Haven’t seen it, but did listen to a piece about it on NPR and the hair on the back of my neck began to stand up, until I realized that we’re talking about TeeVee. This is Product, people, and nothing more. The network saw a demographic with a ready source of cash, and crafted something to sell them. OK… sell to advertisers. The fact that it automatically has everyone abuzz just means that they did their homework.
Anyway, that’s my take on it, and while I’d just like to brush it aside as another bit of TV glurge, this sort of pandering will be accepted by Fundamentalists as validation of their views and “values,” emboldening an already scary group of people (and politicians)
Note, however, that Guin was specifically addressing the issues of the Rapture, the Tribulation, and all that baggage. The RCC teaches that there will be a final judgement in which the world as we know it will pass away, possibly accompanied by great catastrophic signs in the heavens (although the descriptions of those events in Scripture are generally recognized as arising from the style of Apocalyptic literature, regardless whether it is found in Revelation or in Luke). However, the Rapture and Tribulation were invented in the 19th century and do not play a part in the RCC formulations. I doubt that any of that stuff would be considered heresy by the church–it is simply considered silly and irrelevant. (Although, as pointed out, above, the current mini-series has been condemned by (its competitor) Jenkins for not following his odd conception of Rapture and Tribulation.)
I will also note that the references provided on the first web page point to articles in the on-line Catholic Encyclopedia from the beginning of the 20th century. While the theology in that work is generally not false, the RCC has fully participated in the further studies of Scripture that have continued through the 20th century and some of the articles would need more nuance to be in complete accord with current teachings.
(Note also that the first web site is shilling for their own (Catholic) end times novel, so they are going to focus on the most cataclysmic interpretations that can be extracted from RCC doctrine, even when the church regards such fireworks as a literary device.)
By the way, I double-checked with my priest on Sunday. Rapture Theology is not part of Anglican beliefs. Oh, and she was rather amused at the notion that I must hate religion. :rolleyes:
Haha.