Dispensationalism

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Description

In this article, which first appeared in Bibliotheca Sacra (XCIII, 390-449), theologian Lewis Sperry Chafer discusses the scriptural basis of Dispensationalism.

Chafer defines the term, describes the characteristics of one who might be considered a "dispensationalist", and addresses apprehensions some have had about the idea. He then moves to describe it more constructively through extensive citation of Scripture.

Chafer writes, "The dispensationalist believes that throughout the ages God is pursuing two distinct purposes: one related to the earth with earthly people and earthly objectives involved, which is Judaism; while the other is related to heaven with heavenly people and heavenly objectives involved, which is Christianity."

About the Author(s)

Lewis Sperry Chafer (1871-1952) was an American theologian. He founded and served as the first president of Dallas Theological Seminary, and was an influential proponent of Dispensationalism in the early 20th century.

He was born in Rock Creek, Ohio. While growing up he developed a talent for music and choir.

From 1889 to 1891, Chafer attended Oberlin College. Chafer quit his studies at Oberlin to work with YMCA evangelist, Arthur T. Reed of Ohio. He and his wife formed a traveling evangelistic music ministry, he singing or preaching and she playing the organ.

Chafer was ordained in 1900 by a Council of Congregational Ministers. In 1903 he ministered as an evangelist in Massachusetts and became associated with the ministry of Cyrus Scofield, who became his mentor.

During this early period, Chafer began writing and developing his theology. He taught Bible classes and music at the Mount Hermon School for Boys from 1906 to 1910. He aided Scofield in establishing the Philadelphia School of the Bible in 1913. From 1923 to 1925, he served as general secretary of the Central American Mission.

When Scofield died in 1921, Chafer moved to Dallas, Texas to pastor the First Congregational Church of Dallas where Scofield had ministered. Then, in 1924, Chafer and his friend William Henry Griffith Thomas realized their vision of a simple, Bible-teaching theological seminary and founded Dallas Theological Seminary (originally Evangelical Theological College). Chafer served as president of the seminary and professor of Systematic Theology from 1924 until his death in 1952.

During his life, Chafer received three honorary doctorates: Doctor of Divinity from Wheaton in 1926, Doctor of Letters from Dallas in 1942, and Doctor of Theology from the Aix-en-Province, France, Protestant Seminary in 1946.

Chafer had a tremendous influence on the evangelical movement. Among his students were Kenneth N. Taylor, Howard Hendricks, J. Dwight Pentecost, Charles Caldwell Ryrie, J. Vernon McGee, and John Walvoord (who succeeded him as president of DTS).

Chafer is widely recognized as one of the founders of modern Dispensationalism. While he opposed to covenant theology, he did not reject the idea of a covenant of redemption, covenant of works, and covenant of grace. He affirmed all three along with the Edenic, Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Palestinian, Davidic, and New Covenant. He was a premillennial, pretribulational dispensationalist. His overall theology could be generally described as based on the inductive study of the entire Bible, having similarities to John Nelson Darby of the Plymouth Brethren, moderate Calvinism (rejected limited atonement), a mild form of Keswick Theology on Sanctification, and Presbyterianism, all of these tempered with a focus on spirituality based on simple Bible study and living.

Adapted from "Lewis Sperry Chafer" in Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 20, 2021.

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