Rapture Fever: Why Dispensationalism Is Paralyzed

by Gary North

Book by North, Gary

Genres: Theology

246 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Gary North received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside. He served on the Senior Staff of the Foundation for Economic Education, in Irvington-on-Hudson, New York, and was the president of the Institute for Christian Economics. Dr. North’s essays and reviews have appeared in three dozen magazines and journals, including The Wall Street Journal, National Review, The American Spectator, and others.

Reviews

[Alan Fuller · Rating 1 out of 5]

In this 1993 book, Dominion theologist Gary North declares Dispensationalism dead. Failed prophecies along with other failures have signaled its demise. This was before the "Left Behind" series sold 80 million books. Recent polls show pre-trib is still the most popular Christian eschatology. To be fair, North is talking about an academic and theological level rather than a popular level. Dispensationalism expresses itself better as fiction rather than non-fiction. This book is as much an advocacy of Dominion theology as much as it is a criticism of Dispensationalism.

[Zach de Walsingham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been edited down, lots of repetition between the chapters. The day after I finished this 1993 book, I visited the local Mardel's bookstore and saw Hal Lindseys "The Late Great Planet Earth" was prominently displayed on the prophecy shelf. I also noted that the entire prophecy section was dispensational - no amillennial books, or other schools of thought in that section, for that matter. So even with the repetition, this is still relevant in 2022.

North had a good early insight that winning the doctrinal argument with dispensationalism in the seminaries doesn't equate with winning the war in the broader denominations. Many people who leave dispensationalism don't become orthodox or embrace amil/postmill and covenant theology. They give up on the faith, or if they do believe that faith matters in all of life, it has many elements of liberation theology or the older Social Gospel.

This is an area for me to think on further.

[Caleb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dispensationalism has plagued the evangelical church for the better part of two centuries, rendering her largely impotent when it comes to proclaiming the Gospel and engaging society. In Rapture Fever, Gary North does his level best to take down this misguided approach to theology by outlining internal inconsistencies and pointing out its paralyzing effects. Periodically, one feels that North beats the proverbial dead horse, but he does make a compelling case for why dispensationalism ought to be rejected.

[David Carraway · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this book Gary North gives his reasons why he believes premillennial dispensationalism is in it's "terminal generation." It is interesting to be reading this book 17 years after it was printed to see how things have come along. I believe dispensationalism is still very much a part of the majority of Christian churches, albeit in a revised state. One of the things Gary addressees.

The biggest dislike of this book I have is the use of the same quotes from the same dispensational leaders throughout most of the book. Making many of the same arguments, only in different ways. He also promotes the same books written by various postmillennial advocates throughout most of the book. In other words, the book was very redundant. I don't know if I missed it in the Preface or Introduction, but maybe as chapter 7 and 11 are stated as being previous written articles, revised for this book, the whole book is as well. Which would explain it's redundancy throughout.

[David]

Good read. First book I have read on the subject. It's a good book to help you sort out the mystery of what the end times will look like. North explains why dispensationalism just does not work. It's a good history of the dispensational movement also. I recommend reading it with an open mind. This is not a book for those whoe are new believers or immature in the faith. I have to say I learned a great deal. I do recommend it, but it may challenge many things you were brought up to believee.

[Bob Dijk]

Great book