Fifteenth Annual Council on Dispensational Hermeneutics,
Southern California Seminary, El Cajon, CA (San Diego Area)
September 14-15 2022
This is a call for papers for the 2022 Council on Dispensational Hermeneutics. The Council is an academic study group for traditional dispensationalists although observers from other theological traditions are welcome to attend. This year’s focus is on the question of whether dispensationalism matters. We are interested in investigating the usefulness of the term dispensationalism in light of rejection of the term. Beyond that, we are interested in whether the content of the dispensational position is viable in the light of so much opposition. We hope you will join us for this important interaction. As usual, we desire not simply a theological debate but an evaluation of the hermeneutical and methodological positions involved as we engage in interaction about the theme. We want to answer “why” we hold the views we affirm.
We may be asking specific individuals to do various topics as well as receiving your proposals. Off-topic proposals will be considered but those concerning the chosen theme will be reviewed first. All proposals with full title and descriptions (not more than 200 words) should be emailed to the Executive Director, Dr. Mike Stallard, at mstallard@foi.org. The deadline for topic proposals to be turned in is June 6, 2022. The entire Steering Committee of the Council will decide collectively which papers are accepted. This process usually does not take long. The deadline for presentation papers to be turned in is September 1, 2022 in order to be posted at the Council website.
This year there is a modest registration fee of $25 for the Council to help cover the costs of the meeting. Approved speakers for the conference do not have to pay the registration fee. Registration will be online at the Council website: www.dispensationalcouncil.org.
Topics that we are requesting members to consider are the following:
- Consideration of modern dispensationalism as a historical movement
- Consideration of ancient dispensationalism as a historical reality
- Definitions of dispensationalism
- Myths about dispensationalism
- Comparison of dispensationalism to other Christian views
- The relationship of dispensational premillennialism to other nondispensational premillennial positions
- The usefulness of dispensationalism in refuting replacement theology
- The usefulness of dispensationalism in refuting covenant theology
- The usefulness of dispensationalism in refuting progressive covenantalism
- The usefulness of dispensationalism in refuting historical premillennialism
- An analysis of progressive dispensationalism from the viewpoint of traditional dispensationalism
- The usefulness of dispensationalism to defend the inerrancy of the Bible
- How the term dispensationalism began to be used in history