If you are messing around with the view of Preterism you need to think twice! And, you need to read the volume The End Time Controversy, edited by Dr. Tim LaHaye and Dr. Thomas Ice. A bunch of us scholars got together and answered this strange view. We had three prophecy experts, two lawyers, one Jewish scholar, one archaeologist, and several well-known authors. Dr. Ice nailed the issue in one of the first chapters.
Though Preterism had been around in a limited fashion, he wrote, it is not until recently that it has become more accepted. Ice points out that none of the Reformed scholars adopted the preterist approach throughout the entire tenure of old Princeton which ended in 1929. Westminster Seminary which began in 1929 was an extension of the tradition of Princeton. No faculty member from Westminster had adopted this view except Jay Adams.
Why have those within the Reformed camp avoided preterism until very recent times? Ice says, "I believe, as Dr. Charles Hodge noted, they see it as a liberal approach to interpreting the Bible."
Why have a significant number of Reformed individuals been attracted to preterism as of late? I believe it is safe to say, Ice notes, that the overwhelming majority of Reformed scholars do reject preterism. But why?
By rejecting the historicism of previous Reformed exegetes, modern Reformed advocates believe that, in preterism, they have an interpretative system that can go up against a cogent system like futurism, Ice says. Mainly premillennial dispensationalism, which they hate with a passion.
The Reformed guys hate dispensationalism for three reasons: (1) It holds to a firm system of literal interpretation which was used by Christ, the disciples, and the prophets. (2) They hate the fact that dispensationalists rightly show the difference between Israel and the church. And (3) They hate the teaching of future prophecy yet to be fulfilled. (Which all orthodox Jewish scholars throughout the ages held to, and, which all in the early church embraced as well.)
One well-known Reformed teacher, who many of you would know, came out strongly against premillennialists and dispensationalists with a satanic attitude. With anger he wrote:
"The sickness that is epidemic in the evangelical church is the disease of dispensationalism, and more particularly dispensational prophecy (eschatology). These doctrines not only twist and distort the Scripture but bring the church to near paralysis. The harder we work to build Christ's kingdom, the more we delay it. Thankfully, God in his mercy has done a great work in waking up many people to their condition. The rapid spread of the doctrine of preterism has been a welcome tonic."
He forgets that in the past the majority of Bible colleges and seminaries have been dispensational. Almost all study Bibles have been dispensational. And the present love of this nation for Israel comes through the teaching and influence of premillennialism-dispensationalism.
By the way, many Bible conferences held by those in the Reformed camp work hard to never mention the establishment of the nation of Israel and the return of the Jews back to their own land. There is total silence on the subject.
I have available an outstanding treatment of the historical documentation from one of my books that the early church was dispensational. It will cost to have it copied. But if you would like to have send $20 to Scofield Ministries, 120 CR 3222, Clifton, TX 76634. It may take some weeks after I've received requests in order to get this to you. —Dr. Mal Couch (8/11)
