In Praise of Dispensationalists

First, a quick comment: I used to have a blog (you can find it at http://www.dupreeblog.blogspot.com/) but I am starting fresh and am going to try to be more intentional about blogging. 

For this blog I would like to air a few thoughts that will hopefully be relevant to any interested in theology and biblical interpretation, particularly the large-scale issues concerning how the whole Bible fits together. 

I should begin by stating that I do not identify myself as a dispensationalist. I have some hang-ups with the system, particularly more rigid/traditional forms of it. (I do like a lot of what I have seen in progressive dispensationalism, but that's another blog for another time). However, I think that many of my fellow nondispensationalists have often been quite quick to criticize the system and those holding to it, particularly when examining certain excesses present in some forms of dispensationalism. Criticism, if delivered in the right spirit, is necessary for any system. However, that is not my purpose here. For this blog I would like to offer, as a nondispensationalist, some positive thoughts about the system and those who subscribe to it particularly. So without further ado, here are some positive aspects I see in dispensationalism (none of these qualities are unique to dispensationalism, of course):

1. Passion for Bible Study:
Agree with them or not, many dispensationalists are most definitely "people of the book" in the sense that they are quite passionate about reading and studying the Bible. Dispensationalists have often stressed the ability of the average believer to read and understand the Bible and such an emphasis is surely in line with the heritage of the Reformation. We might not agree with all their understanding, but we should respect dispensationalists for desiring to build their theology on the Bible and their passion for the book.

2. Passion for Communicating Theology:
Dispensationalist thinkers are nothing if not prolific. It doesn't take much scouring of a Christian bookstore to arrive at tomes dedicated to the propagation of dispensational theology. Further, the impact of dispensationalism on preaching is observable, as well. We need to give credit where credit is due and recognize the effort dispensationalists have put into communicating their views as well as their passion for doing so.

3. Willingness to Adapt
Finally, dispensationalists on the whole have proven to be willing to adapt. One need only compare the changes the Scofield Reference Bible underwent between its first publication and its thorough revision in the 60s and this is to say nothing of progressive dispensationalism which has moved in what I would deem a positive direction. To be sure, there are many who hold to more traditional dispensationalism or its more rigid brethren, but the movement has been one of change and adaptation. Such is in line with the concept of semper reformanda (always reforming).

I'll conclude with a personal story. After I got saved the first in-depth theology I was acquainted with was dispensationalism. I had a Scofield Bible first, followed by a Ryrie and a MacArthur. I embraced the system wholeheartedly and it was only after a few years that I began to question aspects of it. No matter where my journey has taken me so far, I remain thankful for my dispensational heritage and my dispensationalist brethren.

soli deo gloria!

Grace and Peace,

Curtis