The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum What is essential

'Tis true, Tom, that there is a great variance of beliefs among Dispensationalists and thus it is near impossible to know what any particular Dispensationalist holds to be true doctrinally. But one thing is most always held in common among them and that is the fundamental importance of eschatology for it involves not just the rapture, Israel, the great tribulation, the millennium, etc., but how one actually interprets the Bible. To illustrate the importance they put on one holding to Dispensationalism, since you mentioned John MacArthur, here is a very salient and disturbing article: John MacArthur on Calvinism, Dispensationalism, Israel and Hermeneutics: A Few Comments. In short, MacArthur whose "Dispy Lite" eschatology, aka: Progressive Dispensationalism is perhaps furthest from Classic Dispensationalism comes close to making Dispensationalism an essential of the faith.