Progressive Dispensationalism, Essay 20

A new movement with the name “Progressive Dispensationalism” is growing and gives some hope for breaking the impasse in theology between Dispensationalism and other classical Evangelical views.   Most progressives are still pre-tribulation rapture proponents.  One cannot teach at Dallas Theological Seminary (the #1 school of Dispensationalism) and not hold to this view.   I should note that there were and are some who are mostly Classical Dispensationalists and who held to a mid-tribulation rapture, a pre-wrath rapture (Marvin Rosenthal of Friends of Israel), and a post-tribulation rapture.   The progressives are represented by Craig Blaising and Darrell Bock. In important ways, they move toward a Covenant Premillennialism in helpful ways.  I have had a dialogue with Craig Blaising.  Here are some of the amazing changes. 

First, there is a change in distinguishing the Mosaic Period, from Moses to the Death and Resurrection of Yeshua, as a dispensation of Law over against a dispensation of grace.   Both the Mosaic dispensation and the New Covenant dispensation were gracious covenants that included law.  The applicability of the Law is embraced. 

Secondly, both the Kingdom of God and the New Covenant are understood as having come with partial fulfillment, the already not yet sense of fulfillment that is the consensus of Bible scholars today.  The Gospel of the Kingdom was not just an offer of the Kingdom to Israel.  It will be offered again to Israel after the rapture, but a partial offer continues at this time for all people.  Also, the New Covenant will be fulfilled in fullness with Israel at the second coming of Yeshua. 

Thirdly, the identity of Messianic Jews is both still part of Israel and her election as well as part of the Church, the One New Man.  Yes, they will be raptured out before the tribulation, but that does not mean a loss of Jewish identity.  The Schofield idea that one is exclusively a member of one of three categories, Jew, Gentile, and Church, is no longer embraced. 

Of course, with the rapture view held by some, the Church and the Messianic Jewish members are not present at the end of the tribulation effecting making Israel jealous so they embrace Yeshua. 

In my interview, I asked the question, “How can you say you are still a Dispensationalist with such contrasting views to Classical Dispensationalism?”  The answer was that the key is in maintaining the distinction between Israel the nation and the Church, though one could be part of both. However, before Darby, there were restorationists (in regard to Israel) in Germany, the United Kingdom, and America that believed this.   I think the progressives make a more radical break than they want to admit. 

Yet, there are still weaknesses. The pre-tribulation rapture view is one weakness. Missing the vision for the last day’s revival and the gifts of the Spirit, including the five-fold gifts of Eph. 4:11 ff. are other weaknesses.  Yes, I see the Progressives as a breakthrough and hope that there is more to come.