Two distinct theological issues in some strands of "Bible Belt" eschatology:
Pre-Tribulation Rapture Emphasis: Many in the Bible Belt subscribe to a pre-tribulation rapture — the belief that believers will be taken up before a seven-year period of tribulation. This view often heavily focuses on escape from suffering, and it can overshadow the broader biblical narrative of endurance, witness, and resurrection.
Neglect of Resurrection-Linked Rapture: Biblically, the rapture is tied explicitly to the resurrection at Christ’s coming (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17, 1 Corinthians 15:51–52). So, to teach a rapture that’s separate from the resurrection is to disconnect it from one of its most essential scriptural anchors.
The real theological problem isn't just timing — it's the detachment of the rapture from the resurrection, which fundamentally alters the biblical picture of Christian hope. Resurrection is central to New Testament eschatology. If the rapture isn’t grounded in that, it risks becoming a speculative or escapist doctrine rather than a hope rooted in Christ’s victory over death.
Stephen D Green, with ChatGPT, April 2025
