently, I'm sure. I plan to call him regularly. But still... He is not sleeping well, and hasn't for years. He is extremely thin. He gets light-headed fairly easily, feels weak and tired. I'm not sure he'll eat properly alone. But, I like the apartment and he seems to also. It's in a pleasant neighborhood. It seems pretty quiet. It is not too far from all the familiar things. It could be a new start for him. I hope so!