Free Book: House Divided: The Break-Up of Dispensational Theology
In 1988, Dallas Seminary professor Wayne House and a Dallas Seminary graduate Thomas Ice had their book published: Dominion Theology: Blessing or Curse? They made it clear that they thought it is not a blessing.
The main targets of the House-Ice book were Greg Bahnsen and Kenneth Gentry. I easily persuaded them to respond to the book. They did an admirable job: House Divided: The Break-Up of Dispensational Theology. I suggested the book's title and its cover design.
I also wrote a lengthy Foreword. My Institute for Christian Economics published it in 1989. In 1997, the ICE published a second printing. Download it here.
Almost as soon as the Bahnsen-Gentry book was printed, Prof. House began his theological journey away from traditional dispensationalism. In The Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (March 1992), House wrote an essay: "Creation and Redemption: A Study of Kingdom Interplay." He came to these dominion-sounding conclusions:
. . . The work of God in the redemption of man has been known as the mediatorial kingdom. The way in which this rule is carried out is dependent on the nature of the existence in which God places man. For example, the control of God exercises over his creatures (especially humans) in the natural and moral order we call creation relates to social relationships, issues of dominion in the earth, and interaction with other created beings and things (pp. 4-5)Moreover, as we Christians spread the good news of Christ to others and share the compassion and love of God to others, the kingdom to come becomes the kingdom on this earth. Heaven gradually comes to earth, though certainly one day this will be so in fullness and glory (p. 11).
The perspective that the kingdom of God is now present in some manner with the new creation in Christ and that this fact abrogates the original creation of God does injustice to the teaching of Scripture and reflects a tendency toward a dualistic view of reality. The old order of creation is being renewed and one day even altered to fit the new reality of our eschatological bodies and relationships. This day is not yet, and the order of creation is still in force. To the degree that the original creation was affected by the fall into sin, the redemptive order seeks to repair the damage. But until we enter into the kingdom of God in its fullness we are bound by the moral and natural laws of the original creation, including the holy and good relationships established by God for men and women (p. 17).
By the time he wrote this, Dr. House had left Dallas Seminary. He is now a professor at Faith International University and Seminary, which has no premillennial affirmation in its doctrinal statement. "We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven, exalted at the right hand of God the Father where He fulfills the ministry of intercession for all believers. We believe in the bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ to judge the living and the dead." There is no mention of Christ's bodily return with angels to set up a bureaucratic kingdom a millennium before the final judgment.
This left Rev. Ice high and dry.
HIGH AND DRY ICE
House's quiet departure from the dispensational camp placed Rev. Ice in a difficult position. He never responded in print to House Divided. He had plenty of time to write a refutation. He subsequently wrote two dozen books on Bible prophecy. He co-authored this book with Tim "Left Behind" LaHaye: Charting the End Times (2001). End-time charts have always been popular with dispensationalists . . . and there is always a need for new, revised charts within 15 years. As with diet books, there is always a market for dispensational prophecy charts.
His most recent book is The Case for Zionism (2005). His Wikipedia entry is here.
Gary DeMar and I debated Ice and best-selling dispensational author Dave Hunt in April 1988. Judge for yourself.
DeMar repeatedly sent Tim LaHaye letters asking to debate him on these issues. Rev. LaHaye prudently remained silent.