Scofield's 7 dispensations critique / refutation sources

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monoergon

Puritan Board Freshman
Can anyone point me to a critique/refutation to Scofield's seven dispensations?

Generally, books will address many issues pertaining to dispensationalism; I am searching, specifically, for a thorough critique of the seven dispensations.

Thanks
 
I read the article. Poythress did a great job. However, I still wish to find a thorough exposition and refutation of the seven dispensations such as a refutation to dispensationalist's hermeneutical and exegetical fallacies, without which it would not be possible to interpret the way they do.
Perhaps, someone has written about it in one of the many Reformed Theological Journals, although I don't have any subscription to any of those journals.
 
John Gerstner's 'Wrongly Dividing The Word Of Truth' has an overview of Scofield and his influence by J.N. Darby and of L.S. Chafer.

Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth: A Critique of Dispensationalism: John H. Gerstner: 9780977851690: Amazon.com: Books

Vern Poythress' book gets better reviews, but I haven't read it, and I'm not sure how much of Scofield's theology he covers ;

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Dispensationalists/dp/0875523749/ref=cm_cr_asin_lnk?ie=UTF8

Two biographies of Scofield. Haven't read them though ;

http://www.amazon.com/Praise-Folly-...words=c.i.+scofield+biography#customerReviews

http://www.amazon.com/The-Incredibl...oints=0&sortBy=byRankDescending#R333VQN5TFNWC

Finally, another with mixed reviews. I haven't read it. The Scofield Bible: Its History and Impact on the Evangelical Church

The Scofield Bible: Its History and Impact on the Evangelical Church: R. Todd Mangum, Mark S. Sweetnam: 9780830857517: Amazon.com: Books
 
How many dispensationalists today actually hold to the old Scofield model? Very few, I would imagine.

It is quite popular in Brazil, at least. I'm moving to a Presbyterian church because I just can't agree with dispensationalism. I believe the same emphasis that has been placed in refuting Arminianism verse by verse, should also be place in refuting dispensationalism. In the future, when I study reformed theology in the seminary, I plan on writing a verse by verse refutation to a specific dispensational topic such as the seven dispensations; I'll focus on something that hasn't received detailed attention by reformed theology.
 
Most of the dispensational theologians I know are emphatic that seven is not the key point in dispensationalism
 
Not to be too much of a snob, but as they gain advanced degrees, the more foolish and indefensible aspects of the system tend to fall off. "Progressive" dispensationalism dominates the better and younger scholars, even among the dispi schools. And, Jacob, is correct, the sine qua non of dispensationalism has little to do with the Scofield schema. As the traditional Ryrie likes to opine: Dispensationalism = consistent differentiation between Israel and Church + "literal" hermeneutic with respect to OT prophecy.

Everything else is footnotes.

* a two track plan for God's people through the ages (Israel vs. the Church)
* a rebuilt temple and the reinstitution of bloody sacrifices during the millennium
* pre-trib rapturism
 
Not to be too much of a snob, but as they gain advanced degrees, the more foolish and indefensible aspects of the system tend to fall off. "Progressive" dispensationalism dominates the better and younger scholars, even among the dispi schools. And, Jacob, is correct, the sine qua non of dispensationalism has little to do with the Scofield schema. As the traditional Ryrie likes to opine: Dispensationalism = consistent differentiation between Israel and Church + "literal" hermeneutic with respect to OT prophecy.

Everything else is footnotes.

* a two track plan for God's people through the ages (Israel vs. the Church)
* a rebuilt temple and the reinstitution of bloody sacrifices during the millennium
* pre-trib rapturism

Exactly. You won't find many recent critiques of the "7 Dispensations" because you won't find many modern dispensaitonalists holding that position. Michael Vlach and P. Henebury are the most articulate Dispensationalists and they don't espouse 7 as the sine qua non.
 
Thank you brothers for all the information. After I read Sam Storms' Kingdom Come, I'll read John Gerstner or Keith Mathison on dispensationalism.
 
Which reformed books on hermeneutics do you recommend so that I may refute dispensational hermeneutics, especially concerning OT prophecy?
 
You have already mentioned the best ones. Vern Poythress, Sam Storms, John Gerstner, and Keith Mathison.

On the problems with a dispensational eschatology, read Riddlebarger's "A Case for Amillennialism."
 
Hoekema does a decent job, though it isn't aimed at a refutation. I will say this about Poythress, though: he was instrumental in making me historic premillennial (not dispensational, though).
 
How many dispensationalists today actually hold to the old Scofield model? Very few, I would imagine.

I certainly could not provide numbers, but I believe that would depend on whether one is discussing seminary-trained theologians or ministers vs. the rank and file of fundamentalist churches of various stripes. Everyone I grew up among in the Plymouth Brethren held to the classical dispensationalist model, and my parents still do. They also reject an ordained ministry and are skeptical of seminaries, and I remember my grandfather rejecting the progressive dispensationalism taught at Dallas as "liberalism."
 
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