Saturday, February 5, 2022

Mathison vs Vlach - What is Dispensationalism?

In the past I've profited from some of Keith Mathison's blog articles and general insights. Read his short bio HERE. Recently he wrote a brief piece on dispensationalism which attracted my attention, as well as others in the Facebook group I linked it to. I think Mathison's take on disp is a little shallow. I wonder what he was taught at DTS during his time there.

So, the following is what a postmillennialist thinks disp is,

Dispensationalism is a popular and widespread way of reading the Bible. It originated in the nineteenth century in the teaching of John Nelson Darby and was popularized in the United States through the Bible Conference movement. Its growth was spurred on even more through the publication of the Scofield Reference Bible, which was published in 1909. Scofield’s Bible contributed to the spread of dispensationalism because it included study notes written from a distinctively dispensationalist perspective. The founding of Dallas Theological Seminary in 1924 by Lewis Sperry Chafer provided an academic institution for the training of pastors and missionaries in the dispensationalist tradition. Some of the most notable dispensationalist authors of the twentieth century, including John F. Walvoord, Charles C. Ryrie, and J. Dwight Pentecost, taught at Dallas Seminary...continue reading

This is a summary of what Mike Vlach says dispensationalism is,

Dispensationalism is an evangelical theological system that addresses issues concerning the biblical covenants, Israel, the church, and end times. It also argues for a literal interpretation of Old Testament prophecies involving ethnic/national Israel, and the idea that the church is a New Testament entity that is distinct from Israel...continue reading

Also read Paul Henebury's response to the 95 Theses Against Dispensationalism HERE.

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