Journal: Journal of Ministry and Theology
Volume: JMAT 24:1 (Spring 2020)
Article: Ἐν ἀρχῇ With Mike Stallard, PhD, Executive Director For The Council On Dispensational Hermeneutics
Author: Mark McGinniss

JMAT 24:1 (Spring 2020) p. 3

Ἐν ἀρχῇ With Mike Stallard, PhD, Executive Director For The Council On Dispensational Hermeneutics

Mark McGinniss

It was my pleasure to share a discussion that Mike and I had about this past year’s CDH Conference hosted at Calvary University in Kansas City, MO, September 18–19, 2019.

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MARK: What was the reason that the CDH chose social justice and race as its theme for 2019? What were you hoping to accomplish?

MIKE: The Steering Committee gravitated to this issue for several reasons. First, it is a major emphasis among evangelicals. In fact, social justice and race have been growing as a concern for decades among those who claim to be born-again believers, especially the younger generations.

Second, my own personal thoughts move in that direction due to my passion for urban outreach and my work for the Friends of Israel. I consider anti-Semitism to be the number one social justice issue in the world. We must stand against such evil thinking that has come to affect our theology. That is why I did my own paper for the Council on anti-Semitism and Palestinian Liberation Theology.

Third, I was in a debate in this area over two decades ago. It was time, in my opinion, to see where more traditional dispensationalists line up on this issue. As I suspected, we were all over the map on the question. I do not believe there is a consensus on some of the specific issues. We need to keep talking to one another about these things.

MARK: What are a few contributions that dispensationalism can make to the conversation concerning social justice?

JMAT 24:1 (Spring 2020) p. 4

MIKE: First, I think most of us came to the conclusion that we preferred the term “biblical justice” to “social justice” to talk about the issues. The term “social justice” has been hijacked by the far left in political discourse and now carries with it a lot of baggage that may or may not fit into our theology based on the particular issue being discussed. Consequently, it is much more productive to view the issues in biblical perspective with biblical language rather than use the language of modern socialization.

Second, I think dispensationalists help the church to see that the Great Commission is still the major focus of biblical ministry, although we certainly believe we should love people in appropriate social engagement along biblical lines along the way. Reaching and teaching is still at the heart of a Christian’s mission in the world.

Third, I think dispensationalism helps to prevent Christian social justice warriors from stealing the doctrine of the kingd...