Thesis again

Well, I have chosen my thesis and it is not exactly where I had started. I had wanted to wrap up my entire Moody Bible career with a strong argument. Instead, I find myself in a spiral of disillusionment. The point of no-return was passed long ago, and now I am in the final stretch. I cannot help but feel that I should be here for 7 more years to soak up what I missed in my impertinence.

This is the part where I get to thank my mom. A few weeks back she asked me what I thought of a particular study that she potentially would be joining. One of the points of coverage in this study was the core of Covenant Theology. Naturally, having schooled at a Dispensationalist school, my curiosity was piqued. I began to do some research into what I thought would be a simple discussion. It turns out that I was quite wrong.

During my first semester of school at Moody, my grandfather gave me a copy of There Really is a Difference, by Renald Showers. In it, Showers critiques the philosophy of history that Covenant Theology (CT) utilizes to inform their interpretation of scripture. He does this by comparing it to Premillenial Dispensationalism (PD). In this work, PD is the victor, holding the strongest to the 6-part criteria Showers uses to analyze a good philosophy of history (POH).

However, certain questions began to circulate in my head:

1. Where did Showers get his 6 part criteria from?
2. Is the critique he offers of CT a faithful and helpful critique?
3. Does dispensationalism give the most helpful POH in understanding the overall metanarrative of God's glory?
4. Am I really a dispensationalist?

That fourth question is easy. Yes. I am a dispensationalist. I am not ashamed of it. I think if one must reduce things to categories, which one must do from time to time, this is a good place to be. However, it is only a necessary evil. I meet many who tell me that they would, "prefer to not have to say." Yes, if you are to stay away from the particular discussion, not having to to say is fine. But, inevitably, you will study scripture from some sort of POH, whether defined or assumed.

That said, I will post my proposal and thesis for my senior seminar thesis paper. Have a look, leave me a comment or two. And if you have a source that you think would be helpful, give me a title or author. And if you have a critique of my thought thus far, please offer it. Don't hold back. Remember Luther said, "Let he who sins, sin boldly."