I just finished "Wrongly Dividing The Truth" by Gerstner, and I am a bit disapointed by the book. I actually am in agreement with a lot of The Masters Seminary Mayhue's critism of the book. I seem to have this critism with most critical books I read; too much painting with a broad brush, and not enough defense of their own belief.

I definitly do not agree with dispensationalism, but, I don't know of anyone who would agree with the dispensationalism that is portrayed in this book. It definitly points out some faults in dispensationalsim, but a lot of the stuff he argues agaisnt seems like a waste (pointing out what he thinks the logical conclusion of a belief would be even if almost no one takes it that far). It also seems that MacArthur's type of dispensationalism is the future (and I really wish MacArthur would write a systematic theology so I can understand the ins and out of his dispensationalism!), yet Gerstner deals only with the older school of thought. In fact MacArthur seems to throw a wrench in this book since he is a Calvinist and a Lordship salvation advocate, something that Gerstner kept infering you cannot be if your a dispenstionalists, but I guess there are more then the one kind that he was writting about.

Anyways, the book was written during the hight of the Lordship-Salvation controversey (whatever happend to Zane Hodges anyways?) and it appears he was trying to show why dispensationalism brings about the non-lordship position. In that he kinda succeeded, but I would have a perfered a book covering only that aspect (and doing it better then he did) instead of pointing out many different areas where he sees dispensationalism as wrong.

2.5 out of 5. Wouldn't hurt a person to read the book, but there has to be much better critiques of dispensationalism out there.

Bryan
SDG

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Bryan Neufeld
Faith Community Church
Manitoba, Canada

Bryan,

I think you'll find that although it's dimishing, the "Classical Dispensationalism" that Gertsner writes about is alive and well in many small Churches, especially those who consider themselves aligned with the Grace Evagelical Society and other "defenders of the old-Dallas Theological Seminary views". Remember to that this book was published in August of 1991. At that point, the "Classical" form of Dispensationalism was even more prevalent then it is today and Dallas Seminary (DTS) was not nearly as developed into "Progressive Dispensationalism" as they are today (FWIW, I base all this on my two-year study for ordination in a "fundy/dispy" sect where I read 100's of pages of Classical Dispensational Theology, including many papers from DTS' "Bib-Sac" journal)

Personally. I like the book. I also think Gerstner was purposefully sticking with Dispensationalists who are consistent. Johnny Mac is not consistent with his dispensationalism.

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That could be very true Brian since I can only speak from my own exprence and from what I have seen in Winnipeg where I live the only people who still hold to old line dispensationalism is the Plymouth Breathen but they are few and far between up here it appears. If what is discussed in the book is still being believed by many then the book still has usefulness.

Yet another reason he needs to write a systemtic theology.

Bryan
SDG

I browsed through some current Bibliotheca Sacra--DTS's journal--and they were defending the old Scofieldianism to the death in their journals. Yes, modified Dispensationalism is slightly more biblical and tougher to refute, but it is not the norm of Dispe thought.

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J. B. Atken
John Knox PCA
Layman, M.A. student at Louisiana College

Glad somebody else said it..... I made the same charge against Gerstner's book a while back, and everyone wanted to play 'pounce on the progressive dispensationalist'......

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K. Joel Gilliard
Theologically Correct dot Com
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Yeah...cuz that's what we're doing, Kerry! :P

... maybe their "progressiveness" will lead them toward a serious and unbiased look at Reformed Theology without continuing to hang on so tightly to an Ecclessiology and Eschatology that still seems pretty grounded in their Darby/Scofield/Chafer heritage.

There is much hope. For example, Colonial Baptist (a local "Progressive Dispy") Congregation of well over 3000 members has its own Graduate Seminary that requires much study of Luther, Calvin, and Edwards.

Vern Poythress's book 'Understanding Dispensationalists' is better than Gerstners in light of todays Progressive Dispensationalism. Gerstner and William Cox are great for addressing most of Dispensationalism as it is known in Darby, Scoffield, Ryrie, Woolvard, Larkin, and such.

Understanding Dispensationalism

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R. Martin Snyder
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Amen Randy!

I've read most of "Understanding Dispensationalist" by Poythress. He is clearly in tune with the modern "nuances" in PD and actually spent 6 months or so at Dallas Seminary doing his research for the book.

Even more so, Dispensationalists are on the blurb recommending it (in other words, its fair)! I recommend anything Poythress has to write.

Interesting, I'll have to get my hands on that book eventually.

Bryan
SDG