Dispensationalism and Christian colleges

DTS has just about thrown it away. Certainly they do not follow the dispensationalism of Larkin, Chafer, and Scofield.

But SWBTS is embracing dispensationalism.

Anyone who is wondering don't read all the smoke screens written today just go to the source and read Clarence Larkin, J.N. Darby, C.I. Scofield and Lewis Sperry Chafer. Along with them read about German rationalism and Scottish realism.

I believe the condition of dispensationalism in most Baptist schools is that it is being mixed with other theologies that Baptists once held close. They do not realize the trouble that leads into.

 

I wish it were.

 

DTS has indeed thrown away the misguided disepnsationalism of Larkin, Chafer, and Scofield in favor of progressive dispensationalism which is far more theologically coherent. Though the faculty at SWBTS is still evenly divided, we do have the Godfather of progressive dispensationalism here.

As for other Baptist schools...hopefully no one embraces classical dispensationalism anymore, as for progressive who knows.

 

What about Moody Bible Institute?

 

Well, they still say this in their doctrinal statement:

This business of faith towards God manifiested in different ways seems to embrace the spirit of classic dispensationalism. Does progressive dispensationalism move away from this idea or does the progressiveness manifest itself in different areas?

Andy

 

I view classic dispensationalism, perhaps unfairly, as tending towards multiple ways of salvation. Scofield's notes are an extreme example of that.

BTW, I consider myself a mild dispensationalist. By that I mean that I hold to a pre-trib/pre-mil position and to a distinction between Israel and the church. I also believe that OT saints were saved by believing in what was revealed to them about the coming Messiah/seed (Acts 10:43).

Andy

 

Alive and well at Philadelphia Biblical University, home of C.I. Scofield.

 

I think that the early edition of Scofield Bible had what he called an unfortunate choice of words that indicated other than grace but it was corrected in later versions and he did not hold to this as has been charged by many covenant people in the past.

 

Faith BBC & TS are also committed to dispensationalism.

 

Just in the last 30 years it has progressed to the point of revision twice. Doesn't that sound like it needed changes because it was not right the first time and the second time? Doesn't that sound like progressive revelation such as Mormonism? After all the Mormons would make the same claim.

 

Calvary Baptist Seminary in Lansdale is dispenstionsal, though progressive dispensationalism gets quite a bit of attention in the "Dispensationalism" course. As for this:

This is evidence that dispensationalists actually study the Bible. No theological system is perfect. No single person and no group of persons has comprehensive and perfect understanding of the Bible. If others of other theological persuasions studied their Bibles, I would think they would be refining THEIR systems as well.

 

How many dispensations are there according to the Bible? Apparently there are only three. From Creation until the cross. Now, "the dispensation of the Grace of God." Ephesians 3:2. And "the dispensation of the fullness of times." Ephesians 1:10. God does not state that there are "7" dispensations.

I can see its pattern/logic of thought and its positions, however, Scripture does not clearly indicate the other besides the three that are clearly there.

 

Does anyone know if there are any colleges or seminaries that claim to be fundamental AND do not teach some form of dispensationalism? I know there are plenty in the conservative evangelical arena but I can't think of any in the strictly fundamentalist camp. Just wondering.

Andy

 

Do you limit that to Baptist, Andy? Isn't there a Fundamentalist Free Presbyterian school that teaches covenant theology?

I believe T.T. Shields' old seminary in Toronto does not teach dispensationalism. They have roots in fundamentalism, anyway, although I don't think they identify with the movement as it manifests itself today.

 

My old pastor from iowa was talking to a prof from BBC-Clarks Summit, who was there for recent meetings for the IARBC. From his account, another problem Cedarville is facing is that many of their professors are no longer dispensational.