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Rating: 
Summary: Still Digesting His 8-volume Set
Review: 1. Three stars given graciously for the present. Just finished Vol.1 of 8-Vol. set. Final judgment pending.2. Appears to work with limited set of expositors and theologians. Pending further review. 3. Very readable. Certainly good for laymen. 4. Quotes biblical texts for facility without flipping back and forth through Bible. 5. Still examining the Church/Israel distinction, the "one-people of God" versus "two-people of God" view. Entrenched in former, but attempting to give Chafer fair hearing. 6. He makes a few outrageous statements about "spiritualizing" OT texts, as if reformed people somehow do that, willy nilly, subjectivistically, without guidance. Not so. Read Hodge, Vol.3. There is, within didactic sections of scripture, allowances for such. Reformed people are not "spiritualizers" and "allegorists", e.g. Origen, but, like Calvin, adhere to "sensus naturalis". Hence, utmost caution is required in reading Chafer. 7. I note that B.B. Warfield had very serious issues with Chafer. Stated that Warfield had Calvinistic outer garments with Semi-Pelagian and Arminian undergarments. His work on divine decrees was solid, however, in treatment of Holy Spirit at a few points, it appears that Warfield may be correct. This also cannot be assessed apart from the Keswick movement. Judgment pending. 8. It is somewhat redemptive to me that Lewis invited Anglican scholar and former Principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, W.H.Griffith Thomas to be a professor of systematic theology at Dallas Seminary in 1924. Before the seminary opened in 1924, unfortunately, Griff died that summer. One wonders had he taught there, if a stronger ecclesiology and stronger confessionalism would have emerged. After all, Griff was a Prayer Book man and wrote a most solid "Introduction to Theology", a credible, evangelical commentary on the Thirty-nine Articles. At this point, Dallas Seminary is a-confessional, non-confessional, baptistic, independentistic, and, unlike the NT church, non-connectional. 9. Another problem noted at the beginning. Lewis tells us he will essentially leave historical matters out of his purview as he "gathers the facts" (note Baconianism) from the Bible "inductively". Leaving historical connnections out is most unwise. As George Orwell noted, "He who controls the present, controls the past". Systematics may not be done without "exegesis" nor without historical sensitivity. This was a major fault here. Griff, noted above, would never have travelled down that standard evangelical, American path....historical amnesia and individualism, as if the Holy Spirit just began his "indwelling ministry" 10 years ago. Heavily faulted here for this. 10. Having noted the above, Lewis shon brilliantly in Christology. I likened his orthodox collation and comments on Christological texts to the "burning bush" of Exodus 3. This dear, but deceased brother (yes, am a covenantal Calvinist who dearly loves this brother, who is in the "Jeruslem above" among millions praising his Savior), lit a fire in this home as he, though dead, preached over in the corner. I will never forget Lewis' presentation of the excellencies of Christ. 11. Also, his opening section on the place, position, content, and authority of infallible Scripture and the necessity of systematic theology was inspiring. Would that all Dallas seminarians had his passion for systematics. From our observation, it appears that has been lost among modern Dallas grads. 12. Again, judgement pending. Starting Volume 2 this morning, 23 April 2004. For new readers, enjoy. He loved his Lord and he will show you His face. Although, as with all of us, be careful.
Rating:
Summary: Still Digesting His 8-volume Set
Review: 1. Three stars given graciously for the present. Just finished Vol.1 of 8-Vol. set. Final judgment pending. 2. Appears to work with limited set of expositors and theologians. Pending further review. 3. Very readable. Certainly good for laymen. 4. Quotes biblical texts for facility without flipping back and forth through Bible. 5. Still examining the Church/Israel distinction, the "one-people of God" versus "two-people of God" view. Entrenched in former, but attempting to give Chafer fair hearing. 6. He makes a few outrageous statements about "spiritualizing" OT texts, as if reformed people somehow do that, willy nilly, subjectivistically, without guidance. Not so. Read Hodge, Vol.3. There is, within didactic sections of scripture, allowances for such. Reformed people are not "spiritualizers" and "allegorists", e.g. Origen, but, like Calvin, adhere to "sensus naturalis". Hence, utmost caution is required in reading Chafer. 7. I note that B.B. Warfield had very serious issues with Chafer. Stated that Warfield had Calvinistic outer garments with Semi-Pelagian and Arminian undergarments. His work on divine decrees was solid, however, in treatment of Holy Spirit at a few points, it appears that Warfield may be correct. This also cannot be assessed apart from the Keswick movement. Judgment pending. 8. It is somewhat redemptive to me that Lewis invited Anglican scholar and former Principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, W.H.Griffith Thomas to be a professor of systematic theology at Dallas Seminary in 1924. Before the seminary opened in 1924, unfortunately, Griff died that summer. One wonders had he taught there, if a stronger ecclesiology and stronger confessionalism would have emerged. After all, Griff was a Prayer Book man and wrote a most solid "Introduction to Theology", a credible, evangelical commentary on the Thirty-nine Articles. At this point, Dallas Seminary is a-confessional, non-confessional, baptistic, independentistic, and, unlike the NT church, non-connectional. 9. Another problem noted at the beginning. Lewis tells us he will essentially leave historical matters out of his purview as he "gathers the facts" (note Baconianism) from the Bible "inductively". Leaving historical connnections out is most unwise. As George Orwell noted, "He who controls the present, controls the past". Systematics may not be done without "exegesis" nor without historical sensitivity. This was a major fault here. Griff, noted above, would never have travelled down that standard evangelical, American path....historical amnesia and individualism, as if the Holy Spirit just began his "indwelling ministry" 10 years ago. Heavily faulted here for this. 10. Having noted the above, Lewis shon brilliantly in Christology. I likened his orthodox collation and comments on Christological texts to the "burning bush" of Exodus 3. This dear, but deceased brother (yes, am a covenantal Calvinist who dearly loves this brother, who is in the "Jeruslem above" among millions praising his Savior), lit a fire in this home as he, though dead, preached over in the corner. I will never forget Lewis' presentation of the excellencies of Christ. 11. Also, his opening section on the place, position, content, and authority of infallible Scripture and the necessity of systematic theology was inspiring. Would that all Dallas seminarians had his passion for systematics. From our observation, it appears that has been lost among modern Dallas grads. 12. Again, judgement pending. Starting Volume 2 this morning, 23 April 2004. For new readers, enjoy. He loved his Lord and he will show you His face. Although, as with all of us, be careful.
Rating: 
Summary: A MUST for every serious Bible student
Review: Chafer's eight volume Systematic Theology is skillfully written from a premillinnial, dispensational view. He not only beautilfully covers all the disciplines from Theology Proper to Eschatology, but also the various uses of the word "theology" as well as the eight Biblical Covenants and the Dispensations. It is a comprehensive work on each topic but not written in a lofty manner which would be tedious for the reader. Chafer has made the study of Systematic Theology alive and exciting.
Rating: 
Summary: Thorough, but not an easy read
Review: Clearly Chafer documented a good systemization of Dispensational Theology. ("Systemization" refers to fitting various doctrines together. Without this exercise, a collection of beliefs may well be self-contradicting.) It is very thorough and covers all aspects of systematic theology. However, Chafer's writings are not inspired, and not infallible. (No extra-Biblical writings are.) He does hold to an aspect of the Gap theory -- not uncommon for those of his era. I recommend it be included in any good personal library. It is an excellent resource for Biblical positions based on literal interpretation of scripture. (This literal hermeneutic leads to the Dispensational position. Mixing alagorical interpretation leaves the interpreter as the ultimate authority, choosing when God meant exactly what He said, and when to alagorize and as such determining what God really meant. This literal non-literal hermeneutic leads to the Covenant position.) For me this set was the text book for a 3-year series of theology courses.
Rating:
Summary: Thorough, but not an easy read
Review: Clearly Chafer documented a good systemization of Dispensational Theology. ("Systemization" refers to fitting various doctrines together. Without this exercise, a collection of beliefs may well be self-contradicting.) It is very thorough and covers all aspects of systematic theology. However, Chafer's writings are not inspired, and not infallible. (No extra-Biblical writings are.) He does hold to an aspect of the Gap theory -- not uncommon for those of his era. I recommend it be included in any good personal library. It is an excellent resource for Biblical positions based on literal interpretation of scripture. (This literal hermeneutic leads to the Dispensational position. Mixing alagorical interpretation leaves the interpreter as the ultimate authority, choosing when God meant exactly what He said, and when to alagorize and as such determining what God really meant. This literal non-literal hermeneutic leads to the Covenant position.) For me this set was the text book for a 3-year series of theology courses.
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