| Author | Message | ||
| Susan |
Hi everyone! I don't get to post very often but I'm still around. I try to check in once in awhile, but I miss being a regular! A thought came to me this evening and a friend encouraged me to share it. I was listening to a CD today and a song came on by Jars of Clay called "The Stone". It was just in the background, but I stopped and really listened. It hit me that as an Adventist, Jesus Christ was not the Cornerstone of my life. It was the Sabbath or perhaps my SDA identity. I wonder what a Mormon or JW would call their cornerstone??? The cornerstone of our life supports our exsistence. It is the most important element of our building/life. If Jesus is not our Cornerstone, what happens to the rest of our structure? It won't last. It won't fullfill. And it most certainly won't save. "So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed."" Isa.28:16 Just a thought. In Christ alone, Susan | ||
| Max |
Hi Susan, I think you're absolutely right. And some Adventists -- even pastors and ministers -- are not ashamed to admit that Christ does not come first in their lives. Here's a review of an article in an SDA magazine that I posted last spring: Adventist Today Editor John McLarty would ìrather be known as an Adventist than a Christian.î DOES HE REPRESENT YOUR VIEW? --------------------------------------------------------------- By Max Gordon Phillips on Friday, June 9, 2000 - 06:41 pm: Dear Adventist Friend: Adventist Today Editor John McLarty would ìrather be known as an Adventist than a Christian.î DOES HE REPRESENT YOUR VIEW? Mainstream and conservative Adventists, take note: Very careful note. A new vision of Seventh-day Adventism is unfolding. Known as a ìrevisioningî of the Adventist ìidentity,î the glittering new banner seeks to lead the more-or-less wealthier, and definitely more educated and professional Adventist cultural elite. Lead them in an exodus out of the depressing fundamentalist, cultist ghetto of their more conservative brethren. And into the Promised Land that floweth with the milk and honey of * a less uptight lifestyle, * triumphant natural* theology, * celebration worship replete with ordained women, and * an un-squinting eyeball-to-eyeball dialog with post-modernists, Darwinian evolutionists, Buddhists, Jews, agnostics, atheists, etcetera without foreseeable end. One of the more extravagant examples of this ìidentity revisioningî ferment is a feature article in the June 2000 issue of SDA lay journal ADVENTIST TODAY, pages 20 and 21. Written by its editor, John McLarty, who is also an SDA pastor in the Washington Conference, the piece is titled, ìWhy Bother with the Denomination?î Why indeed? Well, if youíre not of the mainstream or conservative ñ and certainly not ìhistoricalî ñ persuasion, you might well ask that question. And if youíre not dependent on the good old denom for your daily manna, you would most assuredly ask it. McLartyís answer? Sitting down in the shade with a glass of ice-cubed water in hand against the summer heat? Here it is: ìTo be blunt, Iíd rather be known as an Adventist than a Christian.î And, yes, he really does mean it. Means it almost down to the ìMe Tarzan, you Janeî level. And the proof of the pudding, as the old-world saying goes, is in the eating. Soooo, bon appetit! SDA PARTISANSHIP IS TO BE ADMIRED. For McLarty it is denominationalism, in this instance, Adventism ñ and not Christ ñ that holds together the local church he pastors. This despite the fact that an in-context paraphrase of Paul in 1 Corinthians 1 warns us against such a mindset: ìDo not say, I am of the Adventists! For Christ is not divided. And Ellen G. White was not crucified for you!î ITíS ìOUTREACHî NOW, NOT EVANGELISM. In McLartyís view, it is Adventism that is ìessential for effective outreach to non-Christians.î And never you mind that Adventist ìoutreachî in North America is not now and never has been directed to non-Christians. Nor does McLarty make clear what the ìrevisioned Adventist identityî even is, much less show how it might effectively reach Christians, let alone non-Christians. AND DIVERSITY IS OF THE COOKIE-CUTTER VARIETY. In an almost incomprehensible statement McLarty contends, ìBeing part of a denomination works to increase the theological and spiritual diversity in Adventist congregations.î In my long experience in at least 20 Adventist local congregations, I have learned, often to my hurt and that of countless others, that just the opposite is the case: The overarching denominational ìbig tentî only works to decrease such diversity. Denominationalism only works to homogenize theological discourse and to standardize spiritual conduct. BEST OF ALL, ADVENTISM BEATS CHRISTIANITY HANDS DOWN: According to McLarty Adventism beats Christianity hands down. The fact that Christ is mentioned only once in the entire article ñ and that only tangentially -- fuels a growing sense of foreboding that McLarty speaks not about Christianity at all. But only about some vague, virtually Christless vestige of an earlier Adventism. An Adventism that many in Christendom have long suspected to be little more than quasi-Christian. This especially in view of the SDA doctrine of the investigative judgment, which McLarty has admitted he both likes and believes to be true. Strangely, McLarty wears the ìNot Christianî albatross as a badge of honor. Nor -- in defense of it -- is he above sensationalist mischaracterization and/or bombastic overstatement: Item #1. ìíChristian,í in America, means belief in the god of eternal torment.î A patently false charge, which he repeats in a footnote applied to ìEvangelicals.î Item #2. ìIn the minds of many, Christians are people who hate homosexuals and bomb abortion clinics.î If the word ìmanyî were changed to ìa fewî this charge might have a modicum of merit, but even then not in contradistinction to Adventists per se. Item #3. ìíChristianí does not help me share the gospel with my secular neighbors.î And the appellation ìAdventistî does? I donít think so. Item # 4. ìThe baggage that comes with my Adventist identity [is] less than comes with the label ëChristian.íî Not only does McLarty fail to support so grotesque a straw man, but he knocks it over in the same paragraph: For ìbeing an Adventistî is what ìconnects me with the evil in Rwanda, where my people were both killers and victims.î To McLarty's everlasting shame -- whether he recognizes it or not -- it is saddest of facts that no other denomination in recent memory has to bear so gruesome a burden. Item #5. ìThe denomination is not the same as the Body of Christ.î For McLarty this Iím-sure unintended confession is all too obviously true. Item #6. ìAdventist theology is the form of Christianity best suited to reach the modern, education mind.î This is the only instance in the entire article where McLarty admits that Adventism is anything other than superior to Christianity, although he would probably argue that he always assumed it was a part. But even at that, he makes no attempt to explain how the SDA ìcherished doctrineî of the investigative judgment ñ which McLarty likes so well and believes to be so true ñ could so much as enter the same arena with the likes of perspicacious ìBuddhists, Jews, agnostics and garden variety non-religious Americans.î Item #7. ìOur approach to revelation/inspiration is praiseworthy.î But how much value does ìthe modern, educated mindî place on self-praise? We know that Jesus valued it at zero or less (in Matthew 23:5-12, for instance). Item #8. ìWhile regarding the Bible as the Word of God, we do not believe the Bible is the ëwords of God.íî I doubt that this particular word craft would fly very well with 99% of the 10 million Seventh-day Adventist believers aboard. Item #9. ìWe are driven to interpret what the Bible says in a way that does not violate human intelligenceÖ.î Given the investigative judgment doctrine, I doubt that this particular word craft would fly very well with 99% of the worldís non-Adventist theologians. Nor would his follow-up statement -- ìThis idea of Godís intelligibility and lawfulness underlies our doctrines of judgmentÖ.î ñ fare much better. ELLEN WHITE ñ NOT SCRIPTURE ñ STILL REIGNS SUPREME. In McLartyís words this meaning hides behind the skirts of the denominationís current ordination-of-women issue, but nonetheless it can be detected there, peeking around: ìWe should ordain women or dethrone Ellen White. (I prefer ordination.)î LOVE COMES LAST. McLartyís concluding remarks remind the reader, ìThe very first qualification for any genuine Christian reform is love.î The trouble is, nothing in his foregoing remarks justifies this conclusion. It seems tacked on like the paper donkeyís tail. And the reader is free to make of this what he/she will. Under grace, not denominationalism, Jude *As opposed to revealed theology. | ||
| Susan |
Max, thanks for sharing your previous post. I'm so thankful that I'm not an Adventist anymore. It's so freeing to just be a Christ-follower! Oh sure, I have my preference for a certain theology within Christianity (Reformed vs Arminian kind-of stuff) but I would never hesitate to worship with ANY kind of bible believing Christian. I've often found it amazing that SDA's will travel long distances, just to attend one of their churches, rather than go to a local church of another denomination. BTW, I think Mormons, JWs etc. are also likely to do this. As a Christian, I would not hesitate to find a church of another denomination, if my prefered one was too far away. I think a big difference is, now I realize my identity is in the Body of Christ not in a specific church. My denomination is insignificant in light of my identity as a kingdom child. Thanks Max for your keen insight and wonderful comments! In Christ, Susan | ||
| Max |
Hi Susan, You made this telling observation: ^^I've often found it amazing that SDA's will travel long distances, just to attend one of their churches, rather than go to a local church of another denomination.^^ It triggered a memory of an incident that occurred in the late 80s after I had joined the Presbyterian church (without formally leaving the SDA church). We took an orientation class. One of the admonitions was to "seek out the fellowship" when traveling. Silly SDA-brained me! I thought it meant to find a Presbyterian church on Sunday when in a far city. I had to humbly learn that it meant to seek out the body of Christ! I love the Greek term ekklesia. It means "those called (out of the world) by God to worship him." That is the meaning of the Presbyterian admonition -- "seek out the fellowship" when traveling. It doesn't mean -- as the Adventists have it -- seek out another zebra of the same stripe. For in Christ is no such distinctions are allowed. Max | ||
| Jay |
What would a Mormon or JW say is their Cornerstone? After researching both of these groups on the internet, it is astonishing to me how simililar to Seventh-day Adventism is their emphasis on "the Church" (meaning their own specific group) as God's "one true", "restored", "visible organization". For Seventh-day Adventism, Mormonism, and Jehovah's Witnesses, the cornerstone seems to be The Organization, obligatory protests notwithstand | ||
| Jay |
What would a Mormon or JW say is their Cornerstone? After researching both of these groups on the internet, it is astonishing to me how simililar to Seventh-day Adventism is their emphasis on "the Church" (meaning their own specific group) as God's "one true", "restored", "visible organization". For Seventh-day Adventism, Mormonism, and Jehovah's Witnesses, the cornerstone seems to be The Organization, obligatory protests notwithstanding. Jay | ||
| Max |
Thanks, Jay, For sharing your research. I'm very fuzzy on the teachings and culture of the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Latter-Day Saints. And I for one would appreciate hearing more about parallels or contrasts between them and the SDAs. Anybody else out there feel as I do? | ||
| Jay |
At the start of this thread, "cornerstone" was defined as that which is the most important and supporting element of our life. Perhaps what the cornerstone of a church is could be inferred by noticing what is most emphasized. What is the cornerstone of the Seventh-day Adventist Church? What in the church receives the most emphasis? About five years ago the Adventist Review had a cover story entitled "What does the public think of us?" Is public image of the church its cornerstone? It's hard for me to avoid the thought that if Christ were the cornerstone of the church, the article would have been entitled "What does the public think of Jesus?" Also about five years ago the Adventist Review showed a picture of a mural that was to be displayed in the General Conference Office. The title of the mural was, I believe, "Christ's Church - The Story Continues". I was dismayed to see that the ten commandments (The Law) on stone received a very large and prominent place in the mural. Not nearly as prominent, or perhaps even absent ( I don't want to be unfair, so some one please correct me if I am wrong), was the cross. Is The Law the Cornerstone of Adventism? Or is the cross the Conerstone? Jay | ||
| Max |
Jay, I think you're right. And your comments remind me of this passage in Matthew 21:42-46 NIV: 42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? 43 "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed." 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet. My conclusion: Seventh-day Adventists continue to behave as the "chief priests and the Pharisees" behaved. And SDA failure to recognize Jesus as the Cornerstone results in all sorts of heresies, such as the following example: SDA HERESY: Salvation (redemption or atonement) was not complete at the cross, but was interrupted, dragged out for more than 1800 years, and is STILL NOT COMPLETE. During the interruption Jesus was not sitting at this right hand of the Father, but from AD 31 to 1844 was instead standing in the outer court of the sanctuary in heaven. Never mind that the veil was rent. Never mind that Jesus was never a priest after the order of Levi, but only after the order of Melchisidek. Never mind that Hebrews says repeatedly that after Jesus achieved salvation "once for all" he "sat down" at the right hand of the Father! MY REACTION: Do you see how this demeans Christ, devalues the cross, and zeros out our salvation? No wonder there are so many Sadventists in church on Sabbath morning! Still, I know little about how the Latter-Day Saints and the Jehovah's Witnesses fail to use Christ as the Cornerstone of their teachings. | ||
| Susan |
Hi Jay! I'm not sure we've met. Welcome! And thanks for your input. Your observations about LDS and JW churches are right on. Jesus Christ is not the cornerstone of those churches. They put works and membership in their "remnant churches" as cornerstones. Sound familiar? Anyway, even though they all place importance on Christ, the bigger issue is what Christ are they proclaiming? This is where all heresy starts. You don't have to look any further into a church, to determine if they line up with historic Christianity. This one doctrine alone, should be all you need to investigate. Max, loved your story of "seeking out the fellowship" mix-up. We all have similar moments when the "SDA tapes" enter our thinking. I've talked with other formers about the huge differences we experience in Christian churches (like Easter celebrations, loving forgiveness, praying for each other and Christ's love just oozing out all over the place!). It's so unbelievably different. Of course there are problems everywhere, but the same Spirit is shared among all believers, regardless of their denomination. I don't think SDA's (not speaking of all but the majority I've known) share in the same Spirit. I guess it's because we don't have the same Cornerstone! In Christ Alone, Susan | ||
| Max |
Susan, There are Adventists who reject the "investigative judgment" heresy, the "test of fellowship" Sabbath-keeping heresy, the "Sunday-worship = "mark of the beast" heresy, but they have to keep their heads down. Does everyone agree? Max | ||
| Jay |
Max, yes, I would suspect that Adventists who reject the doctrines that you mentioned immediately above would probably do well to "keep their heads down", particularly if they are in positions of leadership and/or are denominational employees. I equivocate by saying "suspect" because I have not been a church member for decades and and so am on the outside looking in. I do believe that there is a vigorous Evangelical movement in Adventism that at least deemphasizes those doctrines. Talking to my many Adventist relatives, reading the Review, and lurking on Atoday's forum leads me to this conclusion. You asked for information regarding the parallels and contrasts bewteen Adventism and Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormonism. I regret not bookmarking some of the pertinent websites that I visited. If I come across them again, I will post them here. Certainly it is ideal to be able to offer documentation in such matters. Apologies for not being more specific at this time. One site listed the stories of about 30 ex-LDS members. A recurring theme in many of them that is also seen in many ex-Adventist members is the exclusivism in the church they left. That is, when still active in their church, both Mormons and Adventists felt a tall wall of demarcations between their own church and all other churches. This clear line of demarcation made them feel special and close to fellow members, but also caused them to be very afraid of non-members. This fear within "us" toward "them" is, incidentally, something that I have not witnessed in the non-Adventist Christian churches I've vistited in the last 5 years, although that is not to claim that it doesn't exist. One place where I witnessed the fellowship between believers that transcended denominational boundaries was at a Promise Keepers weekend. Jesus' love was "oozing out" all over the place, to use Susan's words. Susan, we have not met before. Just started posting yesterday after having lurked here for months. This forum is an oasis for me. There is a bond of understanding between former SDAs that is hard to explain to never-have-been SDAs. One thing I appreciate on this forum is the civility, love, and respect that is generally shown to each other. This forum serves, amoung other purposes, as a catharsis for people who have left a very closely-knit, nearly "ethnic" culture. Such a departure is, paradoxically, both an exhilarating escape and also a very real loss. Certainly some of my memories of Adventism are very warm and positive. One of the strongest positive impressions that Seventh-day Adventism instilled in me was the "Golden Rule" of do toward others as you would have them do toward you. For this I am grateful. I must say that I miss the feeling of love and safety in my family growing up on Friday nights. We would have an extra good dinner. Of course, the feasting resumed after church the next day. Who can forget such food?! My departure from the Seventh-day Adventist church was gradual. It started in college at PUC and is continuing, since it takes a long time to reorient oneself toward a non-Adventist perspective. For years I did not attend any church, feeling unsatisfied in the Adventist church, but conditioned to believe that all other churches were Babylon, and therefore, no better, and probably worse. It was the invitation of a friend to attend a Presbyterian (USA) church 7 years ago that started me on a process of discovering that the love and joy and life of Jesus are very much present outside of the Seventh-day Adventist church. I joined this church several years ago, having to assent only to the statement that "Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour". It almost seemed too easy! This congregation has several former Adventists. I am free to express disagreement with some of the doctrines without shocking people with my "heresy". For example, I told my pastor that I cannot accept hyper-calvinism (it's hard to divest myself of the Wesleyan-Arminian perspective on this issue that Adventism bequeaths). To my surprise, he replied, "I can't either". Even though the doctrine of Election is one of the signature beliefs of the Reformed faith, of which Presbyterianism is a part, acceptance of this doctrine is not even close to being a test of fellowship. Indeed, I was pretty surprised when an elder in my church, claimed to not be familiar with the docrine of predestination! By no means is acceptance of this distinctive doctrine by individual members the "cornerstone" of my church! The grace of Christ is the cornerstone. And grace, as I have began to experience it, is the unmerited favor of God toward us. It seems that within Adventism, grace is used a little differently; grace is the help and strenth the believer receives from God to obey. Does it seem accurate or fair to you to suggest this difference? Grace of Christ to all of you tonight. Jay | ||
| Patti |
Hi, Jay! My experiences with the Presbyterians (and the Methodists) have been positive. Although the Methodists are Arminian, one does not have to buy into their theology nor accept the teachings of Wesley in order to be a member. I truly enjoy the freedom in the mainstream churches. You said: And grace, as I have began to experience it, is the unmerited favor of God toward us. It seems that within Adventism, grace is used a little differently; grace is the help and strenth the believer receives from God to obey. Does it seem accurate or fair to you to suggest this difference? I would say that is extremely accurate. And it is also one of the core differences between the Reformed Gospel and the Catholic one. It has been said that there is no new heresy under the sun. I would like to elaborate on that and say that there is no new conflict in Christendom under the sun. There are only two choices, and never the twain shall meet: We are either saved by the saving work of Jesus Christ for us ALONE, or we are saved by some work of our own hands. | ||
| Max |
Jay, welcome to this forum! It's good to have you here. A group averaging about 15 of us meets in Redlands in southern California every Friday night. For me at least this helps tremendously to provide "family." If you live anywhere near Redlands, please come and share with us. Or if you happen to be visiting, please plan to stop by, at 6:45 PM any Friday evening, at Trinity Free Evangelical Church on Reservor Road in Redlands just off of I-10, Ford Exit, and worship with us! As you know, there is a high concentration of "SDA true believers" in and around Redlands, and especially in adjoining Loma Linda. Recently we've been described by the busy workers in the rumor mill as Adventists who are "disgruntled." To which we cheerfully reply, Make that thoroughly "gruntled," thank you. Max of the Cross | ||
| Max |
Jay, I appreciated your comments about Adventism's use of the word, concept and spiritual reality of "grace." You wrote, ^^And grace, as I have began to experience it, is the unmerited favor of God toward us. It seems that within Adventism, grace is used a little differently; grace is the help and strenth the believer receives from God to obey. Does it seem accurate or fair to you to suggest this difference?^^ I spent 6 years attending Presbyterian churches as a member. And I agree with you. Neither of the two Presbyterian congregations -- three years at Sunnyvale, CA, Presbyterian and three at Menlo Park, CA Presbyterian -- where I attended ever came even close to hyper-Calvinism. The ministers there were much stronger than SDA ministers on the teaching of election, however. For me grace is always unmerited favor, both before and after being born again in Christ. Jesus said, ^^"I am the grapevine and you are the branches." So I think of one of the functions of the Holy Spirit as the sap in the vine (or tree). For Jesus said, "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. 46 "Why do you call me, `Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."^^ --Luke 6:43-49 NIV. Max of the Cross | ||
| Max |
As a postscript to my post immediately above, I'd like to say this: In "Sunday school" class today at Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Redlands a fellow Christian, whom I know only by the name of Ken, shared with us a study he did in Scripture on the word "listen." He finished his brief presentation this way: "In solitude hear God, listen to God. For if there is no listening there is no relationship. If there is no relationship, there is no trust. And if there is no trust, there is no following Him." Then, on the road to Tinker's house where I was invited for Sunday luncheon, I heard this on the radio. The speaker was talking about the New Testament metaphor of the Good Shepherd and his sheep. When the shepherd uses the crook in his staff to jerk the lamb away from the wolf's jaws and whacks the wolf over the head, the wolf cries, "It's not fair! You're infringing on my freedom!" But the lamb cries, "Thank you, Lord!" and goes back to its mother's side in one piece. Friends, the Christian life is about experiences and relationships much more than head knowledge. Max of the Cross | ||
| Lorinc |
Hello, Everyone, Another lurker climbs out of the woodwork! I've been reading and appreciating everyone's helpful insights and Christ-like spirit in this forum for awhile now, and finally I had to get an ID and start posting, too! (I see there's a 12-step program elsewhere on this board, so I'm not worried about addiction! :-) Regarding the "cornerstone" issue, I, too, would agree with Jay, but with one puzzling caveat: I've been an Adventist for a little over a decade, and I'd have to say that, for most members, their "most important supporting element" seems to be the church organization, and, doctrinally, the Sabbath (versus Christ, Justification by faith, etc). The interesting caveat is that this has *not* been the position of any SDA *clergy* whom I've known. At my last SDA church, the associate pastor once asked our Sabbath School class, "If an unbeliever were to ask you, 'What do you Adventists believe, anyway?', what would you tell them?" The consensus soon came down to, "We don't eat meat, and we go to church on Saturday!" To his credit, the associate pastor lovingly-but-sharply reprimanded the class, saying "This is an *unbeliever!* He doesn't care about what you eat, and he doesn't care about what day you worship on! Why didn't you mention Jesus?" All of my pastors have been basically grace-oriented, yet the congregations-at-large seem to have "internalized" a different message. If not for the evangelical inclinations of my pastors, I would have left long ago. As it is, I'm "in the process." My wife is a "lifer," so it's a slow, challenging journey out. Anyway, this is long enough for a first posting! Grace to you all, Lorin | ||
| Patti |
Hi, Lorin, And welcome. Your experience is similar to mine, except that I had few pastors who spoke often or long about Jesus Christ except in the context of the second coming. Somewhat ironic, isn't it, that people who call themselves Christians would have so little to say about Christ? This is not just an SDA problem, however. From my limited and very narrow perspective, I would say that the majority of Protestantism today is believer-(works) centered as opposed to Christ (grace)-centered. At any rate, just keep focused on the marvel of the saving work of Jesus Christ in our behalf. He is our full salvation. Grace and peace, Patti | ||
| Max |
Greetings Lorin, Great to have another lurker come out of the fine canyon oak wainscotting. And hope you continue to post often. You'll get no argument from me about SDA pulpit being "ahead" of the pew. For me it's not a puzzle, though. I attended the SDA seminary in the days before the professors who believed in righteousness by faith alone were forced out and replaced by legalists. That's an oversimplification, but true nevertheless. In my opinion, most of the SDA pastors who are educated are ahead of their pew-sitters in terms of their concept of the status of Jesus Christ -- the true heart of the conflict. Max of the Cross | ||
| Lorinc |
Thanks for the welcomes! Max, your perspective on the shifting emphases at the seminary was quite instructive. Interestingly, during my pre-baptismal studies with my Pastor a decade ago, he gave me a musty copy of "Questions on Doctrine." That book was what tipped the scales and made me comfortable enough with Adventism to become a member ("We do not equate Ellen White with the writers of the Canon of scripture!"). Only much later did I find out that the book was highly controversial and largely condemned within the church, and that I was actually a member of the subversive "evangelical fringe." :-) - Lorin |
