This book is a story of how Adventists came to view themselves as a prophetic people, of their growing awareness of a resposibility to take their unique message to all the world, and of their organizational and institutional development as they sought to fulfill their prophetic mission. By the end of this volume, you as a reader and I as a author will find ourselves in the flow of Adventist history. - Millerite Roots. Era of Doctrinal Development. Era of Organizational Development. Era of Institutional and Lifestyle Development. Era of Revival, Reform, and Expansion. Era of Reorganization and Crisis. Era of Worldwide Growth. The Challenges and Possibilities of Maturity.

This biography by historian George Knight makes use of previously unavailable sources, letters, and logbooks to shed new light on the first theologian and real founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Der Autor geht auf Fragen ein, die jeden Adventisten interessieren (sollten): Wie kamen die Adventisten zu den Glaubensüberzeugungen, die sie heute vertreten? Wie haben sich die Lehrauffassungen im Laufe der Jahre verändert? Würden die adventistischen Pioniere alle 27 Glaubenspunkte unterschreiben wollen, die heute von der Gemeinschaft der Siebenten-Tags-Adventisten als verbindlich anerkannt werden? George Knight bezweifelt das. Er legt in wohltuender Offenheit die unterschiedlichen Strömungen innerhalb der Adventgeschichte dar und verdeutlicht, dass Adventgläubige nicht aufhören dürfen, Suchende und Lernende zu sein. So aufwühlend dies klingen mag, so beruhigend wird der Leser feststellen können: An allen untersuchten Beispielen wird erkennbar, wie wunderbar Gott die Adventgemeinde geführt hat. - How did Adventists come to believe what they believe? How have those beliefs changed over the years? With compelling candor George Knight captures the ebb and flow of the doctrinal currents within Adventism, including controversies over the shut door, the law in Galatians at the 1888 General Conference, the Trinity, pantheism, Fundamentalism, the nature of Christ, and inspiration. The Adventist Church was founded by independent thinkers who would have disagreed with several of the church's current 27 fundamental beliefs. But over the years strength arose out of contention, and consensus out of debate. From William Miller to Desmond Ford, Knight catalogues the colorful personalities who shaped the discussion, and shows how God has led Adventism into a broader and deeper understanding of His eternal truth. - A Word to the Reader, A Note From the Author, List of Abbreviations, Chapter 1: The Dynamic Nature of "Present Truth", Present Truth: Fluid Rather Than Static, The Avoidance of Creedal Rigidity, The Pathway of Progressive Understanding, Chapter 2: Adventism Wasn't Born in a Vacuum, The Theological Roots of Adventism, Millennial Visions, Chapter 3: The Millerite Theological Foundation, Miller's Use of the Bible, Miller on the Second Advent, The First and Second Angels' Messages, The Seventh-Month Movement and the Great Disappointment, Chapter 4: What Is Adventist in Adventism? (1844-1885), The Centrality of the Shut Door and the Struggle for Identity, A People of "the Book", Moving Toward an Understanding of the Sanctuary, The Sabbath and the Third Angel's Message, The Final Doctrinal Pillar: Conditional, Immortality, Putting It All Together, Refining the First and Second Angels' Messages, Other Post-1850 Theological Refinements, Perspective, Chapter 5: What Is Christian in Adventism? (1886-1919), A Setting for Disagreement, Still a People of the Book? The Issue of Authority, Uplift Jesus: Righteousness by Faith and the Third Angel's Message, Uplift Jesus: The Trinity, Full Divinity of Jesus, and Personhood of the Holy Spirit, Uplift Jesus: A Two-Track Exploration Into the Human Nature of Christ, Perspective, Chapter 6: What Is Fundamentalist in Adventism? (1919-1950), A Polarizing Theological Context, Adventism Moves Toward a More Rigid Position on Inspiration, A People of the Book or a People of the Books?, A Revived Interest in Righteouness by Faith, The Crucial Role of M.L. Andreasen and His "Last Generation" Theology, Moves to Make Adventism Look More Christian, Perspective, Chapter 7: Adventism in Theological Tension (1950- ), Some Significant Developments, Track 1: The Search for Historic Adventism, Track 2: The Search for the Meaning of 1888, Track 3: The Search for Ellen White's Role and Authority, Track 4: The Search for a Theology of Inspiration Perspective, Chapter 8: What Does All This Mean?, Lessons on Polarization, Lessons on "Theological Rigor Mortis", Lessons on Theological Essentials, And What About the Advent?, Appendix: Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists, Index

Seventh-day Adventists and the Civil Rights Movement is the first in-depth study of the denomination's participation in civil rights politics. It considers the extent to which the denomination's theology influenced how its members responded. This book explores why a brave few Adventists became social and political activists, and why a majority of the faithful eschewed the movement. Samuel G. London, Jr., provides a clear, yet critical understanding of the history and theology of the Seventh-day Adventist Church while highlighting the contributions of its members to political reform. Community awareness, the example of early Adventist pioneers, liberationist interpretations of the Bible, as well as various intellectual and theological justifications motivated the civil rights activities of some Adventists. For those who participated in the civil rights movement, these factors superseded the conservative ideology and theology that came to dominate the church after the passing of its founders. Covering the end of the 1800s through the 1970s, the book discusses how Christian fundamentalism, the curse of Ham, the philosophy of Booker T. Washington, pragmatism, the aversion to ecumenism and the Social Gospel, belief in the separation of church and state, and American individualism converged to impact Adventist sociopolitical thought.

A foundational text in the Seventh Day Adventist church, The Great Controversy is a vision White had of the great battle between Christ and Satan throughout the ages of the early and modern church. Although the book is not held with as high esteem in Protestant circles, it still is able to outline a way of impactful theological thinking.