A prospective seminary student emailed me, asking which seminaries are Calvinistic and dispensationalist.
As I've often observed, the two systems should be, yet seldom are, bestest-buddies. The grammatico-historical hermeneutic that yields the doctrines of grace, yields the essentials of dispensationalism — yet the two camps seemed to separate early on, and only recently starting to rediscover each others and start patching it up.
So I don't offhand know of a seminary that is officially both five-point Calvinist and dispensationalist.
Best I can say is that both views at least used to be accepted and represented at what is now Talbot School of Theology, and I'm sure both must be welcome at Master's Seminary. I would think you can be both at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
However, I heard that Dallas Theological Seminary ran out its 5-point Calvinists some time ago.
Anyone have anything more up-to-date?
Thursday, June 07, 2007
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Two smaller colleges that hold to dispensationalism are Northland Baptist Bible College and Faith Baptist Bible College. Ryrie's "Dispensationalism Today" was a textbook at Northland.
In regards to their view on Calvinism, I don't think either has all five points in their doctrinal statement, but I don't think they run off teachers who hold to Calvinism either. You are likely to get both sides of the debate from professors at those schools. I have appreciated both of those schools greatly (I am a graduate of Northland).
Masters would fit about as close as I could imagine.
From their SoF
http://www.tms.edu/sof.asp
The Tribulation Period
We teach that immediately following the removal of the church from the earth (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) the righteous judgments of God will be poured out upon an unbelieving world (Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 9:27; 12:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12; Revelation 16), and that these judgments will be climaxed by the return of Christ in glory to the earth (Matthew 24:27-31; 25:31 46; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12). At that time the Old Testament and tribulation saints will be raised and the living will be judged (Daniel 12:2-3; Revelation 20:4-6). This period includes the seventieth week of Daniel's prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 24:15-31; 25:31-46). The Second Coming and the Millennial Reign
We teach that, after the tribulation period, Christ will come to earth to occupy the throne of David (Matthew 25:31; Luke 1:31-33; Acts 1:10-11; 2:29-30) and establish His messianic kingdom for a thousand years on the earth (Revelation 20:1-7). During this time the resurrected saints will reign with Him over Israel and all the nations of the earth (Ezekiel 37:21-28; Daniel 7:17-22; Revelation 19:11-16). This reign will be preceded by the overthrow of the Antichrist and the False Prophet, and by the removal of Satan from the world (Daniel 7:17-27; Revelation 20:1-7).
We teach that the kingdom itself will be the fulfillment of God's promise to Israel (Isaiah 65:17-25; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Zechariah 8:1-17) to restore them to the land which they forfeited through their disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). The result of their disobedience was that Israel was temporarily set aside (Matthew 21:43; Romans 11:1-26) but will again be awakened through repentance to enter into the land of blessing (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:22-32; Romans 11:25-29).
We teach that this time of our Lord's reign will be characterized by harmony, justice, peace, righteousness, and long life (Isaiah 11; 65:17-25; Ezekiel 36:33-38), and will be brought to an end with the release of Satan (Revelation 20:7).
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The Judgment of the Lost
We teach that following the release of Satan after the thousand year reign of Christ (Revelation 20:7), Satan will deceive the nations of the earth and gather them to battle against the saints and the beloved city, at which time Satan and his army will be devoured by fire from heaven (Revelation 20:9). Following this, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10) whereupon Christ, who is the Judge of all men (John 5:22), will resurrect and judge the great and small at the Great White Throne judgment.
We teach that this resurrection of the unsaved dead to judgment will be a physical resurrection, whereupon receiving their judgment (John 5:28,29), they will be committed to an eternal conscious punishment in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:11-15).
Eternity
We teach that after the closing of the millennium, the temporary release of Satan, and the judgment of unbelievers (2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:7-15), the saved will enter the eternal state of glory with God, after which the elements of this earth are to be dissolved (2 Peter 3:10) and replaced with a new earth wherein only righteousness dwells (Ephesians 5:5; Revelation 20:15, 21-22). Following this, the heavenly city will come down out of heaven (Revelation 21:2) and will be the dwelling place of the saints, where they will enjoy forever fellowship with God and one another (John 17:3; Revelation 21-22). Our Lord Jesus Christ, having fulfilled His redemptive mission, will then deliver up the kingdom to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24-28) that in all spheres the triune God may reign forever and ever (1 Corinthians 15:28).
What do the other major Reformed seminaries teach? Covenant theology? (And is this necessarily the same as supersessionism—as I have seen it claimed—or is it something distinct?) Or some other system?
Okay, I should have done my research...presumably it would be Covenant theology, in tandem with the grammatico-historical hermeneutic? (Which ironically as a Jew but appropriately as a converted Jew, I'm more inclined towards than Dispensationalism, for what it's worth....)
Dan, there are 5-pointers at DTS.
John Hannah, Research Professor of Theological Studies and Distinguished Professor of Historical Theology, and John Grassmick, Professor of New Testament, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Academic Dean, are two of the most visible ones.
I may be mistaken, but I believe that "all" of the guys at Tyndale in Fort Worth/Shreveport are 5 pointers.
That's good, Ed; I heard that, for instance, S. Lewis Johnson was asked to leave because of his Calvinism. There was, around when I was at Talbot, a group of 5-pointers at DTS called informally "The TULIP Gang." My impression was that it was no more.
The Seminary of Neither Fish nor Fowl is probably what you're looking for.
Remember: one doesn't have to be a sacerdotalist to understand covenant theology.
Also: I just read Petrus Dathenus' Pearl of Christian Comfort. Can't recommend it enough. You don't know what you're missing when you cleave to the 19th century golden age of doctrinal wisdom.
Baptist Bible Seminary in Clarks Summit, PA is both Calvinistic and very dispensational. I'm a student at the Bible College.
In the wonderful state of Michigan, we have Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary..Google It!
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