# PCA Dispensational?



## jbergsing (Jun 17, 2007)

I didn't think dispensationalism was part of PCA doctrine. An article from Francis A. Schaeffer is used at church to explain baptism and it is full of dispensationalism. I googled Schaeffer but couldn't figure out what gives. Obviously, I'll be discussing this with our pastor when I see him tomorrow. In the meantime, is PCA doctrine Dispensational?


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## turmeric (Jun 17, 2007)

Goodness, no! I can't imagine Schaeffer was either. What did he say that was Dispensational?


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## Ivan (Jun 17, 2007)

I believe I have read here at PB that Schaeffer was premil, but I don't know about being a Dispensational.


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## larryjf (Jun 17, 2007)

I was under the impression that Schaeffer was Bible Presbyterian, not PCA.
Bible Presbyterian's do tolerate dispensational theology from what i understand.


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## jfschultz (Jun 18, 2007)

larryjf said:


> I was under the impression that Schaeffer was Bible Presbyterian, not PCA.
> Bible Presbyterian's do tolerate dispensational theology from what i understand.



He may have been Bible Presbyterian, but he followed the split that formed the EPC (version 1). Which through a merger became RPCES. If i recall correctly he lived long enough to be included in the J&R where the RPCES joined the PCA.


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## Kevin (Jun 18, 2007)

larryjf said:


> I was under the impression that Schaeffer was Bible Presbyterian, not PCA.
> Bible Presbyterian's do tolerate dispensational theology from what i understand.



Both.

BP then PCA.

And yes he was Pre-mil, but not Dispensational.


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## Kevin (Jun 18, 2007)

Larry, No the BP do NOT tolerate dispensationalism. At Synod a few years ago they declared dispensational teaching a heresy.


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## larryjf (Jun 18, 2007)

Kevin said:


> Larry, No the BP do NOT tolerate dispensationalism. At Synod a few years ago they declared dispensational teaching a heresy.



That is good to know as i am traveling to an area in Cincinnati where there is no PCA, but there is a Bible Pres. that i am planning on attending for the Sunday that we are down there.


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## tcalbrecht (Jun 18, 2007)

So, what did he write that was "full of dispensationalism"?


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## Kevin (Jun 18, 2007)

larryjf said:


> That is good to know as i am traveling to an area in Cincinnati where there is no PCA, but there is a Bible Pres. that i am planning on attending for the Sunday that we are down there.



Cool. My wifes aunt goes to the BP church in Cincinnati. Although see also attends an Arabic speaking church so she may not be there the Sunday you are there.


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## elnwood (Jun 18, 2007)

Kevin said:


> Larry, No the BP do NOT tolerate dispensationalism. At Synod a few years ago they declared dispensational teaching a heresy.



Are you referring to this?

http://www.bpc.org/synod/resolutions/060_06.html

The resolution says dispensationalism is in error, but it does not say it is heresy.


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## toddpedlar (Jun 18, 2007)

jbergsing said:


> I didn't think dispensationalism was part of PCA doctrine. An article from Francis A. Schaeffer is used at church to explain baptism and it is full of dispensationalism. I googled Schaeffer but couldn't figure out what gives. Obviously, I'll be discussing this with our pastor when I see him tomorrow. In the meantime, is PCA doctrine Dispensational?



Would you please share with us the article to which you refer, or at least its title? As others have noted, Schaeffer held to premil eschatology, but it wouldn't be correct to say he was dispensational. At any rate, since you have issues with the document used to teach about baptism by your church, please do share it with us.


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## toddpedlar (Jun 18, 2007)

Would it happen to be this article? If so, I guess that would make the Puritan Board dispensational, since it's one of the articles Matt has linked to from Puritan's Mind.


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## Kevin (Jun 19, 2007)

elnwood said:


> Are you referring to this?
> 
> http://www.bpc.org/synod/resolutions/060_06.html
> 
> The resolution says dispensationalism is in error, but it does not say it is heresy.





Thanks, Don that was it. I was not looking at the resolution (obviously) when I posted. I just talked about this with a fellow PB member last week & was (mis)remembering what was said.


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## jbergsing (Jun 19, 2007)

I was in error. Although he did use the word "dispensation" more than once in the article on baptism, it wasn't in the traditional sense of the word. As I researched more on him, I started to realize that he most certainly wasn't a Dispensational and my findings were verified by our pastor Monday. 

I guess I overreacted a bit when I kept seeing the word "dispensation" over and over again in *this document*.


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## jbergsing (Jun 19, 2007)

toddpedlar said:


> Would it happen to be this article? If so, I guess that would make the Puritan Board dispensational, since it's one of the articles Matt has linked to from Puritan's Mind.


Yup, that's it! It is printed in our church's "Inquirer's Manual" and it threw me for a loop.


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## turmeric (Jun 19, 2007)

That must have been scary!


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## Covenant Joel (Jun 22, 2007)

Kevin said:


> Larry, No the BP do NOT tolerate dispensationalism. At Synod a few years ago they declared dispensational teaching a heresy.



While that may be the official position of the BP Synod and denomination as a whole, I know for a fact that on a practical, individual church level, it is tolerated. The Suncoast Bible Pres in Clearwater, FL was quite dispensational. Used Clarence Larkin's (sp?) Dispensational Truth handbook in Sunday School. And yet they also quoted from the Confession in church? Never could quite figure it out.


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