Reviewing the Review: Waldenses Edition
23 January 2010
Reviewing the Review: Waldenses Edition
image:
January 14, 2010 - Vol. 187, No. 1
GENERAL COMMENT
Kudos to editors and staff. This issue is a MUST READ!
REVIEWS
In A SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM, Bill Knott offers church members this succinct advice: “In this new year, your fellowship need not divide in order to become a place of safety and inclusion: it rarely helps when all the kindhearted ones swarm to some new storefront location.”
THE SPIRIT OF THE PIONEERS is a reminder by Stephen Chavez that we can't afford to lose strong candidates for church leadership because they are younger than we'd like them to be. “I understand the progression of moving from local leader to conference officer to union conference officer to division officer, etc. But I also know that a system such as that produces compliance and conformity, not innovation, creativity, and energy.”
Amanda Newton discusses TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY DATING: DOES IT EVEN EXIST? with refreshing candor. “It may seem as if dating only other Adventists would simplify things. Why complicate relationships by dating outside the church? But not every Adventist is the same. In fact, there are varying degrees of ‘being Adventist’ today. There are conflicting political views. There are Sabbath-keeping differences. And although the older generations may not want to acknowledge it, there are many young single Adventists who are drinking and/or having sex. So a young Adventist has to consider how important these issues are in a future relationship. . .Although marrying an Adventist is important to me, I in no way judge others for marrying a Christian who may not be an Adventist. It’s a personal choice.”
WALDENSES IN AMERICA? is the Cover Feature by Gladys Sherrer. She visited the Waldenses’ community in Valdese, North Carolina and met the direct descendents of the 200 Waldenses who immigrated there in 1893. They are still known as “people of the book”. Sherrer was inspired by her visit. “As Christians, we each have a responsibility to honor our heritage, to be witnesses to God’s love. God has called us to show and tell, not merely the dusty relics of Waldensianism or Seventh-day Adventism, but to proclaim His grace, His biblical truth.”
Elijah Mvundura reminds us why we shouldn't be influenced by wild conspiracy theories in his essay, GOD IS IN CONTROL. “Conspiracy theorists explain all major historical events or catastrophes as intrigues by secret societies—Freemasons, Illuminati, Jews, Opus Dei—steering the world toward one global government. . .For conspiracy theorists malevolent and powerful secret cabals in high positions hold the levers of history. . .To ascribe such transcendent power to human beings, no matter how powerful or how influential, is to contradict clear biblical testimony of divine sovereignty over history. . .Actually, it magnifies the demonic.”
Clifford Goldstein invites us to join him in poet Wislawa Szymborska’s ‘Museum’ in TRINKETS LEFT BEHIND. It’s “the place where ‘ten thousand aging things have been amassed.’ It’s a poem, a paean, not so much about what death takes away but about what it leaves behind”.
Goldstein, no stranger to poetic language himself, reminds the reader that “In Christ our corpses are merely pajamas, sleeping attire, loosely fitting and comfortable if not exactly beautiful. But who cares, because our eyes are closed until that moment, until that “twinkling of an eye . . . [when] the dead will be raised imperishable” (1Cor. 15:52), and the museum door shuts forever on the trinkets left behind.
BEAUTY IS a young mother dying of AIDS who is not “asking for pity, just stating a fact”. She does, however, have a request of Elfriede Volk. “Tell me; you’re a writer. We have so few Christian songs in my language. I want to translate the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal into Ovambo, so that we can use the songs in our church services. Would that be possible? Would I need permission? How would I get that?”
Eddie Heinrich battles the guilt he feels for injuring his little boy while breaking the rules and playing baseball in the house. In BRAEDEN’S STORY, his son, rather than blaming his father, only wants to be snuggled on the way to the hospital. Heinrich reflects, “Like my son, who wanted to be snuggled by his father, I want to be snuggled deep in the arms of Jesus, where I can rest assured that He loves me and will never leave me.”
In AGENTS OF CHANGE, Hyveth Williams reminds us to be “grateful that amid prolific changes many things will always remain the same, such as Jesus Christ, the person we worship.”
There is a uniquely Christian way to live during AN ECONOMIC CRISIS according to banker Bradley Skilton. “In all of this there is still good news: humankind has the opportunity to rise above the storm by giving of ourselves and our resources to those in need. Fifty years from now—if Jesus has not returned—when what some are referring to as the second Great Depression of the early twenty-first century is studied in history classes, wouldn’t it be gratifying if what stands out as memorable are evidences of compassion, cooperation, and help for one another on a previously unparalleled scale?”
WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES
Two Adventist icons have died. Milton Murray, an Adventist philanthropy pioneer and Adrian Westney, a longtime religious liberty advocate passed away in December.
Robert E. Kyte is returning to denominational service as president of Adventist Risk Management, and Virginia-Gene Ritenhouse, at age 87, is once again playing the violin and directing the New England Youth Ensemble after reverse shoulder replacement surgery.
Search
- Maggie on Divining the Voice in My Head
- David Read on A Short History of Healthcare
- frank7 on Righteousness—the Fruit of the Spirit
- Kathryn on The Exalted Father (The Question of God - Alt. S.S. 4 of 11)
- Maggie on Divining the Voice in My Head
- Alexander Carpenter on Sabbath Sermon: The Nearness of God
- Bill Sorensen on Righteousness—the Fruit of the Spirit
- Bill Sorensen on Sabbath Sermon: The Nearness of God
- John Tangen on Bible Commentary: "Long-term Influence"
- Carmen Lau on Reviewing the Review: None Controversial Edition
Comments
Excerpt
SDA = People of the Book????
"Historically the Seventh-day Adventist Church has been known as “a people of the Book,” although the terminology “people of the Book” originally came from the Qur’an, referring to the three monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. “Do not dispute with the People of the Book: say, we believe in what has been sent down to us and what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is one” (Sura 29.45). The term “people of the book” was often used in reference to Adventists because, in the past, they studied their Bibles. For more than 150 years Seventh-day Adventist families have begun their day by reading the Bible and used its teaching for inspiration, guidance and source of encouragement for their daily living. Seventh-day Adventists promote the Bible as the voice of truth in this sinful world. Sadly, an alarming picture emerges today.
The findings of the Barna Research Study of June 2001 should concern us. In comparing seven religious practices of 12 major denominations, the Barna Study concluded that Seventh-day Adventists ranked number seven in the frequency of Bible reading, and only number twelve in prayer practices. The Barna study correlates with a survey (3,646 surveys returned) by the Institute of Church Ministry at the theological seminary at Andrews University reveals that only 51% of the Seventh-day Adventist administrators, pastors, and lay people who responded have any form of daily devotions and family worship. These studies indicate that Seventh-day Adventists in some places are no longer the “People of the Book.”
Mark Finley
You can Google to verify
There is no redemption in the "Book". Redemption is in the Revelation of the Book. Christ announced His identity and His mission Luke 4: 16-20. Unless one finds Christ in the book, it is a mere icon. How many well worn Bibles are carried conspiuously by those with a hate agenda or find retribution in every tragic event in the neigbhorhood or globally? Such events should prompt us to minister not to condemn. I am glad LLU and others responded to the call on first light! This world is the one sphere that fell among thieves. Christ the Good Shepard came to set us free. Let us use that freedom as He did to invite not to condemn. Let the world know that we are people of the Good News that compells us to good works. Let it be known that when we pass, there is less pain, less thrist, less hunger, less cold, less fear, and more hope than prior to our appearance. When my division left Negro for Panay, a group of villagers lined up to shake my hand and with tears they said: "Thank you, and congratulations!" When the fighting had died down and all we had was sick call, I merely took time to help a few needy villagers. I have many academic honors but none like that goodbye. Each one of able bodied Christains can enjoy that kind of high honor here and here after. Cheers. Tom
I have looked and asked but I have yet to find anyone outside of Adventism that referred to Adventists as "people of the book". My guess it is something that Adventists simply like to say about themselves. After all surely someone in Islam referred to an Adventist as People of the Book since they use the phrase of the religions with sacred writings but otherwise it seems to be a tradition inside Adventism rather than any sort of historical fact.
Ron
Thanks Andrew, for the review.
I must say I'm a bit puzzled as to why the Review would run a feature on the Waldenses at all, let alone making it the cover feature. I can only assume it's part of our church's enduring fascination with this group because of what Ellen White wrote about them in Great Controversy. While there does appear to be some historical support for the notion the Waldenses were Sabbath keepers, this is by no means clear. The following link may be of interest to readers:
http://www.exadventist.com/Home/Articles/waldensians/tabid/449/Default.a...
In addition, the New Advent (online Catholic encyclopedia) doesn't even mention Sabbath keeping when describing the heresies of the Waldenses:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15527b.htm
The Waldenses seem to have become folk heroes to Adventists simply because they were persecuted by the Catholic Church in the middle ages. And because of that, we've woven them into a story that almost amounts to a de facto "apostolic succession" doctrine (God has always had guardians of "the truth", etc). I doubt any group or individual, even now, has a full knowledge of God's truth. And it is ridiculous to suggest that during the middle ages, the Waldenses were God's only genuine followers.
I do admire anybody who's prepared to lay down their life for what they believe. And I absolutely despise anybody who's prepared to kill someone for what they believe. But what happened historically doesn't demonstrate that the Waldenses actually had truth, or that the Catholic Church was trying to wipe out truth. About all we can really deduce is that there was an extreme abuse of power on the part of the Catholic Church, and that the Waldenses were sincere in their belief.
It is hard to see how this is really relevant today.
rc
People of the Book was common within Adventism during the 1930-1940"s. I was shipped from Camp Grant Ill. to Camp Beall Calif to await shipping to the South Pacific. I received a pass for Sabbath. I took the bus into Marysville without a clue as where the SDA church might be. It was not listed in the phone book. I asked several people. No one knew. So I started walking toward the residential district looking for a well dressed couple with a Bible. Sure enough in about 4 blocks I saw a middle aged couple walking hand in hand each with a Bible in the other hand. I caught up to them and introduced myself and asked: "By any chance are you on your way to Sabbath School?" They responded yes. I asked, if I could join them. They agreed. They even invited me home for Sabbath Dinner. Today how many walk to church and how many carry their Bibles and quarterly? Tom
A few years ago when I was asked to be the editor for our church's month newsletter, there were no ads for any SDA church in the Sat. church page of the local paper. When I suggested to the pastor that it might be a good idea to have the church address listed, he agreed, and for a number of years it attracted visitors who were in town visiting.
Now it is no longer listed. Yet when the frightening evangelists come to town with their beasts, they often have a full-page ad! (not specifying the denomination), usually paid for by all the SDA churches in the area.
The Waldensians began in middle ages. In the beginning they were very Catholic and wanted to live lives of greater poverty. A bit like the Franciscans. The Pope gave them his blessing, but enjoined them to only act in concert with the clergy. They did not, were condemned for it, and became radicalized. They began to become more gnostic and divided themselves into the perfect and the friends. This led to conflict. Later they joined up with the Reformers and became much more Protestant then they had been. One can still find them in Northern Italy.
I have visited the original site and the church where they presently meet, not too far from Turin.
Adventists have had the tendency to call the Waldenses the ancestry of their church, but without true historical accuracy, other than they were originally Protestant before Luther.
Fr. Jim, I think you may be thinking about the Albigenses/Cathars. The allegation that they were gnostics and divded themselves into the "perfecti" and the "credentis" (believers) were made against the Cathars, but I don't recall those allegations against Waldenses/Vaudois. (Of course, whether these accusations were true even of the Cathars is uncertain, since they were wiped out in a crusade called by the Pope; allowing the Catholic church to write the history of the Cathars is comparable to allowing Heinrich Himmler to write the history of Polish Jewry.)
Post new comment