A Dispensationalist Response To “The Orthodox Church And ‘Supersessionism’” -- By: Michael D. Stallard

Journal: Journal of Dispensational Theology
Volume: JODT 19:56 (Spring 2015)
Article: A Dispensationalist Response To “The Orthodox Church And ‘Supersessionism’”
Author: Michael D. Stallard


A Dispensationalist Response
To
“The Orthodox Church And ‘Supersessionism’”

Mike Stallard

* Mike Stallard, M.Div., S.T.M., Ph.D., director of Ph.D. studies, professor of systematic theology, seminary dean, Baptist Bible Seminary, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania

The article “The Orthodox Church and Supersessionism” is helpful in assisting evangelicals, especially dispensationalists, in considering where the Orthodox Church stands on the issue of supersessionism or what is commonly known as replacement theology (viz. the view that the church in some form replaces national Israel so that there is no future for that nation in God’s plan). The thrust of the article before us is that the Orthodox, though mixed with varying nuanced views, typically hold to a replacement in a continuation sense (i.e. the church is a continuation of Israel). Promises to national Israel, if the article’s author is correct, are usually not on the radar of the Orthodox Church, which should disappoint all dispensationalists.

There are some good features of the article that are worth noting. First, the presentation helps the reader to understand the eclectic nature of the Orthodox Church. Many quotations are given from Orthodox writers which demonstrate various, sometimes detailed, distinctions within the positions found in the Orthodox group. Second, the author attempts to define the term supersessionism. Oftentimes, writers assume theological definitions. After giving general dictionary definitions of the term to set the stage, the author cited a rather lengthy section listing various understandings of supersessionist language among the Orthodox as referring to the fact that the New Testament is not a repetition of the Old Testament (e.g. different priesthoods), Christ or Christianity is superior to Judaism, Christ supersedes earlier prophetic revelations, the New Testament fulfills the Old Testament, and the New Testament gives new meaning to the Old Testament, among others. Unfortunately, there is no success in giving a simple definition or bringing elements together clearly.

A third good feature of the article is its statement, “Orthodox need not believe in everything a Church Father writes, nor in everything modern Orthodox writings articulate” (p. 47). The proposition modifies the early

statement that the “Church Fathers remain one of the central authorities on the faith” (p. 44). While dispensationalists would no doubt place the Church Fathers lower in use (while respecting them), it is at least palatable that tradition is here viewed with a measured skepticism.

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