Mining
by Andy Hanson, February 13, 2015: Reader, Over the last few months I have accumulated a stack of magazines containing quotes taken from authors and readers of the Adventist Review, Adventist World, and Ministry Magazine.* All could have provided the stimulus to create an AT blog.
However, I hit upon the idea of sharing them with you on the off chance that you too might become fascinated enough to mine the nuggets of theological profundity and silliness that I find fascinating. These Adventist publications deserve our financial support, praise, and/or critical reviews. Our input is required if they are to faithfully reflect the many facets of Adventism.
A Reader In Michigan, Adventist Review, August 21, 2014, p. 5
To this thankfulness we should also add the millions of other Christians who today love God’s Word and share it on a daily basis. Like their ancestors, they also continue to bring the light of God’s Word to many people who are in darkness and in need of hope. Although we call them ‘non-Adventists,’ they are Christians, and many of them would not think of calling us ‘non-Something.’ Maybe one day we will grow in our understanding of our Christian heritage and realize we are not alone in this world to love God’s Word.
Cindy Bailey, Ministry Magazine, September 2014, p. 22
I do not have any problem with the idea that God may self-limit His omnipotence in order to allow sinful humans to exist…Certainly He must constrain Himself in order for us to survive to make choices. So, if God is in charge yet limits Himself in order to give us free will, we find it reasonable to think that bad things can happen that are not His choosing, His ideal will.
Angel Manuel Rodriguez, Adventist World—NAD, August 2014, p. 42
Summary of the Argument: Paul states a principle: The law reigns over us as long as we live (Rom 7:1). Once we die we are free from the law.
Derek J. Morris, Ministry Magazine, May 2014, p. 5
Citing the research of David Kinnaman, the authors note six grievances that Millennials have with the Adventist Church: intolerant of doubt, elitist in its relationships, antiscience in its beliefs, overprotective of its members, shallow in its teaching, and repressive of differences.
Wilson Paroschi, Ministry Magazine, August 2014, p. 8
So, just as the sacrifice justifies God’s prerogative to forgive (Rom. 3:25, 26), some sort of examination is necessary in order to demonstrate that forgiveness has been truly and faithfully accepted. Only when both sides of forgiveness are clearly and fully vindicated can the blame—the legal responsibility—be finally taken away from God Himself.
Gerhard Padderatz, Adventist Review, July 24, 2014, p. 27
When the Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., was elected as pope, one of his first official acts was to pray to Mary. No, the pope has not been converted. And all the indications are that the Adventist interpretation of Revelation 13 still holds true. The new pope—amid all legitimate sympathy for him—has made it even a bit more credible.
Doug Batchelor, Amazing Facts, January 2015, unsolicited letter, p. 1
It is breathtaking, friend, how much in this last year the pope has reached out to Protestants, Jews, Mormons, Muslims, Hindus—as well as powerful government leaders. He is now consolidating his global influence, yet most people don’t know their Bibles well enough to understand what is happening. Together we can change that!
David Williams, Adventist Review, July 10, 2014, p. 41
Research on religious coping finds that while employing positive religious beliefs (e.g., relying on God for strength and guidance) is related to better health and adaptation, negative forms of religious coping (wondering if one has been abandoned by God; believing that one’s illness is punishment for sins or lack of spirituality) are associated with poorer psychological adjustment and physical health. A study of medically ill patients found that individual with religious doubts and struggles had an elevated risk of death.
- Chongo Mundende, Edmond, OK, Adventist Review, January 8, 2015, p. 4
If all the authors did was to use the information where people checked whether they were vegetarians or not when they checked in at the clinic as conclusion that vegetarians have low sperm counts, then the conclusions are invalid.
June Brown, Lumberton, Mississippi, Adventist Review, June 12, 2014, p. 5
I’m not sure that Jesus ever said to ‘love the sinner, hate the sin.’ Instead, His teachings were more along the lines of ‘love the sinner and hate your own sin.”
Richard A. Helzerman, Ministry Magazine, August 2014, p. 4
For many years, membership in the church was based upon a public acceptance of the 13 baptismal vows. The eleventh stated, ‘Do you know and understand the fundamental Bible principles as taught by the Seventh-day Adventist Church ordering your life in harmony with these principles?’ The vow did not require the member to believe the Fundamental beliefs, he only had to know and understand them and follow the external practices.
Arthur V. Chadwick, Adventist Review, September 11, 2014, p. 11
As we evaluate the data, we see things that are problems for creationists and we see things that are problems for evolutionists. No one can claim that they believe one more than the other, because it is not transparent; it leaves the possibility of choice.
Julio C. Munoz, Adventist Review, December 11, 2014, p. 8
The North American Division added fewer new church members in 2013 compared with the previous year, continuing a gradual decline for the fourth year in a row.
Cliff Goldstein, Adventist Review, April 17, 2014, p. 21
I long to enter the city of God as a conqueror, I really do. But as ‘a culprit barely pardoned’? I’ll take it, for even that’s more than I deserve.
*The Doug Batchelor quote is the one exception.
