4
John MacArthur, Jr. defines dispensationalism as "a system of biblical
interpretation that sees a distinction between God's program for Israel and His dealings
with the church."
19
He goes on to say that the central issue in dispensationalism is
eschatology; he also suggests that dispensationalism has many implications for
ecclesiology.
20
Craig Blaising and Darrell Bock describe dispensationalism as a "futurist
premillennialism that has strongly maintained the imminent return of Christ and a
national and political future for Israel."
21
Also, it is characterized by a "canonical
approach to Scripture that interprets discontinuities of the Old and New Testaments as
historical changes in divine-human dispensations reflecting different purposes in the
divine plan." This last point results in an emphasis on unique features in grace that belong
to the present dispensation of the church.
22
Robert Saucy states, "Anyone who asserts not only the restoration of Israel as a
national entity but also a future role for that nation in God's kingdom program has been
generally identified as a dispensationalist."
23
This succinct statement from Herb Bateman provides his assessment of the
essence of dispensationalism: "Simply put, the basic unifying issue for all
dispensationalists is that Israel is not the church."
24
Finally, John Feinberg presents six "core" items that are distinctive to
dispensationalism: 1) the recognition of multiple senses for terms like "Jew" and "Seed
of Abraham"; 2) a hermeneutical practice which seeks to properly understand the
progress of revelation, typology, and the NT reinterpretation of the OT; 3) the necessity
of double fulfillment for covenant promises made to Israel; 4) a distinctive future for
ethnic Israel; 5) the belief in the church as a distinctive organism; and 6) a stress on the
multi-faceted aspects of God's workings in history.
25
We have sought to provide a diverse and representative snapshot of definitional
attempts made by some significant dispensational scholars. An early Dallas Seminary
dispensationalist (Chafer) and four later Dallas-trained professors (Ryrie, Blaising, Saucy
and Bock) have been consulted. Also, two Talbot Seminary grads (MacArthur and
Feinberg) have contributed to our survey. Philadelphia College of the Bible is also
represented (Bateman, who is also a Dallas Seminary Ph.D. grad). Not counting Chafer
(deceased) and Ryrie (retired), this group represents a number of different schools in their
present teaching ministries: Bock (Dallas Seminary), Blaising (Southern Baptist
19
John MacArthur, Jr. Faith Works: The Gospel According to the Apostles (Dallas: Word
Publishing, 1993), 219.
20
Ibid., 222.
21
Craig A. Blaising and Darrell L. Bock, "Dispensationalism, Israel and the Church: Assessment
and Dialogue," in Dispensationalism, Israel and the Church: The Search for Definition, ed. Craig A.
Blaising and Darrell L. Bock (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 379.
22
Ibid.
23
Robert L. Saucy, The Case for Progressive Dispensationalism: The Interface Between
Dispensational and Non-Dispensational Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993), 9.
24
Herbert W. Bateman IV, "Dispensationalism Tomorrow," in Three Central Issues in
Contemporary Dispensationalism: A Comparison of Traditional and Progressive Views, ed. Herbert W.
Bateman IV (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1999), 308.
25
John Feinberg, "Systems of Discontinuity," in Continuity and Discontinuity Perspectives on the
Relationship Between the Old and New Testaments: Essays in Honor of S. Lewis Johnson, Jr., ed. John
Feinberg (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1988), 71-85.