Journal: Journal of Ministry and Theology
Volume: JMAT 24:1 (Spring 2020)
Article: Polishing Brass On A Sinking Ship: Toward A Traditional Dispensationalist Philosophy Of The Church And Cultural Engagement
Author: Scott Aniol

JMAT 24:1 (Spring 2020) p. 7

Polishing Brass On A Sinking Ship: Toward A Traditional Dispensationalist Philosophy Of The Church And Cultural Engagement

Scott Aniol

Abstract: Despite the rhetorical extremes of some dispensationalists, dispensational premillennialism does not necessitate withdrawal from cultural engagement; rather, it actually provides a theological basis for equipping Christians as they are active in society. After exploring the underlying rationale for common portrayals of traditional dispensationalism as culturally impotent and briefly summarizing the alternative evangelical philosophy of cultural transformationalism, the paper will present a traditional dispensational philosophy of the church and cultural engagement that resembles something like Reformed Two Kingdom theology and provides a very practical framework for preventing churches from losing their biblical mission while at the same time discipling Christians to actively engage in cultural endeavors.

Key Words: Dispensationalism, cultural engagement, Two Kingdom Theology, church, Holy Spirit

*****

Portrayals Of Dispensationalists As Culturally Impotent

Dispensational premillennialists have long been charged with cultural retreat, characterized by J. Vernon McGee’s infamous question to his radio audience, “Do you polish

JMAT 24:1 (Spring 2020) p. 8

brass on a sinking ship?”2 Dispensationalism has often been criticized as culturally impotent since the early days of its development. Historically, this criticism came from liberal social gospel advocates,3 but it also came from theological conservatives. For example, an 1879 Lutheran Quarterly article claimed that premillennialists who deny “that Christ is enthroned, or that his kingdom is established, or that his church, with the Holy Spirit’s energy, is to convert the world, and asserting that the world will wax worse and worse until the second advent” have “such a gloomy view of things, and give such little encouragement for hearty labor.”4 A later 1882 article suggested that an “evil fruit” of premillennialism was that “it takes away the very highest incentives to labor for the conversion of the world.”5 Likewise, in 1958,6 Lefferts A. Loetscher wrote, “By its heightened supernaturalism, dispensationalism deliberately widened the gulf between Christianity and its environment, thus at once protecting its own faith and reducing the possibility of effe...