The Narnia 3 Book Review Blog

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Michael J. Vlach. Dispensationalism: Essential Beliefs and Common Myths. Los Angeles: Theological Studies Press, 2008. Paper 71pp. $8.95.

This is a well needed and highly useful little booklet by my friend and colleague at The Master’s Seminary, Dr. Michael Vlach. It seems like there are entire ministries that are designed with the sole purpose of maligning Dispensationalism. They are often operated by individuals who claim to be “former dispensationalists” or who “went to a dispensational school,” and the like. Honestly, over the years, in reviewing their works I have great doubts that they ever actually understood Dispensational Theology at all. Others have written in such a manner that it is clear that they haven’t read anything about the subject since their class notes in seminary (or worse someone else's notes from seminary).

In such an environment Dispensationalism and dispensationalists have been accused of things that are actually quite incredible. I have been treated to assertions that “You dispensationalists believe such and such a thing,” when that thing has nothing to do with dispensationalism at all. It is a sort of scare-mongering that occurs when dispensationalism is attached to all sorts of other theological positions that have no connection;that is they are not logically or necessarily connected (one does not imply the other), or even inferred by dispensationalism.

In this book the author presents in a very readable form what dispensationalism is and isn’t. He presents a short history of dispensational theology, details the actual essential theological construct of dispensational theology, and then debunks the “Myths About Dispensationalism.” He concludes with a helpful FAQ section.

This book is a helpful guide to the basics of dispensational theology. Vlach states,

The second error [about understanding dispensationalism] involves treating secondary beliefs as foundational and thus seeing the validity of dispensationalism as standing or falling on these issues. Feinberg is correct that both “proponents and critics [of dispensationalism] have too often treated applications of the system like foundational principles. For example showing that the Sermon on the Mount is for today or showing that the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are the same does not mean one has defeated dispensationalism. The same is true for belief in seven dispensations.

This is a book that should be widely read; for those who affirm dispensational theology so they can see what it essentially is, and what is not; and those who oppose dispensational theology so they can at least actually understand what they are opposing.