Harold Camping (1921–2013) was a radio broadcaster, Bible teacher, and founder of Family Radio, who became infamous for his multiple failed predictions of the end of the world. Camping's teachings, especially his repeated prophecies about the date of Christ’s return, placed him outside the bounds of orthodox Christian theology, and he was widely regarded as a false prophet due to the unbiblical nature of his predictions.
Key Beliefs and How They Differ from Confessional Christianity
1. Failed Predictions of the End Times:
- Harold Camping's View: Camping is most notorious for predicting the exact dates of the rapture and the end of the world. His most well-known prediction was that Judgment Day would occur on May 21, 2011, with the final destruction of the world following on October 21, 2011. Prior to this, he had made similar predictions, including a failed prophecy in 1994. When these predictions failed, Camping initially claimed his calculations were off but continued to assert the inevitability of his timeline until finally admitting his error.
- Confessional Christianity: The Bible explicitly teaches that no one can know the exact time or date of Christ’s return (Matthew 24:36; Acts 1:7). Confessional Christianity holds to the historic belief in Christ's second coming but emphasizes that it will happen at an unknown time. The Westminster Confession of Faith warns against setting dates and insists that believers should always be prepared for Christ’s return without claiming to know when it will occur.
2. Allegorical Interpretation of Scripture:
- Harold Camping's View: Camping often used an allegorical method of interpreting Scripture, treating biblical numbers and passages as hidden codes that could reveal secret knowledge about the end times. He believed that by using mathematical formulas and numerology, he could decipher the exact dates of significant eschatological events. For example, he used the numbers found in Genesis 7:4 and other texts to calculate the precise timing of the rapture and end of the world.
- Confessional Christianity: Reformed theology and confessional Christianity affirm that Scripture should be interpreted according to its plain and historical-grammatical meaning. While the Bible contains symbolic and figurative language, particularly in apocalyptic literature, it does not endorse the idea that God has hidden secret codes or mathematical formulas within the text. Scripture is intended to be clear and understandable to all believers (Psalm 119:105; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
3. Salvation and the Role of the Church:
- Harold Camping's View: Following the failure of his 1994 prophecy, Camping began teaching that the "church age" had ended and that the Holy Spirit was no longer working through institutional churches. He claimed that all true believers should leave their churches and seek God independently. Camping insisted that salvation was now only available outside the traditional church structures, and he heavily promoted Family Radio as the only reliable source of biblical teaching.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity emphasizes that the church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23) and that God continues to work through the church to this day. The Westminster Confession of Faith teaches that the visible church is the means by which God administers His grace through the preaching of the Word, the sacraments, and the fellowship of believers (WCF 25.2-3). Scripture makes it clear that believers are to gather together regularly (Hebrews 10:24-25), and there is no biblical basis for abandoning the church.
4. Doctrine of Election and Predestination:
- Harold Camping's View: While Camping affirmed certain aspects of Reformed theology, such as the doctrine of election, he distorted these teachings by insisting that only a small, predestined remnant could be saved and that the institutional church had become entirely apostate. He claimed that salvation was a matter of being chosen and that only those who left the institutional church and followed his teachings were among the elect.
- Confessional Christianity: Reformed theology teaches the doctrine of election but emphasizes that it is God’s sovereign grace that saves, and this grace is ordinarily administered through the preaching of the gospel within the church (Romans 10:14-17). The Bible does not support the idea that the church has become entirely apostate or that salvation can only be found outside of it. Confessional Christianity upholds the importance of the visible church as a means of grace.
5. Repentance and False Prophecy:
- Harold Camping's View: After his failed 2011 predictions, Camping eventually admitted that he had been wrong, stating that it was "sinful" to try to predict the date of Christ’s return. He expressed regret for misleading people but stopped short of fully renouncing all of his teachings. Despite this admission, many people were left spiritually disillusioned and financially devastated, having given up their possessions and life savings based on Camping’s predictions.
- Confessional Christianity: The Bible is clear that false prophets are those who predict events that do not come to pass (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). Confessional Christianity warns against following such teachers and emphasizes the importance of holding fast to sound doctrine (2 Timothy 4:3-4). True repentance involves a complete renunciation of false teachings and a return to the biblical truth.
Summary of Differences
Harold Camping's teachings deviated significantly from confessional Christianity, particularly in his failed date-setting predictions, his allegorical approach to Scripture, and his rejection of the institutional church. His emphasis on secret knowledge, hidden codes, and exclusive claims of salvation are inconsistent with the historic teachings of Christianity, which emphasize the clarity of Scripture, the importance of the church, and the call to live in light of Christ's return without attempting to predict it.
Confessional Christianity upholds the sovereignty, authority, and sufficiency of Scripture, the ongoing work of the church, and the necessity of faithfully proclaiming the gospel. Camping's legacy serves as a warning against speculative theology, false prophecy, and the dangers of departing from sound biblical teaching.