Alister McGrath

[GHansen]

Alister McGrath is a professor of historical theology at Oxford University. Three excellent books he has written that people interested in RBF would enjoy are Iustitia Dei, Luther's Theology of the Cross , and The Intellectual Origins of the European Reformation. The chapter on  the Reformation in Iustitia Dei  is worth the price of the book. Luther's Theology of the Cross is another treasure. His interpretation of familiar passages is eye opening and offers a deep look into his thinking. "There is not a just man upon the earth who does good and sinneth not" was interpreted by Luther as "There is not a just man upon the earth who doesn't sin, even when he does good" It's easy to see how SDA  perfectionism simply doesn't fit with Luther's theology. Paxton and RDB made a number of charges against Adventism vis-a vis the Reformation but McGrath's work is not a polemic in that vein; however, the implications of his views on the differences between the Reformed and Evangelical branches definitely bear on Adventism. The Reformed tradition, being more profoundly impacted by humanism, tended to emphasize personal holiness. Interestingly, McGrath posits that neither Calvinism nor Lutheranism represent Calvin or Luther's thinking. One might conclude that EGW is not correctly represented by Adventism, either.

[Gustave]

Comparing the SDA understanding of Salvation to that of Martin Luther, the Catholic Church and lets say general Evangelical Christianity - what system would you say that the SDA Church between 1857 and 1915 is most like on that topic? 

[GHansen]

On 9/26/2021 at 10:37 PM, Gustave said:

what system would you say that the SDA Church between 1857 and 1915 is most like on that topic? 

 

 

[GHansen]

Sorry, can't help with that.