Dispensationalism

A system of biblical interpretation and theology whose fundamental tenet is that a complete distinction must be made between Israel and the Church. One of its most important teachers, Charles Ryrie, says:

A dispensationalist keeps Israel and the Church distinct. . . . This is probably the most basic test of whether or not a man is a dispensationalist, and undoubtely it is the most practical and conclusive. A man who fails to distinguish Israel and the Church will inevitably not hold to dispensational distinctions; and one who does, will. (Dispensationalism Today)

Dispensationalism's fundamental tenet which leads to the Ryrie's conclusion above is based on 2 Tim 2:15, which KJV translates "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Little attention is given to the first parts of the verse; the emphasis is, instead, placed on the last bit, "rightly dividing the word of truth." The word "dividing" is the Greek participle orthotomeoo, and means literally, "cutting a straight path through difficult terrain" (Freiberg, AGL), from which the general meaning of "handling [something] rightly" derives (note, e.g., the use of the prefix, ortho in words like 'orthography,' the study of right spelling). On this basis, dispensationalists defend their method of "dividing" history into three basic 'dispensations,' i.e., periods of time during "which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God." These are the Mosaic Law (with Israel), the present dispensation of grace (with the Church), and the future dispensation of the millennial kingdom (Israel). In this way, the present age (of the Church) is simply a historical parenthesis that is totally un-related to what had gone before (the OT is practically irrelevant to the Church) and the future earthly Kingdom of God with Israel as the favoured nation under a Davidic king.

First formulated by J. N Darby in the mid-19th Cent, dispensationalism was most widely disseminated and popularized by the study notes in the various editions of the Scofield Bible. ; he defined a dispensation as "a period of time

Like most 'isms' dispensationalism comes in various flavours. However, their shared presuppositions include 1) literal interpretation of Scriptures (though the rule is often ignored when thre is no other way out of their convictions), 2) pre-millennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ, and 3) an unwavering support of the modern state of Israel but—such is its theology of God's suspension of His plan for Israel—not the necessity to evangelize the Jews.

Though the three dispensations remain fundament, several schemes of these dispensations have also been proposed, the most popular remains Scofield's, which posits seven dispensations:

1. The Age of Innocence (before the Fall),

2. The Age of Conscience (from the Fall to Noah),

3. The Age of Human Government (Abraham to Moses),

4. The Age of Promise (Abraham to Moses)

5. The Age of Law (Moses to Christ)

6. The Age of Grace (the Church),

7. The Age of the Kingdom (the Millennium, the close of which will usher in the Eternal state).

Though not all premillennialists are dispensationalist, all dispensationalists are, by necessity of their doctrine, premillennialists.

It is unfortunate that Darby's system of interpretation has adopted the name 'dispensationalism.' While theologians have long thought of God working in different ways with humans in different periods (or dispensations), none has, until Darby, made a clear distinction between Israel and the Church as the basis for its interpretational framework. Dispensationalism is highly attractive because it makes a spiritual view of history so neat and simple. Examined more closely, however, it turns out to be too imposed; its tenets are essentially presuppositions read back into rather than truths read out of Scriptures.

The foremost seminaries with a dispensationalist basis of faith include Dallas Theological Seminary and Moody Bible Institute. Modern development in biblical studies have increasing shown up the inadequacies of their 'literal' interpretation causing many scholars from their own camp to question and, eventually, to leave the dispensational school. Two of best known biblical scholars to have done so are George A. Ladd and Bruce K. Waltke. Beginning about the 1970's, dispensationalism has come under even greater critical scrutiny. Whether dispensationalism will survive is, of course, still left to be seen, but many younger scholars from its camp have found it necessary to review its entire theology, which have given rise to what is now commonly known as 'progressive dispensationalism.' As it is, the relationship between this new 'dispensationalism' and the original is tenduous at best and many commentators ask if, as such, it qualifies as 'dispensationalism' at all. Whatever happens to the new dispensationalism, the original dispensationalism will be with us for a while yet; it is too much embedded in the popular American Christian culture (especially in the Bible Belt) to go away soon.

A full overview and critique of dispensationalism is planned.

Further Reading:

Charles Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today. Chicago: Moody, 1965.

Timothy P. Weber, On the Road to Armageddon. How Evangelicals Became Israel's Best Friend. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004.

Vern S. Poythress, Understanding Dispensationalists. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987.

Craig Blaising and Darrell Bock, eds., Dispensationalism, Israel, and the Church: The Search for Definition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992.

PRINT RESOURCES:

☰ W. J. Grier, The Momentous Event. A discussion of Scripture teaching on the Second Advent.

Arthur W. Pink, A Biblical Refutation of Dispensationalism.

Roy E. Beacham, "Progressive Dispensationalism: An Overview and Personal Analysis," Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal 9 (Fall 2004): 5-32.
Pdf N 5-6 (Open on Phone)

R. Bruce Compton, "Dispensationalism, the Church, and the New Covenant," Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal 8 (Fall 2003): 3-48.
Pdf N 5-6 (Open on Phone)

William W. Combs, "Paul, the Law, and Dispensationalism ," Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal 18 (Fall 2013): 19-39.
Pdf N 5-6 (Open on Phone)

Jonathan R. Pratt, "Dispensational Sanctification: A Misnomer," Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal 7 (Fall 2002): 95-108.
Pdf N 5-6 (Open on Phone)

Bruce Ware, Lecture 5: Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism. Systematic Theology. BiblicalTraining.org.
html N 5-6 (Open on Phone)