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Dispensationalism and Christian colleges

Discussion in 'Baptist Colleges & Seminaries' started by Paul33, Oct 26, 2004.

  1. Paul33

    Paul33 New Member

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    That's not a problem at Cedarville. That is a blessing.

    Seriously, it seems that the grid we use to interpret Scripture should come from Scripture.

    I see the use of covenants in Scripture, but I don't see the scheme known as dispensationalism derived from the text itself. It seems to be a man-made grid of recent origin placed over Scripture to deal with end time scenarios of the 1800s.

    That dispensatinalism is declining is not surprising. That it has taken until now, after the failures of the 1800s, is!
     
  2. aefting

    aefting New Member

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    Yes. I didn't really think about them, perhaps because they are so small, but Geneva Reformed Seminary (LINK) certainly fits the bill.

    Andy
     
  3. Daniel David

    Daniel David New Member

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    There is also Master's Seminary (John MacArthur). They would reject the idiocies of Larkin and Chafer. However, they do not embrace the Progressive nonsense.
     
  4. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Mac is strongly dispensational still, right? I see it in his writings, study bible, etc.
     
  5. Greg Linscott

    Greg Linscott <img src =/7963.jpg>

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    A matter of perspective. From the persepctive of the GARBC, which has been historically pre-mil/pre-trib, it is a problem. But Cedarville (or any other school) no longer has official ties to the GARBC, so I suppose it's a non-issue.
     
  6. swaimj

    swaimj <img src=/swaimj.gif>

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    The alternative major theological system to dispensationalism is covenant theology. The term "covenant" in this system does not refer to biblical covenants, however, it refers to the covenant of works, the covenant of grace and the covenant of redemption (which some add). NONE of these three are mentioned in scripture. However, as noted in an earlier post, there are clearly four (the poster said three, but I can show you four) dispensations clearly named in scripture.

    I would highly recommend that you read some of the writings of progressive dispensationalists. These writers deal EXTENSIVELY with the biblical covenants. While I don't agree with everything they say, they are refining the dispensational system and answering its critics. I think it'll survive ;)
    A couple of books you might consider are Progressive Dispensationalism by Blaising and Bock and Contemporary Dispensationalism, edited by Herb Bateman.
     
  7. Paul33

    Paul33 New Member

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    Walter Kaiser, who I had for OT theology, at TEDS advocated "promise" as the grid for interpreting Scripture. A very interesting approach, and biblical at that, starting with Genesis 3:15.

    Biblical covenants (Abrahamic, Davidic, Mosaic, New) are the ones I'm thinking of.

    Putting Kaiser's "Promise Theology" and "biblical covenants" together yields a "biblical grid" from which to interpret Scripture.

    Covenant of works, covenant of grace, (covenant of redemption?) almost seems to line up with some of the dispensations.

    I haven't read any of the new works of dispensationalism since the early 80s.

    I will look into the books you mentioned. Thanks for the tip.

    At the time I was at TEDS, I think Kaiser saw his "promise theology" as a bridge between Covenant theology and dispensationalsim. At least that's how I saw it.
     
  8. aefting

    aefting New Member

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    From the little I have read of Kaiser to date (namely, his Uses of the OT in the New), I have found his approach to the OT quite compelling. I think it would have been very interesting to have him for OT Theology.

    Andy
     
  9. exscentric

    exscentric Well-Known Member
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    "the idiocies of Larkin and Chafer." could you list a few of those from Chafer with quotes from his work to show the problems he had?
     
  10. Circuitrider

    Circuitrider <img src=/circuitrider2.JPG>
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    If you want a clear statement of dispensationalism and a contrast between progressive and "classic" then read Ryrie's updated book "Dispensationalism." [​IMG] His original book dealt with the "classic" position, but in the updated edition (1995) he shows the drift of DTS into the error of progressive dispensationalism which comes as a sop to the covenant crowd. [​IMG]
     
  11. Circuitrider

    Circuitrider <img src=/circuitrider2.JPG>
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    As to the question of Christian colleges and their position, all of the fundamental Baptist schools hold to a dispenstational position, but some are stronger than others in their teaching. [​IMG] BJU had in the past an element of Presbyterianism in their faculty and so may have not been strongly dispensational, but that may have changed more recently due to some information I have heard.
     
  12. Paul33

    Paul33 New Member

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    Circuitrider,

    If you did a historical study of the roots of dispensationalism, you might be glad for that sop! [​IMG]

    If I proposed a new scheme for interpretating the Scriptures that had a similar background to that of dispensationalism, I would be thrown out on my ear.

    Once again, not knowing our history leads us into confusion and disorder. And dispensationalism is most assuredly disordered.
     
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