Progressive Dispensationalism Quotes

“Not every shift in understanding is good, since we make good and bad decisions, but we can never learn without being open to change in our thinking.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“The real test of whether Scripture or tradition is our fundamental authority lies in our willingness to test those preunderstandings by further study of the Scripture, examining its teachings again in a literary-historical manner.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“Our sitting before the Scripture in subjection means that both humility and transformation are attitudes to which we are committed as God seeks to call us to deepen our relationship to Him.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“We can always know better. The Bible is so deep that it can always make us reflect more about our worldview and our relationship to God. To feel otherwise is to argue that we possess all truth and that there is nothing left for God to teach us. It is to make ourselves into the canon.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“There is value in ranking our level of certainty about what Scripture teaches. Practically speaking, a scale of four categories is helpful. First are those things about which there is no doubt: the most basic fundamentals of the faith. These are matters of absolute conviction. Second are those matters where we are aware there are differences of opinion, but about which one is pretty certain of the preferred view. We would describe one’s view here as a firm conviction. A third category is another case where there is a difference of opinion, but this time the feeling is that when God brings us to heaven, we may find out the other person was right. This category we would call a soft conviction. Last are those areas where we might as well flip a coin, because none of us really knows. This would be genuine uncertainty.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“The famous doctrine of the “clarity of Scripture” was applied by the Reformers to the central portions of its message, not to every detail of doctrine.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“Our contention would be that the Spirit is primarily concerned with our responsiveness. The advantage of seeing the Spirit in this way is that it broadens the scope of reading by emphasizing the issue of response.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“But when two “Spirit-instructed interpreters” argue for mutually exclusive positions, a problem arises. Who brings the correct message taught by the Spirit, and how do we decide? We would argue that this question emphasizes the Spirit’s teaching work at the wrong place, by stressing understanding of content.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“A crucial premise of interpretation is that the Bible is designed to challenge us and our worldview.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“The biblical text should be studied in the context of the development of its story and not just mined for statements isolated from the events they portray.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“As the Word of God, the biblical text functions in a unique, privileged position. It addresses us as an exclusively authoritative text. God speaks truthfully in its message.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“we all also possess preunderstandings, though we may not be conscious of them all. As we examine an issue or the text, it is helpful to consider how we are approaching the question and why. Sometimes it is dialogue with someone who thinks differently that helps us see why we see things the way we do.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“On the other hand, preunderstandings are beliefs or perceptions that are fluid in that they are open to adjustment, refinement, or development by further interaction and reflection.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism

“Any presupposition is an element in one’s thinking that is not up for negotiation, unless it comes under extreme duress. It is a very fixed conviction on which perceptions or views are built and may be conscious or unconscious.”
― Craig A. Blaising, Progressive Dispensationalism