Darby and Dispensationalism
Madi Moser
November 18, 2008
Dr. Damrel
Rel 398A
Darby and His Dispensationalism Theology
The Southern Baptist denomination stresses the idea of man’s sinfulness and a need to convert oneself through their faith in Jesus. It is influenced by pre-millennial values, believing that the apocalypse will come before the millennial period of prosperity that was referred to the Revelation of John. Believers of Pre-millennialism believe that the Anti-Christ will be a strong, possibly political, leader known as “the Beast” who will rule the world through one government during the seven-year Tribulation period. During this era, a third of the earth will burn; insects and other ‘pests’ will starve and kill animals, plants, and people; an army of two hundred million will kill half the population; and the oceans will turn to blood. The Tribulation Era will end with the second coming of Christ and the Beast’s demise with the Battle of Armageddon, commencing in the Middle East and ringing in the new millennium. It is not a very lovely era, but most of the Baptist beliefs are like that. They understand the bible to be incredibly literal. [pic]
Figure 1
One of the biggest theories in pre-millennialism is dispensationalism. It began with John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) in the early nineteenth century. Starting out as a member of the Plymouth Brethren, Darby taught that God dealt with man through seven eras. This became known as the “seven dispensations,” bringing about dispensationalism.
Point blank: Darby was a major thinker in dispensationalism, taking the bible to a very literal degree. The question of how Darby related dispensationalism to the apocalypse will be explored. John Darby’s roots are in the Plymouth Brethren. The Brethren were a group of separatists who, in the early 1820s, left the Anglican Church. It has five specific characteristics that separate it from other religious groups: first, the norm of apostolic church; a stereological
November 18, 2008
Dr. Damrel
Rel 398A
Darby and His Dispensationalism Theology
The Southern Baptist denomination stresses the idea of man’s sinfulness and a need to convert oneself through their faith in Jesus. It is influenced by pre-millennial values, believing that the apocalypse will come before the millennial period of prosperity that was referred to the Revelation of John. Believers of Pre-millennialism believe that the Anti-Christ will be a strong, possibly political, leader known as “the Beast” who will rule the world through one government during the seven-year Tribulation period. During this era, a third of the earth will burn; insects and other ‘pests’ will starve and kill animals, plants, and people; an army of two hundred million will kill half the population; and the oceans will turn to blood. The Tribulation Era will end with the second coming of Christ and the Beast’s demise with the Battle of Armageddon, commencing in the Middle East and ringing in the new millennium. It is not a very lovely era, but most of the Baptist beliefs are like that. They understand the bible to be incredibly literal. [pic]
Figure 1
One of the biggest theories in pre-millennialism is dispensationalism. It began with John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) in the early nineteenth century. Starting out as a member of the Plymouth Brethren, Darby taught that God dealt with man through seven eras. This became known as the “seven dispensations,” bringing about dispensationalism.
Point blank: Darby was a major thinker in dispensationalism, taking the bible to a very literal degree. The question of how Darby related dispensationalism to the apocalypse will be explored. John Darby’s roots are in the Plymouth Brethren. The Brethren were a group of separatists who, in the early 1820s, left the Anglican Church. It has five specific characteristics that separate it from other religious groups: first, the norm of apostolic church; a stereological
Cited: Boyer, Paul. When Time Shall Be No More : Prophecy Belief in Modern American Culture. New York: Harvard UP, 1994. 4+. Krapohl, Robert. "Review." Church History 66 (1997): 623-24. JStor. USC Upstate, Spartanburg. Sandeen, Ernest R. "Review: Backgrounds to Dispensationalism." Church History 30 (1961): 369-70. Sloos, William. "The Conflict Between Dispensationalism and Early Pentecostalism and the Emergence of the Latter Rain Motif by William Sloos." William Sloos. 24 Apr. 2008. 20 Nov. 2008 . Stein, Stephen J. "Review: The End of the World as We Know It: Faith, Fatalism, and Apocalypse in America." Journal of Folklore Research 36 (1999): 100-02. Stein, Stephen J. "Review: The End of the World as We Know It: Faith, Fatalism, and Apocalypse in America." Journal of Folklore Research 29 (1960): 111-13. Webb, Jeffrey B. The Complete Idiot 's Guide to Christianity. New York: N A L Trade, 2004. 171+.