Themelios “Hummel’s book is breathtaking in its scope, written as much as a history of American culture as a work of historical theology. . . . The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism is a monument to Hummel’s industry, spread across years and miles travelled.”CHOICE “This is a judicious treatment of dispensationalism, diminished as a theological school of thought but still part of American culture. . . . Recommended.”The Christian Century “Dispensationalism is a Christian theology which divides the history of the world into divinely ordained ages and which often looks forward to the end of all ages and the second coming of Jesus. Daniel Hummel tackles this enormous subject with consummate skill, producing the best study of dispensationalism in decades.”Library Journal (starred review) “This is an exceptional resource for readers looking to understand conservative Christianity. The book also illuminates much of U.S. religious history in general.” “In this brilliant and original book, Daniel G. Hummel traces the extraordinary history of one of the most influential religious groups in modern American life. His research is impressive, his writing is sharp, and his arguments will transform what we think we know about American religious history. An impressive achievement!” —Matthew Avery Sutton, author of Double Crossed: The Missionaries Who Spied for the United States during the Second World War “Daniel Hummel has written the best and most comprehensive history of dispensationalist theology currently in existence. Combining impressive historical research with an exceptionally nuanced attention to theological developments, Hummel’s work offers a detailed, engagingly written historical survey of a movement that is often mentioned in studies of evangelical politics but rarely understood on its own terms. This is the book for people who want to go beyond the headlines to understand the long historical trajectory of the most influential end-times theology in American evangelicalism.” —Daniel K. Williams, author of God's Own Party: The Making of the Christian Right “A tremendous achievement, based on meticulous research and bold synthesis. Thanks to Dan Hummel, we can finally understand how these influential ideas moved through North American culture and politics.” —Molly Worthen, associate professor of history, University of North Carolina “As I write these words, I am looking at my bookshelf where I see a copy of the Scofield Reference Bible sitting next to my multivolume set of Lewis Sperry Chafer's theology and a few of the Left Behind novels. As someone whose teenage conversion to evangelical faith led him to study at a dispensationalist Bible college, I was reminded of my young-adult obsession with a brand of conservative Protestantism that shaped much of twentieth-century American evangelicalism. If you want to learn more about the evangelical fascination with the rapture, Israel, the antichrist, and the prophetic books of the Bible, The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism is the place to start.” —John Fea, distinguished professor of history, Messiah University and author of Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump “Writing in the Trump moment when sweeping generalizations (and indictments) of evangelical populist thinking (and politics) easily prevail, Daniel Hummel takes the tougher route. With notable patience, careful attention to the granular as well as the big picture, and a sensitive touch with the pen, he guides readers through the centuries-long developments that saw a dissenting dispensationalist theology rise to the fore of mainstream evangelicalism and American apocalyptic culture. The result of his considerable efforts is a remarkably learned and readable book that surprises and entertains as well as enlightens.” —Darren Dochuk, Andrew V. Tackes College Professor of History, University of Notre Dame “Daniel Hummel has done us all a service by digging up the bones of a theological beast that left massive footprints across the land and then (all but) disappeared. Dispensationalism needs to be reckoned with. Its history of theological innovations, inclinations, obsessions, and curiosities is with us still, even if they’re just skeletons buried in the backyard. Hummel’s careful accounting and thoughtful interpretations are a gift to anyone trying to understand the contemporary landscape of evangelicalism.” —Daniel Silliman, author of Reading Evangelicals: How Christian Fiction Shaped a Culture and a Faith “The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism is a lively, accessible, and erudite work. Hummel guides readers deftly through nearly two centuries of religious history as he illuminates the theological, political, and cultural evolution of dispensationalist thought—and influence—in the United States. Exploring key leaders, texts, and trends from John Nelson Darby to QAnon, this book is a must for anyone seeking to better understand the significance of eschatology and apocalypticism in American life.” —Lauren Turek, associate professor of history, Trinity University “What do you say about a historical study that reads like a whodunit? Dan Hummel’s book is a page turner, shedding light on details that I already knew from dispensationalist pop culture, filling in the gaps through patient analysis and good storytelling. Historians will love his patient analysis; it’s the storytelling that hooked me. At the end of each chapter, I had to know what came next. Not only is The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism a superb academic study; Hummel’s analysis of the gap left by the decline of dispensationalism helps us understand the ideological crisis of the so-called evangelical church today.” —J. Richard Middleton, professor of biblical worldview and exegesis, Northeastern Seminary “The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism is the essential guide to a perplexing subject. Combining painstaking scholarship with an accessible style, Hummel shows how Christian theology influenced American culture—but also how American culture transformed Christian theology. Both experts and students will learn from this important book.” —Samuel Goldman, associate professor of political science, George Washington University
★ 04/01/2023
Terms such as dispensationalism, premillennialism, the Scofield Reference Bible, and rapture theology can seem like the esoteric jargon of fundamentalists and conservative evangelicals. However, historian Hummel (Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison; Covenant Brothers: Evangelicals, Jews, and U.S.-Israeli Relations) claims that these concepts have been influential far beyond any theological niche and deserve a closer look. What Hummel excels at in this work is placing these ideas in a meaningful context alongside the events, people, and places that shaped them. He creates an engrossing narrative with compelling details. Each chapter dovetails into the next, often glancing back to capture different aspects of the historical setting as the narrative moves from the 1830s in Ireland toward an end very close to the present, with references to QAnon and the Avengers movies. There is much explanatory power and depth to the way the author traces how these religious concepts have influenced movements, politics, and pop culture. VERDICT This is an exceptional resource for readers looking to understand conservative Christianity. The book also illuminates much of U.S. religious history in general.—Zachariah Motts
