Actually it seems the origins have at least its seeds in writings by Catholics. From a priest:
Its origins are in the counter reformation move of Papal Rome in the 16th century after Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis to the church door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517. It is less well known that Pope Leo X authorized three Jesuit Priests to reinterpret Daniel’s 70 weeks of prophecy; the Book of Revelation; and Ezekiel. The goal of these jesuits was to take the heat of the reformation away from the papacy and the protestant association of the Anti-Christ with the pope. The three Jesuits were:
The doctrine – called futurism – which would later become ‘the rapture’ originated and was submitted by Francisco Ribera in 1585. His Apocalyptic Commentary was on the grand points of Babylon and the Anti-Christ which are now known as the rapture doctrine. Ribera’s published work was called “In Sacram Beati Ionnis Apostoli & Evangelistate Apocoalypsin Commentari” (Lugduni 1593). You can still find these writings in the Bodleian Library in Oxford England. The work was considered flawed and faulty, and was ordered buried in the Church archives, out of sight, by the pope himself.
Unfortunately, over 200 years later a librarian to the Archbishop of Canterbury by the name of S. R. Maitland (1792-1866) was appointed to be the Keeper of the Manuscripts at Lambeth Palace, in London, England. In his duties, Dr. Maitland came across Francisco Ribera’s rapture theology and he had it republished for the sake of interest in early 1826 with follow ups in 1829 and 1830.
This was spurred along with the Oxford Tracts that were published in 1833 to try and deprotestantize the Church of England. John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) (A Leader of the Plymouth Brethren) became a follower of S.R. Maitland’s prophetic endeavors and was persuaded. Darby’s influence in the seminaries of Europe combined with 7 tours of the United States changed the eschatological view of the ministers which had the trickle down effect into the churches.
Another contributor to the rapture ideology came through Emmanuel Lacunza (1731-1801), a Jesuit priest from Chile. Lacunza wrote the “Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty” around 1791. It was later published in London in 1827. The book was attributed to a fictitious author name Rabbi Juan Josafat BenEzra. - http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/46653.htm
Pro and Con on this. I can cite just as many verses that “Rapturists” used to defend their position as there are verses that don’t support it. Problem is that the Church is so focused on this Rapture they forget the important things the Church should be doing.
That the fullness of Truth can find its origin (it's "seeds") in earlier thoughts and beliefs is certainly a true statement. But where in the writings of Ribera, Alcazar, or Bellarmine does one purport to find a hint of a Pre-Trib Rapture? They are known to have espoused a "futurist" view of Revelation and other Bible prophecy. But a futurist view of Biblical prophecy doesn't necessarily entail a Pre-Trib Rapture.
There has been one poster on this thread who claimed the PTR can be found in the writings of the Early Church Fathers. To say the least, said poster has failed in trying to substantiate that claim -- even to the point of making an attempt.
You're trying to put the PTR about a Millenium later (still late, though earlier than Margaret MacDonald). Though the proof that any of these men give credence to that is still lacking.
What in their writings supports a view of the PTR?