Dispensationalism
Dispensationalism is a theological framework that interprets the Bible by dividing history into distinct periods, known as dispensations, during which God's relationship with humanity evolves. Typically, dispensationalists identify seven key dispensations, each characterized by different divine revelations, tests of faith, and subsequent judgments. This approach emerged in the 19th century, largely credited to John Nelson Darby, a Plymouth Brethren minister who emphasized a distinct relationship between the kingdom of Israel and the Christian church, rejecting the notion that the church replaces Israel in God’s plan.
The seven dispensations outlined in this theology span from the innocence of Adam and Eve to the anticipated Millennial Kingdom ruled by Jesus Christ. Dispensationalism has significantly influenced American evangelicalism, particularly among Baptist and Pentecostal communities, and is taught in various Bible colleges. Over time, different interpretations of dispensationalism have developed, including classical, modified, and progressive forms, each with unique views on the roles of Israel and the church within God's overarching plan. This interpretive approach continues to shape both individual beliefs and broader theological discussions within Christianity.
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Dispensationalism
Dispensationalism is a literal interpretation of the Bible that views history as divided by God into periods that follow a pattern. These dispensations refer to specific periods of history during which God's role and relationship with humanity take on different characteristics. Classic dispensationalist teachings describe God's plan as divided into seven distinct dispensations, although the number of dispensations varies by religious approach. Each dispensation follows a similar cycle in which God is revealed to humanity, humanity's faith is tested, and God judges and reforms humanity. Since its theoretical conception in the nineteenth century, dispensationalism has been adapted by a number of religious groups around the world, though it is mainly a component of American evangelicalism.
Background
The concept of dividing Biblical history into specific periods dates back many centuries, but the theology of dispensationalism was not established until the nineteenth century. Many dispensationalists argue that their belief system dates back to the time of the apostles and the first church of Jesus Christ. Most historians date its established teachings to the mid-1800s.
Scholars believe the genesis of dispensationalism is linked to a Plymouth Brethren minister named John Nelson Darby. Darby studied theology at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, in the early 1800s. Through his studies of the Bible, he became transfixed on the salvation and restoration of the kingdom of Israel. He interpreted a chapter of the Book of Isaiah as stating Israel was due a future dispensation of earthly blessings that differed from the heavenly blessings bestowed upon the Christian New Testament church. He came to the conclusion that the kingdom of Israel and the New Testament church were distinct from each other, and he believed that a rapture event—the prophesied second coming of Christ—was possible at any moment.
Darby believed the rapture would be followed by the Seventieth Week of Daniel, a Biblical prophecy given to the Jewish historical figure Daniel by the angel Gabriel. In the Bible, Daniel prays to God to save his people and Jerusalem. Once this prophecy is fulfilled, Israel would become the focal point of God's plan again as he fulfilled his promises to Israel and the world would become a millennial kingdom as prophesized in the Book of Revelation. Over the next few years, Darby outlined seven distinct dispensations, or historical periods designated by God that dictate God's plan for humanity. By 1833, his dispensational theology was fully formed.
Darby's dispensational interpretations were a form of premillennialism, or the belief that Jesus Christ would physically return to the world and usher in a thousand-year period of peace. Darby traveled the world preaching dispensationalism to people. Dispensationalist teachings further spread during a late-nineteenth-century Bible Conference Movement. During this period, dispensationalism caught on in several areas of the United States. The doctrine's inclusion in C.I. Scofield's Scofield Reference Bible, a popular theological reference work of the early twentieth century, was hugely influential in the continued propagation of dispensationalism. The work interpreted the Bible as organizing seven dispensations: innocence, conscience, civil government, promise, law, grace, and kingdom.
After World War I (1914–1918), American dispensationalists began setting up schools around the country to give the teachings a more formal academic venue. The most successful of these schools was the Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas. Its founder, Lewis Sperry Chafer, helped promote dispensationalism with his theological writings Systematic Theology (1947). Different approaches to dispensationalism developed during this period, and the term itself saw its first usage in the 1920s as a way to distinguish Scofield's teaching from other dispensation teachings. Throughout the twentieth century, dispensationalism became most popular with American evangelical Christian churches, particularly Baptists and Pentecostals. Its teachings remained a permanent fixture among a number of Bible colleges across the nation.
Overview
Dispensationalism is an interpretation of the Bible that divides the earth's history into dispensations. The term dispensation is used to describe an order to God's relationships with the Jewish and Gentile (non-Jewish) people. According to dispensationalists, God uses various methods to work with humanity during different periods of history, which are usually divided into seven chronological periods. A defining aspect of dispensationalism is its rejection of the belief that the church can replace the kingdom of Israel in God's divine plan. To dispensationalists, Old Testament Israel is succeeded by the New Testament church but not replaced. This order is part of a multipurpose divine plan that begins with humanity's innocence and ends with a Millennial Kingdom ruled by Jesus Christ.
Most dispensationalists name seven distinct dispensations, but the number of dispensations varies depending on a group's theological approach. Traditionally, these seven dispensations fall in line with those outlined by Scofield. The first dispensation, innocence, refers to the creation of Adam and Eve and their existence before they sinned. This dispensation includes chapters one through three of the Book of Genesis. The second dispensation, conscience, comprises chapters three through eight of the Book of Genesis and covers events from the fall of man after Adam and Eve's sin to the great flood. The third dispensation, civil government, accounts for chapters nine through eleven of Genesis. Humanity recovers from the flood and forms a civil government. During this period, humanity speaks one language and tries to build a tower to heaven. God mixes their languages so they cannot understand each other and then scatters them around the world.
The fourth dispensation, promise, begins with the story of Abraham in Genesis 12 and ends with the story of Moses in chapter 19 of the Book of Exodus. During this dispensation, God gives the Ten Commandments to Moses, establishing the Canon law. This leads to the fifth dispensation, law, which transitions humanity from the Old Testament to the New Testament. The law dispensation covers Exodus 20 through part of chapter two of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament, encompassing the events following Moses's story all the way to Jesus Christ's crucifixion. From this point, humanity moves to the sixth dispensation, grace, which is described as beginning after the crucifixion and ending at chapter twenty of Revelation. At this point, the final dispensation, kingdom, begins. Earth will become a millennial kingdom, and Jesus Christ will return to rule both kingdoms of heaven and Earth.
Although most dispensationalists interpret Biblical scripture similarly, some approach the theology in different ways. Classical dispensationalism teaches that God has different purposes at various times and sees the church as an interlude between God's plans for Israel. For classical followers, a millennial kingdom will exist on earth and in Heaven.
Modified dispensationalism does not believe in the dual existence of a heaven and earth kingdom. This approach focuses on the two peoples of God, the church and Israel. Each group has different roles and responsibilities, but each receives the same salvation. When the millennial kingdom arrives, both the church and Israel will exist together.
Another version, progressive dispensationalism, teaches that the church is not a separate people or nation. Israel and the church are both people of God and possess spiritual equality. Progressives still distinguish specific functions between the groups and adhere to the belief that the church and Israel are not equated. Some scholars noted a convergence of covenant theology and dispensationalism in the twenty-first century as classic dispensationalism theology experienced a decline in popularity. American religion historian and author Daniel Hummel discusses the twenty-first-century shift in evangelical beliefs and popular culture that led to these changing beliefs in his book The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism (2023).
Bibliography
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