AN EVALUATION OF THE MODERN CHURCH IN LIGHT OF THE EARLY CHURCH: THE CASE OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO by KAKULE MITHIMBO PAUL Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY in the subject CHURCH HISTORY at the UNIVRSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROF P H GUNDANI NOVEMBER 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................... III LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................... VIII LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................... XI ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................. XII SUMMARY ............................................ ERREUR ! SIGNET NON DEFINI. III DEDICATION ............................................................................................ XV INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1 TOPIC……. ................................................................................................................. 1 1. AREA OF INVESTIGATION ................................................................................... 1 1.1. Problem Statement .................................................................................................................. 1 1.2. Area of Investigation ................................................................................................................ 2 1.1. Delimitation .............................................................................................................................. 3 2. JUSTIFICATION ..................................................................................................... 4 3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ....................................................................................... 5 4. RESEARCH METHODS ........................................................................................ 6 4.1. Combined Use of Primary and Secondary Sources .............................................................. 6 4.2. Questionnaire Method .......................................................................................................... 7 4.3. Presentation of Population ................................................................................................... 8 4.4. Limitations of Data Collection ............................................................................................... 8 4.5. Sample Selection of Respondents ........................................................................................ 9 5. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................... 10 5.1. Related Literature Review .................................................................................................. 10 CHAPTER ONE : BACKGROUND TO MODERN SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH (1863 – 1959) ..................................................................... 12 1.0. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 12 1.1. THE GREAT ADVENT AWAKENING ....................................................................... 13 1.1.1. Interest In Prophecy ........................................................................................................... 13 1.1.2. Awakening in Europe ......................................................................................................... 14 1.1.3. In Spain And Spanish America ........................................................................................... 15 1.1.4. In Great Britain ................................................................................................................... 15 1.1.5. In the near East, Central Asia and India ............................................................................. 17 1.1.6. In Scotland ......................................................................................................................... 18 1.1.7. Other Continental Expositors .............................................................................................. 18 1.1.8. In Scandinavia ................................................................................................................... 19 1.1.9. In Adelaide, Australia ......................................................................................................... 19 1.1.10 Awakening in America ........................................................................................................ 20 1.2. THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SDA CHURCH ....................................... 24 1.3. MAJOR FACTORS IN THE GROWTH OF THE ADVENT MOVEMENT ........................... 25 1.4. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................... 26 CHAPTER TWO: GENERAL HISTORY OF DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENT .... 27 1.0. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 27 2.1. MILLER ’S HERMENEUTICAL PRINCIPLES .............................................................. 27 iii 2.2. THE HISTORICAL SHAPING OF SDA DOCTRINES (1849-1888) .............................. 29 2.2.1. A Post Disappointment Background Experience ................................................................. 30 2.2.2. Resistance To The Formulation Of The Doctrinal Creed ..................................................... 33 2.2.3. Christ’s Sacrifice And Atonement ....................................................................................... 34 2.2.4. The Divine Weekly Day of Rest .......................................................................................... 36 2.2.5. Final Events And Second Advent ....................................................................................... 39 2.2.6. Doctrinal Position On The Millennium ................................................................................. 40 2.2.7. Baptism, Basic Christian Ordinance ................................................................................... 41 2.2.8. Adventist Health Reform .................................................................................................... 42 2.2.9. The Prophetic Gift among Adventists .................................................................................. 43 2.2.10. Righteous by Faith in Jesus Christ ..................................................................................... 45 2.2.10.1. The Message of Waggoner and Jones .............................................................................................. 47 2.2.10.2. Official Reaction to the Message ....................................................................................................... 49 2.2.10.3. The Conference Meeting ................................................................................................................... 50 2.2.10.4. .Apparent Rejection of Waggoner’s Message .................................................................................... 52 2.2.10.5. E.G.White’s Counsel Relating to Misunderstanding ........................................................................... 53 2.2.10.6. Understanding,Confession and Contrition ......................................................................................... 57 2.2.10.7. The 1890s Spiritual Awakening .......................................................................................................... 59 2.3. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................... 60 CHAPTER THREE: LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATION OF THE SDA CHURCH ................................................................................................... 62 2.0. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 62 3.1. ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT – 1864-87 ....................................................... 63 3.2. THE VIGILANT MISSIONARY SOCIETY ................................................................... 63 3.2.1 Publishing Work and Literature Evangelists ........................................................................ 65 3.2.2 City Evangelism and Camp Meetings ................................................................................. 66 3.2.3 Sabbath School and Work for the Youth ............................................................................. 68 3.3 GROWTH AND REORGANISATION MOVEMENT : 1888-1903 ................................... 70 3.3.1 The Leadership Organisation Centralised ........................................................................... 71 3.3.2 The Reorganisational Attempts .......................................................................................... 74 3.3.2.1 The European Council ....................................................................................................................... 74 3.3.2.2 Consolidation of Publishing Interests ................................................................................................. 75 3.3.2.3 Organizing Union Conferences .......................................................................................................... 76 3.3.2.4 Thorough Reorganisation .................................................................................................................