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Rating: 
Summary: Excellent! Your one-stop source for true eschatology.
Review: As an avid student of Catholic eschatology, I bought and read Desmond Birch's book, "Trial, Tribulation, and Triumph" this past May. I've never read a more credible book on the topic of eschatology. In nearly 500 pages of well-documented material, Desmond lays out the understanding that the Catholic Church has on the end times. He draws from several sources, namely Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, approved private revelation, and apparitions, and of course the church fathers. Quit looking for the "Rapture" or the immediate arrival of Antichrist. This book specifies that if the world doesn't repent it will go through a Minor Chastisement from God, then a wonderful Era of Peace where true religion will triumph, and finally after this Era of Peace (which I suspect will be around twenty years) the Antichrist will arise. However, we don't have to go through the Minor Chastisement. That is conditional on if we repent as a world and turn to God in repentance. I hope anyone who is interested in end-time prophecy would buy this book. Catholic or non-Catholic you should still buy this book. Catholic mystics and prophets have prophesied the rise of democracies, the Protestant "Reformation," the French revolution, and many more events that have happened in history. I don't think it would be wise to cast off what they say will happen in the latter days, specifically as we enter into a new millennium. After reading this book compare every so-called "prophecy" you hear to the end-time schema that is laid out in this book. I found that most "prophecies" being touted as true in society today as totally erroneous and false if the true teaching of Catholicism are to be followed in regard to the end-times. This book will help you to avoid the sensationalism that many Christians and world place on the end-times today, and give you solid facts to rely on. What gives me assurance that Desmond Birch is honest in his analysis of the material he has researched, is the fact that he admits several times in the book (although not a lot), that some of the writings of the church fathers or approved prophecy may not be perfectly on target on what they predict. He seems apt to discern what is certain and what isn't. He also avoids mentioning the famous "Pope List of St. Malachy" on the basis that he didn't consider the list as authentic as it is claimed to be. That shows that this man used only material he deemed very genuine and authentic. That earns him respect in my eyes as a great writer and researcher. As for Catholics who believe that the Church doesn't have any belief in the end-times, this book will truly be an eye-opener. Far from removing herself from an understanding of the "end-of-the-world," Holy Mother Church has the most defined, orthodox, and true system of understanding end-time prophecy that there is in the world. The sooner people read this book; the sooner they will realize this. One final word, BUY THE BOOK! :) Adam
Rating: 
Summary: Redundant
Review: As an avid student of Catholic eschatology, I bought and read Desmond Birch's book, "Trial, Tribulation, and Triumph" this past May. I've never read a more credible book on the topic of eschatology. In nearly 500 pages of well-documented material, Desmond lays out the understanding that the Catholic Church has on the end times. He draws from several sources, namely Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, approved private revelation, and apparitions, and of course the church fathers. Quit looking for the "Rapture" or the immediate arrival of Antichrist. This book specifies that if the world doesn't repent it will go through a Minor Chastisement from God, then a wonderful Era of Peace where true religion will triumph, and finally after this Era of Peace (which I suspect will be around twenty years) the Antichrist will arise. However, we don't have to go through the Minor Chastisement. That is conditional on if we repent as a world and turn to God in repentance. I hope anyone who is interested in end-time prophecy would buy this book. Catholic or non-Catholic you should still buy this book. Catholic mystics and prophets have prophesied the rise of democracies, the Protestant "Reformation," the French revolution, and many more events that have happened in history. I don't think it would be wise to cast off what they say will happen in the latter days, specifically as we enter into a new millennium. After reading this book compare every so-called "prophecy" you hear to the end-time schema that is laid out in this book. I found that most "prophecies" being touted as true in society today as totally erroneous and false if the true teaching of Catholicism are to be followed in regard to the end-times. This book will help you to avoid the sensationalism that many Christians and world place on the end-times today, and give you solid facts to rely on. What gives me assurance that Desmond Birch is honest in his analysis of the material he has researched, is the fact that he admits several times in the book (although not a lot), that some of the writings of the church fathers or approved prophecy may not be perfectly on target on what they predict. He seems apt to discern what is certain and what isn't. He also avoids mentioning the famous "Pope List of St. Malachy" on the basis that he didn't consider the list as authentic as it is claimed to be. That shows that this man used only material he deemed very genuine and authentic. That earns him respect in my eyes as a great writer and researcher. As for Catholics who believe that the Church doesn't have any belief in the end-times, this book will truly be an eye-opener. Far from removing herself from an understanding of the "end-of-the-world," Holy Mother Church has the most defined, orthodox, and true system of understanding end-time prophecy that there is in the world. The sooner people read this book; the sooner they will realize this. One final word, BUY THE BOOK! :) Adam
Rating:
Summary: Simply excellent
Review: Desmond Birch has written a masterly book. It should be required reading for everyone and not just for Catholics. I didn't find it easy to read however, and proofing was not up to scratch. The author's conclusions are as valid now (post-September 11th) as they were in 1996 when the book was written. The author was able in 1996 to conclusively show that the many hysterical prophecies predicting the end of the world in 2000 were false. The author has exhaustively examined a huge amount of material to reveal a common thread:
1)The world MAY OR MAY NOT endure a coming chastisement (World War 3?) Many nations may be wiped out. But, mankind can prevent it if only we will reform our ways.
2)Following the chastisement, we will experience a coming Age of Peace, of an unknown duration. Perhaps a sort of religious renaissance.
3)Incredibly, mankind will again fall from grace and the terrifying age of the Anti-Christ will definitely be ushered in, no matter what. The stage is then set for the showdown of all time. The chickens will really come home to roost! No one knows the hour nor the day, but, after the death of Anti-Christ, the Messiah will come in glory. You'd better believe it! It would be interesting to hear the author's thoughts in this post-September 11th era. It would also be interesting to know more about the author. I believe that he asked that we should pray for him. He deserves it. Thank you, Mr Birch.
Rating:
Summary: Redundant
Review: Our Author did his homework when preparing this text. I was impressed with the information presented by him but, I was a little disturbed with the redundancy of his writing. He went over some of the same material 4 times in the book in different sections. This book could've been condensed by 200 pages. I would not recommend this literature to the average reader.
Rating:
Summary: A monumental achievement!
Review: This scholarly book may not appeal to those who want to see sensationalism, but for the reader who wants to read the definitive book on Catholic end-times belief, this is it. Desmond Birch backs up his every conclusion with sound theology. Clearly he has spent a lifetime studying not only scripture, but many obsure Church documents from the early Church. He makes one of the best arguments I've seen for the teaching authority of the Church, which he presented simply as background to understanding the role of Mary in the early Church and today. He is neither gullible nor superstitious, and is unabashedly aligned with Rome--only Church approved apparitions are covered. One of the asides in the book was tremendously meaningful to me personally: Birch pointed out how just about every heresy in history was directly related to a lack of devotion to Mary on the part of the founder of the heresy. After laying all the bricks for a better understanding of apparitions, he discusses in great depth the content and implications of the messages. Everything is summarized very neatly at the end of the book, in case your head is spinning by that time! I couldn't recommend TT&T more enthusiastically. It is a phenomenal study of end times.
Rating:
Summary: A monumental achievement!
Review: This scholarly book may not appeal to those who want to see sensationalism, but for the reader who wants to read the definitive book on Catholic end-times belief, this is it. Desmond Birch backs up his every conclusion with sound theology. Clearly he has spent a lifetime studying not only scripture, but many obsure Church documents from the early Church. He makes one of the best arguments I've seen for the teaching authority of the Church, which he presented simply as background to understanding the role of Mary in the early Church and today. He is neither gullible nor superstitious, and is unabashedly aligned with Rome--only Church approved apparitions are covered. One of the asides in the book was tremendously meaningful to me personally: Birch pointed out how just about every heresy in history was directly related to a lack of devotion to Mary on the part of the founder of the heresy. After laying all the bricks for a better understanding of apparitions, he discusses in great depth the content and implications of the messages. Everything is summarized very neatly at the end of the book, in case your head is spinning by that time! I couldn't recommend TT&T more enthusiastically. It is a phenomenal study of end times.
Rating:
Summary: The Catholic antidote to "end-times" fever.
Review: This was quite simply an excellent book. It is well written and thoroughly researched. Mr. Birch is a scholar of the first order. More importantly, though, he has the ability to pull the material together and communicate it to the reader in a manner which makes, what would otherwise be some heavy material, very comprehensible. (By the way I would also recommend to anyone who can to watch the 6 and 1/2 hour series, "The Last Things", with Desmond Birch on the EWTN network).
I have always been fascinated by the topic of eschatology, however, never really believed that the Catholic faith had any opinion on the topic, (having never heard it from the pulpit); boy, was I wrong. The Catholic faith has a very well established school of thought on the topic. A school of thought which also has a rock-solid foundation. Desmond Birch does an excellent job laying out the reasons that the rapturists have "left behind" their sound rational teachings from the Catholic church and the early Fathers and Doctors of the Church. I might also add that though this book points out the fallacies of the positions, opinions and techniques of the rapturists he does it without mentioning names and in a very charitable manner. I really can't recommend this book more strongly, (there should be a 10 star option). This book is not glitzy, nor is it likely to end up on many bestseller lists, however, it is an eye-, and mind-opening view of the truths of the Church; one is left with the firm belief and conviction that contrary to the views of some the end is not around the corner. It appears that we have much history left to us, as well as many opportunities to perform God's will on Earth as it is done in Heaven.
A word of caution. This books is obviously written by a Catholic and examines Catholic eschatology. If you, a potential reader, are riddled with anti-Catholicism to the extent that you cannot study with an open-mind you probably will not be very happy with this book. However, the truth is the truth regardless of our individual opinions.
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