Quote for the Day
‘[M]uch evangelical eschatology, dominated as it is by dispensational premillennialism, fails the test of evangelicalism’s own passion that it should above everything else be all about Jesus Christ. Here, whatever judgment one makes about Barth’s Christology, his posture seems right: eschatology too must be about Jesus Christ’(John Bolt in Karl Barth and Evangelical Theology: Convergences and Divergences [Carlisle: Paternoster, 2006], 216)
Labels: Barth, Eschatology
posted by Chris Tilling @ 9:39 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Sigh. I'm not really committed to any particular eschatology at this point, but methinks that quote presents a false dichotomy; either one is committed to Christ or one is a premill dispensationalist.
Putting aside a lot of the baggage that has arisen to due premill's (Left Behind, etc), there does seem to be the issue of interpreting Biblical texts in a manner that is consistent with ones hermeneutic. There are some dispensationalists out there who arrive at their dispensationalism as a result of their principles of interpretation (Bock, Fruchtenbaum being a few that I have read). One could accuse them of trying to defend a conclusion they have already reached, but one could in turn accuse those who have different eschatologies as well (such as someone who wants to distance himself as far away from premill dispies as possible to save face- a temptation I have I might add).
Lastly, that quote seems to be somewhat arrogant with respect to Barth- either you are totally committed to Christ in your eschatology like Barth is or you are not. It's easy to paint anyone who disagrees with you as not being as pious as you are, but what does that really accomplish for the kingdom?
And don't get me wrong, the overwhelming majority of premill's I have encountered would lead me to think similarly to that quote, but as an aspiring scholar, I can't really allow myself to say things like that and expect any good to come of it.
just came back after trying to emphasize the importance of however we read the Scriptures or do our theology it needs to be all about Christ ... as long as we're operating from the lens of following Christ in our time and age. So, I thought it was interesting that I read this quote today. No scholarly feedback on this one. Existentially it was good. :-)
Nice quote. Premil dispensationalism was virtually invented by the Plymouth Brethren in the 19th century. It was popularised in the so-called Scofield Bible. Why many evangelicals, especially in the US find this view so attractive baffles me.
Recently John MacArthur gave a talk entitled, "Why all self-respecting Calvinists are premil" WRONG!
For a more considered, Christ-centred eschatology, see the writings of Ridderbos & Vos. Lloyd-Jones also did a good job in demolishing dispensationalism in his sermons on Romans 8.
Hi Davis,
It is no accident that 'devil', 'demon', 'deception' and 'dispensationalism' all begin with 'd', you know.
;-)
I do have to add, though, that the Christ centredness mentioned in the citation is not about being 'comitted to Christ' but rather about the role played by Christ in the eschtology of dispensationalism, such that the claim is that his person and work is sidelined in its presentation.
Hi Sivin,
Thanks for the unscholarly feedback!
Guy!
We agree about something!
*gets out the party poppers*
Though I'd be worried if I were you.
I'll have to have a butchers at Ridderbos & Vos on this.
Well then I'm a ninny. I stand corrected. ;)
Chris,
Take a look at Vos' The Pauline Eschatology.
In a chapter of Chiliasm (premil) he says,
"Chiliasm is positively irreconcilable with the Apostle's representation."
(p. 258 P&R 1986 reprint).
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