’WPC› uåDBĢ«HF””üF"”Ó»’¾A[żū1«Ŗ¾ŲOļÆž ~ Źóķ[Ƒ"ÜięĖhĖÆŌŪhE•q£Ahl¢;;k ōk*/pm0ō­š‚J„¢}Ź„6ŗ£‚É‚ėr™//”¢įŠE¶īS8Eõ±:”„Ś§Ų ģ÷~ŹĻÕÅż\„’w'@š7²˜žÜs¢Ļx¤‘0y«q1™ėžœ¤u|ś‘¦vyšä xįäóį'iJ&…}xxC“-²Bčü­×F÷ķ%ÜŻĒO g=W_øæqõǬÖFeDvFm¹cåņCź qŸė×Cu'–õ•ó6¢ž„ĆŖĪķįl,üĄĒs¢ęJŚ›j‡yP[ŽĢ VnS„Åć8ųܚž„Ø!,ū_”ęĆ! ŲtźćźcÖŌ*g.%īx‡NƍjČq ›ć—ī|ø®Fsķ|:‡PaętÆ2Ÿ)>“Ļł„×dm #ɶUN %Ķ 0:Ó^ w41@ mBNYU@[˜Xerox WorkCentre XEČČĢĢĢĢČČ0(ÖĆ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(üœ$””ŌUSUS.,Ō¼/ :‡/ź:i¢×+003|x ’U‹’ĄĄĄ(ÖĆ9 Z‹(Times New Roman Ż ƒüœ!ŻŌUSUS.,ŌŻ  ŻŌ_ŌŃ8€ųXXdģdČ8Ńą@Š Š ģąņ ņš šBack€to€the€Bible:€Trying€to€Hear€All€the€VoicesššˆŠ ° Šó óą@©©"ģąBy€Alden€ThompsonˆŠ œģ Šą@į į ģąGlacier€View€Faith€and€Science€Conference,€August€2003ˆŠ ˆŲ ŠĢą@yy&ģąņ ņAbstractó óˆŠ `° ŠĢŌ‡ō¬ņXXŌą  ąThe€conviction€driving€this€paper€is€that€God€wants€us,€the€members€of€His€church,€the€body€of€Christ,€to€beŠ 8 ˆ Šwholehearted€in€our€commitment€to€Him€and€that€this€commitment€to€God€calls€us€to€be€wholehearted€in€the€pursuitŠ ü L Šof€truth€in€Scripture,€in€nature,€and€in€the€study€of€humankind,€and€that€this€pursuit€of€truth€can€actually€unify€ratherŠ Ą  Šthan€fragment€the€church.Š „ Ō  Šą  ąņ ņA€key€assumption:€ó óThat€all€our€human€knowledge€is€partial€and€limited,€especially€our€knowledge€of€God.€Š H ˜  ŠIn€the€words€of€Ellen€White,€š šGod€and€heaven€alone€are€infalliblešš€(RH,€July€26,€1892€[CWE€37]).Š ^  Šą  ąņ ņA€key€observation:€ó óWe€humans€are€easily€tempted€to€obscure€the€diverse€perspectives€in€Scripture€byŠ Ņ"  Šprivileging€the€elements€congenial€to€our€particular€preferences€and€biases.€Thus€we€risk€putting€God€on€trial€by€ourŠ ˜č  Špreferred€words,€logic€and€rhetoric€(cf.€SM€1:21).€€And€by€being€selective€rather€than€comprehensive,€the€diverseŠ \¬  Šperspectives€in€Scripture€can€easily€appear€contradictory,€rather€than€complementary.Š  p  Šą  ąņ ņMy€thesis:€ó óThat€the€recognition€of€the€diversity€within€Scripture€should€move€us€to€seek€a)€the€commonŠ ä4  Šground€shared€by€all€the€biblical€perspectives.€and€b)€ways€of€seeing€these€perspectives€as€complementary.Š Ŗś  Šą  ąņ ņApplication:ó ó€With€reference€to€creation,€the€seven„day€week,€the€flood,€and€eschatology,€the€church€canŠ n¾ Šrest€secure€on€the€common€ground€evident€in€Scripture,€rather€than€being€driven€by€the€attacks€of€critics€on€the€oneŠ 4„ Šhand€or€the€fears€of€believers€on€the€other.Š ųH ŠĢŌ#†XųXXņō¬Ŗ#Ōą@ģąņ ņThe€Challenge€and€Opportunityó óˆŠ €Š Šą@ģģ*ģąˆĢą  ąTwo€excerpts€from€the€August€2003€issue€of€ņņChristianity€Todayóó€highlight€the€dauntingŠ XØ Šchallenge€facing€Adventism€in€our€modern€world.€The€first€excerpt€was€part€of€a€cluster€of€lettersŠ D” Šresponding€to€a€CT€article€(June€2003)€on€the€death€of€Martin€Burnham,€a€missionary€in€theŠ 0€ ŠPhilippines€taken€hostage€by€Moslem€rebels€and€killed€in€a€shoot„out€with€the€military.€In€itššsŠ l Šoriginal€coverage,€CT€had€posed€two€questions:€One€was€on€the€cover:€š šWhy€is€Ō_ŌGraciaŌ_Ō€Alone?ššŠ X ŠThe€other€was€the€articleššs€title€š šDid€Martin€Die€Needlessly?šš€This€quote€from€a€reader€wasŠ ōD Šgiven€side„bar€status€by€CT:€š šEither€God€is€sovereign€or€he€is€not.€And€if€he€is,€the€question€ofŠ ą0 Šššwhyšš€can€at€best€serve€secular€ends.šš€In€short,€God€is€in€charge,€no€questions€please.Š Ģ Šą  ąA€few€pages€later€in€the€same€issue€is€a€news€note€entitled:€š šNot„So„Great€Danes.šš€€CTŠ ø  Šreported€that€a€Lutheran€minister€in€Denmark€has€been€suspended€by€his€bishop€for€the€followingŠ ¤ ō! Šquote:€š šThere€is€no€heavenly€God,€there€is€no€eternal€life,€there€is€no€resurrection.šš€Later,Š !ą" Šclaiming€that€he€had€been€misquoted,€the€suspended€pastor€said€that€he€believes€š šin€somethingŠ |"Ģ# Šdivine,€but€not€in€a€God€who€created€man€and€the€ant.šš€His€bishop€found€the€remarksŠ h#ø$ Šš šunacceptable,€creating€doubt€and€confusion.šš€But€CT,€reporting€that€hundreds€attended€a€protestŠ T$¤% Šmeeting,€quoted€the€head€of€the€parish€council€as€saying:€š šIf€there€is€no€place€for€our€pastor€inŠ @% & Šthis€church,€then€there€is€no€place€for€many€of€us.ššŠ ,&|!' Šą  ąIn€those€two€extremes,€I€suspect,€lurk€the€fears€that€drive€this€conference:€Will€ours€be€aŠ 'h"( Šchurch€which€snuffs€out€all€questions€in€the€name€of€an€almighty€and€sovereign€God?€Or€mightŠ (T#) Šwe€ask€so€many€questions€that€a€personal€God€š!š€Creator,€Redeemer,€and€Restorer€of€the€earth€š!šŠ š(@$* Šcould€simply€disappear€from€our€horizon,€leaving€us€with€a€cold,€dark€world€as€our€only€hope?Š Ü),%+ Šą  ąIt€is€my€conviction€that€Adventism€has€a€wonderful,€God„given€opportunity€to€be€aŠ Č*&, Šdifferent€kind€of€community,€one€which€takes€all€the€questions€seriously,€listens€carefully€to€allŠ “+'- Šthe€human€voices,€seeking€to€include€them€within€the€community,€but€allowing€only€one€voice€toŠ ° Šset€our€agenda,€the€voice€of€our€Lord€calling€us€to€be€one€body€in€him.€Š œģ ŠĢą@¢¢ģąņ ņCredibility€of€the€Witnessó óˆŠ tÄ ŠĢą  ąNow€let€me€be€candid€with€you€right€up€front€on€the€question€of€credibility.€My€claim€isŠ L œ Šthat€I€am€working€with€a€model€which€I€believe€can€unify€the€church;€yet€my€book€ņņInspiration,óóŠ 8 ˆ Šhas€triggered€a€great€deal€of€controversy€in€the€church.€In€other€words,€it€has€proven€to€beŠ $ t Šdivisive,€at€least€in€some€respects.€€How€do€I€put€those€two€together?€Š  ` Šą  ąFirst,€the€reaction€is€understandable€because€I€vigorously€advocate€the€recognition€of€twoŠ ü L  Škey€phenomena€in€Scripture,€in€the€writings€of€Ellen€White,€and€in€human€experience€in€general,Š č 8  Šphenomena€which€are€very€unsettling€for€devout€€conservatives.€š šChangešš€and€š šDiversity.šš€€ToŠ Ō$  Šargue€in€favor€of€€š šchangešš€and/or€š šdiversityšš€ņņfeelsóó€like€we€are€either€capitulating€to€the€criticsŠ Ą  Šwho€laugh€at€the€Bible€for€its€contradictions,€or,€are€heading€down€the€slippery€slope€ofŠ ¬ü  Šrelativism.€Š ˜č  Šą  ąSecond,€as€a€devout€and€conservative€person€(I€define€my€use€of€conservative€below),€IŠ „Ō  Šbelieve€I€have€a€responsibility€to€God€and€to€my€church€to€address€issues€of€š šchangešš€andŠ pĄ Šš šdiversityšš€in€ways€that€will€enable€us€to€be€more€effective€witnesses€for€God€in€a€rapidlyŠ \¬ Šchanging€and€increasingly€diverse€world.€Š H˜ Šą  ąThird,€the€benefits€in€my€own€religious€experience€have€been€significant,€touching€myŠ 4„ Šdevotional€life,€my€worship€experience,€and€my€understanding€of€the€doctrine€of€the€church,€Š  p Šą  ąFourth,€the€response€in€classroom€and€church€has€been€consistently€positive€andŠ  \ Šencouraging.Š ųH Šą  ąFifth,€and€finally,€I€have€concluded€that€virtually€everyone€I€know€practices€key€aspects€ofŠ ä4 Šwhat€I€preach,€they€just€donššt€like€to€hear€it€preached.Š Š  ŠĢą@3 3 ģąņ ņDiversity:€Liberals€and€Conservatives€in€the€Churchó óˆŠ Øų ŠĢą  ąIn€recent€years,€no€less€than€three€thoughtful€and€devout€Ō_ŌAdventistsŌ_Ō€š!š€two€pastors€and€anŠ €Š ŠAdventist€physician€š!š€have€referred€me€to€the€following€Ellen€White€quotation€as€having€had€aŠ l¼ Štransforming€effect€on€their€life€and€ministry:€It€consists€of€the€two€opening€paragraphs€in€theŠ X Ø Šchapter,€š šIn€Contact€with€Others,šš€in€ņņThe€Ministry€of€Healing:Š D!” ŠĢą0  ąóóš šEvery€association€of€life€calls€for€the€exercise€of€self„control,€forbearance,€andŠ #l! Šsympathy.€We€differ€so€widely€in€disposition,€habits,€education,€that€our€ways€of€lookingŠ $X" Šat€things€vary.€We€judge€differently.€ņ ņOur€understanding€of€truth,€our€ideas€in€regardŠ ō$D # Što€the€conduct€of€life,€are€not€in€all€respects€the€same.€There€are€no€two€whoseŠ ä%4!$ Šexperience€is€alike€in€every€particular.€The€trials€of€one€are€not€the€trials€of€another.Š Š& "% ŠThe€duties€that€one€finds€light€are€to€another€most€difficult€and€perplexing.ó óм' #&(#(# Šą0  ąą ` ąš šSo€frail,€so€ignorant,€so€liable€to€misconception€is€human€nature,€that€each€shouldŠ Ø(ų#' Šbe€careful€in€the€estimate€he€places€upon€another.€We€little€know€the€bearing€of€our€actsŠ ”)ä$( Šupon€the€experience€of€others.€What€we€do€or€say€may€seem€to€us€of€little€moment,€when,Š €*Š%) Šcould€our€eyes€be€opened,€we€should€see€that€upon€it€depended€the€most€important€resultsŠ l+¼&* Šfor€good€or€for€evilšš€(ņņThe€Ministry€of€Healingóó,€483).ņņóóа(#(# ŠĢą  ąWhen€I€shared€that€quotation€in€a€seminar€I€was€holding€in€Portland,€Oregon,€anŠ ˆŲ ŠAdventist€physician€commented€that€if€I€hadnššt€identified€the€source,€he€would€have€taken€it€asŠ tÄ Šcoming€from€a€post„modernist.€For€Ellen€White€to€admit€that€our€different€experiences€lead€toŠ `° Šdifferent€understandings€of€both€truth€and€behavior€is€remarkable.€€I€believe€we€should€take€thatŠ L œ Šsuggestion€very€seriously€indeed.Š 8 ˆ Šą  ąNow€that€I€have€š špermissionšš€to€see€the€diversity,€I€see€it€everywhere.€I€was€reminded€ofŠ $ t Šthat€transition€in€my€own€thinking€by€a€quip€shared€by€Philip€Jenkins,€author€of€ņņThe€NextŠ  ` ŠChristendom:€The€Coming€of€Global€Christianityóó€(Oxford,€2002):€š šIf€I€hadnššt€believed€it,€IŠ ü L  Šwouldnššt€have€seen€it€with€my€own€eyes.šš€€For€those€of€us€who€are€devout€conservatives,€and€IŠ č 8  Šinclude€myself€in€that€group,€we€will€not€š šseešš€something€new€unless€we€are€sure€that€we€have€aŠ Ō$  Šmodel€which€can€handle€the€new.€I€donššt€care€how€much€scorn€you€heap€on€me,€how€much€funŠ Ą  Šyou€have€at€my€expense;€I€simply€wonššt€buy€the€š šnewšš€unless€I€can€see€a€way€clear€to€integrate€itŠ ¬ü  Šinto€my€life€of€faith.€€Š ˜č  Šą  ąNow€I€donššt€like€to€be€treated€with€scorn€or€with€condescension,€not€even€a€little€bit.€€AndŠ „Ō  Šwhat€I€have€discovered€over€the€years€is€that€in€the€larger€world,€some€on€the€liberal€left€are€quite€Š pĄ Šwilling€to€be€seen€as€š šwicked.šš€Indeed,€the€more€horror€heaped€upon€them€by€conservatives,€theŠ \¬ Šmore€they€seem€to€revel€in€their€wickedness.Š H˜ Šą  ąBy€contrast,€I€have€not€found€anyone€anywhere€who€wants€to€be€dumb.€Even€the€mostŠ 4„ Šrabid€fundamentalists€donššt€want€to€be€seen€as€dumb.€€Our€culture,€however,€has€tended€toŠ  p Šprivilege€the€abstract„thinking€intellectuals€as€the€š šintelligent,šš€while€labeling€the€concrete„Š  \ Šthinking€people€as€š šless€intelligent.šš€I€actually€have€a€1981€printout€of€a€temperament€profileŠ ųH Šresult€(š š16€PF€Test€Profilešš€[1973€copyright]),€which€uses€those€very€words€to€distinguish€theŠ ä4 Šabstract€thinkers€(š šmore€intelligentšš)€from€the€concrete€thinkers€(š šless€intelligentšš).Š Š  Šą  ąWithin€the€church,€it€is€very€important€that€we€monitor€our€language€so€that€liberals€doŠ ¼  Šnot€heap€scorn€on€the€conservatives€and€the€conservatives€do€not€react€with€horror€at€the€liberals.€Š Øų ŠIn€that€respect,€the€method€adopted€by€this€conference€was€a€very€good€one.€It€allowed€a€certainŠ ”ä Šanonymity€in€the€dialogue€so€that€we€could€call€each€other€to€account.€€The€face„to„face€dialogueŠ €Š Šis€also€terribly€important.€That€is€what€is€happening€now.€But€we€need€to€treat€each€other€withŠ l¼ Šrespect.€€Š X Ø Šą  ąIn€that€connection,€a€couple€of€Ellen€White€quotations€I€find€very€sobering€and€veryŠ D!” Šhelpful.€€To€A.€T.€Jones€in€the€1890s,€she€once€wrote,€š šIn€the€advocacy€of€the€truth,€the€bitterestŠ 0"€  Šopponents€should€be€treated€with€respect€and€deference....€Treat€every€man€as€honest.€Speak€noŠ #l! Šword,€do€no€deed€that€will€confirm€any€in€unbeliefšš€(ņņTestimoniesóó€6:122).€In€a€message€dated€toŠ $X" Š1879€she€counseled€a€brother:€š šIf€you€would€always€manifest€kindness,€respect,€noble€love€andŠ ō$D # Šgenerosity,€toward€even€wicked€men,€you€might€render€effectual€service€to€Christšš€(ņņTestimoniesóóŠ ą%0!$ Š4:331).€€Those€quotes€set€an€incredibly€high€standard€for€us.€But€just€try€to€imagine€what€life€inŠ Ģ&"% Šthe€church€would€be€like€if€we€were€to€seek€Godššs€help€and€put€them€into€practice.€€€Š ø'#& Šą  ąTowards€that€end,€I€would€like€to€suggest€that€the€Myers„Briggs€temperament€profileŠ ¤(ō#' Šoffers€very€helpful€possibilities€for€understanding€our€differences.€And€what€I€find€particularlyŠ )ą$( Šgood€about€Myers„Briggs€is€that€it€is€simply€descriptive€and€non„judgmental.€Or,€to€put€it€anotherŠ |*Ģ%) Šway,€it€allows€us€to€see€our€strengths€as€also€being€our€weaknesses.Š h+ø&* Šą  ąSo€with€Myers„Briggs€in€the€background,€€let€me€briefly€explain€my€perspective€on€thoseŠ ° Štroublesome€words,€š šliberalšš€and€š šconservativešš€and€the€three€ways€we€use€them€in€Adventism.Š œģ ŠOn€two€counts,€I€am€both€liberal€and€conservative,€on€one€I€am€simply€conservative:Š ˆŲ Šą  ąA.€ņ ņš šIntellectualšš€Liberal„Conservative€Spectrum.ó ó€The€conservative€is€the€cautious,Š tÄ Šhighly„structured€person,€the€Myers„Briggs€š šguardianšš€type€(Ō_ŌSJŌ_Ō).€€The€liberal€is€the€exploratory,Š d“ Šcuriosity„driven€person,€the€Myers„Briggs€€š šrationalistšš€type€(NT).€€I€am€probably€more€liberalŠ P   Šthan€conservative€here,€for€I€must€ask€my€questions.€But€I€do€not€accept€change€readily.€I€stillŠ < Œ Šdrive€my€1969€Chevrolet€Malibu€which€I€purchased€new€as€a€pastor.Š ( x Šą  ąB.€ņ ņš šLife„stylešš€Liberal„Conservative€Spectrum.ó ó€The€liberal€is€the€people„person,Š  d Šdrawn€to€the€city,€attracted€by€contemporary€culture,€at€risk€from€compromise,€the€Myers„BriggsŠ  T  Šš šartisanšš€type€(SP).€The€conservative€is€the€devout€ascetic,€drawn€into€the€wilderness€to€be€withŠ š @  ŠGod,€in€danger€of€being€out„of„touch€and€irrelevant€to€the€modern€culture,€the€Myers„BriggsŠ Ü,  Šš šidealistšš€type€(NF).€I€am€probably€more€conservative€here,€but€I€am€also€very€much€a€people„Š Č  Šperson.€Thatššs€why€church€and€community€are€so€important€for€me.Š “  Šą  ąC.€ņ ņš šPresence€of€Godšš€Liberal„Conservative€Spectrum.ó ó€€Here€the€conservative€is€theŠ  š  Špietist€who€š šsensesšš€a€strong€and€inescapable€personal€presence€of€God.€In€its€most€intense€form,€Š ą  ŠGod€can€be€a€controlling,€even€threatening€presence.€Jeremiah€is€perhaps€the€best€biblicalŠ |Ģ Šillustration€of€that€kind€of€experience.€€By€contrast,€the€liberal€is€the€rationalist€for€whom€GodŠ hø Šseems€more€distant,€someone€who€is€likely€to€murmur€a€quiet€amen€to€Ecclesiastes€5:2:€š šNeverŠ T¤ Šbe€rash€with€your€mouth,€nor€let€you€heart€be€quick€to€utter€a€word€before€God,€for€God€is€inŠ @ Šheaven,€and€you€upon€earth;€therefore€let€your€words€be€fewšš€(Ō_ŌNRSVŌ_Ō).Š ,| Šą  ąIn€terms€of€our€modern€culture,€Ecclesiastes€people€are€still€very€š šconservative,šš€simplyŠ h Šbecause€they€believe€in€a€personal€God.€But€because€they€are€not€as€vocal€in€their€praises€andŠ T Štestimonies,€they€are€often€viewed€with€suspicion€by€their€more€exuberant€brothers€and€sistersŠ š@ Šwithin€their€faith€community.€That€is€a€sadness€we€need€to€correct.Š Ü, Šą  ąI€would€argue,€then,€that€Scripture€confirms€within€the€community€of€faith,€the€presenceŠ Č Šof€more€exuberant€conservatives€and€more€taciturn€liberals.€But€in€terms€of€modern€culture,€theyŠ “ Šwould€all€be€viewed€as€hopelessly€conservative.€In€that€respect,€any€Adventist€who€believes€that€aŠ  š Špersonal€God€created,€lived€and€died€on€planet€earth,€and€is€coming€again,€would€be€viewed€asŠ ŒÜ Švery€conservative€indeed.€Š xČ Šą  ąWithin€the€š šconservativešš€experience,€however,€I€would€like€to€highlight€an€importantŠ d “ Švariant,€the€experience€of€š šfeelingšš€godforsaken€even€while€š šknowingšš€Him€to€be€present.€Job,Š P!  ŠJesus€on€the€cross,€and€the€author€of€Psalm€22,€the€one€€Jesus€quoted€on€the€cross,€are€allŠ <"Œ  Šimportant€biblical€examples.€From€this€experience,€the€believer€emerges€from€the€dark€nightŠ (#x! Šknowing€God,€not€as€controlling€and€threatening,€but€as€enabling€and€encouraging.Š $d" Šą  ąThe€important€nuance€in€this€experience€is€best€illustrated€by€a€cluster€of€modern€authors.€Š %P # ŠRabbi€Harold€Ō_ŌKushnerŌ_Ō,€ņņóóthe€Anglican€C.€S.€Lewis,€and€the€Adventist€Roger€Ō_ŌMorneauŌ_Ō.€Ō_ŌKushnerŌ_Ō,Š ģ%