I got a copy of the Record magazine while at church today. The Record is a magazine all Adventists get weekly to promote the company line. Looking through it while there I came across an artical people might like to know about on JW com the artical entitled 'The Holy Spirit and the GodheadBy Angel Manuel Rodriguez who is director of the Biblical Research Institute of the general Conference. The first two sentences, 'Some in our church are teaching that the Holy Spirit is neither a person nor a member of the Godhead. Is that true?
Some Adventists have discovered that practically all of our pioneers were anti -Trinitarian and have concluded that the church today should reject the doctrine of the Trinity. The artical then goes on to show the biblical beleif of the Holy spirit as the third person of the Trinity.
Well this may start up a hornets nest between the Trinitarians and Arians also theres a letters section in the magazine where letters from people of different persuasion will write in about this one. Anyway Ill keep you all informed on future developements
Arian, Trinitarian debate by the Adventist
by barry 4 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
barry
-
jgnat
Judging by the speed that posters move on to the thread du jour, I am not sure this is a current topic any more. Anyhow, I am interested by your commentary. I have been studying heroes of the faith who were around before the WTS, and found the story of Athanasius. He defended Jesus' nature as fully God, in the face of violent opposition, barely 300 years after the death of Christ. The opponents were Arians. I would not have known what you were talking about, except that I just studied it.
The Arian heresy won its share of victories. The Goths became Arian, for example, and spread their doctrine across Europe by conquest. But by 525, even the Goths had converted to orthodox views. Athanasius, long dead, had prevailed in the cause for which he risked his life. Most Christians from then on confessed that Jesus was "very God of very God."
So, does that mean that modern day Adventists and members of the WTS are descended from the Arian heresy?
-
barry
The JWs and the early Adventists are decendant from the Arian heresy. They are called Arian because they are named after the founder a priest from Egypt called Arius who was a catalyst in the debate on the nature of christ in the first ecumenical council at Niceia in 325. Only about 5% of Adventists are Arian now. Thats a guess
Barry -
refiners fire
Well, in that debate i only know one thing for certain.
All sides will produce quotes from Ellen G White to prove that she supported Their position.
-
barry
The Arians certainly will quote ellen white and the pioneers because they were all Arians and we will see about the rest. Actually the Arians call the beleif of the trinity the Omega of apostacy because thats what ellen white called it. [omega there those good things is fish arent they].
Edited by - barry on 15 August 2002 18:30:47