Adventism and Ellen White

For several decades scholars, using historical and theological methods, have considered early Adventism to have been dominated by Arian beliefs. They have seen Ellen White to have been central in the consolidation of the present Trinitarian doctrine among Sventh-day Adventists. The study approaches the question from a phenomenological point of view and brings a different emphasis into focus. It establishes phenomenological categories on the basis of a mechanical selection of data from the church paper, Review and Herald, betweeen the years 1851 and 1931. Examination of the data shows early Adventists to be unaware of any similarity between their materialist theology and Arianism. Their opposition to the doctrine of the Trinity is found to be a logical extension of their opposition to spiritualism. The move toward Trinitarianism is the result of the various wider theological, philosophical, and sociological trends of the period rather than individual doctrinal debate or the career of Ellen White. Rather than showing evidence of changing theology, she was a theological materialist like her contemporaries. Her remarks on the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not in the context of theological debate, but always embedded in her discussion of covenantal monism a century before the concept became popular.

Titel: Adventism and Ellen White – A Phenomenon of Religious Materialism
Skriftserie: Studies on Inter-Religious Relations 48
Författare: Thomas McElwain
Bandtyp: Häftad
Utgivningsår: 2010
Antal sidor: 287
ISBN: 978-91-89652-38-5
ISSN: 1650-8718