with Professor Chris Frilingos

If you walked into a grocery store in central Florida in the late 1980s, you might have seen a small book among the tabloids and issues of TV Guide. The book, On borrowed time; 88 reasons why the rapture could be in 1988, was written by Edgar C. Whisenant, a former NASA engineer who died in 2001. The title refers to the “Rapture,” a belief among some Christians that the faithful will be spared the turmoil and horror of the “End Times.” Whisenant’s book offers readers a timetable of these events. When 1988 passed without a rapture, Whisenant published a sequel: The final shout: rapture report 1989 (World Bible Study, 1989).

This is the fourth lecture in a series given by faculty in the Department of Religious Studies who use primary sources from Special Collections in the MSU Library in teaching and research. Each presentation will include ample time for conversation. The sources will be available for viewing during the talks. Bring your lunch; coffee and tea will be provided.