DISPENSATIONAL THEOLOGY AND HISTORY

There have been constant accusations against Dispensational theology that since it emerged in the nineteenth century it is therefore suspect because of its late appearance.

The following books speak to the relationship of the church to the Abrahamic covenant, the New Covenant, and the Kingdom. These are handled clearly and well in Dwight Pentecost’s book "Things to Come" which came out in the 1960s. The following books are also some among many that may be helpful on the subjects if they have not been read.

"Continuity and Discontinuity," Editor John S. Feinberg, Crossway Books, 1991 has some good discussions by scholars.

"A Case For Premillennialism, A New Consensus," Donald K. Campbell & Jeffrey L. Townsend, Moody Press, 1992

"A Bibliographic History of Dispensationalism," Arnold D. Ehlert, Baker Book House, 1965.

"Israel and the Church, The Origin And Effects of Replacement Theology," Ronald E. Diprose, Instituto Biblico Evangelico Italiano, Italy, 2004.

I would merely make the following general observations regarding the historical aspect.

First, from the standpoint of Biblical theology, which views revelation within the time and historical context, the Hebrew Scriptures are indeed the Hebrew scriptures. They are by the Jews for the Jews. We must ask how they saw the prophets when the Revelation was given them. What was the intent that God had in giving them that revelation at that time. We must seek to see the revelation through those Hebraic eyes. Then we can seek to see what the NT revelation adds to that understanding. There is a progressive history to revelation.

Second, All of the scriptures are given to us through the entrustment given to the Jews. Paul alludes to this trust given them at Romans 3:1-2. All of the "Messiah called Apostles" were Jewish. It required their authorship and/or approval for acceptance of the NT scriptures. The transition books of Luke and Acts were given through inspiration of a Gentile but accepted only because of the Apostolic relationship and approval. The NT is indeed Hebraic oracles given the assembly that was to be built by the Messiah. His selected Apostles were the foundation and the Messiah as the chief cornerstone. Ronald Diprose observed; "It is the presupposition of the entire New Testament that Yeshua was the Messiah of Israel" (p.181).

Third, from a Christian historical standpoint, Ronald Diprose makes a strong case for early Christian Premillennialism which was later replaced by integration and adaption of Hebraic ritual to the church. Prejudice against the Jews brought replacement theology which started to seriously distort Christian theology. Christian theology would be Japhetic (European) instead of Semitic.

Fourth, from Augustine on we have the gradual acceptance of a Christian theology built upon heresy. Augustine, the alleged great church theologian, was wrong on just about everything. He was wrong on Justification, Baptism, Communion, means of Grace, and the hope of the church. His triumphalism of the church was the foundation for church involvement in government, using physical force for conversion, and all sorts of Ecclesiastical imperialism.

Fifth, Medieval theology was a convergence of Paganism and Christian thought. Neo Platonism and Aristotelian thought became an integrated foundation for Christian theology. Prejudice against the Jews brought persecutions to them. The church became God's elect and the Jews were God's cast offs. European theology was pagan, wrong, and heretical in much of what it taught.

Sixth, the Reformers of the magisterial reformation, Calvin, Luther, and Zwingli, brought many back to the glorious truth of Justification by faith alone. They also attempted to see the scriptures alone as authority. However, they looked at scripture through the glasses of Medieval theology. They still revered Augustine. They still saw a gentile church that had replaced rejected Judaism. They expressed strong prejudice against the Jews and saw no literal kingdom in the Hebrew scriptures. Some of the small Medieval Evangelical groups, and later "radical Reformists" (Ana Baptists), did see a literal kingdom. However, the Ana Baptist endeavors to go beyond the magisterial reformation were met with extreme persecution by the Catholic church and by the those called Reformers. The "magisterial Reformers" certainly did much good but fell far short of a real Biblical theology. European Reformed theology changed quickly at Dort and morphed into even more convoluted thought in the progress of English Puritanism.

Sixth, the Christian theology of Europe was therefore far from Biblical Hebraic foundations. It was also a theology of the elite clergy. Noted Calvinist historian Alister Mcgrath has stated this in his book "In The Beginning- The Story of the King James Bible and How it changed a Nation, a Language, and a Culture"( pp. 39,59)  Only the clergy had good access to the scriptures. In his book "The Babylonian Captivity," Martin Luther argued that the Clergy had oppressed the laity.  The scriptures were not in the language of the people. There was no mass distribution of the scriptures. The invention of the movable type press in 1450 improved things but it would take a couple centuries before there would be an adequate access to the scriptures by many Christians.

Seventh, a new land, a new mobility, and a new access to the scriptures brought drastic changes in the seventeenth century. Spiritual Awakenings in England and America brought new converts, new churches and new insights into scripture. The European Calvinism was challenged by many who wanted a restoration that was based on the scriptures alone. There was also a Bible Onlyism theology that involved many of the non Clergy believers. The Plymouth Brethren arose in Ireland and new groups emrged in America. Awakenings continued into the Eighteenth century. These awakenings changed theology.

Eighth, from the dissemination of the Bible and Spiritual awakenings there arose a new emphasis
on the normal face value interpretation of scripture.  Scottish common sense theology took root in America. All this brought about a more literal eschatology for the Christian churches. The Hebrew scriptures were taken less allegorical and more literally. The Kingdom was again seen as a Hebraic promise that must be taken seriously and was still a hope for Israel. This also resulted in attempting to see where the Christians fit into this. The Hebrew scriptures promised Israel a Kingdom but also tribulation. The portrayals of that tribulation in the OT were terrible and obviously have not taken place. Such a tribulation was confirmed by the Messiah to Israel in the Olivet discourse. Where would the yet future (at that time) Christian church fit in? The answers were seen in the NT last revelation in the book of Revelation and also some other NT passages such as 1 Thess. 4. The emerging result was a viewpoint that would be labelled as "Dispensationalism." It respected the covenants of God seen in scripture, endeavored to consistently interpret the scriptures literally, acknowledged progressive revelation, and put together the puzzle of present Christian hope anchored in OT Hebraic promises. The OT predicted the Messiah. He had come. Now the rest of the puzzle must be put together. Was there really some truth in those Dispensational charts?

Ninth, while there was definite Premillennialism in the early church, and some definite fragments of later Dispensationalism. The theology of Dispensationalism as a constructed theology rightly emerged in the Nineteenth century. The problem is not such a late emergence, but the long centuries of paganism and prejudice that was called Christian theology in Europe. The truth had been suppressed. Such prejudices, and even persecutions, prevented a more objective and spiritual study of all the scriptures. The Clergy theology of Europe, and also the early colonies, had much that was good but prevented that which was better. A salvation reformation occurred in the sixteenth century. A fuller Biblical perspective reformation occurred in the Nineteenth century. The questions of the Jews, the church, the kingdom and the tribulation were being asked and the answers put together.

And the fullest revelation of all is my forty foot long Dispensational Chart.