Outline for Hermeneutical Structures

Below is an outline for the two major, Christian hermeneutical systems existing after the beginning of the Age of Enlightenment.  Being that this excerpt begins the "Systematic Theology" portion of an essay I am composing, I have included a preamble to set up context for the outlines.  Note that the Dispensational outline is, as best as I can tell, representative of the sort of Dispensationalism subscribed to by Ryrie, and other "Post-Dallas" dispensationalists.  The outline representing Covenant Theology is, like the dispensational one, not exhaustive, but descriptive.  So, covenant theologians and dispensationalists alike, will probably look at these outlines and have something to add or subtract, due to the fact that neither of these systems of theology and hermeneutical approaches is monolithic.  I am asking for help from both sides to try and make these outlines profitable for as many persons as possible.

Hermeneutical Structures

It seems most appropriate to begin the section on systematic theology with a description of the different hermeneutical structures under which Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology operate.  I understand that these two lists are not exhaustive, neither are they likely to represent everyone in the respective camps.  There are two basic assumptions shared by the two major hermeneutical schools of thought, Deism and sola scriptura, these are starting points that shape all forms of what can be considered a Christian interpretation of reality.  The assumption of Deism and that God has clearly spoken in time, leads to Christian theism after being confronted by the truths revealed in God’s Word.  As a consequence of God having spoken, it is revealed to His creatures that they are accountable to the knowledge of His existence by the testimony of nature alone, thus persons never having been exposed to the special revelation of Himself found in the canon of holy scriptures, are still culpable for their unbelief and under the just penalty of His wrath on them because of Adam’s sin.

Dispensational Hermeneutical Presuppositions & Immediate Consequences

I.        Theism—any Christian epistemological system must begin with the assumption that a Creator-god exists.

a.       Immanence—the Creator-god has spoken; He has revealed a “Word” that His creatures have the capacity of receiving through their physical senses.

                           i.      Primo Regnum—as a function of God having spoken, the Christian Theist must also assume that His special Word is revealed in the canonized scriptures alone.  Not that the scriptures are the only authority in the life of the believer, but that their right interpretations are the primary and final authority.  Not that every physically audible word of God, or vision or dream sent by God has been included in this collection of “Words”, but all of those Words necessary for  the life and godliness of believer is therein revealed.

II.     Literalism—the primary guiding principle in Dispensational Theology is the view that states that, unless otherwise expressly told differently within the immediate context of a passage, the grammatical/historical understanding of a prophesy/promise given, is its only possible fulfillment; the object of promise and the object of fulfillment are always the same.  If an Old Testament prophesy is ever “expanded” in the New Testament that expansion can never negate, trump or “explain away” the grammatical/historical understanding of those prophesies.

a.       Israel/Church Distinction—Spiritual Israel and the Church are now and always viewed as two separate peoples of God.

                           i.      The promises God made to Abraham (and subsequently to ethnic Israel) are only ever meant to be fulfilled by ethnic, believing Israel in some future age and can never be applied to believers saved in the "Church Age".

                         ii.      Millennial Israel and their future activity are the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies.

1.       Semiti-centric Eschatology—God’s primary purpose in redemptive history is the salvation of His chosen people, Israel. And these people are the ethnic Jewish people He has sustained throughout the history of the world.

a.       A contrast between the Kingdom of God/Kingdom of Heaven.

b.       Two eternally distinct peoples of God—His earthly people Israel, and His heavenly people, the Church.

c.       Jesus will be made King in the Millennium—He has not yet assumed His Kingly office or duties.

2.       The Church is unknown prior to Pentecost--The concept of "Church" as a people is a mystery not spoken of prophetically at all in the Old Testament.

3.       The Church Age is parenthetical to God's dealings with ethnic Israel—The "Church Age" is a result of Israel's rejection of Christ's offer of the Kingdom, now.

a.       Paul's Primary Apostolic Purpose—was to teach the "new age" of believer his distinction in redemptive history from the previous, old age believer, and the future Jewish believer.

Covenantal Hermeneutical Presuppositions

I.        Theism—any Christian epistemological system must begin with the assumption that a Creator-god exists.

a.       Immanence—the Creator-god has spoken; He has revealed a “Word” that His creatures have the capacity of receiving through their physical senses.

                           i.      Primo Regnum—as a function of God having spoken, the Christian Theist must also assume that His special Word is revealed in the canonized scriptures alone.  Not that the scriptures are the only authority in the life of the believer, but that their right interpretations are the primary and final authority.  Not that every physically audible word of God, or vision or dream sent by God has been included in this collection of “Words”, but all of those Words necessary for  the life and godliness of believer is therein revealed.

II.     The Analogy of Faith - Let easily interpreted passages guide our interpretation of difficult passages.

a.       Let the interpretation of the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesies/promises found in the New Testament amplify/expand the grammatical/historical understanding of a particular prophesy when it was given.

b.       When a promise is made, the object of promise is always, to some degree, a shadow or type of the object of fulfillment; so if the fulfillment of a promise is limited to its "literal" or grammatical/historical manifestation, then it isn't as illustrative of God's goodness. But if the quality of the object of fulfillment is to be accurately represented by the object of promise, it cannot always be limited to its grammatical/historical manifestation.

                                       i.      Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of the types and shadows pictured in the Old Testament, so in that way, all the Old Testament points forward to Christ and not to a future manifestation of ethnic Israel, but Christ is the true Israel and those found “in Him” are true Israelites.

c.       Let our understanding of the immediate context of a passage be interpreted under the larger umbrella of the entire context of Revelation; the "meta-narrative" or "big picture" perspective of redemptive history should be used to tailor our understanding of the immediate contexts of passages, such as the context provided by their human authorship, chronology in respect to other writings of Revelation, and literary genre.

d.       Let the literary genre of a passage guide our understanding of symbols, types/shadows, parables, numbers, and prophesies (either their giving or fulfillment) i.e., historical narratives such as the gospel accounts of resurrection should be taken at face value, but apocalyptic literature when it presents visions such as dragons, lamp stands, 24 elders, etc, they may be symbols which represent something greater. The objects they represent either, could not have been understood if their future manifestation had been presented, or God has decided that the objects being represented are meant to be kept a mystery in part, until such a time when He sees fit to reveal their identity. Note that the object being symbolized is normally a literal and real object.