Dispensationalism

Dispensational premillennialism (or short dispensationalism) is a theological system that emerged among Protestant dissenters in the 1830s, in particular out of a group that came to be known as the Plymouth brethren. Its key ideas were first outlined by one of its most prominent figures, John Nelson Darby (1800–1882), although the term ‘dispensationalism’ itself was coined only some 50 years later by one of its critics, Philipp Mauro, who had once himself been a proponent of dispensationalism.

The system is based upon the idea that history is divided into dispensations, i.e. periods of (sacred) time, during which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God. Each dispensation ends with failure to observe God’s commandments. Seven such dispensations are distinguished in Scripture:

1. Innocence
2. Conscience or Moral Responsibility
3. Human Government
4. Promise
5. Law
6. Church
7. Kingdom (millennial reign of Christ)

A basic tenet of dispensationalism is that, whenever possible, scripture should be interpreted literally. In this light, presumably unfulfilled Old Testament promises to Israel still await fulfillment in a future earthly kingdom.

This approach entails another key characteristic of dispensationalism: the distinction and dual purpose of Israel and the church. In this view, Old Testament promises to Israel will be fulfilled in a future earthly kingdom, while the church’s calling is spiritual and heavenly in nature.

According to classic dispensationalism, the church was not predicted by the Old Testament prophets, but only introduced as a parenthesis, once the Jews did not accept the kingdom Jesus had offered them at his first coming. At that point the prophetic time clock presumably stopped and will resume only after the rapture of the church. Dispensationalists relate these events with Daniel’s prophecy about the 70 weeks: the 69th week presumably ends upon Christ’s first coming, while the 70th week will only begin once the church has been raptured out of the way and the prophetic time-clock will tick again.

Dispensationalists believe the Second Coming is divided in two phases: There is a first phase of the Second Coming that is imminent and requires no peculiar preceding signs. This coming is FOR the saints and followed by a seven-year-tribulation on earth during which the peculiar end-times signs will occur. Once the great tribulation is over Christ will come WITH the saints in the second phase of the Second Coming and establish his millennial reign, before eternity will finally set in.

At the heart of dispensationalism is an (almost) strict literal reading of the Scriptures according to which the spiritual dispensation of the New Testament does neither fulfil nor replace promises made to Israel in the Old Testament under the earthly dispensation of the law.

The doctrines of dispensationalism began circulating widely among Evangelical christians in the 20th century largely thanks to the Scofield Reference Bible, which was first published in 1909 and went through multiple editions. Later popular religious writers like Hal Lindsey with his bestseller Late Great Planet Earth (1970) and Tim LaHaye with the apocalyptic fiction series Left Behind (1995–2007) catapulted some of dispensationalism’s key eschatological doctrines into the wider culture.

Towards the end of the 20th century a decline of scholastic dispensationalism set in, although its ideas and beliefs remain widespread on a popular level. Some scholars in the dispensationalist field have abandoned the strict dualism of classic dispensationalism for a more holistic approach. This resulted in a new theological system dubbed Progressive Dispensationalism which is moving in a more covenantal direction allowing for more continuity between the Old and the New Testaments.

Representatives

Dispensationalism

Lewis Sperry Chafer (1871–1952), John Nelson Darby (1800–1882), John S. Feinberg (1946– ), Herman A. Hoyt (1909–2000), Charles C. Ryrie (1925–2016), John Walvoord (1910–2002)

Progressive Dispensationalism

Craig A. Blaising (1949– ), Darell L. Bock (1953– )

Objections

♦ Strict literalism does not necessarily convey the meaning of a text. Even the (inspired) writings of the New Testament can interpret Old Testament prophecies in a spiritual (non-literal) manner, e.g. according to Acts 15:16-17, the restoration of Israel spoken of in Amos 9:11-12 is fulfilled in the church; or Acts 13:32-33 where the blessings of David are fulfilled in Christ’s resurrection.

♦ The neat distinction of Israel and the church is not in line with the teaching of the New Testament, according to which Christ has made the two groups one (Ef 2:14); what is true of Israel in the Old Testament is true of the church in the New Testament (1 Peter 2:9) and the church is even called the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16)

♦ The artificial dichotomy of dispensationalism results in a heaven-bound church that has no intrinsic relation to the world-system and proclaims a gospel that has no voice in social injustices, but is only relevant for individual salvation.

♦ A Second Coming in two stages is assumed by the dispensationalist framework, but it is nowhere expressly taught in the scriptures; Jesus’ teaching about the Last Day (John 6:39-40.44.54, 11:24, 12:48) also makes it difficult to split the Second Coming into multiple comings separated by long time intervals.

♦  After Christ has been the fulfillment of Old Testament types and shadows, it seems odd to go back to animal sacrifices in a rebuilt third temple (although these would be memorial offerings and not propitiatory in nature, returning to the former economy seems strange nonetheless).

♦ Dispensationalism with its peculiar ideas first appeared in the 19th century and as such it is a modern doctrine, not in line with historic Christianity; it seems odd that foundational truths remained secret for almost 2,000 years of church history, until someone finally found out.