"Pre-trib" for short. The
doctrine that "
the Rapture" - that is, the physical
ascension of all
Christians into the air during the
End Times (itself a doctrine derived from a
literal reading of several different passages in the
Bible, most particularly 1 Thessalonians 4:17) - will occur before the foretold seven-year
tribulation and not after.
Adherents argue that the Bible points toward a Rapture that is not preceded by any recognizable signs, but which could happen at any time; whereas
the Second Coming of
Christ is described as the culmination of a certain specific chain of events. Therefore, they say, the sudden and unexpected Rapture
must come before those recognizable events that would clearly reveal the imminence of the Second Coming.
While this may seem like a mind-bogglingly insignificant point to outsiders, it is actually the subject of tremendous debate among fundamentalists and evangelicals. The real issues beneath the surface are, as always, how the Bible should be read and what the essential nature of God is. See post-tribulation rapture.