Backgrounds to dispensationalism: Its historical genesis and ecclesiastical implications

by Clarence B. Bass

The purpose of this book is to describe the historical setting out of which dispensationalism has grown, to establish what dispensationalism is, and to point out its implications for contemporary church life. Beginning with a survey of the major features of dispensationalism in relation to the historic beliefs of the church, the book then examines the origins of dispensationalism in the thinking of John Nelson Darby. What kind of man was Darby? What were the circumstances in which his theology was fashioned? What were the practical consequences of his theology of the church for his own day? Dr. Bass offers well-founded answers to these questions, helping readers make their own evaluations about dispensationalism. Dr. Bass traces the development of Darby's thought and practice through the Plymouth Brethren movement. He clearly demonstrates how Darby not only introduced new theological concepts, but new principles of interpretation. This emerging system of interpretation, with its particular chronology of future events, has largely informed the popular Left Behind" eschatology. In this light, it is clear that Bass's discussion of Darbyite dispensationalism is just as relevant as when his book first came out in 1960. This study is the result of an intensive and exhaustive search for accuracy of detail with a fair, non-argumentative style. Those wishing to do further research will appreciate his classified bibliography regarding dispensational literature.

Genres: Theology

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Joseph · Rating 2 out of 5]

It gives some useful historical background on John Nelson Darby, but it reads most of all like one giant ad-hominem attack against dispensationalism because the presumed founder of the movement turned into a big jerk as the power went to his head. In the end, in the epilogue, the author asserts that he has given enough to show that dispensationalism is contradictory to the historic Christian faith, and that it is incorrect. Now, Bass, is much less nasty than some authors, never even questioning the salvation of dispensationalists. He's not overly harsh or anything, it just seems more like "Darby was bad for these reasons, and dispensationalism is the same so, it's bad."

It seems like the focus shifts radically from introduction to epilogue. It is presented as, and is for the most part, a historical survey of Darby and his deal, and how dispensationalism rose out of that. Then the last chapter is all about why dispensationalism is bad, almost entirely argued from what Darby was like (and not on the Bible), and in the epilogue, Bass asserts that he has shown why dispensationalism is false and should be abandoned, which he doesn't really do in the book.

If I may go out on a limb, I get the feeling that he, as a former dispensationalist, might have a negative view based on his experiences (he never lets you forget how divisive and exclusive dispensationalist churches are) that he assumes we will automatically all hold as we analyze the evidence.

For the record, I am not a dispensationalist, and I sympathize with much of what he says. It just doesn't really demonstrate why the view is false all that well (although he makes a decent case that it wasn't seen before Darby, which is useful).