R3. fundamentalist adventism
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The document discusses the identity crises faced by the Seventh-day Adventist Church between 1919 and 1950, particularly in the context of fundamentalist and modernist ideologies. It highlights the tension within the church regarding biblical inspiration, the role of Ellen White, and the movement towards a more rigid stance on theological issues. The text ultimately portrays Adventism as aligning more closely with fundamentalist views while grappling with its own distinct beliefs, particularly regarding salvation and inspiration.
R3. fundamentalist adventism
- 1. What is Fundamentalist in Adventism ? ( 1919 – 1950 )
- 2. By 1919 the Seventh- day Adventist Church had gone through two identity crises. The first is after the Great Disapointment of October 1844, led to the question. What is Adventist in Adventism ? The second, climaxing at the 1888 meeting in minneapolis, raised the question. What is Christian in Adventism ? And of how the denomination should relate the distinctive Adventist contribution to theology to those beliefs shared with other evangelical Christians.
- 3. A Polarizing Theological Context The 1920s was an especially traumatic decade for American Protestantism. For a half century the Protestant churches had gradually divided into conservative ( fundamentalist ) and liberal ( modernist ) wings. Thus the liberal churches accepted such philosophies as Darwinian evolution and integrated it into their belief system as God’s way of doing things.
- 4. Adventism found itself caught up in the struggle between the modernists and the fundamentalists. Like the fundamentalists, the Adventists also saw the issues as being of the utmost importance. We see that crisis mentality reflected in two book covers from Adventist presses in 1924. The first is titled “ The Battle of the Churches: Modernism or Fundamentalism, Which ? The battle is on, reads the book’s first sentence. It must be decided whether Christianity is to accept the Holy Scriptures as the rule of the faith, or have its way charted by the rationalism, theories, and specilations of men.... There can be no neutral ground in this controversy. ( p. 7;
- 5. The second book, Christianity at the Crossroads, depicts a man walking to the holy city. Standing at a junction, he faces a choice on which way to take the way of modernism or that of fundamentalism. Once again the book’s opening sentences set the tone for the volume. The Christian Church we read is being shaken to day with tremendous force. It has become necessary to examine its foundations in an effort to determine whether it can stand. (p. 5)
- 6. Adventism Moves Toward a More Rigid Position on Inspiration A group within Adventism had always held to verbal inspiration and inerrancy. According to W. C. White in 1928, W. W. Prescott had brought the idea of verbal inspiration into Adventism during the late 1880s. The acceptance of that view”. White wrote, by the students in the Battle Creek College and many others, including Elder Haskell , has resulted in bringing into our work questions and perplexities without end, and always increasing. ( 3SM 454 )
- 7. But it should be realized that not all Adventist leaders held to the fundamentalist position on inspiration. Some of the foremost leader of the church took a more moderate position. The position she espoused on thought versus verbal inspiration was the denomination at its 1883 General Conference session. We believe reads part of the resolution the light given by God to his sevants is by the enlightenment of the mind, thus imparting, the thoughts, and not ( except in rare cases ) the very words in which the ideas should be expressed. ( ibid., Nov. 27, 1883, 741) Not only did Ellen White reject verbal inspiration but she also denied inerrancy. Thus she was more than happy to have the factual errors corrected in such books as The Great Controversy during its revision in 1911 ( for more in this topic see my Reading Ellen White. 105 – 112 )
- 8. A People of the Book or a People of the Books A second issue in the area of inspiration during the 1920s was the continuing temptation to do theology from EllenWhite and to make her qually authoritative with or even superior to the Bible. The central place of Ellen White writngs in Adventism was not just a preoccupation with dissidents such as Holmes and Washburn. Leader at the center of the movement also espoused it.Thus F. M. Wilcox could claim in 1921 that her writings constitute a spiritual commentary upon the Scriptures and in 1946 that they were inspired commentary on the Bible. ( RH, Feb. 3, 1921, 2, ; June 9, 1946, 62 )
- 9. To that comment Daniells responded: yes but i have heard ministers say that the spirit of prophecy is the interpreter of the Bible. I heard it preached at the General Conference some years ago { by A. T. Jones } when it was said that the only way we could understand the Bible was through the writings of the spirit of Prophecy. J.M. Anderson added that he also said infallible interpreter.
- 10. A Revived Interest in Righteousness by Faith One important outcome of Daniells 1924 ministerial in stitute meeting was a recommendation for him to compile a book from the writings of Ellen White on justification by faith, resulting in the 1926 publication of Christ Our Righteousness. Another important event connected with the ministerial institute was the conversion of Le Roy E. Froom to the centrality of Christ and His righteousness. Christianity he subsequently reported is basically a personal relationship to a Person Jesus Christ my Lord.
- 11. The Crucial Role of M. L. Andreasen and His Last Generation Theology Andreasen served as a college and conference administrator, an author of some 15 books and a college and seminary professor. He was Adventism most influential theologian in the 1930s and 1940s. His special field of interest was the sanctuary and Christ atonement. A further concept crucial to understanding Andreasen is his firm belief that Christ atonement remained unfinished at the cross an idea going back to Crosier early treatment of the heavenly sanctuary and Adventist understanding that the antitypical Day of Atonement began in October 1844.
- 12. The final demonstration he writes of what the Gospel can do in and for humanity is still in the future. Christ showed the way by taking a human body. Men are to follow His example and prove that what God did in Christ He can do in every human being who submits to Him. The world is awaiting this demonstration . When it has been accomplished the end will come. ( p. 299; italics supplied ) He goes on to note that the plan of salvation must of necessity include not only forgiveness of sin but complete restoration. Salvation from sin is more than forgiveness of sin.” ( p. 300 )
- 13. In the last generation God gives the final demonstration that men can keep the law of God and that they can live without sinning.. Through the last generation of saints God stands finally vindicated. Through them He defeats Satan and wins His case.... The cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven is dependent upon the cleansing of God’s people on earth. How important then that God people be holy and without blame. In them every sin must be burned out so that they will be able to stand in the sight of a holy God and live with the devouring fire. ( pp. 319, 321; italics supplied )
- 14. Perspective What is fundamentalist in Adventism . During these years Adventism came to see itself as not only being in harmony with fundamentalism on most points, but as even being more fundamentalistic than the fundamentalists since Adventism had all the fundamentals, in cluding such Adventist dustinctives as the truth on the Sabbath the state of the dead and the two phase heavenly ministry of Jesus The fundamentalist theory of inspiration in fact largely set the tone for Adventist thinking on the topic. Probably the one thing that kept Adventism from an open and wholehearted acceptance of the fundamentalist view of inspiration was the residual influence of Ellen White