Dispensationalism Today

by Charles C. Ryrie

TO TRY TO CORRECT THE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT DISPENSATIONALISM AND TO GIVE A POSITIVE PRESENTATION OF IT AS IT IS TAUGHT TODAY

Genres: Theology

221 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Charles Caldwell Ryrie (born 1925) was a Christian writer and theologian. He graduated from Haverford College (B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., Th.D.) and the University of Edinburgh, Scotland (Ph.D.). For many years he served as professor of systematic theology and dean of doctoral studies at Dallas Theological Seminary and as president and professor at Philadelphia College of Bible, now Philadelphia Biblical University. He was a premillennial dispensationalist, though irenic in his approach. He was also the editor of the popular Ryrie Study Bible.

Reviews

[Jared Mindel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this a 4-star not because I agree with it - far from it. I have serious problems with his theology; however, he presents the best arguments I've seen for Dispensationalism and deals with some objections well. There's a reason it's the standard text for Dispensationalists nowadays.

I don't give this a 5-star because I was hoping he'd deal with the objection that Christ ran away from those who tried to make him King, as that's a pretty serious problem for Dispensationalists. Maybe I missed it; if I did I'd give it a 5-star.

Again, I disagree with pretty much everything in here, but I rate this not based upon agreement, but on the book in itself. If I were to rate this book on correctness it'd be like a -5 lol

[Raymond Lam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very lucid and detailed explanation of dispensationalist theology that I read many years ago. Direct and effortless prose from Ryrie made it easy reading for an academic theological subject that anyone can follow.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR AND USEFUL EXPLANATIONS

Charles Ryrie (1925-2016) was a theologian who served as professor of systematic theology and dean of doctoral studies at Dallas Theological Seminary until 1983. He has written many other books, such as 'So Great Salvation.' This book was first published in 1965.

He begins by stating that in relation to a proper philosophy of history, "only dispensationalism with its consummating dispensation of the millennium offers a satisfactory system." (Pg. 18) He adds that dispensationalism claims to employ principles of "literal, plain or normal, (biblical) interpretation consistently." (Pg. 20)

After noting that the Bible DOES (in Eph 1:10 & 3:2) name two dispensations ("and implies a third"), he admits that "it does not name seven, but since it does name two, perhaps there is something to this teaching called dispensationalism." (Pg. 27-28) A key point is that a dispensationalist "keeps Israel and the Church distinct." (Pg. 44) Later, he adds that the doctrine of the Church is the "touchstone" of dispensationalism. (Pg. 132)

He acknowledges that although "most" dispensationalists hold to seven dispensations, "a dispensationalist may hold as few as four, and some hold as many as eight." (Pg. 50) This difference he attributes to "lack of detailed revelation concerning the earliest periods of Biblical history." (Pg. 50) Furthermore, the doctrine "would not be refined and systematized until recent times simply because eschatology was not an area under discussion until then." (Pg. 77-78) He admits that if by "two ways of salvation" is meant "different content of faith, then dispensationalism does teach two ways... One simply must recognize the component parts of salvation regardless of what this recognition may do to the covenant of grace." (Pg. 131)

Although Ryrie later seemingly discounted dispensationalism (his 'Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth' doesn't even mention it, for example), this early book remains a "classic" exposition of it.