Three New Adventist Books Worth Checking Out

by Nathan Brown

As someone who regularly writes books reviews, I thought I would share and recommend three new Adventist books that take three different approaches to the central theme and story of the Bible: Jesus, the salvation offered through His sacrifice, and how we are invited to respond to this.

Pursued by a Relentless God by Shawn Brace
https://www.adventistbookcenter.com/Detail.tpl?sku=0816324867

Among the big words used to describe God—omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (all-here)—Pursued by a Relentless God introduced me to a new descriptor of God: “omni-relational.” Pastor Shawn Brace urges the importance of understanding, appreciating and being the recipients of God’s all-pervading grace and love.

Pursued by a Relentless God begins with an exploration of the well-loved Psalm 23. Re-reading verse 6 as “Surely your goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life” (verse 6), Brace launches into an insightful retracing of God’s relentless pursuit of His people wherever and whenever they might be.

While exploring the well-traversed but always under-appreciated topic of God’s grace, Brace’s survey doesn’t stick with the expected, adding depth and breadth to this vital theme with insightful and fresh Bible study, giving significant attention to the Old Testament and seasoning his arguments with real-life stories.

Every so often—and probably more often than we do—we need to be reminded that the real meaning of being a Christian, a follower of God, is firstly to recognise and receive His astounding and abounding love for us. Pursued by a Relentless God points this out to us again and, doing it well, is important, encouraging and worthwhile reading.

The Green Cord Dream by Alex Bryan
https://www.adventistbookcenter.com/Detail.tpl?sku=0816326878

In the continuing quest to rediscover, redefine and renew the Adventist identity, many voices and thinkers go back to stories from key periods of Adventist history. The Green Cord Dream follows in this endeavour, albeit from a sometimes-overlooked part of Adventist history. The dream of the book’s title was an experience of Ellen White as a 15 year old in 1842, a vision of Jesus prior to the Adventist disappointment of 1844.

The Green Cord Dream begins with that disappointment as the expected return of Jesus failed to happen but is quick to refocus on Jesus Himself. And, argues Alex Bryan, this Jesus-centrism continues to be the key to authentic Adventist identity and mission today. “We need green-cord dreams,” Bryan urges. “We need the One. We need Jesus.”

Bryan is senior pastor of the Walla Walla University Church and co-chair of The One Project (see <www.the1project.org>). Both these roles inform his passionate reflections in The Green Cord Dream. His final chapter suggests that Adventists have significant choices to make in their quest for identity—not something we inherit as much as we choose. In Bryan’s readable and provocative survey, our first choice must always be Jesus.

James: The Brother of Jesus by Trudy Morgan Cole
https://www.adventistbookcenter.com/Detail.tpl?sku=081632512X

One of the key challenges surrounding the “old, old story” of Jesus is to keep it ever new, fresh and engaging. Although admitting her hesitation at attempting to re-tell a story of Jesus, author Trudy Morgan Cole has done this through the eyes of her title character, James—in her telling, the older step-brother of Jesus, eventual leader in the early church and author of the New Testament’s Book of James.

James portrays vividly the questions, fears, doubts and discoveries that the first followers of Jesus—including his human family—wrestled with as Jesus’ ministry grew. Those of us familiar with these stories can forget the challenges Jesus and His teaching offered, and that those experiencing this story firsthand did not yet know how it would end.

Immediately after reading James, I picked up Simply Jesus by theologian N T Wright and was struck by similarities in the two books’ descriptions of the social, political and religious landscape in which Jesus lived and died, demonstrating how a well-told biblical narrative can introduce its readers to ideas and insights based on good research. While Wright’s book is not difficult reading, James is likely to attract different readers to some of the same ways of discovery and appreciating anew the story of Jesus.

5
Commentary

Comments: 5

Trudy Morgan-Cole
21 April 2012 at 9:50 am

Thanks for the excellent review, Nathan! The parallels between my way of viewing Jesus in His historical context, and N.T. Wright's writing, are not accidental — his work has had a big influence on helping me understand the world in which Jesus lived.
Christian Rock
26 April 2012 at 5:45 am

Regarding the book The Green Cord Dream, I look forward to hearing Alex Bryan's conclusions. I would like to stimulate others to do their own research after I share the results of my research regarding the color of green, "serpent coils" and other such symbolic associations with the Occult. In the Occult, green is associated with all things Satanic. In the Occult birds speak a "green language". In Occult Hinduism, the chakra covering the heart is green. In Roman Catholicism crosiers have incorporated coiled serpents since the Middle Ages.

I am familiar with the quote that is foundational for Alex's book title. Notice the words used by Ellen to describe this "green cord" experience, “My guide now opened the door, and we both passed out. He bade me take up again all the things I had left without. This done, he handed me a green cord coiled up closely. This he directed me to place next my heart, and when I wished to see Jesus, take it from my bosom, and stretch it to the utmost. He cautioned me not to let it remain coiled for any length of time, lest it should become knotted and difficult to straighten. I placed the cord near my heart, and joyfully descended the narrow stairs, praising the Lord, and telling all whom I met where they could find Jesus.” {CET 27.2}

Notice she calls him "my guide", a term that I am soberly reminded is also used by Masonic Occultists. Notice the specific instructions regarding how to use the occultic device and how to conjure up Jesus. First she is told to leave the coiled, green serpent representation over her heart, but must use it straightened out whenever she wants to see/conjure up Jesus. She is told to not let it remain coiled over her heart for a long period of inactivity or it would become difficult to straighten and use; similar to the occultic belief that occultic arts must be practiced regularly. Occultism blends Satanic practices with historical Christian practices and terms so as to better attract adherents, which they then fully deceive.

I personally believe a cogent argument can be made that Ellen was sincerely deceived regarding this "green cord" symbolism given to her by her "guide". Why? Her guide's instruction does not agree to the law and to the testimony of Scripture regarding our grace given right to immediately access the presence of Jesus via the Holy Spirit. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16.

Lest you think I am being far fetched in my appraisal that Ellen could have been deceived, Ellen spoke of smelling roses in other writings depicting the supernatural experience of smelling roses where there were none. The scent of roses appearing supernaturally has long been understood as a sign of occultic demonic presence. Ellen's use of Masonic terms like "Watcher" and "All Seeing Eye" in her writings is prolific and the use of Masonic symbols including the prominent use of the All Seeing Eye and Sun rays of Egyptian Sun worship, otherwise known as the Eye of Horus, in the lithograph she and James created in 1874 for their evangelistic meetings, is a slam dunk identifying obvious Masonic roots.

William Miller is known to have been a 32 degree Mason. Dr. Kellogg's adopted son was known to have been a 32 degree Mason. Ellen once admitted to knowing the secret Masonic handshake in an attempt to persuade a Mason into total loyalty to Adventism. Though she claimed God showed her the secret handshake, you'll have to decide whether or not she knew beforehand for the evidence demonstrating her familiarity and use of Masonic symbols and terms is no longer unknown.

Even today the All Seeing Eye and other occultic symbols are being used in connection with Adventist logos around the world. Take a look at the All Seeing Eye in the ADRA logo; it is even replete with the occult symbol called the "Happy Human". Look up Oja Adventista, meaning Adventist Eye, and the Spanish language All Seeing Eye logos developed by the Spanish community for 3ABN, etc…

Some believe that because the cross is not clearly outlined in the Seventh-day Adventist Church logo, one could make an argument that the cross could be perceived as being upside down or perceived as the occult Tau cross; further the flame symbol used dominates the logo and is in fact similar to the occultic symbol for eternal fire.

My Bible tells me that I don't need to go through any hoops like keeping a coiled green cord over my heart and then straightening this green cord fully when I want to reach Jesus. No, my Bible tells me that the veil was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died. All I need to do is to call upon His name and He is there; "even to the end of the age". Matthew 28:20.

May we all wake up from whatever we need to wake up from!! "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isaiah 55:11.

May Almighty God bless you and keep you and may He make His face to shine upon you and give you peace; for the glory and honor of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Christian
cfowler
26 April 2012 at 9:35 pm

Agreed, Christian. These visits from EGW's "guides", "instructor", "handsome young man", etc. are not from God. This can be stated without hesitation because the things she was shown are heretical and unorthodox.

I was really shocked that Pastor Bryan had written a book about this green cord dream. I wonder how Pastor Bryan would respond to a church member who came to him with the same manifestations as EGW had. I would imagine that he would be very concerned, but somehow all this bizarre and occultic activity from Ellen is okay.

It is amazing to me, that with all the informaion we now have about EGW, plus the fact that people are not as cocooned in the SDA bubble as they once were, that otherwise intelligent, seemingly ratinal people can continue following someone who was so off-base with what the Bible teaches, and possibly involved with occultic influences.
Kevin Riley
27 April 2012 at 12:10 am

Perhaps it is time for the SDA church to admit that Ellen White was a mystic. We have always had trouble with that, as we still have a strong streak of rationalism that probably has far more to do with Miller's deism and the prevailing culture of the 1840's than with classical Christianity. There is a lot of similarity between Christian mysticism and occult mysticism. If occult mysticism really is a counterfeit of the true, then we should expect that. I have never understood the SDA panic about certain things in Christianity resembling those in paganism, or in SDAism resembling those in RCism, etc. If something is to function as a counterfeit, we should expect it to look as much like the genuine article as possible.

The main reason most Millerites rejected EGW post 1844 was because she had visions. They were convinced God does not work that way, but by a rational, almost mechanical, study of the Bible. Many modern SDAs are still so convinced. It's a pity they don't pay attention to how much non-rational (at times even irrational) activity is recorded in the Bible.

I am not persuaded that Ellen White was not a person used by God. I am persuaded that the conservative SDA view of her as an infallible spokeperson for God is unsustainable. As with so many things to do with the Bible, so with Ellen White: the answers depend far more on the questions asked and the assumptions behind them than on just the data.
JaNe
17 May 2012 at 5:25 am

And now for ANOTHER VIEW on E.G.W.:Purpose of E.G.W. in the SDA Church
One of the main messages for the SDA church that comes through from the 9 volume set of Testimonies for the Church, by E.G.W., is that you may know the truth, you may believe the truth, you may even love the truth. But the truth hasn't changed you-let the truth cahnge you.

This is clearly a message for Laodicea. If the last of the 7 churches is the SDA Church for the final home stretch-to hold up the truth to the world in the final showdown of the great controversy between God & Lucifer-then this message is for us.

As for the description of Laodicea:

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;

These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:

I would thou wert cold or hot.

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

(We haven't let the Truth change us)

Because thou sayest,

I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;

(We have the Truth and think we are therefore good-to-go)

and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich;

and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;

and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Revelation 3:14-18 5 verses that every SDA should study

"There is a lack of earnestness, of wrestling in prayer. Many give the trumpet no certain sound and, neither sinners nor formal professors are awakened." Special Testimonies E.G.W.

Comments are closed.