PZ Myers was ranting about religion again when he mentioned John Nelson Darby. I'd never heard of him. Turns out he pretty much invented the Rapture and dispensationalism. He was a contemporary of Joseph Smith, and though they were separated by an ocean, it looks like JS picked up on at least a bit of JND's ideas, like the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times, the idea that God dispenses different rules at different times for different people, etc.

Or maybe Rigdon was the one who brought Darby-ism to the party by way of the Campbellites.

Anyone know anything more about this?

Thanks for this post. Will be doing some research on this.

Need to look deeper into this Darby dude. He seems to have same ability as Joseph Smith to take an odd Bible phrase and turn it into some new full-blown batshit doctrine. It seems to have been a time when religious syntheses were common...might have a broader sociological or historical context.

I need to check if he had anything to do with Smith's cronies.

Briggy