Timothy Francis LaHaye (April 27, 1926 – July 25, 2016) was an American
Baptist
Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
evangelical Christian
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
minister who wrote more than 85 books, both non-fiction and fiction, including the ''
Left Behind'' series of
apocalyptic fiction, which he co-authored with
Jerry B. Jenkins.
He was a founder of the
Council for National Policy, a
conservative Christian advocacy group. LaHaye opposed homosexuality, believing it to be immoral and unbiblical. He was a
critic
A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as Art criticism, art, Literary criticism, literature, Music journalism, music, Film criticism, cinema, Theater criticism, theater, Fas ...
of
Roman Catholicism
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
, and a believer in conspiracy theories regarding the
Illuminati.
LaHaye has been called "one of the most influential evangelicals of the late twentieth century" and, along with his wife
Beverly LaHaye, he helped shape the beliefs and organizations of the
Christian right
The Christian right are Christian political factions characterized by their strong support of socially conservative and traditionalist policies. Christian conservatives seek to influence politics and public policy with their interpretation ...
.
Biography
Early life
Timothy Francis LaHaye was born on April 27, 1926, in
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
, to Frank LaHaye, a
Ford auto worker who died in 1936 of a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
, and Margaret LaHaye (née Palmer). His father's death had a significant influence on LaHaye, who was only nine years old at the time. He had been inconsolable until the minister at the funeral said, "This is not the end of Frank LaHaye; because he accepted
Jesus Christ
Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
, the day will come when the Lord will shout from
heaven
Heaven, or the Heavens, is a common Religious cosmology, religious cosmological or supernatural place where beings such as deity, deities, angels, souls, saints, or Veneration of the dead, venerated ancestors are said to originate, be throne, ...
and descend, and the dead in Christ will rise first and then we'll be caught up together to meet him in the air."
LaHaye later said that, upon hearing those remarks, "all of a sudden, there was hope in my heart I'd see my father again."
LaHaye enlisted in the
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
in 1944, at the age of 18,
after he finished high school. He served in the
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army (ETOUSA) was a Theater (warfare), theater of Operations responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the European theatre of World War II, from 1942 to 1945. It command ...
as a
machine gunner aboard a bomber.
Then he studied at
Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University (BJU) is a private university in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. It is known for its Conservatism in the United States, conservative and Evangelicalism in the United States, evangelical cultural and religious posit ...
in
Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville ( ; ) is a city in Greenville County, South Carolina, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, sixth-most pop ...
, where he met his wife, Beverly, and obtained a
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
in 1950. LaHaye held the
Doctor of Ministry
The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) is a doctorate in religious ministry. It often includes an original research component, and may be earned by a minister of religion while concurrently engaged in ministry. It is categorized as an advanced doctoral de ...
degree from
Western Seminary.
Ministry
He served as a pastor in
Pumpkintown, South Carolina, and after that he pastored a congregation in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
until 1956.
After that, the LaHaye family moved to
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
, where he served as pastor of the Scott Memorial
Baptist Church
Baptists are a denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers ( believer's baptism) and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of ...
(now called
Shadow Mountain Community Church)
for nearly 25 years.
In 1971, he founded Christian Heritage College, now known as
San Diego Christian College
San Diego Christian College (SDCC) is a Private university, private evangelical university in Santee, California. Founded in 1970, SDCC offers traditional, non-traditional, and graduate programs.
History
In January 1970, Tim F. LaHaye, pastor o ...
.
In 1972, LaHaye helped establish the
Institute for Creation Research
The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) is a creationist apologetics institute in Dallas, Texas, that specializes in media promotion of pseudoscientific creation science and interpretation of the Genesis creation narrative as a historical e ...
in
El Cajon, California
El Cajon ( , ; Spanish language, Spanish: El Cajón, lit. 'the box') is a city in San Diego County, California, United States, east of downtown San Diego. The city takes its name from Rancho El Cajon, Rancho El Cajón, which was named for the ...
, along with
Henry M. Morris
Henry Madison Morris (October 6, 1918 – February 25, 2006) was an American young Earth creationist, Christian apologist and engineer. He was one of the founders of the Creation Research Society and the Institute for Creation Research. He i ...
.
In 1976, the couple wrote ''
The Act of Marriage'', a Christian self-help sex manual. The book sought to depict enjoyment of sex within marriage as positive rather than sinful. It frames marital sex as an important part of a
complementarian, divinely designed relationship – with men as aggressive, sexually voracious leaders whose submissive wives provide them with sexual satisfaction to boost their egos and thereby make them more confident leaders, as part of God's design for
gender roles
A gender role, or sex role, is a social norm deemed appropriate or desirable for individuals based on their gender or sex.
Gender roles are usually centered on conceptions of masculinity and femininity. The specifics regarding these gende ...
.
Political activism
LaHaye started numerous groups to promote his views, having become involved in politics at the
Christian Voice during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In 1979, he founded Californians for Biblical Morality, which has been described as "in many ways...the genesis of the Christian right."
The same year, LaHaye encouraged
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Laymon Falwell Sr. (August 11, 1933 – May 15, 2007) was an American Baptist pastor, televangelist, and conservatism in the United States, conservative activist. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch ...
to found the
Moral Majority and was among its three directors.
LaHaye was a member of and speaker for the
John Birch Society
The John Birch Society (JBS) is an American right-wing political advocacy group. Founded in 1958, it is anti-communist, supports social conservatism, and is associated with ultraconservative, radical right, far-right, right-wing populist, and ...
(JBS), a conservative,
anti-communist
Anti-communism is political and ideological opposition to communist beliefs, groups, and individuals. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia, and it reached global dimensions during the Cold War, when th ...
group; scholar Celestini Carmen argues that LaHaye used the JBS's
culture war
A culture war is a form of cultural conflict (metaphorical " war") between different social groups who struggle to politically impose their own ideology (moral beliefs, humane virtues, and religious practices) upon mainstream society, or upon ...
methods and rhetoric of "fear, apocalyptic thought and conspiracy" to forge the Moral Majority, with "fear, anger, and disgust as essential ingredients." His book ''Rapture Under Attack'' describes his time in the JBS and relationship to its leader,
Robert W. Welch Jr.
Robert Henry Winborne Welch Jr. (December 1, 1899 – January 6, 1985) was an American businessman, political organizer, and conspiracy theorist. He was wealthy following his retirement from the candy business and used his wealth to sponsor ...
Also in 1979, LaHaye's wife,
Beverly, founded
Concerned Women for America, a conservative
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
women's activist group.
Then in 1981, he left the pulpit to concentrate his time on politics and writing. That year, he helped found the
Council for National Policy (CNP), a policy making
think tank
A think tank, or public policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governme ...
in which membership is only available through invitation. ABC News called it "the most powerful
conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
organization in America you've never heard of".
In the 1980s he was criticized by the evangelical community for accepting money from
Bo Hi Pak, a longtime
Sun Myung Moon
Sun Myung Moon (; born Moon Yong-myeong; 6 January 1920 – 3 September 2012) was a Korean religious leader, also known for his business ventures and support for conservative political causes. A messiah claimant, he was the founder of the ...
operative.
He was additionally criticized for joining Moon's Council for Religious Freedom, which was founded to protest Moon's 1984 imprisonment.
In 1996, LaHaye's wife spoke at an event sponsored by Moon.
In the 1980s, LaHaye founded the
American Coalition for Traditional Values and the
Coalition for Religious Freedom. He founded the Pre-Trib Research Center along with
Thomas Ice in 1993.
The center is dedicated to producing material that supports a
dispensationalist,
pre-tribulation interpretation of the Bible.
LaHaye also took more direct roles in presidential politics. He supported
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
's elections as
United States president
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...
.
He was a co-chairman of
Jack Kemp
Jack French Kemp (July 13, 1935 – May 2, 2009) was an American politician, professional Gridiron football, football player, and U.S. Army veteran. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party from New York, he served a ...
's 1988 presidential bid but was removed from the campaign after four days when his
anti-Catholic
Anti-Catholicism is hostility towards Catholics and opposition to the Catholic Church, its clergy, and its adherents. Scholars have identified four categories of anti-Catholicism: constitutional-national, theological, popular and socio-cul ...
views became known.
LaHaye played a significant role in getting the
Religious Right to support
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
for the presidency in
2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
.
In 2007, he endorsed
Mike Huckabee
Michael Dale Huckabee (, born August 24, 1955) is an American diplomat, political commentator, Baptist minister, and politician serving as the 29th United States Ambassador to Israel, United States ambassador to Israel since 2025. A member of ...
during the
primaries
Primary elections or primaries are elections held to determine which candidates will run in an upcoming general election. In a partisan primary, a political party selects a candidate. Depending on the state and/or party, there may be an "open pri ...
and served as his spiritual advisor.
''Left Behind''
LaHaye is best known for the ''Left Behind'' series of
apocalyptic fiction that depicts the
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
after the
pretribulation rapture
The Rapture is an Christian eschatology, eschatological position held by some Christians, particularly those of American evangelicalism, consisting of an end-time event when all dead Christian believers will be resurrected and, joined with Chr ...
which premillennial dispensationalists believe the Bible states, multiple times, will occur. The books were LaHaye's idea, though
Jerry B. Jenkins, a former sportswriter with numerous other works of fiction to his name, wrote the books from LaHaye's notes.
The series, which started in 1995 with the first novel, includes 12 titles in the adult series, as well as juvenile novels, audio books, devotionals, and graphic novels. The books have been very popular, with total sales surpassing 65 million copies as of July 2016.
Seven titles in the adult series have reached No. 1 on the bestseller lists for ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
,
USA Today
''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'', and ''
Publishers Weekly
''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...
''.
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Laymon Falwell Sr. (August 11, 1933 – May 15, 2007) was an American Baptist pastor, televangelist, and conservatism in the United States, conservative activist. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch ...
said about the first book in the series: "In terms of its impact on Christianity, it's probably greater than that of any other book in modern times, outside the Bible."
The best-selling series has been compared to the equally popular works of
Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo Clancy Jr. (April 12, 1947 – October 1, 2013) was an American novelist. He is best known for his technically detailed espionage and military science, military-science storylines set during and after the Cold War. Seventeen of ...
and
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...
: "the plotting is brisk and the characterizations
Manichean. People disappear and things blow up."
LaHaye indicates that the idea for the series came to him one day circa 1994, while he was sitting on an airplane and observed a married pilot flirting with a flight attendant. He wondered what would befall the pilot if the Rapture happened at that moment.
The first book in the series opens with a similar scene. He sold the movie rights for the ''Left Behind'' series and later stated he regretted that decision, because the films turned out to be "church-basement videos", rather than "a big-budget blockbuster" that he had hoped for.
Later activities
In 2001, LaHaye co-hosted with
Dave Breese the prophecy television program ''The King Is Coming''. In 2001, LaHaye gave $4.5 million to
Liberty University
Liberty University (LU), known simply as Liberty, is a Private university, private Evangelicalism in the United States, evangelical Christian university in Lynchburg, Virginia, United States. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservativ ...
to build a new student center, which opened in January 2002 and was named after LaHaye. He, alongside his wife, served as a member of Liberty's board of trustees.
He provided funds for the
LaHaye Ice Center on the campus of Liberty University, which opened in January 2006.
LaHaye's book ''The Rapture'' was released on June 6, 2006, in order to capitalize on a
6-6-6 connection.
Personal life and death
Tim LaHaye married activist and fellow author
Beverly Ratcliffe in 1947 while attending
Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University (BJU) is a private university in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. It is known for its Conservatism in the United States, conservative and Evangelicalism in the United States, evangelical cultural and religious posit ...
.
In July 2016, the LaHayes celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary.
They had four children and nine grandchildren, and lived in the Los Angeles area.
The LaHayes owned a condo in
Rancho Mirage, California
Rancho Mirage is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is a low-density desert community with resorts, golf courses, and country clubs within the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran Desert. Nestled along the foothil ...
.
LaHaye died on July 25, 2016, in a hospital in
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
, after suffering from a stroke, aged 90.
In addition to his wife, Beverly, he was survived by four children, nine grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, a brother (Richard LaHaye), and a sister.
His funeral service took place at
Shadow Mountain Community Church on August 12, 2016, with
David Jeremiah, who succeeded LaHaye as pastor at what was then Scott Memorial Baptist Church, led the service. LaHaye is interred at
Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego, California.
Views
Homosexuality
In 1978 LaHaye published ''The Unhappy Gays'', which was later retitled ''What Everyone Should Know About Homosexuality''. The book called homosexuals "militant, organized" and "vile." ''The Unhappy Gays'' also argues that homosexuals share 16 pernicious traits, including "incredible promiscuity", "deceit", "selfishness", "vulnerability to
sadism-masochism", and "poor health and an early death."
He believed that
homosexuality can be cured.
However, he said that such conversions are rare.
Global conspiracies
LaHaye believed that the
Illuminati is secretly engineering world affairs. In ''Rapture Under Attack'' he wrote:
I myself have been a forty-five year student of the satan
Satan, also known as the Devil, is a devilish entity in Abrahamic religions who seduces humans into sin (or falsehood). In Judaism, Satan is seen as an agent subservient to God, typically regarded as a metaphor for the '' yetzer hara'', or ' ...
ically-inspired, centuries-old conspiracy
A conspiracy, also known as a plot, ploy, or scheme, is a secret plan or agreement between people (called conspirers or conspirators) for an unlawful or harmful purpose, such as murder, treason, or corruption, especially with a political motivat ...
to use government, education, and media to destroy every vestige of Christianity within our society and establish a new world order. Having read at least fifty books on the Illuminati, I am convinced that it exists and can be blamed for many of man's inhumane actions against his fellow man during the past two hundred years.
The Illuminati is just one of many groups that he believed are working to "turn America into an amoral,
humanist
Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry.
The meaning of the term "humanism" ha ...
country, ripe for merger into a
one-world socialist state." Other
secret societies
A secret society is an organization about which the activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence a ...
and
liberal groups working to destroy "every vestige of Christianity", according to LaHaye, include: the
Trilateral Commission
The Trilateral Commission is a nongovernmental international organization aimed at fostering closer cooperation between Japan, Western Europe and North America. It was founded in July 1973, principally by American banker and philanthropist David ...
, the
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit civil rights organization founded in 1920. ACLU affiliates are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The budget of the ACLU in 2024 was $383 million.
T ...
, the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...
, the
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women (NOW) is an American feminist organization. Founded in 1966, it is legally a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S. states and in Washington, D.C. It ...
,
Planned Parenthood
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), or simply Planned Parenthood, is an American nonprofit organization , "the major TV networks, high-profile newspapers and newsmagazines," the
State Department
The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs o ...
, major foundations (
Rockefeller,
Carnegie,
Ford), the United Nations, "the left wing of the
Democratic Party",
Harvard
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...
,
Yale
Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and one of the nine colonial colleges ch ...
"and 2,000 other colleges and universities."
LaHaye believed that
political mobilization
Mass mobilization (also known as social mobilization or popular mobilization) refers to mobilization of civilian population as part of contentious politics. Mass mobilization is defined as a process that engages and motivates a wide range of partn ...
of the
Christian right
The Christian right are Christian political factions characterized by their strong support of socially conservative and traditionalist policies. Christian conservatives seek to influence politics and public policy with their interpretation ...
in voting for Ronald Reagan thwarted the Illuminati, who had been attempting to create a New World Order.
Eschatology
While himself a premillennialist who asserted the end times were near and that the nation will be judged, LaHaye also adopted aspects of
R. J. Rushdoony's
postmillennialist movement,
Christian reconstructionism
Christian reconstructionism is a fundamentalist Calvinist theonomic movement. It developed primarily under the direction of R. J. Rushdoony, Greg Bahnsen and Gary North and has had an important influence on the Christian right in the Unit ...
. Despite varying beliefs on how the end times will occur, both groups share a "desire to reclaim the culture for Christ by reasserting
patriarchal authority and waging battle against encroaching
secular humanism
Secular humanism is a philosophy, belief system, or life stance that embraces human reason, logic, secular ethics, and philosophical naturalism, while specifically rejecting religious dogma, supernaturalism, and superstition as the basi ...
, in all its guises."
The
eschatological
Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of present age, human history, or the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that negative world ...
views of LaHaye have been described as "view
ngthe U.N. and Islam as literally satanic; oppos
ngany compromise in the
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing military and political conflict about Territory, land and self-determination within the territory of the former Mandatory Palestine. Key aspects of the conflict include the Israeli occupation ...
; and foresee
ngan imminent eschatological crisis in which millions of human beings will perish in agony".
Other believers in
dispensational premillennialism
Premillennialism, in Christian eschatology, is the belief that Jesus will physically return to the Earth (the Second Coming) before the Millennium, heralding a literal thousand-year messianic age of peace. Premillennialism is based upon a liter ...
, who believe that the
return of Jesus is imminent, criticize various aspects of his theology.
Many mainstream Christians and certain other evangelicals had broader disagreements with the ''Left Behind'' series as a whole, pointing out that "most biblical scholars largely reject the eschatological assumptions of this kind of pop end-times literature."
In ''The Rapture Exposed'' by Barbara Rossing, a number of criticisms are raised regarding the series, particularly its focus on violence.
Anti-Catholic sentiments
LaHaye was a harsh critic of
Roman Catholicism
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
, which he called "a false religion".
In his 1973 book ''Revelation Illustrated and Made Plain'', he stated that the Catholic Church "is more dangerous than no religion because she substitutes religion for truth" and "is also dangerous because some of her doctrines are pseudo-Christian." Elsewhere the same book compared Catholic ceremonies to
pagan
Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...
rituals.
It was these statements that were largely responsible for LaHaye's dismissal from
Jack Kemp's 1988 presidential campaign. It was later revealed that
Scott Memorial Baptist Church, the San Diego church that LaHaye had pastored throughout the 1970s, had sponsored an anti-Catholic group called
Mission to Catholics; one of their pamphlets asserted that
Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...
was the "archpriest of Satan, a deceiver, and an
antichrist
In Christian eschatology, Antichrist (or in broader eschatology, Anti-Messiah) refers to a kind of entity prophesied by the Bible to oppose Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ and falsely substitute themselves as a savior in Christ's place before ...
, who has, like
Judas
Judas Iscariot (; ; died AD) was, according to Christianity's four canonical gospels, one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin in the Garden of Gethsemane, in exchange for thirty pieces of ...
, gone to his own place."
The issue of anti-Catholicism also comes up in regard to the ''Left Behind'' series. While the fictional Pope John XXIV was raptured, he is described as having "stirred up controversy in the church with a new doctrine that seemed to coincide more with the 'heresy' of
Martin Luther
Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...
than with the historic orthodoxy they were used to," and this is implied as the reason he was raptured. His successor, Pope
Peter II, becomes
Pontifex Maximus of
Enigma Babylon One World Faith, an amalgamation of all remaining world faiths and religions.
Other Catholic writers have said that while the books aren't "anti-Catholic per se", they reflect LaHaye's other writings on the subject.
Despite his anti-Catholic views, he praised
traditionalist Catholic
Traditionalist Catholicism is a movement that emphasizes beliefs, practices, customs, traditions, liturgical forms, devotions and presentations of teaching associated with the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). ...
director
Mel Gibson
Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Mel Gibson, multiple accolades, he is known for directing historical films as well for his act ...
's 2004 film ''
The Passion of the Christ
''The Passion of the Christ'' is a 2004 American epic biblical drama film co-produced and directed by Mel Gibson from a screenplay he wrote with Benedict Fitzgerald. It stars Jim Caviezel as Jesus of Nazareth, Maia Morgenstern as the Bl ...
'', saying that "Everyone should see this movie. It could be Hollywood's finest achievement to date." He also endorsed Catholic convert
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy Gingrich (; né McPherson; born June 17, 1943) is an American politician and author who served as the List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 50th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1 ...
for president in 2012.
Tributes
''
Time Magazine
''Time'' (stylized in all caps as ''TIME'') is an American news magazine based in New York City. It was published weekly for nearly a century. Starting in March 2020, it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York Cit ...
'' named LaHaye one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America, and in the summer of 2001, the ''Evangelical Studies Bulletin'' named him the most influential Christian leader of the preceding quarter century.
Awards
He received an
Honorary Doctorate
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...
in Literature from
Liberty University
Liberty University (LU), known simply as Liberty, is a Private university, private Evangelicalism in the United States, evangelical Christian university in Lynchburg, Virginia, United States. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservativ ...
.
Works
LaHaye authored over 85 books in his lifetime.
Novels
;''Left Behind'' series (with
Jerry B. Jenkins):
''Left Behind'' series:
# Oct. 1995, ''
Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth's Last Days'' ()
# Oct. 1996, ''
Tribulation Force: The Continuing Drama of Those Left Behind'' ()
# Oct. 1997, ''
Nicolae: The Rise of Antichrist'' ()
# Aug. 1998, ''
Soul Harvest: The World Takes Sides'' ()
# Feb. 1999, ''
Apollyon: The Destroyer Is Unleashed'' ()
# Aug. 1999, ''
Assassins: Assignment: Jerusalem, Target: Antichrist'' ()
# May. 2000, ''
The Indwelling: The Beast Takes Possession'' ()
# Nov. 2000, ''
The Mark: The Beast Rules the World'' ()
# Oct. 2001, ''
Desecration
Desecration is the act of depriving something of its sacred character, or the disrespectful, contemptuous, or destructive treatment of that which is held to be sacred or holy by a group or individual.
Overview
Many consider acts of desecration t ...
: Antichrist Takes the Throne'' ()
# Jul. 2002, ''
The Remnant: On the Brink of Armageddon'' ()
# Apr. 2003, ''
Armageddon
Armageddon ( ; ; ; from ) is the prophesied gathering of armies for a battle during the end times, according to the Book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Armageddon is variously interpreted as either a literal or a ...
: The Cosmic Battle of the Ages'' ()
# Mar. 2004, ''
Glorious Appearing: The End of Days'' ()
# Apr. 2007, ''
Kingdom Come: The Final Victory'' ()
''Before They Were Left Behind'' series (prequel):
# March 2005, ''
The Rising: Before They Were Left Behind'' ()
# November 2005, ''
The Regime: Before They Were Left Behind'' ()
# June 6, 2006, ''
The Rapture'' ()
''
Left Behind: The Kids'' series (spin off):
# ''The Vanishings: Four Kids Face Earth's Last Days Together'' (1998)
# ''Second Chance: The Search For Truth'' (1998)
# ''Through the Flames: The Kids Risk Their Lives'' (1998)
# ''Facing the Future: Preparing for Battle'' (1998)
# ''Nicolae High: The Young Trib Force Goes Back to School'' (1999)
# ''The Underground: The Young Trib Force Fights Back'' (1999, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Busted!: The Young Trib Force Faces Pressure'' (2000, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Death Strike: The Young Trib Force Faces War'' (2000, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''The Search: The Struggle to Survive'' (2000, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''On the Run: The Young Trib Force Faces Danger'' (2000)
# ''Into the Storm: The Search for Secret Documents'' (2000, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Earthquake!: The Young Trib Force Faces Disaster'' (2000, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''The Showdown: Behind Enemy Lines'' (2001, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Judgment Day: Into Raging Waters'' (2001, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Battling the Commander: The Hidden Cave'' (2001, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Fire from Heaven'' (2001, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Terror in the Stadium: Witnesses Under Fire'' (2001, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Darkening Skies: Judgment of Ice'' (2001, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Attack of Apollyon: Revenge of the Locusts'' (2002)
# ''A Dangerous Plan: Race Against Time'' (2002, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Secrets of New Babylon: The Search for an Imposter'' (2002)
# ''Escape from New Babylon: Discovering New Believers'' (2002, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Horsemen of Terror: The Unseen Judgment'' (2002, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Uplink from the Underground: Showtime for Vicki'' (2002, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Death at the Gala: History in the Making'' (2003, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''The Beast Arises: Unveiling the Plan'' (2003, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Wildfire: Into the Great Tribulation'' (2003, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''The Mark of the Beast: Dilemma in New Bablyon'' (2003, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Breakout!: Believers in Danger'' (2003)
# ''Murder in the Holy Place: Carpathia's Deadly Deception'' (2003, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Escape to Masada: Joining Operation Eagle'' (2003, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''War of the Dragon: Miracles in the Air'' (2003, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Attack on Petra: Through the Inferno'' (2004, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Bounty Hunters: Believers in the Crosshairs'' (2004, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''The Rise of False Messiahs: Carpathia's Evil Tricks'' (2004)
# ''Ominous Choices: The Race for Life'' (2004, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Heat Wave: Surviving the Fourth Bowl Judgment'' (2004, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''The Perils of Love: Breaking Through the Darkness'' (2004, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''The Road to War: Facing the Guillotine'' (2004, with
Chris Fabry)
# ''Triumphant Return: The New Jerusalem'' (2004, with
Chris Fabry)
;''
Babylon Rising'' series:
# October 2003, ''
Babylon Rising'', with
Greg Dinallo ()
# August 2004, ''The Secret on Ararat'', with
Dr. Bob Phillips, Ph.D ()
# September 2005, ''The Europa Conspiracy'', with
Dr. Bob Phillips, Ph.D ()
# August 29, 2006, ''The Edge of Darkness'', with
Dr. Bob Phillips, Ph.D ()
;''The Jesus Chronicles'' series (with
Jerry B. Jenkins):
# ''John's Story: The Last Eyewitness'' (2006) ()
# ''Mark's Story: The Gospel According to Peter'' (2007)
# ''Luke's Story: By Faith Alone'' (2009)
# ''Matthew's Story: From Sinner To Saint'' (2010)
;''The End'' series (with Craig Parshall):
# ''Edge of Apocalypse'' (2010)
# ''Thunder of Heaven'' (2011)
# ''Brink of Chaos'' (2012)
# ''Mark of Evil'' (2014)
;Standalone novels:
* ''Come Spring'' (2005, with Gregory S. Dinallo)
* ''Always Grace'' (2008, with
Greg Dinallo, Gregory S. Dinallo)
Comics
;''Left Behind'' Graphic Novel series (with
Jerry B. Jenkins):
# ''Left Behind: A Graphic Novel of Earth's Last Days'' (2001, with
Aaron Lopresti
Aaron Lopresti (born January 7, 1964) is an People of the United States, American comic book artist who has worked for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, CrossGen Comics and Image Comics.
Early life
Aaron Lopresti was born January 7, 19 ...
,
Jeffrey Moy)
# ''Tribulation Force: The Continuing Drama of Those Left Behind'' (2002, with
Brian Augustyn)
Poems
* ''Our Favorite Verse'' (1986,
Beverly LaHaye)
Nonfiction
;Self-help:
* ''Spirit-Controlled Temperament'' (1966)
* ''How to Be Happy Though Married'' (1968)
* ''Transforming Your Temperament'' (1971)
* ''The Beginning of the End'' (1972)
* ''How To Win Over Depression'' (1974)
* ''Ten Steps to Victory Over Depression'' (1974)
* ''
The Act of Marriage: The Beauty of Sexual Love'' (1976, with
Beverly LaHaye)
* ''Opposites Attract'' (1977)
* ''Understand Your Man: Secrets of the Male Temperament'' (1977)
* ''Understanding the Male Temperament'' (1977)
* ''Six Keys to a Happy Marriage'' (1978)
* ''Spirit-Controlled Family Living'' (1978)
* ''The Unhappy Gays: What Everyone Should Know About Homosexuality'' (1978)
* ''Your Temperament Can Be Changed'' (1978)
* ''Anger Is a Choice'' (1982, with
Dr. Bob Phillips, Ph.D)
* ''How to Manage Pressure Before Pressure Manages You'' (1983)
* ''Increase Your Personality Power'' (1984)
* ''Practical Answers to Common Questions about Sex in Marriage'' (1984)
* ''The Coming Peace in the Middle East'' (1984)
* ''Your Temperament: Discover Its Potential'' (1984)
* What Lovemaking Means to a... series:
*# ''What Lovemaking Means to a Woman: Practical Advice to Married Women about Sex'' (1984)
*# ''What Lovemaking Means to a Man: Practical Advice to Married Men about Sex'' (1984)
* ''Sex Education is for the Family'' (1985)
* ''Why You Act the Way You Do'' (1987)
* ''Finding the Will of God in a Crazy, Mixed-Up World'' (1989)
* ''If Ministers Fall, Can They Be Restored?'' (1990)
* ''Our Life Together'' (1990, with Richard Exley)
* ''I Love You, But Why Are We So Different?: Making the Most of Personality Differences in Your Marriage'' (1991)
* ''Raising Sexually Pure Kids: How to Prepare Your Children for The Act of Marriage'' (1993)
* ''Smart Money'' (1994, with Jerry Tuma)
* ''The Spirit-Filled Family: Expanded for the Challenges of Today'' (1995, with
Beverly LaHaye)
* ''Gathering Lilies from Among the Thorns: Finding the Mate God Has for You'' (1998, with
Beverly LaHaye)
* ''The Power of the Cross'' (1998)
* ''The Act of Marriage After 40'' (2000, with
Beverly LaHaye, Mike Yorkey)
* Soul Survivor series:
*# ''
Mind Siege: The Battle for the Truth'' (2000, with
David A. Noebel)
*# ''All the Rave'' (2002, with Bob DeMoss)
*# ''The Last Dance'' (2002, with Bob DeMoss)
*# ''Black Friday'' (2003, with Bob DeMoss)
* ''Perhaps Today: Living Everyday in the Light of Christ's Return'' (2001, with
Jerry B. Jenkins)
* ''The Transparent Leader: Spiritual Secrets of Nineteen Successful Men'' (2001, with Dwight L. Johnson, Dean Nelson)
* ''Heart Attacked: How to Keep and Guard Your Heart for God'' (2002, with
Ed Hindson)
* ''Seduction of the Heart'' (2002, with
Ed Hindson)
* ''Embracing Eternity: Living Each Day with a Heart Toward Heaven'' (2004, with
Jerry B. Jenkins, Frank M. Martin)
* ''Jesus and the Hope of His Coming'' (2004, with
Jerry B. Jenkins)
* ''Turn Your Life Around: Break Free from Your Past to a New and Better You'' (2006, with Tim Clinton)
* ''The Essential Guide to Bible Prophecy: 13 Keys to Understanding the End Times'' (2012, with
Ed Hindson)
* ''A Quick Look at the Rapture and the Second Coming'' (2013)
:History:
* ''Faith of Our Founding Fathers'' (1987)
* ''Hitler, God & the Bible'' (2012, with
Ray Comfort)
;Politics:
* ''The Hidden Censors'' (1984)
;Religion:
* ''Revelation Unveiled'' (1973)
* ''Revelation: Illustrated and Made Plain'' (1973)
* ''How to Study the Bible for Yourself'' (1976)
* ''The Ark on Ararat'' (1976, with
John D. Morris)
* ''Life in the Afterlife: What Really Happens After Death?'' (1980)
* The Battle for the Mind/Family series:
*# ''The Battle for the Mind'' (1980)
*# ''The Battle for the Family'' (1981)
* ''The Battle for the Public Schools'' (1982)
* ''The Race for the 21st Century'' (1986)
* ''No Fear of the Storm: Why Christians Will Escape All the Tribulation'', AKA ''Rapture Under Attack: Will Christians Escape the Tribulation?'', AKA ''The Rapture: Who Will Face the Tribulation?'' (1992)
* ''Understanding Bible Prophecy for Yourself'' (1992)
* ''Jesus: Who Is He?'' (1996)
* ''Understanding the Last Days'' (1998)
* ''Bible Prophecy: What You Need to Know'' (1999)
* ''Are We Living in the End Times?'' (1999, with
Jerry B. Jenkins)
* ''Tim LaHaye Prophecy Study Bible'' (2000)
* ''The Complete Bible Prophecy Chart'' (2001, with
Thomas Ice)
* ''The Merciful God of Prophecy: His Loving Plan for You in the End Times'' (2002)
* ''End Times Controversy: The Second Coming Under Attack'' (2003)
* ''God Always Keeps His Promises'' (2003, with
Jerry B. Jenkins)
* ''The Promise of Heaven'' (2003, with
Jerry B. Jenkins)
* ''These Will Not Be Left Behind: Incredible Stories of Lives Transformed After Reading the Left Behind Novels'' (2003, with
Jerry B. Jenkins)
* ''A Kid's Guide to Understanding the End Times'' (2004, with
Jerry B. Jenkins,
Chris Fabry)
* ''Jesus Is Coming Soon!: A Kid's Guide to Bible Prophecy and the End Times'' (2004, with
Jerry B. Jenkins)
* ''Why Believe in Jesus?'' (2004)
* ''The Authorized Left Behind Handbook'' (2005, with
Jerry B. Jenkins, Sandi L. Swanson)
* ''The Best Christmas Gift'' (2005, with
Greg Dinallo, Gregory S. Dinallo)
* ''A Party of Two: The Dating, Marriage, and Family Guide'', AKA ''Party of Two: Lessons for Staying in Step in Dating, Marriage, and Family Life'' (2006, with
Beverly LaHaye)
* ''The Popular Bible Prophecy Workbook: An Interactive Guide to Understanding the End Times'' (2006, with
Ed Hindson)
* ''Global Warning: Are We on the Brink of World War III?'' (2007, with
Ed Hindson)
* ''The Popular Bible Prophecy Commentary: Understanding the Meaning of Every Prophetic Passage'' (2007, with
Ed Hindson)
* ''Jesus: Why the World Is Still Fascinated by Him'' (2009)
* ''The Book of Revelation Made Clear: A Down-to-Earth Guide to Understanding the Most Mysterious Book of the Bible'' (2014, with Timothy E. Parker)
* ''Target Israel: Caught in the Crosshairs of the End Times'' (2015, with
Ed Hindson)
* ''Bible Prophecy for Everyone: What You Need to Know About the End Times'' (2016)
* ''Who Will Face the Tribulation?: How to Prepare for the Rapture and Christ's Return'' (2016)
See also
*
Christian eschatology
Christian eschatology is a minor branch of study within Christian theology which deals with the doctrine of the "last things", especially the Second Coming of Christ, or Parousia. The word eschatology derives from two Greek roots meaning "last ...
References
External links
Archived version of official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lahaye, Tim
1926 births
2016 deaths
20th-century American male writers
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