{"id":5701,"date":"2017-11-29T14:22:26","date_gmt":"2017-11-29T22:22:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saintj.com\/wp\/?page_id=5701"},"modified":"2017-12-13T20:03:36","modified_gmt":"2017-12-14T04:03:36","slug":"looking-toward-the-end-times-in-advent","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/saintj.com\/wp\/ministries\/adult-faith-formation\/looking-toward-the-end-times-in-advent\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking Toward the End-Times in Advent"},"content":{"rendered":"
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L’Apocalypse au ch\u00e2teau d’Angers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Advent is an unusual liturgical season.\u00a0 Although it begins a new church year, marked by a new cycle of Scripture readings, it looks forward to the end of things.\u00a0 The season prepares us to remember and celebrate the entrance of God into human history in the birth of Jesus Christ, but it simultaneously points forward to Jesus\u2019 return.\u00a0 The Sunday lectionary readings actually run backwards in time.\u00a0 They begin with predictions of the Second Coming, marked by trials and tribulations and the eventual fulfillment of the Kingdom of God, then take us back to the circumstances of Jesus\u2019 birth.\u00a0 The message is clear:\u00a0 Jesus\u2019 second coming will be just as surprising as the first, and, like good Boy Scouts, we need to be prepared.\u00a0 But what, exactly, are we preparing for?\u00a0 The \u201cEnd Times\u201d has been a staple of pop culture for years now – think of the \u201cLeft Behind\u201d series or \u201cDoomsday Preppers\u201d – with dire predictions of apocalypse, marked by great upheavals, suffering and death.\u00a0 But how much of it is truly Scriptural?\u00a0 And how should we interpret those Scriptures that seem to point to a final apocalypse? Should we fear the appearance of an Anti-Christ?\u00a0 Will some of be truly \u201cleft behind\u201d by the Rapture? What about the resurrection of the dead?<\/p>\n

You are invited to attend a three-part series<\/strong>, where we will explore these topics and more, beginning Tuesday, November 28th, 6:30 – 8:00 pm, in the Education Room, with a potluck dinner at 6:00 pm. <\/strong>\u00a0Please sign up on the sheet in the Parish Hall.<\/p>\n

Slides from the series are available below:<\/p>\n