This chapter explores the historical roots and theological implications of dispensationalism within evangelical Christianity, particularly its influence on concepts like 'biblical marriage' and 'family values.' The discussion highlights key figures like John Nelson Darby and examines the pivotal role of the Schofield Reference Bible in shaping modern evangelical beliefs and political narratives. Additionally, it reflects on the evolving interpretations of biblical prophecy and the significant ties between dispensationalism, Christian nationalism, and the significance of Israel in contemporary religious contexts.
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Very few have heard of “Dispensationalism,” and fewer could give a paragraph-length definition of it, and yet it saturates Evangelical thinking and influences much of what is in the news headlines today
Are you aware of the common thread that ties together the following diverse list of things:
an American senator admits on national TV that he supports Israel (in the military sense) because this is commanded in the Bible, and a prayer is lifted on national TV for the success of a Presidential candidate because she is “the defender of Israel”
the belief that God has uniquely selected and blessed the USA as his chosen instrument for these particularly troubled times;
many Christians dismiss the existential importance of global warming, environmental collapse, species extinctions, and pollution because “Jesus is coming back soon and it’s all gonna’ burn anyway”;
the immense popularity and box office success … and trail of religious trauma … of the Left Behind franchise of books and movies.
All of these are connected by one thing: Dispensationalism. The latter belief system has shaped the theology, values, and worldview of a very large fraction of Christians, particularly American Evangelicals, and is a major driving force behind their prominence in the news headlines today. And yet a vast majority of people, including many Christians, have never heard of “Dispensationalism”: even those who would claim to have heard of it would be unable to give a short paragraph-length definition of what the word means.
Next week, we want to explore how Dispensationalism is not just an American phenomenon …. or an American problem …. and why many people feel that it jeopardizes the very future of our planet (its adherents are committed to a self-fulfilling prophecy of global destruction). But before we get into those deeper waters, we need to give this quick 101 Introduction to that theological construct: its origin, time-line, dimensions, and footprint.
We spoke to Eric Scot English, who has training in philosophy and Christian theology and history, about his recently released book: The Kingdom of Man: Evangelicalism and the Distortion of Christianity. Some of the distortions that we talked about include: Christian Nationalism, Christian Zionism, Dominionism, the Kingdom Identity movement, the doctrine of Manifest Destiny, and even the Prosperity Gospel.
