A Search for God - Understanding Apocalyptic Spirituality

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Spirituality is a most intriguing dimension of human life, and one of the most fascinating subjects of study. While we witness a general decline in interest for institutionalised forms of religion in western culture, we observe around us a growing thirst for spirituality. The search for God seems to be as alive as ever but it expresses itself in many different ways going from religion to life style.
In this book, Dr. Zoltân Szalos-Farkas presents, in a powerful way, how the search for God manifested in the Adventist movement in its foundational years. The interest of his research is enhanced by the fact that apocalyptic spirituality has been very seldom studied. The diverse forms of spirituality of the main tradiţional churches and denominations have attracted the attention of scholars in their most visible forms: liturgy, devotional literature, monastic life, etc. Apocalyptic movements such as Adventism have been studied mainly from their contributions in prophetic and dogmatic areas. Their contribution to spirituality is less known, but it deserves more attention than it has received thus far. This book comes to respond to this important need.
Through a balanced historical and contextual approach, this thoughrough research unveils the diverse spiritual riches of the Adventist tradition. Special attention is paid to the charismatic figure of Ellen G. White and to her amazing work in the consolidation of the Adventist tradition. The influence of this surprising woman marked in a powerful way the Adventist mind and lifestyle, and was decisive in the making of Adventist spirituality.
In this book Dr. Szalos-Farkas meets the need for a clear, comprehensive and well structured introduction to Adventist spirituality from the apocalyptic perspective which characterised this dynamic Christian movement in its first century of existence. He analyzes, in a quite systematic way, the main themes of Adventist Apocalyptic, -the doctrine of the Second Corning, the Great Controversy Motive, vertical typology and the heavenly sanctuary doctrine-presenting a complete overview of the Adventist construction of spirituality in its foundational years. This is done in the context of the permanent quest for identity within Seventh-day Adventist history. This research shows in a very skilful way how experience, culture, doctrine, prophecy, and spirituality interact in the development of the movement, as it responded to the constant challenges coming both from inside and from outside the Adventist community.
Written in a clear and accessible style, this book goes beyond the historical approach, showing through the basic issues, personalities and trends of thought of Adventism the intimate connection between spirituality, Bible study, theology, the understanding of prophecy, and lifestyle. The extensive use of primary sources provides basic and reliable Information about the making of this body of spiritual wealth. It reveals itself as greatly useful, not only to those unfamiliar with Adventist spirituality, but also for Adventist theologians.
It is hoped that this book will provide not only enjoyment and satisfaction to the readers, but also stimulate their interest in the subject of Adventist spirituality and encourage them to further exploration of this rich field of research.

Dr. Roberto Badenas,
Chairman of the Biblical Research Committee of the Euro-Africa Division (EUD);
Director of the Department of Education of EUD, Bem, Switzerland

Cuprinsul cărţii A Search for God - Understanding Apocalyptic Spirituality

FOREWORD / ix

INTRODUCTION / 11

The Purpose of the Work / 11

Methodological Significance of Experience / 12

Contextual Approach / 13

The Scope of the Work / 14

The Sources / 15


PART ONE: THE QUEST FOR SPIRITUALITY:EN ROUTE TO SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISM / 17

CHAPTER I - RESEARCH AND THE DESIRE FOR GOD / 18

Human and Divine Identities: The Doctrine of God and Man / 19

TheTheologian and Theological Knowledge / 23

Scientific Criteria of Theological Knowledge / 26

Theological Cognition and Spirituality / 37

Spirituality as Integration of Theological Cognition With Experience / 39

Spirituality, Theology and Ethics / 41

The Use of Theology and Ethics to Spirituality / 47

The Use of Spirituality to Theology and Ethics / 56

Definitions and Conclusions / 57


CHAPTER II - BEHIND THE SCENES OF AN EMERGING SPIRITUALITY / 59

The Meaning of Experience / 60

Behind the Scenes:The Method / 62

Behind the Scenes: Crisis Experience / 64

White, Methodism and Millerism / 65

Behind the Scenes: Revelatory Experiences / 75

Dream of Temple and Lamb / 77

Dream of Seeing Jesus /  80

Conclusions / 86


CHAPTER III - SPIRITUAL GUIDE TO THE REMNANT / 89

The Starting Point: Religious Experience / 90

Experience: The Great Disappointment / 90
 

Experience: A Symbiotic Realisation of Identity / 96

Conclusions / 119


CHAPTER IV - SCRIPTURE AND SPIRITUALITY / 122

Hermeneutical Background / 122

From 'Spiritual' to 'Literal' Exegesis / 123

Sabbatarian Historicism and Spirituality / 135

Vertical Typology / 136

The Great Controversy Theme / 148

Conclusions / 153


CHAPTER V - DOCTRINE AND SPIRITUALITY / 155
The Principle of Present Truth / 156

Modernity vs. Adventism's 'Literal' Sense of Scriptures / 156

The Doctrines of the PresentTruth / 159

The Doctrine of the Second Coming / 162

The Doctrine of Christ in the Heavenly Sanctuary / 165

The Doctrine of the Sabbath / 170

The Doctrine of Conditional Immortality / 176

From Doctrine to Spirituality / 182

The Doctrinal Matrix and Cultural Adaptability / 186

Conclusions to Part One / 188


PART TWO: THE QUEST FOR IDENTITY WITHIN SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISM / 193

CHAPTER VI - CULTURE, POLITICS AND SPIRITUALITY / 194

Pre-Minneapolis Contextual Developments / 196

Culture, Politics and ReligiOn / 196

Pre-Minneapolis Developmentof Moralist Spirituality / 206

Non-Ellen White Moralist Tradition / 206

Conclusions / 215


CHAPTER VII - GOSPEL, SPIRITUALITY AND CHURCH IDENTITY / 217

Ellen White's Great Controversy Theme / 217

Moralism and the Great Controversy Theme / 217

Pre-Minneapolis Argument for an Adjustment of Identity / 225

Minneapolis:The Emergence of the Gospel / 237

The Gospel: According to Waggoner and Jones / 240

Post-Minneapolis Attempts at Change and Settlement of Identity / 248

White's Support of Waggoner and Jones / 249

The Doctrinal Argument for Identity Adjustment / 253


CHAPTER VIII - IDENTITY SETTLEMENT / 260

The Gospel: According to Ellen White / 260

Justification and Sanctification / 261

Identity Crisis and Compromised Reforms / 275

Compromising Factors / 276

Mystical Pantheist Spirituality / 286

Waggoner's Mysticism / 286

Comparing Kellogg's and Waggoner's Mysticism / 287

Jones' Unio Mystica / 288

The Final Move towards a Settlement of the Quest for Identity / 291

White's Final Move / 296

Conclusions to Part two / 298 

BIBLIOGRAPHY / 303

APPENDIX - WILLIAM MILLER'S FOURTEEN EXEGETICAL RULES / 337

SELECTED NAME AND SUBJECT INDEX / 340

Despre autor

Zoltan Szalos-Farkas

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