To meet the challenge and exposure of the Papacy as the Antichrist and the Pope as the "son of perdition," the Jesuits were called upon to counter the reformers' teachings.

Futurism and Preterism

Two Jesuit scholars, Alcasar and Ribera, developed the preterist and futurist systems of prophetic interpretation. Preterism says that all prophecy pertaining to the Antichrist has already been fulfilled in the past. Futurist interpretation says that these prophecies will be fulfilled in the future—after the Christian dispensation and the secret rapture. Ribera published his futurist views in 1585.

In the 19th century, the Protestant world, starting with the Anglican priest Samuel R. Maitland, accepted futurism in order to cease hostilities with Rome. Read more about futurism and preterism

Dispensationalism

The prophetic interpretation of futurism was further refined when dispensationalism originated in an "utterance" by means of tongues in a church in England. The futurist dispensationalistic mode of prophetic interpretation has been accepted by most Protestant churches today, and is the form of interpretation employed in the Scofield Reference Bible. Dispensationalism is a product of futurism and it teaches that history is divided into seven dispensations.

Human Dispensation

Most dispensationalists are of Calvinistic creed, with a deep-rooted belief in predestination. According to this doctrine, we are so far fallen in sin that we are unable to choose for ourselves. Predestination says that salvation is not conditional, and one is either predestined to eternal salvation or to eternal damnation. All promises of Scripture are also said to be unconditional, making the Jews God's chosen people, whether they wanted to be or not. Read more about dispensationalism