Join historian Daniel Hummel, director of the Lumen Center and author, as he unpacks the fascinating rise and decline of dispensationalism in American evangelicalism. He shares his personal journey from a dispensationalist background and discusses its origins, key figures like John Darby, and the cultural impacts post-Civil War. The conversation also examines the tension between evangelism and social justice, societal anxieties shaping evangelical thought, and the evolution of beliefs about Israel. Discover how these factors continue to influence contemporary Christian life.
01:02:00
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Hummel's Dispensationalist Roots
Daniel Hummel shares his upbringing in a dispensationalist evangelical home as a missionary kid in Germany.
His journey led to academic research revealing dispensationalism's evolving history and cultural impact, beyond common understanding.
insights INSIGHT
Core Biblical Hermeneutic
Dispensationalism is a hermeneutic that distinguishes Israel and the church as separate peoples with distinct roles.
This interpretive framework results in multiple dispensations or eras in redemptive history with specific theological and eschatological consequences.
insights INSIGHT
Postwar Evangelization Focus
Dispensationalism appealed to post-Civil War Americans by emphasizing the church's focus on evangelization over political or racial reconstruction.
This helped some evangelicals avoid engagement in divisive social and political issues of the era.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
The Late Great Planet Earth is a treatment of dispensational premillennialism that compares end-time prophecies in the Bible with then-current events. The book, written by Hal Lindsey with contributions by Carole C. Carlson, was first published in 1970 and became the bestselling nonfiction book of the decade according to The New York Times. It discusses various signs foreseen by prophets from Moses to Jesus, such as the rebirth of Israel, the threat of war in the Middle East, an increase in natural catastrophes, and the revival of Satanism and witchcraft, all of which are seen as portents of the coming of an antichrist and a war that will bring humanity to the brink of destruction. The book emphasizes the importance of biblical prophecy in understanding the imminent future of the planet.
Reading Revelation
Reading Revelation
Michael J. Gorman
Self Made
Tara Isabella Burton
The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism
How the Evangelical Battle Over the End Times Shaped a Nation
Daniel G. Hummel
In *The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism*, Daniel G. Hummel provides a detailed history of dispensationalism, tracing its origins from John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethren Movement in the 19th century to its current state. The book is divided into three sections, covering the new premillennialists (1830-1900), the dispensationalists (1900-1960), and the pop dispensationalists (1960-2020). Hummel examines how dispensationalism shaped American evangelicalism, influenced popular culture, and impacted politics and religion. The book offers a balanced perspective, highlighting both the strengths and limitations of dispensationalism and its ongoing impact on American religious history.
On The Incarnation
C.S. Lewis
Athanasius
A Religious of C.S.M.V. S.Th.
Written by St. Athanasius in the 4th century, 'On the Incarnation' is an apologetic treatise that defends the incarnation of Christ against non-believers. Athanasius explains that the Word of God became incarnate to save fallen humanity, arguing that this act was necessary to undo the corruption of sin and restore humanity to its original state in the image of God. The book relies heavily on Scripture and the teachings of the early Church, addressing various objections to the incarnation and emphasizing the divine and human natures of Christ[2][4][5].
In this episode, historian Daniel Hummel joins me to discuss the fascinating rise and decline of dispensationalism, a theological movement deeply embedded in American evangelicalism. Daniel shares his personal journey growing up in a dispensationalist environment, exploring its roots with John Nelson Darby, its influence post-Civil War, and its widespread popularity through media like the Left Behind series. This conversation delves into dispensationalism’s impacts on evangelical views regarding end-times, Israel, biblical interpretation, and societal engagement. Daniel provides valuable insights into how anxieties, cultural shifts, and media have reshaped evangelical priorities and engagement today. So join us to discover how our beliefs about the future shape our actions and commitments in the present, and how interpreting scripture continues to influence contemporary Christian life.
Daniel G. Hummel (PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison) is the director of the Lumen Center in Madison, WI and a research fellow in the History Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle Over the End Times Shaped a Nation (Eerdmans, 2023).
Shifting Culture 
