What is Progressive Dispensationalism?
I know that among seminary students there is much confusion between Covenant Theology, Traditional Dispensationalism, and Progressive Dispensationalism (the latter promoted by Craig Blaising, Darrell Bock, and Bob Saucy). I found a couple of random websites that do a good job of outlining the differences between the three (especially between the two types of dispensationalisms). The first website is an FAQ of sorts on PD. The second is more the compare and contrasting of the different theological systems. Let me point out a few of the more interesting items of note:
" The hermeneutical doors that PD has opened make very possible the eventual shift to covenant theology. As a covenant theologian, Vern Poythress is appreciative of the moves PD's have been making. But he also says, "However, their position is inherently unstable. I do not think that they will find it possible in the long run to create a safe haven theologically between classical dispensationalism and covenantal premillennialism. The forces that their own observations have set in motion will most likely lead to covenantal premillennialism after the pattern of George Ladd." Walter A. Elwell: "the newer dispensationalism looks so much like nondispensationalist premillennialism that one struggles to see any real difference" Commenting on the one people of God concept of PD, Bruce Waltke states, "That position is closer to covenant theology than to dispensationalism".
and:
DISTINCTIVES OF PROGRESSIVE DISPENSATIONALISM
Progressive Dispensationalists see a progression of dispensational economies in a single unfolding plan to redeem mankind. We acknowledge only one means of salvation for all time, by grace through faith. The effect of the sacrifice of Christ was retroactive for the Old Testament saints who died in faith [Heb. 9:15], "that they should not be made perfect apart from us." [Heb. 11:40]. It was God's original purpose "that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth-- in Him., [Eph. 1:10]. Paul was referring to an already accomplished union of Old Testament and New Testament saints. "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." [Eph. 3:14,15].
Link 1 - http://mb-soft.com/believe/txh/progdisp.htm
Link 2 - http://www.geocities.com/~lasttrumpet/prodisp.html
" The hermeneutical doors that PD has opened make very possible the eventual shift to covenant theology. As a covenant theologian, Vern Poythress is appreciative of the moves PD's have been making. But he also says, "However, their position is inherently unstable. I do not think that they will find it possible in the long run to create a safe haven theologically between classical dispensationalism and covenantal premillennialism. The forces that their own observations have set in motion will most likely lead to covenantal premillennialism after the pattern of George Ladd." Walter A. Elwell: "the newer dispensationalism looks so much like nondispensationalist premillennialism that one struggles to see any real difference" Commenting on the one people of God concept of PD, Bruce Waltke states, "That position is closer to covenant theology than to dispensationalism".
and:
DISTINCTIVES OF PROGRESSIVE DISPENSATIONALISM
Progressive Dispensationalists see a progression of dispensational economies in a single unfolding plan to redeem mankind. We acknowledge only one means of salvation for all time, by grace through faith. The effect of the sacrifice of Christ was retroactive for the Old Testament saints who died in faith [Heb. 9:15], "that they should not be made perfect apart from us." [Heb. 11:40]. It was God's original purpose "that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth-- in Him., [Eph. 1:10]. Paul was referring to an already accomplished union of Old Testament and New Testament saints. "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." [Eph. 3:14,15].
Link 1 - http://mb-soft.com/believe/txh/progdisp.htm
Link 2 - http://www.geocities.com/~lasttrumpet/prodisp.html
posted by Charlie Wallace at
7:55 PM
8 Comments:
I came out of a Dispensationalist background, flew through Progressive Dispensationalism to a Covenantal perspective and wound up as a New Covenantalist.
New Covenantalism, in my opinion, is borne out of Baptistic distinctives and is thoroughly Calvinistic in its interpretation of the Bible.
In other words, it is a system that is born form the Word, not imposed upon it.
But, better men than myself have come to different conclusions.
Doxoblogist, Can you link a good site for New Covenantalism?
Interesting.
I am a Post-Tribulationalist who has become increasingly Dispensational in theology. I do think that Progressive Dispensationalists make some good points. I think their biggest fault is denying the parenthetical nature of the Church Age.
Can you explain their views of the denial of the parenthetical nature of the church age? Thanks
Charles,
http://www.soundofgrace.com/
You can probably access any other New Covenant sites from this site.
Sound of Grace is a monthly publication and a ministry of John Reisinger.
Progressive Dispensationalists hold that the Church is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, contrary to conventional Dispensationalism, which holds that the Church is a mystery and an interlude between God's dealings with Israel. They argue that the Abrahamic Covenant was promised not only to the descendents of Israel, but to the Church and that the Church is an outworking of God's programme for Israel that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Earth after the Millennium.
Conventional Dispensationalism rather holds that the Church is an heavenly body that may or may not receive some of Israel's blessings (depending on the writer's view) but which is not in any way connected with God's millennial programme for Israel.
Thanks for the clarity guys. I've read Blaising and Bock's book but it's very technical and one can get lost in the minutuae at times. I don't imagine that if you pressed the majority of evangelicals they could state unequivocally that they are classical dispensationalists.
Unfortunate. Despite its faults, I think the decline in Dispensationalism should be lamented.
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