Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Master's Theses Graduate Research 1989 Nature as a Biblical Hermeneutic Device: the Role and Use of Light in the Experience and Writings of Ellen G. White William Clyde Sands Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/theses Recommended Citation Sands, William Clyde, "Nature as a Biblical Hermeneutic Device: the Role and Use of Light in the Experience and Writings of Ellen G. White" (1989). Master's Theses. 52. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/theses/52 This Thesis 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 Master's Theses 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. 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Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Order Number 13S7249 Nature as a biblical hermeneutic device: The role and use of light in the experience and writings of Ellen G. White Sands, William Clyde, Jr., M.A. Andrews University, 1989 Copyright ©1989 by Sands, William Clyde, Jr. All rights reserved. UMI 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary NATURE AS A BIBLICAL HERMENEUTIC DEVICE: THE ROLE AND USE OF LIGHT IN THE EXPERIENCE AND WRITINGS OF ELLEN G. WHITE A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Religion by William Clyde Sands, Jr. June 1989 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. NATURE AS A BIBLICAL HERMENEUTIC DEVICE: THE ROLE AND USE OF LIGHT IN THE EXPERIENCE AND WRITINGS OF ELLEN G. WHITE A thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Religion by William Clyde Sands Jr. APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: - . n — ________ Douglas Waterhouse,PhiD., Chair Bjornar Storfjell, Ph. D. 1/ JQ- 3. Date Approved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Copyright by William Clyde Sands, Jr. 1989 (c) All Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT NATURE AS A BIBLICAL HERMENEUTIC DEVICE: THE ROLE AND USE OF LIGHT IN THE EXPERIENCE AND WRITINGS OF ELLEN G. WHITE by William Clyde Sands, Jr. Chair: S. Douglas Waterhouse Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Thesis Andrews University Theological Seminary Title: NATURE AS A BIBLICAL HERMENEUTIC DEVICE: THE ROLE AND USE OF LIGHT IN THE EXPERIENCE AND WRITINGS OF ELLEN G. WHITE Name of Researcher: William Clyde Sands Jr. Name and degree of faculty chair: S. Douglas Waterhouse, Ph. D. Date Completed: June 1989 Problem In Seventh-day Adventism Ellen G. White is a key figure. Debate exists over whether she did serious biblical exegesis, engaged in proof-text eisegesis, or did only thematic homiletics. Method Selections of White's writings were approached using Dr. Douglas Waterhouse's biblical hermeneutic in which ritual, nature, and cosmos are three levels of meaning revealed in sound biblical exegesis. From the Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. various aspects of nature, light was selected. Life Sketches and Earlv Writings were the source of autobiographical data. The parable of the Ten Virgins as interpreted in Christ's Object Lessons was the case study. Results White does homiletics which are faithful to the canons of responsible biblical exegesis. Waterhouse's hermeneutic assisted in the understanding of White's exegesis of the Ten Virgins, providing explanations of connections between believer, heavenly sanctuary, Holy Spirit, and the two anointed ones. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. DEDICATED TO JANE iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter I. INTRODUCTION............................... 1 Statement of the Problem.............. 1 The Christian Goal Revealed in Books 1 "How Should One Read a Book?". 2 World Council and Hermeneutics . 3 Seventh-day Adventism and Hermeneutics .............. 5 Ellen G. White: An Expositor and Exegete .... 7 God Did Not Invent A New Vocabulary. 10 The Place of Jesus Life and the Realm of Nature in the Hermeneutic Spiral ............ 12 Lack of Preliminary W o r k .............. 13 Scope of This Research................ 15 Pre-Suppositions, Pre-Understandings, and Limitations. 15 The Approach to This Study ............ 16 II. SURVEY OF THE LITERATURE.................. 18 III. RITUAL, NATURE, AND COSMOS................ 23 IV. ANCIENT VIEW OF THE UNIVERSE IN GENERAL AND LIGHT IN PARTICULAR..................... 30 The Ancients and L i g h t ................ 37 Subjective Light Experiences— Old Testament....................... 40 New Testament....................... 42 The Dead Sea Scrolls: War Between The Sons of Light and Sons of Darkness . 43 V. SOME INSIGHTS INTO SUBJECTIVE LIGHT EXPERIENCES................................. 45 Survey of Contemporary Experiences . 49 Dr. Richard Bucke's Experience . 49 A Businessman's Dark Dream ........ 50 A Healing Encounter With The Light . 51 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Wilmhurst's Blue-Violet: Haze .... 52 Warner Allen's Silver Circle .... 54 Eliade's Five Points ........ 54 Unanswerable Questions ................... 56 VI. THE ROLE OF LIGHT IN THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF ELLEN G. WHITE.............. 58 White's Specific Experiences .......... 59 The Darkness Begins To Pass Away . 59 Dream of a Temple and The Lamb . 62 Dreams of Meeting Jesus............... 63 The Reality of True Conversion . 64 The State of The Dead.............. 66 Her Happiest Year: 1844............ 67 Ellen's First Vision ................. 68 Ball of Fire Strikes E l l e n .......... 70 Glory: The Sweet Light of Heaven . 72 Concern Over Mesmerism ............ 73 The Frown of Jesus .......... 75 A Halo of Glory on The Sabbath . 76 Jets of Light Encourage Each Other . 79 Fragrance and Light at Salamanca . 79 Dreams of James After His Death. 80 Nearing The End of Her Life........ 82 VII. THE USE OF LIGHT IN THE WRITINGS OF ELLEN G. WHITE ......................... 84 Ellen G. White's Biblical Exegesis: A Working Definition .............. 85 Nature As A Hermeneutic Device ........ 89 Ritual, Nature, And Cosmos: A Model For Biblical Exegesis. 91 Ritual, Nature, and Cosmos in the Parable of the Ten Virgins: The Five Foolish Virgins .... 94 The Five Wise Virgins.......... 96 VIII. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY INTO THE WRITINGS OF ELLEN G. WHITE . 101 Summary................................... 101 Recommendations for Further Study. 105 APPENDIX..................................... 107 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY........................ 164 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction