Witness of God's Love (original) (raw)
Related papers
The Bible and the Prophetic Gift in the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Many people have a mistaken idea about what it means for the Seventh-day Adventist Church to call itself a Bible-based church while believing in the prophetic gift. In this three-part series, we investigate Ellen White's view of Scripture and her role in the development of the Biblical doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
2005
The fundamental question to which a thorough consideration has been given in this research is, ‘What was the Adventist spirituality like that matured from 1844 to 1915’? In answering this question, the current work has proposed to identify and give a documented description and analysis of the crucial features that are most specific to Seventh-day Adventism, determinative of its spirituality. Underlying the above-stated enquiry into Adventism’s spiritual identity, there is a correlated quest at the heart of the current thesis. This is the role which Ellen G. White (1827-1915) and her charismatic ministry played in the shaping of Seventh-day Adventist spirituality primarily within its American socio-cultural context. With regard to this form of piety, the study has thoroughly documented that it is recognisable by a set of distinctive and interrelated features. These characterised the personal and communal spirituality of those who perceived themselves to live within the temporal frame of what they thought to be a yet unprecedented Era of human history and of the history of salvation: the very Time of the End. Having identified the aforementioned fact of the Adventist perception of history, the research has yielded further evidence to substantiate the following conclusions. In Adventism one is faced with a form of Protestant apocalyptic piety of the modern age, identifiable by the following five characteristics: 1) collective consciousness of being the End-Time Remnant; 2) a sense of eschatological crisis; 3) historicist biblical hermeneutic; 4) apocalyptic gospel; 5) a set of three institutions – publishing, health, and education – to promote a specifically ‘Adventist’ lifestyle. Adventist lifestyle has been found to be a representative mode of witnessing to the Adventist faith, with healthy living, six days of diligent work followed by a work-free observance of, and liturgical celebration on, the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday). From 1844 to the present time, Adventists pursued their spirituality as an act of obedience to the End-Time will and purposes of God. The research has documented that such an understanding of spirituality turned the apocalyptic corpus of the Bible into the prime source of Adventist piety and devotion.
\u27Heroes of the Faith\u27: Ellen G White, a visionary Seventh-day Adventist
2010
This essay explores the spiritual journey of Ellen White, a Seventh-day Adventist Church pioneer. It concludes that the depth of the journey “illustrates the sincerity, integrity, sensitivity to social injustice and boldness to confront the barriers of set traditions that heroes of many faith traditions have encompassed. In this respect, both Ellen White and Mary MacKillop reveal a bond of commonality and this insight provides a lens through which Seventh-day Adventists can appreciate the heroes of the many faith traditions throughout the world.
Ministry, December 2014, 16-19.
The “daily” controversy was another Adventist example for the intensity of theological debates. While on the surface Adventists debated over the question whether the tāmîd in Dan 8 refers to Roman paganism or Christ’s heavenly ministration, the real struggle was over the issue of the final authority in biblical or theological matters—whether the issue should be settled by the Bible or the writings of Ellen White. Although Ellen White had previously spoken to several theological matters, she basically remained silent on the issue of the tāmîd chiding both parties for using her writings in support of their argumentation. It was the mutual study of the Word that was to settle the exegetical issue, yet since both parties were unwilling to listen and unable to come to an agreement, she advised to cease from the debate. Every additional argument in the public would only intensify the conflict and make matters worse. Instead of focusing on the issue, they were to focus on true heart conversion, teaching people in the simple Bible truths, training people in reaching out to non-Adventists, and being concerned with mission work. In Ellen White’s opinion the basic problem was a spiritual one—the issue could be solved only if people had an open, loving, and spiritual attitude. While the advice of letting the matter rest is hardly a help in solving urgent practical issues, Ellen White’s advice in the context of the “daily” controversy may provide insights as to underlying issues, contingent repercussions, and possible solutions.