Review of Progressive Dispensationalism

Blaising, Craig A. and Darrell L. Bock. Progressive Dispensationalism. Baker Academic, 2000, pp. 336, $35.00.

The greatest compliment to Blaising and Bock is that their work provides enough information to teach a reader what is progressive dispensationalism and, likely, enough data for the reader to accept or reject the theology.

The current text of Progressive Dispensationalism being reviewed is a reprint by Baker Academics. Progressive Dispensationalism was previously released by BridgePoint Books in 1993. The reprint of the edition in 2000 was a testament to the book’s popularity (p. 7). The inclusion of this book into JBTS’s special edition on Covenant speaks volumes about the book’s ongoing influence. In fact, the endorsements on the back cover still hold true today in 2023: “This book will bring the reader up-to-date on progressive dispensationalism” and this book “has positioned its movement within the mainstream of biblical scholarship.”

The second edition has an updated preface. The preface draws attention to the new layout of the volume and other helpful publications that are more recent (at the time of publication). Of particular mention, the preface notes that many have used the third part of the book, i.e., “Exposition,” for a textbook. This reviewer finds the chapter perhaps most equipped to highlight the features of dispensationalism as it provides examples that support the authors’ claims. The book is subdivided into four parts: “History,” “Hermeneutics,” “Exposition,” and “Theology and Ministry.” Blaising wrote parts one, three, and four, with Bock wrote “Hermeneutics.” The third chapter holds most of the content, i.e., 177 of the 336 pages.

Blaising begins the discussion on progressive dispensationalism by recounting the history of traditional dispensationalism. The chapter introduces significant figures in the dispensational movement, such as D.L. Moody and C.I. Scofield (p. 10). The author provides the fundamental framework for understanding progressive dispensationalism, e.g., definitions, which the authors develop more fully later. Also of critical importance, the chapter covers “The Central Dualism,” a key to understanding classical dispensationalism (pp. 23–24). Before discussing progressive dispensationalism more fully, the chapter surveys previous models of classical dispensationalism. The authors use many visual aids to assist the reader, most frequently depicting dispensations via timelines. The chapter finishes with a discussion of progressive dispensationalism, highlighting how the theory is more holistic in understanding redemption, rejecting the eternal dualism associated with traditional dispensationalism (pp. 46–47).

Bock’s section on interpreting the Bible follows the introduction, which includes chapter two “Interpreting the Bible–How We Read Texts,” and chapter three “Interpreting the Bible–How Texts Speak to Us.” These chapters reflect hermeneutic principles, which are not unique to the dispensational tradition. For example, Bock discusses authorship, the reader, and the use of grammar to interpret texts. The interpretive information provided within these chapters is still applicable today, even mainstream. Perhaps a little antiquated is the brief discussion of typology (p. 68). With some reservations by this reviewer, most protestant readers who are familiar with Scripture will probably only skim this section to ensure the authors are not employing a unique stance for interpreting Scripture.

Part three contains five chapters examining “Dispensations in Biblical Theology,” “The Structure of the Biblical Covenants: The Covenants Prior to Christ,’ “The Fulfillment of the Biblical Covenants Through Jesus Christ:” “The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament,” and “The Kingdom of God in the New Testament” (p. 5).  This section, in its essence, provides examples of how progressive dispensationalism aligns with the broad strokes of Scripture, i.e., a biblical theology with a focus on covenants and kingdoms. Readers hoping to nuance progressive dispensationalism against alternative views like progressive covenantalism will find these chapters more beneficial than the proceeding chapters covering the history of the movement and hermeneutics.

Part four, a discussion on “Theological and Ministerial Issues in Progressive Dispensationalism,” concludes the book. Part 4 addresses progressive dispensationalism and the church. From the onset, Blaising admits that not all interpretive problems have been reconciled, leaving the modern reader (2023) as to what problems have been solved across the twenty-plus years since the reprint (p. 284). Regardless of such inquiries, the final chapter does provide clarity as to how the Church fits into the current dispensation.

Bock’s succinct chapters on hermeneutics provide the reader with the framework for how those who attest to progressive dispensationalism understand Biblical interpretation. The reader then witnesses the hermeneutic applied across Scripture before the book concludes with issues related to the theory.

Although the authors discuss that chapter three may be the most widely read, implying it may be the most beneficial, the entire book has benefits to scholars, pastors, and congregants. The authors cover a significant amount of ground by tracing progressive dispensational across both time as a movement for understanding Scripture and Scripture, demonstrating why progressive dispensation best captures the unfolding story. This voluminous task, or large scope, is the source of great blessings but also the cause of a set of drawbacks. 

First, the scope of the book is helpful. By providing the history of dispensationalism, the volume disabuses the reader of misconceptions that arise from conflating previous dispensationalist views with progressive dispensationalism. Bock’s succinct chapters on hermeneutics provide the reader with the framework for how those who attest to progressive dispensationalism understand Biblical interpretation. The reader then witnesses the hermeneutic applied across Scripture before the book concludes with issues related to the theory.

Second, a point of critique, the relationships between the dispensations and the covenants need fuller treatments. The authors tend to separate and handle each covenant individually or in pairs, prohibiting the reader from fully grasping how progressive dispensationalism incorporates the covenants. For example, the authors discuss both the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants together, in part because they are examining Galatians 4:24 (p. 196). In this case of comparison, it shows how the covenants show precedence, compares the length of the covenants, etc. With this study in mind, by including the Davidic Covenant the reader could learn how the dispensationalists perceive precedence, duration, and additional features across the three covenants. In a similar vein, the Davidic covenant may have been better surveyed alongside the Mosaic covenant from Solomon’s reign until the exile because of the role the kings play in relation to both covenants, i.e., the kings fall under both the Mosaic and Davidic covenants (pp. 148–150). Full disclosure, the book does have a section titled “The Davidic Covenant and the Mosaic Covenant” (pp. 168-69). However, the approximate page and a half of material needs expansion.

The last of the covenant issues relates to the Adamic Covenant, that is, the book does not clearly articulate the dispensational view in relation to this covenant. The authors mention the Adamic covenant prior to examining the structure of the biblical covenants in chapter five (pp. 116–117) but is not covered in chapter five. The absence of a discussion about the Adamic covenant leads to confusion, in particular, when discussing man’s obedience to God and the Law. For example, the authors state that progressive dispensationalism is “not antinomian” for no state of lawlessness existed from Abraham to the Mosaic covenant (p. 199), yet a reader may ask how the law differs from Adam to Christ or how the dispensations may be influenced by the Adamic Covenant.

Surely, some of the areas of critique result from the large task of conveying every nuance of the large topic of progressive dispensationalism. In fact, when the reader finishes the volume, they will have learned a significant amount of information concerning Dispensational Theology. The greatest compliment to Blaising and Bock is that their work provides enough information to teach a reader what is progressive dispensationalism and, likely, enough data for the reader to accept or reject the theology. In view of this praise, Progressive Dispensationalism is recommended to both seminary students and congregants.