Eternal Anthropology in Evangelical Eschatology: An Assessment of Three Models and an Argument for Kingdom Theology

By examining three models of the anthropology of the everlasting kingdom and the biblical and theological arguments that underlie them, I argue that the Kingdom Theology (referred to as Progressive Dispensationalism for the majority of the dissertation in keeping with the history of the view) understanding of consummate anthropology, in which ethnicity is individually and corporately expressed, is based on stronger interpretive foundations than the other two models. I demonstrate this by assessing all three models according to David Wolfe’s criteria for evaluating interpretive systems taken from Epistemology: The Justification of Belief. What emerges as progressive dispensationalism is evaluated through Wolfe’s criteria and compared and contrasted to the other models, is nothing less than an understanding of the storyline of the Bible and its culmination that is straightforwardly biblical, lucid, compelling, and deeply hope-engendering for the church! Chapter 1 introduces the topic of the dissertation and its importance, followed by its purpose, thesis, and method. Chapter 2 explicates and assesses model 1A: individual ethnic identity expressed, but no national territoriality in the consummation due to Israel’s replacement by the church (classic covenantalism). Chapter 3 explicates and assesses another model 1 view (progressive covenantalism). Chapter 4 explicates and assesses model 2: classic dispensationalism and revised dispensationalism. Chapter 5 explicates and assesses model 3: individual ethnic identity and national territoriality present in a unified manner in the consummation (progressive dispensationalism). Finally, chapter 6 concludes the dissertation by offering a summary, areas for further research, and concluding reflections.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Book, John E.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ware, Bruce A.

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10392/6962

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.sbts.edu:10392/6962