As a theological perspective, dispensationalism has had a profound impact on American evangelicalism—from advancing views on biblical literalism and end-times prophecies, to the formation and defense of the current state of Israel. Even beyond its religious impacts, dispensationalism has influenced culture and politics. Join us as we unpack its origins and consider its broad cultural reverberations at our gathering with historian Dan Hummel, whose new book— The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle over the End Times Shaped a Nation (Eerdmans, 2023)—lands in bookstores this May.

Many who grew up in American evangelical and fundamentalist traditions might be familiar with words linked to dispensationalist theology, words like “rapture” and “tribulation.” Dan will discuss how dispensationalism, despite sometimes being dismissed as a fringe apocalyptic movement, came to shape Anglo-American evangelicalism and the larger American cultural imagination. Though dispensationalism has consistently faced criticism, it continues to hold popular appeal. Through the past century, its themes have been visible in everything from turn-of-the-century revivalism to apocalyptic bestsellers of the 1970s.

Upper House doors will open at 6:45 PM. Light refreshments will be served. Dan will share his research, as well as discuss his book in an interview format with Upper House’s Director of Continuing Education, Tony Bolos. Q&A will round out our time together.

Dan Hummel

Dan Hummel, Ph.D., is the Director of University Engagement at Upper House, a Christian study center serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison and surrounding community. Prior to joining Upper House, Dan held appointments at UW-Madison and Harvard University. He earned his PhD in History from UW-Madison, as well as his MA in History and BA in History and Philosophy from Colorado State University. He also studied at the Hebrew University-Jerusalem. Aside from this current project, Dan is the author of Covenant Brothers: Evangelicals, Jews, and U.S.-Israeli Relations (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2019) and has written articles for the Washington Post, Christianity Today, and Religion News Service. His research has been published in Religion & American Culture and Church History.