PROVIDENCIA PRIMERA LECTURA
R. Mi alma confía en ti, Señor.
One of the most distinguished Adventist church historians (also a professor at Andrews University), George R. Knight, in one of the chapters of his book, A Search for Identity, states that “Adventism wasn’t born in a vacuum.”31
In defending his statement, Knight identifies four main factors that strongly influenced the initial stages of Adventism. These are Anabaptism (through Radical Reformation mentality), Restorationism (through Joseph Bates and James White), Methodism (through Ellen G. Harmon White), and Deism (through William Miller.)32
2.3.1 Anabaptism
George R. Knight describes the roots of Adventism as being theologically informed not so much by the North American Protestantism (an heir of the sixteenth century Protestant Reformation), but more so by the Radical Reformation of the Anabaptists. Although not prominent in America as an organization, the Anabaptists have strongly inspired the theological current known as Restorationism.33 The core theology of the Anabaptists was the recovery of fidelity to the New Testament teaching. They felt this was necessary because the main Protestant denominations, while confessing the sola
29 Cf. George R. Knight, Joseph Bates: The Real Founder of Seventh–day Adventism. Hagerstown MD:
Review and Herald Pub Assoc, 2004. (The entire volume is relevant in giving an overview that clarifies the point expressed in the text.)
30
Stefan Höschele, “The Remnant Concept in Early Adventism: From Apocalyptic Antisectarianism to an Eschatological Denominational Ecclesiology,” Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS) 51, no. 2 (2013): 4.
31 George R. Knight, A Search for Identity (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Pub Assoc, 2000), 29. 32
Knight, A Search for Identity, 34.
33 As defined by church historian George R. Knight, restorationism is a movement aimed at reforming the
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scriptura concept, were highly inconsistent in their confession and interpretation.34 The Anabaptists considered that the two practices of infant baptism,35 and of the state
support for the Church,36 were unbiblical. Therefore, they were determined to fight and replace these old practices with the new practice of adult baptism, and with a total separation between Church and State. In doing so, the Anabaptists viewed these reforms not so much as traditions or creedal statements, but more so as steps toward a full restoration of the believer’s Church in line with the spirit of the New Testament. Martin Luther,37 Ulrich Zwingli,38 and John Calvin39—the most prominent reformers—were not to be rejected; however their Reformation, as great as it was, must be continued until all truth was restored to its original form.40 Interestingly, the Anabaptists considered themselves not only the products of Reformation, but also missionaries, called to continue and bring it to full completion.
2.3.2 Restorationism
Restorationism rejected the view that the Reformation was an event that occurred only in the sixteenth century. For them, the Reformation began in the sixteenth century, but would not be completed until the last vestiges of tradition were gone, and the teachings of the Bible (especially the New Testament) were firmly in place, in the Church. In theory, this ran parallel and perhaps synchronous with the slogan, “Ecclesia Reformata
34Keith A. Mathison, The Shape of Sola Scriptura. Moscow: Canon Press, 2001. (The entire volume is
relevant in giving an overview that clarifies the point expressed in the text.)
35 Rollin S. Armour, Anabaptist Baptism: A Representative Study: A Representative Study. No. 11.
Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1998. (The entire volume is relevant in giving an overview that clarifies the point expressed in the text.)
36
Franklin H. Littell, The Anabaptist View of the Church. Vol. 11. Paris, AR: The Baptist Standard Bearer, Inc., 2000. (The entire volume is relevant in giving an overview that clarifies the point expressed in the text.)
37 John S. Oyer, “Luther and the Anabaptists,” Lutheran Reformers Against Anabaptists Springer:
Netherlands (1964): 114–139.
38 Glen J. Clary, “Ulrich Zwingli and the Swiss Anabaptists: sola scriptura and the reformation of
Christian worship.” Confessional Presbyterian 6 (2010): 108–124.
39 Willem Balke, Calvin and the Anabaptist Radicals. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1999.
(The entire volume is relevant in giving an overview that clarifies the point expressed in the text.)
40Cf. E. Belfort Bax, Rise and Fall of the Anabaptists. Vol. 3. Eugene OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2001.
(See particularly, chapter 6, “The Reign of the Saints,” last accessed, April 29, 2017 https://www.marxists.org/archive/bax/1903/anabaptists/ch06.htm)
Semper Reformanda;” that is “the Reformed Church Reforms Continuously.”41
In fact, the task of the Restorationist movement was to complete the unfinished work of Reformation.42 The spirit of the Restorationist movement had influenced the main Protestant denominations of early America, and led to the establishment of new churches such as, the Church of Christ, the Disciples of Christ, the Christian Connexion, and the Christian Church.43
2.3.3 Methodism
Apart from Anabaptism, Methodism can be considered yet another source of inspiration for Adventism, and thus significant for our argument. Methodism was the tradition that Ellen Gould Harmon44 came from, and she is considered a “third” founder of Adventism. Ellen Gould Harmon is known by her marital name, Ellen White, as she married James White, and took his family name.45
2.3.4 Deism
Deism represents a fourth most influential part of the American theological landscape which influenced Adventism, because it promoted the primacy of human reason over the scripture. By regarding human reason (rather than the Bible) as essentially the ultimate authority,46 Miller proclaimed the second coming of Christ based on prophetic calculations derived from a deistic pattern of thinking. Furthermore, he also found a large audience in America because America seemed to appreciate anything that followed a logical sequence, and was based on rationalism and a rational choice
41 Jerald D. Gort, “Contours of the Reformed Understanding of Christian Mission: An Attempt at
Delineation.” International Bulletin of Mission Research 4, no. 4 (1980): 156–160.
42 Knight, Search for Identity, 31.
43 Charles F. Brazell, Jr. Reluctant Restorationist: Thomas Campbell's Trial and Its Role in His Legacy,
PhD Dissertation (Arlington: University of Texas at Arlington, 2007), 1–80.
44Cf. Jonathan M. Butler, “Prophecy, Gender, and Culture: Ellen Gould Harmon [White] and the Roots of
Seventh-Day Adventism,” Religion and American Culture: A Journal of Interpretation 1, no. 1 (1991): 3–29.
45 Roy E. Graham, Ellen G. White: Co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Vol. 12 (New York:
Peter Lang Publishing Incorporated, 1985) 37, n49.
46 Cf. Jeff Crocombe, “A Feast of Reason:” The Roots of William Miller's Biblical Interpretation and Its
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approach.47 Deism rejected Christianity, its miracles, and the supernatural origins of the Bible. Nevertheless, Adventism retained the rational approach from deism, but adopted the Bible as the ultimate authority.48
As a conclusion to the four factors of influence, and in line with church historian George Knight, the Adventist founders did not emerge ‘from a vacuum” but from other denominations with established traditions and doctrines. In shaping the new faith, the founders brought with them their own theological assumption and practicality which they applied to the emerging Adventism. Therefore, some of their own theological biases and practical assumption constituted the very foundation of the Adventist identity.