View source for E.W. Bullinger

==Theology==
Bullinger's views were often unique, and sometimes controversial.  He is so closely tied to what is now called  "[[hyperdispensationalism]]" that it is sometimes referred to as Bullingerism.<sup>[10]</sup>  Noted dispensationalist [[Harry A. Ironside]] (1876–1951) declared Bullingerism an "absolutely Satanic perversion of the truth"
<sup>[11]</sup> Bullingerism differs from mainstream [[dispensationalism]] with regard to the beginning of the church. Mainstream [[dispensationalism]] holds that the Church began at [[Pentecost]] as described early in the [[New Testament]] book entitled "[[Acts of the Apostles]]".  In stark contrast, Bullinger held that ''the Church'', which the Apostle Paul revealed as the ''Body of Christ'', began after the close of Acts,<sup>[12]</sup> only revealed in the Prison Epistles of the [[Paul of Tarsus|Apostle Paul]].<sup>[13]</sup> Other dispensationalists (often described as "mid-Acts" dispensationalists, i.e., Acts 9 or 13) hold that the Church, the Body of Christ, began at or shortly after Saul's conversion.

Bullinger described dispensations as divine "administrations" or "arrangements" wherein God deals at distinct time periods and with distinct groups of people "on distinct principles, and the doctrine relating to each must be kept distinct". He emphasizes that "Nothing but confusion can arise from reading into one dispensation that which relates to another.",<sup>[14]</sup> and lists seven dispensations:

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="7" rowspan="1" | '''Dispensational Scheme of Bullinger'''
|-
| valign="top" align="center" | '''Edenic state of Innocence'''
| valign="top" align="center" | '''Period "without law" '''
| valign="top" align="center" | '''Period under the Law'''
| valign="top" align="center" | '''Period of Grace'''
| valign="top" align="center" | '''Epoch of Judgment'''
| valign="top" align="center" | '''Millennial Age'''
| valign="top" align="center" | '''The  Eternal State of Glory'''
|-
| valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFCC" | '''Genesis 1-3''' <br /> ended with the expulsion from Eden
| valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFCC" | '''Genesis 4 to Exodus 19''' <br /> ended with the flood and judgment on Babel
| valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFCC" | '''Exodus 20 to Acts 28''' <br /> ended at the rejection by Israel of the grace of God <br /> at the end of Acts
| valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFCC" | '''Church History''' <br /> will end at the Day of the Lord
| valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFCC" | '''Tribulation''' <br /> will end at the destruction of the Antichrist
| valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFCC" | '''Rev 20:4-6''' <br /> will end with the destruction of Satan
| valign="top" align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFCC" | '''Rev 20-22''' will not end
|-
|}

Outside of ultradispensationalism, many other examples of Bullinger's unique views can be found. For example, Bullinger argues that Jesus was crucified with four, not just two, criminals.<sup>[15]</sup>  Bullinger argued for [[soul sleep|mortality of the soul]], the cessation of the soul between death and resurrection.<sup>[16]</sup> While Bullinger did not express any views concerning the final state of the lost, many of his followers did hold to [[annihilationism]]. Purportedly, Bullinger was also a member of the [[Universal Zetetic Society]].<sup>[17]</sup>