1 October 2024 | The disciples asked Jesus, “Whose sin caused the man to be born blind – his or his parents?” (John 9.1-12). On another occasion, Jesus asked the disciples whether a tower fell and killed eighteen people because they were more sinful than themselves (Luke 13.1-5). Jesus asked whether one should do good […]
18 September 2024 | Many people do not consider the book of Jonah worthy of serious attention. It might provide wonderful images for use in children’s Bibles—a huge fish swallowing and then regurgitating a prophet fascinates everybody—but this simply underlines that the book cannot be taken seriously. Those who pass that kind of judgment are […]
11 September 2024 | In Romans chapter 9 Paul talks about various Old Testament individuals and how God chose to use them for his purposes. This chapter makes it sound like God has predestined certain individuals to play specific roles in history, with no choice on their part. This led theologians such as John Calvin […]
28 August 2024 | That Adventist doctrines have developed to some degree over time is obvious and widely accepted. Less agreement exists regarding the quality, extent, and timing of these changes. There are several widespread notions and hypotheses—advanced in the past by leading Adventists—in this regard that do not stand up to the historical facts, […]
28 August 2024 | You and I are concerned about our personal reputation. What do people think of us? Are we making a good impression? Are we thought trustworthy, wise, and likable by others? But we should also be be concerned about God’s reputation, as reflected in us and our church. It’s not hard to […]
21 August 2024 | Given all we have learned in the last half century (from 1970 until now) about Ellen White’s writings—how they were written, what sources she used, how they were edited and compiled, and how she and the church explained and defended her inspiration—how might our Fundamental Belief on the gift of prophecy […]
14 August 2024 | In this class I will use scripture both to make a critique of leadership as it is in Adventist life, and to set forth a better way. I will discuss how Christian leadership matters by using James Davison Hunter’s Democracy and Solidarity: On the Cultural Roots of the American Political Crisis, […]
31 July 2024 | What does getting older mean? What is ahead: burdens or blessings? Length of life or quality of life? A time for growth and exploration Putting your house in order Living with hope. Teacher: Reinder Bruinsma lives in the Netherlands with his wife, Aafje. He has served the Adventist Church in various […]
31 July 2024 | In addition to the formal, voted doctrines, Adventism harbors and perpetuates a wide range of beliefs and fears about threats to the church and its members. Of the eight major sources of anxiety, six come from beyond the church community, and two come from within Adventist popular thought. External threats included […]
25 July 2024 | Recently the American state of Louisiana legislated that all its public school classrooms must display the Ten Commandments. Aside from United States Constitutional concerns about the independence of religion from government, and the obvious Judeo-Christian bias it engenders, this legislation begs several content-related questions, the answers to which should inform the […]
17 July 2024 | When I was studying for my MA, my professors explained our Adventist perfectionist leanings from the historical-theological perspective, as a tenet of Wesleyan holiness movements that were very influential in 19th-century America, and influenced our pioneers. However potent that explanation might be for the genesis of perfectionism, it doesn’t explain the […]
10 July 2024 | Among the hundreds of published works by Ellen White, her writings on parts of the Bible are probably the best known and most beloved by those devoted to her work. Although she often wrote about biblical narratives, expositions, and religious materials in periodical articles and special-purpose manuscripts, she is most recognized […]
