Thread: What is Dispensationalism?

I must confess that I am ignorant of Dispensationalism apart from the Left Behind series and I would like to learn more about it, any reccomened websites and/or books would be appreciated.

Monergism.com resources on Dispensationalism

Or you could goto Amazon.com or Half.com or Google Froogle and search books such as Dispensationalism: Rightly Dividing the People of God? by Keith Mathison or Understanding Dispensationalists by Vern S. Poythress. These are good critiques from a Reformed perspective.

Hope that proves helpful.

For Classic Dispensationalism try: Most anything by Mal Couch or JN Darby, Scofield et al
For Revised Dispensationalism: Lewis Sperry Chafer resiources available from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Sperry_Chafer
For Modified Dispensationalism: Dispensationalism by Charles C. Ryrie
For Progressive Dispensationalism: Progressive Dispensationalism by Darrel Bock and Craig Blaising

Of course like most any heresy you are better off simply avaoiding it and learning the truth instead

[Edited on 6-28-2006 by Hungus]

http://www.theopedia.com/Dispensationalism

Dispensationalism: A method of interpreting the Bible that divides history into distinct eras or "dispensations" in which God deals with man in a distinctive way and, in some cases, in which God's ethical standards change. A leading distinctive of dispensationalism is the sharp division between ethnic Israel and the church of Jesus Christ. Orthodox Christianity has traditionally held that the church of Jesus Christ is the New Israel; dispensationalists hold that ethnic Israel and the church of Jesus Christ are two separate, distinct entities in God's program. All dispensationalists are premillennial, but not all premillennialists are dispensationalists.

From www.reformationonline.com



Teaching that history is divided into various time periods during which God moves in the world in certain distinctive ways. Hence, "dispensation of innocence," "dispensation of government," "dispensation of law," "dispensation of grace," and "kingdom economy," etc. The Greek word means "economy" or "administration." Several different schools of dispensationalism exist.

From http://focusonjerusalem.com/biblicalterms.html

My working definition...

Dispensationalism: A system of biblical interpretation that is virtually analagous to looking at the Bible through the lens of a kaleidoscope.

Puritanhead

I like it Ryan, works for me too.

You're brave for starting this thread - thanks!

The common denominator of all dispensationalism is the sharp distinction between Israel and the Church. There is no overlap, you are a member of Israel or you are a member of the Church. (if you are mathematician, Venn diagrams come in real handy here) If the Church participates in the New Covenant (they disagree about this) it is only as an ancillary benefit of the the New Covenant with Israel. Israel always means ethnic Israel, never is it a reference to the Church. So if ethnic Israel is not the recipient of the OT promises then God will have been shown to be a covenant breaker. Also, those OT promises are fulfilled literally, so therefore there must be a rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem and animal sacrifices must be reinstituted (even if they are only a "looking back" memorial to the crucifixion.
The labels are confusing because covenant theologians are as interested in the dispensations as dispensationalists are in convenants.
I think that once progressive dispensationalism is allowed to run its course it will find itself at historic premillenialism (hey, but in the meantime they get to keep their jobs.

Originally posted by gregbed
I think that once progressive dispensationalism is allowed to run its course it will find itself at historic premillenialism (hey, but in the meantime they get to keep their jobs.

I think it's good to note-- There is a marked contrast between historical premillennialism and the dispensational variety, and I don't think non-historic premil believers adequately appreciate it. I know a dispensationalist myself who presumed historic premil writers are amillennial, because apparently their eschatology was so aloof from his hermeneutic and eschatology.

[Edited on 6-29-2006 by Puritanhead]

Originally posted by Puritanhead

Originally posted by gregbed
I think that once progressive dispensationalism is allowed to run its course it will find itself at historic premillenialism (hey, but in the meantime they get to keep their jobs.

I think it's good to note-- There is a marked contrast between historical premillennialism and the dispensational variety, and I don't think non-historic premil believers adequately appreciate it. I know a dispensationalist myself who presumed historic premil writers are amillennial, because apparently his eschatology is so aloof from his hermeneutic and eschatology.

True, Ryan. I came across a Plymouth Brethren brother from England once who thought anyone who disagreed with their eschatology was a preterist. If I recall correctly he even said Spurgeon was a preterist. Now this was a young guy and no scholar, but it shows the beliefs that aren't uncommon on the popular level.

Is preterism the belief that the prophesies in Revelation were about the Roman Empire and have been fulfilled with the sacking of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by Titus?

Originally posted by xcrunner12
Is preterism the belief that the prophesies in Revelation were about the Roman Empire and have been fulfilled with the sacking of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by Titus?

Yes. Preterism simply means (i.e. past-fulfillment.) It's an abstraction, and there are different varieties of preterist. Most people, preterists included, mean "partial-preterism" when they were refer to "preterism." The alternative "full preterism" is heretical.

Though, I think I can affirm the statement that most, but not all prophecy has been fulfilled. It doesn't make me a preterist by definition.

I know that dispensationists believe that the entire law of Moses was abrogated. Do they also believe that God's moral standards prior to Moses were abrogated as well?

Originally posted by cih1355
I know that dispensationists believe that the entire law of Moses was abrogated. Do they also believe that God's moral standards prior to Moses were abrogated as well?

Good question. In my experience it depends on the situation. I have recieved two basic responses depending on if it directly or indirectly affects them. If it directly affects them, like confrontation of sin, then you are told we are under grace, not the law and you are a legalist. If it doesn't affect them, for example someone being murdered then the law applies. Again, I'm not saying that is the norm, just what I have observed.

The common thread, ironically between full blown preterists and dispensationalist (including most premill non-disp.) is an attempt to resolve the "now" but "not yet" tension we live in - in the time/space church "today" between the two advents of Christ, "this age" versus "the age to come".

L

Larry, I DO believe that was the shortest post you've ever made!

Originally posted by turmeric
Larry, I DO believe that was the shortest post you've ever made!

Be patient. That was the 'now' post, wait 'til you see the 'not yet' one!

[Edited on 7-9-2006 by blhowes]

'not yet' one!

Now that I've my second wind...here's the rest....

just kidding!!!

I am 41 this year and getting a little slower!

[Edited on 7-9-2006 by Larry Hughes]

Originally posted by Hungus

Of course like most any heresy you are better off simply avaoiding it and learning the truth instead

[Edited on 6-28-2006 by Hungus]

That's the first time I've been labeled a heretic on this board.