CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa.—The Council on Dispensational Hermeneutics has released the Summit Statement on Dispensational Hermenuetics, a formal summary that resulted from meetings held Sept. 24-25 on the campus of Baptist Bible Seminary, Clarks Summit, Pa.
The formal statement offers affirm and deny statements addressing the interpretive methods that Bible scholars use to discover the meaning of Scripture. The council of traditional dispensational theologians advocates a historical-grammatical interpretation of the Bible, taking each passage literally unless there is strong internal evidence to suggest that the language is figurative. The council meetings featured the presentation of six papers followed by lengthy periods of interaction among the participants.
Two of the topics discussed (the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament, and the nature of the New Covenant) were not included in the summary statement, having been tabled for further study at later meetings.
The council was marked by the participation of more than twenty dispensational scholars from various colleges, seminaries, and church ministries. Participants included Charles Ryrie (Dallas Theological Seminary, retired), Robert Lightner (Dallas Theological Seminary), and Robert Thomas (The Master’s Seminary). Many of the participants in the council have also presented papers at meetings of the Pre-Trib Study Group and the Evangelical Theological Society.
- Download the Summit Statement on Dispensational Hermenuetics.
- Read the official report released by the council.
- Read more about the Council on Dispensational Hermeneutics.
- View a gallery of photos from the Council on Dispensational Hermenuetics.
