DOCSLIB.ORG

Lutheranslutherans Part One of Two

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Lutheranslutherans Part One of Two LinkingLinking withwith thethe LutheransLutherans Part One of Two I received a telephone call from sented at the conference of secretar- “children of Luther” theme, the be- a friend in a distant city. “Read the ies of Christian World Communions. ginning step has been successfully latest issue of the Review. It’s by More recently, the SDAC has been taken to draw the two denominations Johnsson. He has carefully dis- represented at the annual conference into a close fellowship. In the eyes of closed, for the first time, that our of U.S. church leaders. Christian some, a great achievement is in the church leaders are entering into a se- World Communions and various making. ries of dialogues with the Lutherans. churches have responded to the SDA Only one name of those in atten- Read it, the latest issue.” invitation and sent observers to the dance at the reapproachment meet- The article itself is very carefully quinquennial General Conference ings was disclosed in the article. That written. According to Johnsson, it is Sessions.”—Bert B. Beach, article in man was the chairman of the Adven- merely a friendly get-together. Dictionary of the Ecumenical Move- tist delegation. Yes, you guessed it; it Yet, as we revealed three years ment, 1991 edition, Geneva. was Bert Beverly Beach, head of the ago in our in-depth study, A Hundred As clearly stated above by B.B. General Conference Religious Liberty Years of Ecumenism—Part 1-6 Beach, Adventist participation in Department—the same Adventist [WM—358-364],our church is under- WWC activities has continued un- leader who, on May 18, 1977, gave a taking, with the Lutherans, the ex- abated for nearly thirty years. Beach gold medal to Pope Paul VI. (See The act procedure the World Council of is generally chairman of the WWC Gold Medel to the Pope [MB-54], now Churches and its subsidiary national and CWC committees he serves on. in our Catholicism/New Age Tract- councils have been using for decades It was during a 1977 Christian World book.) to compromise doctrines and unite Communions meeting, in Rome, that (Because Beach can speak half a denominations! Meetings are held, Beach gave that gold medal to the dozen languages fluently, he has been agreements are reached, and finally pope, “as a token of appreciation” extremely influential at the General organic union occurs. from the Seventh-day Adventist Conference, since the early 1960s, Read that six-part tract set and Church. in all matters relating to Europe and you will understand. (It is now avail- Our General Conference leaders the papacy.) able in our Ecumenism/Hungary well-know that church members are We are told that the nine men Tractbook.) Although not “officially” upset when they bring Catholic bish- representing the Adventist denomi- a member denomination, our church ops, Orthodox priests, and Protes- nation at the Adventist-Lutheran has maintained essentially the same tant leaders to “bless” the delegates meetings were “scholars” from close ties and objectives by provid- attending our General Conference Andrews University, Biblical Re- ing voting members to WWC and Sessions each five years, but they search Institute, Adventist Review, other ecumenical councils in various keep bringing them back. Why are Europe, and Africa. The article men- parts of the world. they more anxious to keep in good tions that the meetings were held at “Though the SDAC [Seventh-day favor with the other churches than our Adventist seminary in Darm- Adventist Church] is not a member with our own people? stadt, Germany, not far from the of the organized ecumenical move- This new article, written by Will- headquarters of the Lutheran World ment, it recognizes those church iam G. Johnsson, editor in chief of Federation in Geneva, Switzerland. agencies that lift up Christ as a part the Adventist Review (although very (Geneva was selected for the LWF of the divine plan for the evangeliza- carefully written) is quite revealing. headquarters because, being an ecu- tion of the world and holds in high Significantly enough, it is entitled menical organization, it wanted to be esteem fellow Christians in other “Children of Luther.” The surface close to the WWC, which is also head- communions who are engaged in theme is that we are all—both quartered there.) winning souls for Christ. The SDAC Lutherans and Adventists—children Reading Johnsson’s article (re- is regularly represented through ob- of Martin Luther. I would like to in- printed on page three), the gather- servers or advisors at WCC and other form William Johnsson that, in faith ing sounded like a great evangelistic church meetings. For many years, a and practice, we are children of the opportunity for the Adventists! But SDA has been a member of the WWC Bible and Spirit of Prophecy; not of not so. As mentioned earlier, such Faith and Order Commission in a Martin Luther. There were few beliefs meetings are regularly held by de- personal capacity. The SDAC has which Luther held dear, which we nominations affiliated with the World participated in dialogues with the today accept. Council of Churches. Sometimes it WCC and various religious bodies, takes five or ten years of such meet- and, since 1968, has been repre- But, working on the basis of this ings, before churches enter upon 2 Waymarks major concessions. Occasionally or- Read it on the next page. The entire of Prophecy was always firm in teach- ganic union is the result. But there first session of top-level ecumenical ing that none should ever be taught are rewards along the way—which meetings was portrayed as just won- that they have already been saved. are actually far more dangerous than derful. That is the impression con- Salvation and perdition do not come corporate unity: (1) Compromises veyed. One might think, “What harm till the close of one’s probation, are made which change worship ser- could come from such meetings? which, in most cases, occurs at vices, so they will closely mirror one Surely, they could only result in great death. another. (2) Doctrinal modifications good.” Johnsson and his fellow “schol- are quietly made “to bring us to- At the end of the article, Johns- ars” are now able to relate well to the gether.” (3) Regional ecumenical son gently informs our people around Lutherans, because of the Adventist meetings are planned, where mem- the world that, after a brief pause, changeover in the 1980s. Their foun- bers of both denominations gather further Adventist-Lutheran meetings dational beliefs are now very much for joint worship services. (4) Agree- will probably begin in earnest. That alike. ments are formed, regarding restric- was exactly why the article was writ- tions on proselyting in one another’s ten: to get us used to the idea, and Johnsson’s article about our territories. soften us up for what is coming. drawing near to the Lutherans was As for the church members, who Before concluding our comments published in the first week of 1995 are footing the bill for all these meet- on Johnsson’s article, we should no- in the Adventist Review. ings, they must be led along gingerly. tice the urgent significance of what But if you read Catholic periodi- Get the people used to it. Under-re- he said in the middle! And it was said cals, you will discover that a differ- port on the progress. Do it all in such loud and clear: Adventists and ent major breakthrough in Lutheran a way as to not alarm anyone. Keep Lutherans can now meet in harmony, reapproachment meetings was an- moving closer. Continue holding because, at last, they are in agree- nounced in the second week of 1995. high-level exploratory meetings. En- ment on law and grace! As Johnsson It was reported in the National courage local and regional worship phrased it: “Salvation by grace Catholic Register (see page six). gatherings and social service ven- alone.” “Salvation comes freely as The implication of that article is tures. a divine gift, without any human that, as the result of repeated re- Keep in mind that our church has works added on.” “Not by faith plus approachment committee meetings, been involved in WWC meetings for . anything else.” “Our good works Lutherans have been brought to the twenty-seven years. The continued result from salvation; they do not point of catagorically declaring that quiet progress on reapproachment contribute to it. Martin Luther was in error in de- talks with other denominations is There is a world of difference be- nouncing Catholic teachings. That is taking its toll. Remarkable changes tween “grace enabling us to obey” astounding! How can this be? have occurred in Adventism over the and “salvation enabling us to obey.” The answer is simple enough: It past twenty years—even though, be- That is because obedience by grace is the result of many, many recon- cause of the blanket of silence, the is a process of many decades lead- ciliation meetings, such as the Ad- lowly church members may not un- ing to salvation. ventists are now entering upon. It is derstand all the reasons for what is It is true that obedience by grace the result of repeated softening state- taking place. leads to salvation. But it is an error ments and compromising reports in Why is it that advance appoint- to teach that salvation precedes obe- Adventist books and periodicals. It ments are made so Roman Catholic dience! is the result of apostasy, accepted by leaders can speak to our General Error has a way of sounding fas- the church members—until they are Conference Sessions? Why are cinating, even liberating.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Seventh-Day Adventist Church – What Happened?
    1844, 1863, 1888, 1919, 1950, 2000, 2010 And the Seventh-day Adventist Church – What Happened? By George M. Petrjcik 8/31/10 3/2/15 Contents Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 3 How To Understand the Seventh-day Adventist Church Today ........................................ 3 Content and Focus of this Document .................................................................................. 4 How this document came to be ........................................................................................... 4 Foundational Information ................................................................................................... 6 Early Adventism and Ellen G. White ............................................................................. 8 Discussion of Appendix Illustrations ................................................................................ 11 Church Structure – Biblical or Not? ............................................................................. 11 Neal C. Wilson .................................................................................................................. 29 Adventists Respond to U.N. Appeal for World Peace ...................................................... 29 Christian Witness vs. Scriptural Witness .......................................................................... 31 Two Interpretations of Galatians 4 ..................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Person of Christ in the Seventh–Day Adventism: Doctrine–Building and E
    Middlesex University Research Repository An open access repository of Middlesex University research http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk Butoiu, Nicolae (2018) The person of Christ in the Seventh–day Adventism: doctrine–building and E. J. Wagonner’s potential in developing christological dialogue with eastern Christianity. PhD thesis, Middlesex University / Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. [Thesis] Final accepted version (with author’s formatting) This version is available at: https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/24350/ Copyright: Middlesex University Research Repository makes the University’s research available electronically. Copyright and moral rights to this work are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners unless otherwise stated. The work is supplied on the understanding that any use for commercial gain is strictly forbidden. A copy may be downloaded for personal, non-commercial, research or study without prior permission and without charge. Works, including theses and research projects, may not be reproduced in any format or medium, or extensive quotations taken from them, or their content changed in any way, without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). They may not be sold or exploited commercially in any format or medium without the prior written permission of the copyright holder(s). Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including the author’s name, the title of the work, publication details where relevant (place, publisher, date), pag- ination, and for theses or dissertations the awarding institution, the degree type awarded, and the date of the award. If you believe that any material held in the repository infringes copyright law, please contact the Repository Team at Middlesex University via the following email address: [email protected] The item will be removed from the repository while any claim is being investigated.
    [Show full text]
  • Adventists and Ecumenical Conversation
    Adventists and Ecumenical Conversation Ángel Manuel Rodríguez The Seventh-day Adventist Church does not exist in isolation from other Christian communities. Social and religious trends in the Christian world impact us; they force us to decide how we should relate to those trends and changes. The Christian concern about the unity of the church, voiced particularly through the World Council of Churches, forces us to define where we stand on this important subject. Certainly, “no Adventist can be opposed to the unity Christ Himself prayed for.”1 This article looks at the nature of Seventh-day Adventist involvement in the search for unity among Christians, as well as the doctrinal and theological parameters within which we operate in that search. It also briefly discusses the risks and benefits present in the conversations with other Christian bodies. Our hope is that the ideas expressed here will be useful to Adventist ministers who interact with non-Adventist clergy at a more personal level, as well as a help to our pastors as they answer some of the concerns that church members might have regarding these conversations. Adventist identity and ecumenical dialogues The Adventist Church has occasionally had conversations with other Christian communities and even participated with them in special activities (such as the matter of the promotion of religious liberty throughout the world). We have entered into those conversations with some apprehension, while at the same time acknowledging their need, usefulness, and importance. What are our concerns as we deal with interfaith relations and dialogues? The church has not been quiet about that question.
    [Show full text]
  • Table of Contents a Word to the Reader
    Table of Contents A Word To the Reader ............................................................................................................... 30 PREFACE .................................................................................................................................... 30 PART I THE APOSTASY ...................................................................................................... 33 Chapter 1 ..................................................................................................................................... 34 HOLY FLESH AND CELEBRATION MUSIC ...................................................................... 34 The Doctrine Of the Holy Flesh Movement .......................................................................... 35 The Holy Flesh Movement and Celebration Music .............................................................. 35 Ellen White‟s Response To Haskell‟s Description ............................................................... 36 Loud Music the Prerequisite For Speaking In Tongues ...................................................... 37 History Of the Past To Be Repeated ...................................................................................... 38 History Repeated Just Before the Close Of Probation ........................................................ 39 False Manifestations Of the Holy Spirit ................................................................................ 40 Haskell‟s Eye Witness Report ...............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • An Approach to a Holistic Ministry in a Seventh-Day Adventist Urban Church in Uganda
    Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertation Projects DMin Graduate Research 1988 An Approach to a Holistic Ministry in a Seventh-day Adventist Urban Church in Uganda Nathaniel Mumbere Walemba Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin Part of the Missions and World Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Walemba, Nathaniel Mumbere, "An Approach to a Holistic Ministry in a Seventh-day Adventist Urban Church in Uganda" (1988). Dissertation Projects DMin. 241. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/241 This Project Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertation Projects DMin by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in the Andrews University Digital Library of Dissertations and Theses. Please honor the copyright of this document by not duplicating or distributing additional copies in any form without the author’s express written permission. Thanks for your cooperation. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted.
    [Show full text]
  • ADVENTIST TIMELINE-V6 17
    ADVENTIST TIMELINE A step-by-step illustrated Timeline of what has happened over time within the Seventh-day Adventist church. In this document, you will notice some names of people that are highlighted in bold text. These folks were the first generation Pioneers that were involved in being a part of this denomination. Many of them were the core that set the foundation of our faith thru Jesus Christ. A few to note were sons of the first generation. And as you will see, they have died along the way and that brings some significance to the history of this denomination. As our Pioneers or “old-timers” were dying off, those Sunday keeping converts that had come in became the majority over time. And as they came in, they brought in their beliefs and concepts, just like an emigrant would today. They came from a smaller or foreign country into the United States of America. They weren’t as steadfast as George Butler, Uriah Smith or James White in the past, guarding our truths. Our church would eventually be taken over and ruled by educated scholars from the Jesuit system of Academia. They chose a career path of theology rather than a true calling from God. 1860 – The remnant was given the name, Seventh-day Adventist. 1863 – Organization of the General Conference of the Seventh- day Adventists. 1872 – The Declaration of Fundamental Principles taught and practiced by the Seventh-day Adventists is published at Battle Creek, MI. Primarily written by James White, these fundamentals serve as a synopsis of faith published in a pamphlet.
    [Show full text]
  • From the End of the World to the Ends of the Earth
    edition afem? mission specials 1 Stefan Höschele This book offers a readable access to Adventist missiology, not only describing it but showing how it developed, thereby turning its eyes away from the end of the world to the ends of the earth. Those who want to know how 3500Adventists grew to 12 million, will find some answers here. FromFrom the the End End Prof. Dr. Klaus Fiedler University of Malawi ofof the the World World STEFAN HÖSCHELE, born 1972. Studied at Friedensau University, 1991-1996. Served the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a missionary in Algeria, 1993-1994, and as a toto the the Ends Ends lecturer of theology at Tanzania Adventist College, 1997- 2003. Since 2003, he is a lecturer of Systematic Theology at Friedensau University. Currently writes a doctoral disser- tation at the University of Malawi about the history of ofof the the Earth Earth Adventism in Tanzania. He is married and has 3 children. The Development of ISBN 3-937965-14-9 Seventh-Day-Adventist Missiology Foreword by Klaus Fiedler VTR edition afem • mission specials 1 Höschele • Adventist Missiology edition afem? mission specials 1 Note on the Web Version This web version of the book From the End of the World to the Ends of the Earth: The Development of Seventh-Day Adventist Missiology is made available to the public in electronic format for research and private use only. Therefore, it is not public domain, and the publisher (Verlag für Theologie und Religionswissenschaft, Nürnberg, Germany) owns the full copyright. It may not be posted on any web site or stored on servers.
    [Show full text]
  • British Advent Messenger for 1968
    British Advent MESSENGER ORGAN OF THE BRITISH UNION CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS VOLUME 73 • NUMBER 8 APRIL 12, 1968 AN ALL - OUT EFFORT NEWBOLD SHOWS THE WAY by KENNETH H. GAMMON, Secretary, British Union Lay Activities Department ES, Ingathering is an all-out effort this ship Card, which provides a project to stir the year. Despite devaluation and the hard interest and challenge the activity of this y budget, Ingathering seems to be as easy group. To send a "flying doctor" plane on a as ever. We believe that more members are fifty-mile mercy flight, or a mission launch on participating than ever before and from a thirty-mile journey of healing, to treat a leper reports coming in, enthusiasm is high. for three months, to feed an orphan for six Newbold College students and faculty weeks—these all become a reality for our have thoroughly enjoyed their Ingathering and earliteens. seldom, if ever, has there been greater zeal For the first time ever, from tiny tots to shown for this missionary endeavour. Under oldest members, we are able to make a the able leadership of Pastor V. H. Hall, the united all-out effort in the Ingathering target of £3,500 was set. Last year's total was campaign. "If Christians were to act in con- £2,800. In one week the magnificent total of cert, moving forward as one, under the direc- £4,640 17s. 9d. has been brought in. What an tion of one Power, for the accomplishment achievement and what an inspiration to the of one purpose, they would move the world." rest of the field! "Testimonies", Vol.
    [Show full text]
  • Be a Mighty Leader for God
    February 15, 1968 Vol. 145 No. 7 REVIEW AND HERALD • GENERAL CHURCH PAPER Of THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS UR DENOMINATION has thousands of leaders, ranging from those at the General Conference head- quarters to the. officers of subsidiary organizations of a local church. All have been chosen for a special work and all are expected to make an important contribution to the success of God's program. Leadership is an immense respon- Be a sibility. If you are in charge of any part of the church pro- gram your followers look to you as an example and as a guide. They expect you to have a progressive program and to set the pace. Probably you did not seek your position. Perhaps, how- ever, one should have the attitude of Benjamin Franklin who Mighty said: "I shall never ask, never refuse, nor ever resign an office." When a church, a local or union conference, or the Gen- eral Conference assigns a man to leadership he should regard it as a call from God and give the task his energy, talent, and Leader time. The wise man said: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might" (Eccl. 9:10). If you have been called to oversee a part of God's vineyard, give it everything you have. Be a mighty leader for God. Such a commitment requires hard work. Someone said: "There is plenty of room at the top, but there is no room to for GOD sit down." If the work connected with administration does not require all of a man's time and make him wish that he had still more time for it, he is not giving the right type of leader- ship.
    [Show full text]
  • Revival and Reformation-1
    May 2, 1968 Vol. 145 No. 18 - REVIEW AND HERALD • GENERAL CHURCH PAPER OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS The MATCHLE HRIST •A HYING -aside His, royal 4 robe tid . kingly, ,crow , lx Christ 'aothed His, di vinity with humanity, that. human' beings might be 4 raked from their degrada-'. tion,,-4-14 placed on vanta e. ound,'Christ could no , / have come to this 'ear kith the glory:that He ha in the heavenly courts. Sinful human beingi could . not have borne the 81 t ti • , 4 4. He veiled His:divinity with . theg4rb of, lintrignity,but t. t He dill. not part with His 1 divinity. A divine-bum. Saviour, He came to ,staid • i at the head of the fallen ,... 4 44 race, to share in their ex- perience from childhood to , manhood. That human beings might be partakers of the divine nature, came to 'this earth, and lived a life of perfect o e- dience."--ELLEN G. 1'. WHITE, Review and H • .. aid, June ipo 05 1959 BY THE REVIEW AND HERALD NARRY A DERSON, ARTIST - Revival and Reformation-1 ANY years ago, back in 1902 in fact, the servant of the M Lord wrote: "A revival and a reformation must take place, under the ministration of the Holy Spirit." —Selected Messages, book 1, p. 128. The need for such an experience among us today is most evident. We ee41/• are living on the borders of the eter- nal world. Everything about us tells that the coming of the Lord is very near. But are we ready for that event? This prospect of the Lord's return should grip our souls in such a way that we will not be satisfied until in REVIVAL practical daily experience we know revival and we know reformation.
    [Show full text]
  • Wo, No Hear of Jesus"
    rip July 4, 1968 P. Vol. 145 No. 27 REVIEW AND HERALD • GENERAL CHURCH PAPER OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS When I asked him if he had ever heard of Jesus Christ, he replied, Wo, No Hear of Jesus" By D. A. ROTH NESTLED IN THE HEART of Southeast Asia sBattambang, which has only about 40,000 residents. between Thailand and South Vietnam is the king- Not the least of Cambodia's charms is the strik- dom of Cambodia, a round-shaped country of more ing contrast of an age-old culture side by side with than 6 million people. As part of the territory of the twentieth-century modernity. I was struck by the Far Eastern Division this unique nation presents a cleanliness of the cities. I found no garbage stacked challenge to Adventists possibly unparalleled in any in the streets as we see in some Oriental cities. There other part of the world. is a modern sewer system. The streets are wide and Cambodia today is a modern, forward-looking tree-shaded. The people are well-dressed and are state, with fast-developing industries, excellent com- shyly friendly to strangers. munications, and a progressive people. Yet it has The Cambodians are generally a friendly, tradi- never lost touch with its great past. The famous tionalist, and hard-working people. Most of them ruins of a lost civilization, Angkor Wat, remind are employed in agriculture (rice, rubber, palm the twentieth-century population of their religious trees) and fishing. Another of Cambodia's assets, heritage. which provides work for many, is its forest lands, On a recent visit to Cambodia while on a lengthy covering more than 30,000 square miles and provid- itinerary of our division, I learned some interesting ing rare species of wood as well as building timber.
    [Show full text]
  • Table of Contents
    The order of the Jesuits was created, the most cruel, unscrupulous, and powerful of all the champions of popery. GC, p. 233. Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Dr. Benjamin G. Wilkinson and the Jesusits .............................................................................................. 4 Did Ellen White agree with Dr. Wilkinson‘s statements about the Jesuits? ............................................... 5 Documented Evidence for Jesuit/Papal Influence in the SDA Church ....................................................... 8 Documented Evidence (1) General Conference endeavored to establish that the Seventh-day Adventist Church has an ―hierarchical‖ form of government similar to that of the Roman Catholic Church. ................... 8 Documented Evidence (2) General Conference stated that the prophetic teaching of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (in regard to the Papacy) ―has now been consigned to the historical trash heap.‖ ............... 9 Documented Evidence (3) Nov. 27, 1974 Neal Wilson states he was, ―the spiritual leader of 500,000 people.‖ ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 Documented Evidence (4) November 30, 1974. Robert
    [Show full text]