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Ever Reforming: Dispensational Theology and the Completion of the Protestant Reformation
People tend to place the Reformers on a pedestal and act like they completed the revolution, but they did not. Why was the Protestant Reformation only a partial restoration? It was because they used the literal method of interpreting the Bible selectively. Ever Reforming will guide the reader to understand all that needed to be reformed, how the Reformers started the process, and the way in which that led to Dispensational Theology and the full recovery of the literal method of interpreting God's Word.
189 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 11, 2018
Much needed clarification
This book was so enlightening. I have studied the reformers, but never considered the reality that they just established some initial truths. It makes perfect sense that this was an important beginning for understanding all Truth that is progressively being revealed. The position that preterists hold has been untenable to me for some time. This book reveals why!
This book was so enlightening. I have studied the reformers, but never considered the reality that they just established some initial truths. It makes perfect sense that this was an important beginning for understanding all Truth that is progressively being revealed. The position that preterists hold has been untenable to me for some time. This book reveals why!
December 9, 2020
A sermon these days is, marketing ,a pep talk, pop psychology, and allegorical interpretation of scripture. You can blame Norman Vincent Peel, Robert Schuller, or Rick Warren but it all started with Augustine.
January 14, 2020
Great truthful teacher
Dr Andy Woods stands as a beacon of light with truthfully Biblical teaching in a time that increasingly pursues darkness. From the dark ages into the end of the age false teaching pursues the church from within, satan would have it no other way. Dr Woods explains historically how false teaching invades the church, how the reformers bright back signs doctrine from the church in Antioch, yet didn't go far enough in their reform. Finally, Dr Woods shows how the dispensations teachings have come as a movement from God to finish what Luther And Calvin would not. If you want to hand why the western church is in some ways more roman catholic and Egyptian than you might believe read this book because it had tremendous historical value with signs Biblical teaching. Egyptian? Yes, you read that right so go get this book and find out why.
Dr Andy Woods stands as a beacon of light with truthfully Biblical teaching in a time that increasingly pursues darkness. From the dark ages into the end of the age false teaching pursues the church from within, satan would have it no other way. Dr Woods explains historically how false teaching invades the church, how the reformers bright back signs doctrine from the church in Antioch, yet didn't go far enough in their reform. Finally, Dr Woods shows how the dispensations teachings have come as a movement from God to finish what Luther And Calvin would not. If you want to hand why the western church is in some ways more roman catholic and Egyptian than you might believe read this book because it had tremendous historical value with signs Biblical teaching. Egyptian? Yes, you read that right so go get this book and find out why.
December 25, 2024
Quite frankly, this book blew me away and cemented Dr. Andy Woods in my mind as one of the current, premier Biblical teachers and scholars working today. Much is made these days of reformed theology. Of those I follow on X (formerly Twitter) reformed Christians seem quick to label other Christians as heretical. One of their favorite targets are Dispensationalists. It should be noted I consider myself a Dispensationalist and attended a Grad School that taught from that perspective, but I've always strived to place the Reformers in their proper and important historical perspective. I've never actually seen the two at odds.
In this book, Dr. Woods gives a generous account of the reformers (Luther, Calvin, etc.) and clearly demonstrates the importance of their recapturing proper hermeneutical methods from the Catholic Church. To do so, Woods retraces the early church Fathers from Antioch to Alexandria. In doing so, he demonstrates the allegorical drift the Church underwent, and how the Reformation marked a return to a responsible literal method of interpretation.
Woods then fits Dispensationalism into this context (thus the title - Ever Reforming). As Woods demonstrates, Dispensationalists take the literal hermeneutics of the Reformers and applies it to all Scripture, including prophecy. As such, it doesn't stand opposed to Reformed Theology, but rather compliments it and takes it full circle.
This is certainly the most informative and well-written book I've read in all of 2024 and I am sure I will return to it time and time again. I highly recommend it.
In this book, Dr. Woods gives a generous account of the reformers (Luther, Calvin, etc.) and clearly demonstrates the importance of their recapturing proper hermeneutical methods from the Catholic Church. To do so, Woods retraces the early church Fathers from Antioch to Alexandria. In doing so, he demonstrates the allegorical drift the Church underwent, and how the Reformation marked a return to a responsible literal method of interpretation.
Woods then fits Dispensationalism into this context (thus the title - Ever Reforming). As Woods demonstrates, Dispensationalists take the literal hermeneutics of the Reformers and applies it to all Scripture, including prophecy. As such, it doesn't stand opposed to Reformed Theology, but rather compliments it and takes it full circle.
This is certainly the most informative and well-written book I've read in all of 2024 and I am sure I will return to it time and time again. I highly recommend it.
May 28, 2019
An excellent corrective.
Dr. Woods provides an excellent overview of how reformation continues because true reformation consists in reading God's Word literally. Reformed Theology is really the consequence of freezing that process before completion. Straightforward and accessible.
Dr. Woods provides an excellent overview of how reformation continues because true reformation consists in reading God's Word literally. Reformed Theology is really the consequence of freezing that process before completion. Straightforward and accessible.
August 12, 2018
Balanced and very informative
I read this for three days and I loved the balance of this book and the rich historical background of Dispensationalism and the Reformers work. It was engaging for me.
I read this for three days and I loved the balance of this book and the rich historical background of Dispensationalism and the Reformers work. It was engaging for me.
October 3, 2018
Puts It All Together
This takes theological beliefs from what may appear random to a carefully outlined congruous history. Now I finally understand both Reformed and Dispensational Theology.
This takes theological beliefs from what may appear random to a carefully outlined congruous history. Now I finally understand both Reformed and Dispensational Theology.
September 15, 2022
Wish I could have found this book years ago it would have saved considerable time as I eventually came to these same conclusions the long hard way. Much appreciated and valuable addition to the library.
March 10, 2021
God does not want us confused. Check out the author's youtube channel for great verse by verse teaching.
January 3, 2025
BLUF: Dr. Woods takes a great thesis worthy of explication, and executes it poorly.
There are key takeaways from this book. For example, he is correct to highlight the Reformers' desire to stay within the confines of Roman Catholicism. Because of the emphasis on retrieving the doctrines of grace, other areas of doctrine in need of reform never received their time to shine, such as ecclesiological and eschatological matters.
I believe Woods is also correct in asserting that truth will continue to be progressively illuminated with the passage of time. As a pastor-friend of mine once said, the history of Christian doctrine tends to go in major stages. Trinitarian and Christological concerns receive the focus of the early church. Soteriological considerations, starting with Augustine and subsequently lost, come to the forefront during the Reformation. Now, another five hundred years closer to the eschaton, eschatological concerns are once again coming to the forefront, having been left largely dormant since the time of the early [premillennial] church.
Yet, this book struggles greatly with editing. The proofreading is [mostly] acceptable. It's the flow of thought and extraneous sentences that could've used another set of critical eyes. Indeed, I estimate that nearly 25-30% of the book could be omitted without affecting the central thesis! As another reviewer noted, Woods does himself (and dispensationalists) a disservice by improperly representing other views (e.g., the term "replacement theology" ought never to be uttered or printed again [cf. Woods' rejection of the strawman fallacy on p. 151]; repeating the repulsive quote "those who spiritualize tell spiritual lies..."; or "transubstantiation also sounds much like cannibalism"). We don't need such needless, throwaway zingers. Let the truth speak for itself.
His sparse citations need much work (e.g., do the proper work and cite Ephraem the Syriac's own work, not Demy and Ice's quotation of Ephraem [p. 41; see also fnn. 29, 46, 50, 100, 111, 120, 140, 147]). Other sources could be beefed up or improved upon. There's been a LOT of great historical retrieval done on pretribulational premillennialism these past 10-15 years.
Further, what does it mean to "bless Israel" (p. 130)? It sounds pious, even biblical, but practically speaking, it's nothing but a trite saying without practical steps listed. Are we to blindly support their secular government? Are we to send taxpayer dollars to be used without discretion by their unbelieving leaders? Such statements leave much to be desired.
A book like this is much needed, especially written in such accessible lay language; however, errors in execution leave much to be desired. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
There are key takeaways from this book. For example, he is correct to highlight the Reformers' desire to stay within the confines of Roman Catholicism. Because of the emphasis on retrieving the doctrines of grace, other areas of doctrine in need of reform never received their time to shine, such as ecclesiological and eschatological matters.
I believe Woods is also correct in asserting that truth will continue to be progressively illuminated with the passage of time. As a pastor-friend of mine once said, the history of Christian doctrine tends to go in major stages. Trinitarian and Christological concerns receive the focus of the early church. Soteriological considerations, starting with Augustine and subsequently lost, come to the forefront during the Reformation. Now, another five hundred years closer to the eschaton, eschatological concerns are once again coming to the forefront, having been left largely dormant since the time of the early [premillennial] church.
Yet, this book struggles greatly with editing. The proofreading is [mostly] acceptable. It's the flow of thought and extraneous sentences that could've used another set of critical eyes. Indeed, I estimate that nearly 25-30% of the book could be omitted without affecting the central thesis! As another reviewer noted, Woods does himself (and dispensationalists) a disservice by improperly representing other views (e.g., the term "replacement theology" ought never to be uttered or printed again [cf. Woods' rejection of the strawman fallacy on p. 151]; repeating the repulsive quote "those who spiritualize tell spiritual lies..."; or "transubstantiation also sounds much like cannibalism"). We don't need such needless, throwaway zingers. Let the truth speak for itself.
His sparse citations need much work (e.g., do the proper work and cite Ephraem the Syriac's own work, not Demy and Ice's quotation of Ephraem [p. 41; see also fnn. 29, 46, 50, 100, 111, 120, 140, 147]). Other sources could be beefed up or improved upon. There's been a LOT of great historical retrieval done on pretribulational premillennialism these past 10-15 years.
Further, what does it mean to "bless Israel" (p. 130)? It sounds pious, even biblical, but practically speaking, it's nothing but a trite saying without practical steps listed. Are we to blindly support their secular government? Are we to send taxpayer dollars to be used without discretion by their unbelieving leaders? Such statements leave much to be desired.
A book like this is much needed, especially written in such accessible lay language; however, errors in execution leave much to be desired. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
December 30, 2024
I have mixed thoughts on this book by Dr. Andy Woods. I agree with Woods' doctrine of the church and end times. I agree with his hermeneutics. I agree with some of his views of the reformation and the good that was brought about by Luther, Calvin, etc. And I appreciate Woods' explanation of the history of dispensationalism and how the church went from the apostolic time and early church where they used the Literal, Grammatical Historical approach to interpreting Scripture, to the Alexandrian and Augustinian and Roman Catholic influenced approach of allegorization. Woods is correct in arguing that the Reformation thankfully went far in soteriology, but it didn't go far enough when it came to ecclesiology and eschatology. The down side to Woods' book is the categorization of those who disagree with him and who hold to a different ecclesiology and eschatology as being heretics and unsaved. His sophomoric approach to this topic certainly overshadows much of what he writes and will certainly lose readership.
At the same time, there is a sense in which I appreciate Woods' simpler language because this issue could get bogged down in academia and not be user friendly for the common man. I'm thankful I read the book. I simply believe that the strengths lose some of their strength because of the weaknesses.
At the same time, there is a sense in which I appreciate Woods' simpler language because this issue could get bogged down in academia and not be user friendly for the common man. I'm thankful I read the book. I simply believe that the strengths lose some of their strength because of the weaknesses.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews