25 May 2022 | The Christian church is in trouble, in particular in the Western world. Many denominations see their membership decrease and experience an exodus of the younger generations. Postmoderns may still have an interest in spirituality, but they turn away from institutional Christianity. Current trends also affect the Seventh-day Adventist Church. While the […]
TAG: ATSS
ATSS: Dr. Robert Johnston on Jesus as Parabler
11 May 2022 | Please read these rabbinic parables to prepare for Dr. Johnston’s class. From a literary standpoint the parables of Jesus were like those of his contemporaries, but their purpose and effect were dramatically different. This presentation will examine the importance of the parables, the narrative technique of Jesus, and how they should […]
- May, 12
- Announcements, ATSS, News
- More
ATSS: Misused Texts about Interpreting the Bible
4 May 2022 | Please read this essay to prepare for the study by Dr. Hemmings. Much of what we say we know about Biblical interpretation is derived from what the Bible says about itself. While the Bible is right to self-identify itself as an inspired book, the problem is that several of the oft-used […]
- May, 4
- Announcements, ATSS
- More
ATSS: Adventism and the Cosmic Week Theory
27 April 2022 | by Laurence Turner The “Cosmic Week” in Seventh-day Adventism Seventh-day Adventism arose in the aftermath of the Great Disappointment of 1844. Despite numerous “proofs” culled from Scripture, used confidently to pinpoint the date of the second advent to October 22, 1844, Christ did not return. This failure of chronological calculations ensured […]
ATSS: Loren Seibold – The surprisingly complex question of what it mean to be a Christian
9 April 2022 | Mathilde Frey became ill last night: Loren Seibold is stepping in to teach the ATSS class today. Introduction: “[Trump] is highly biblical, and I would say to your listeners, we will in all likelihood never see a more godly, biblical president again in our lifetime.” Michelle Bachman, ex-congressperson, April 2019. Whatever […]
Ecumenism for Adventists, Part 2: What Activities Can We Do With Other Christians?
23 March 2022 | In our last class with Dr. Fortin on ecumenism, he led us in exploring some basic questions that undergird Adventist fears of ecumenism, including preliminary points/questions that should be addressed before deciding anything about ecumenism for Adventists. These included: The meaning of salvation in Jesus. What is the Church? What is […]
- March, 23
- Announcements, ATSS, News
- More
ATSS: Worship vs. Life, Subservience to the Divine vs. Free Choice
16 March 2022 | In his essay entitled, “God and the Concept of Worship” James Rachels concludes: We have, then, a conflict between the role of worshiper, which by its very nature commits one to total subservience to God, and the role of moral agent, which necessarily involves autonomous decision making. The role of worshiper […]
- March, 17
- Announcements, ATSS, News
- More
ATSS PRESENTS: Forgotten Women Who Shaped the Church
13 March 2022 | After Ellen White, our church history remembered almost none of the women who made Seventh-day Adventists who we are. What happened? How did a church that was started by a woman—and has a majority of female members—end up forgetting the women who shaped it? To comment, click/tap here.
ATSS PRESENTS: Who Has Moral Authority in the Church on Ethical Questions?
11 March 2022 | How is moral authority best understood and exercised in a worldwide church when there are deep divisions about so many ethical questions? Who’s in charge? Who decides? To comment, click/tap here.
ATSS: Who Decides? Exploring Realms of Adventist Moral Authority
2 March 2022 | by Gerald Winslow I look forward to meeting with the AT Sabbath Seminar this coming Sabbath. For those who would benefit from study of a passage from Scripture, let me propose Acts 15, the entire chapter. That’s a bit long for a memory verse. But, if you’re willing, you’ll have opportunity to […]
ATSS: Dr. Katrina Blue on Spirituality and Seventh-day Adventists
17 February 2022 | What is Biblical spirituality? Seventh-day Adventists speak of spiritual experience, of feeling God’s presence, but in practice much of our spirituality seems rooted in doctrines and interpretation. Ellen White encourages us to experience God, but also says we shouldn’t trust feelings and experiences. Our top church leaders warn against meditation and […]
Does Our Evangelism Bring Jesus Back?
26 January 2022 | Adventists have consistently maintained that there is a direct link between the global preaching of their message and the timing of Christ’s return. However, will we Adventists ever succeed in communicating the gospel to every human being? Does the global communication of the gospel depend only—or even mostly—on us? And is […]