User:Duke Ganote/draft page hyperdispensationalism

Hyper-dispensationalism (or ultra-dispensationalism or more rarely "Bullingerism" ) is a niche Protestant doctrine that views the teachings of the Apostle Paul both as unique from earlier apostles and as foundational for the church, a perspective sometimes characterized by proponents as the "Pauline Distinctive" . E. W. Bullinger (1837 – 1913), an Anglican clergyman, developed the original variety of hyperdispensationalism.

Hyper-dispensationalism is rejected by mainstream dispensationalism which holds that the Church began at Pentecost, long prior to Paul's conversion to Christianity as described early in the New Testament book entitled "Acts of the Apostles". Hyper-dispensationalist teachings are sometimes disparaged as "divisive" , or even being those of a "cult or sect" . The clearest scholarly references to hyperdispensationalism are made by Charles C. Ryrie and Charles F. Baker.

Advocates of hyper-dispensationalism accept the term "dispensationalism", but reject the prefix "hyper" or "ultra" as pejorative.

General views
Hyperdispensationalism holds that the early Christian Church lost “four basic truths” starting near the end of the Apostle Paul’s ministry . The four truths are (in order of loss) : The truths, advocates say, were gradually recovered in reverse order starting during the Protestant Reformation ; for example, Martin Luther is attributed with recovery of "justification by faith" and John Nelson Darby with "Church Truth".
 * The Distinctive Message and Ministry of the Apostle Paul
 * The Pre-Tribulational Rapture of the Church, the Body of Christ
 * The Difference between Israel and the Church, the Body of Christ
 * Justification by Faith Alone, in Christ Alone.

Hyperdispensationalists reject water baptism .

Divisions
Hyperdispensationalists disagree among themselves as to whether the apostle Paul's early ministry was transitional or currently authoritative for the church. They differentiate among themselves by terminology reflecting when the purportedly authoritative portion of Paul's ministry began in the book of Acts. The most obvious result of this internal differentiation is whether the Lord's Supper is accepted in their church.

Bullinger held that Paul's authoritative teaching began at the conclusion of the book of Acts, a viewpoint characterized as "Acts 28" dispensationalism (chapter 28 being the concluding chapter of the book). Other writers holding this position include Sir Robert Anderson, Charles H. Welch, Oscar M. Baker, and Otis Q. Sellers. Acts 28 Dispensationalists distinguish themselves with their belief that today’s Church, is exclusively revealed in Paul’s later writings, in the so-called "Prison Epistles." Acts 28 Dispensationalists tend to reject all sacraments including the Lord’s Supper .

The so-called "Mid-Acts" position was developed later by Cornelius R. Stam, Charles F. Baker, among others, and reflects their position that Paul's currently authoritative ministry began in either the ninth or thirteenth chapter. The Mid-Acts position accepts the Lord's Supper .