Studies in Adventist Ecclesiology, vol. 2

This is the second volume of our projected three-volume set on the study of the nature of the church (ecclesiology). The first volume was entitled Toward a Theology of the Remnant and this one is entitled Message, Mission, and the Unity of the Church. The contributors in this second volume on Adventist ecclesiology share a common theological vision: the renewal of an understanding of the nature, mission and unity of the church so that it may bear a clearer witness to apostolic faith. By stimulating fresh thinking on several critical issues relating to the doctrine of the church, this volume will advance your understanding concerning the significance of unity and the renewal of a passion for mission within contemporary Adventism.

Combining a keen awareness with penetrating analysis, 17 respected and recognized Adventist scholars address such questions as –

• In a fragmented world, what elements hold the church together, and which should or ought not be present?
• Why is it important to view the church as a global entity?
• What are the forces that led to the dramatic disconnect between the apostolic and medieval church? Is there a “cosmic conflict” present in the history of the church?
• What are the roots of Adventist ecclesiology in the apostolic era that surfaced through the message of the Reformers and reached maturity in the “end-time” message and ecclesiology of the remnant church?
• How has a hermeneutic been informed by Greek philosophy, damaged the message of the Christian church, and necessitated an “end-time” movement that brings freedom from philosophical traditions?
• In what way have the apocalyptic books of Daniel and Revelation defined the Adventist church, empowered its message, and informed its ecclesiology?
• Are the 28 Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church descriptive or prescriptive? What is their authority and in what way do they contribute to the unity of the church?
• Is there salvation apart from the Christian church? If salvation is available to the unevangelized then why is evangelism a necessary function of the remnant church?
• What is the relationship between Israel and the Christian church? Is there a genetic connection between them or are they two opposing movements? How can the Adventist church fulfill the Pauline mission to the Jews?

The answers to these questions make Message, Mission, and Unity of the Church essential reading as these issues relating to the doctrine of the church are brought under the lens of biblically informed thinking. Further, in a fragmented world in which the church is steeped in contemporary ideas about its nature, this volume will, with unblinking clarity, show how the Adventist doctrine of the church intersects conclusively with modern concerns.