Important Books

[Gregory Matthews]

Philip Wesley Comfort. THE ORIGIN OF THE BIBLE, Tyndale House, 1992 & 2003, 352 pages.

This book, I consider to be one of the most important books that one can study about the background of the Bible.  It was written by some 13 different people.  Included among the authors are F. F. Bruce, Carl F. H. Henry, J. L. Packer and others.  It is divided into five  (5) sections:

The Authority & Inspiration of the Bible

The Canon of the Bible

The Bible as a Literary Text

Bible Texts & Manuscripts

Bible Translation.

Each section has several authors.

It can be purchased today for about $13 and as a Kindle edition for$10.

I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to learn more about the background of the Bible.

It is written in a manner that it is of value to people who are not highly trained scholars.

 

 

[Gregory Matthews]

Andrews University Press (AUP):

AUP has become an academic publisher of some 80 titles.  I publishes in the area of, biblical & theological studies, Adventist studies, science, faith, educational philosophy, psychology and biblical archaeology. 

Some of its publications are likely to be of interest to a very narrow group of people.  E.G. Its 10 books on the archaeology of Hesban

Other books will be of more general interest:  E.G. MEMOIRS OF WILLIAM MILLER; THE GENESIS CREATION ACCOUNT AND ITS REVERBERATIONS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT--10 authors; I USED TO BE PERFECT. 

The listing of AUP titles runs to some 34 pages.  More information can be obtained from : universitypress.andrews.edu  or 800-467-6369.

 

 

 

Edited July 25, 2015 by Gregory Matthews

[Gregory Matthews]

A major work of The Andrews University Press (AUP) is a four (4) vol. set on Systematic Theology, written by Norman Gully of Southern Adventist University.  Three vol. have been published and the 4th is in process.

Vol. 1, Prolegomena: Is an 810 page introduction to systematic theology   It is divided into 15 different chapters which begin with major philosophers and scientists, a view of Scripture, postmodern worldview and various schools of hermeneutics.

Vo. 2, God as Trinity: Is a 666 page book on the doctrine of the Trinity.  It contains 16 chapters.

Vol. 3, Creation, Christ & Salvation:  Is a 871 page book which contains some 17 chapters.

Vol. 4, The Church and the Last Things:  Is a book that is in process and has not yet been published.

 

For those interested in study in depth, the above    books may be of interest.

 

[Gregory Matthews]

A.  Leroy Moore. ADVENTIST CULTURES IN CONFLICT: PRINCIPLES OF RECONCILIATION.  Moore publishing.  2009, 158 pages.

NOTE:  This book is for sale on Amazon and other web sites.  It price generally ranges from $18 to less than half of that.

Moore has served as a pastor (Alaska, Texico, Upper Columbia and New England), He has taught at Solusi, Walla Walla, Columbia Union College and Weimar.  He has been director of La Vida Mission and president of LaVoy Missionary College in Canada.

This book includes some concepts previously published in Adventist cultures in Conflict.

I am in the beginning phase of reading this book.  It is stimulating.  In short he suggests that truth has two opposite poles and divided Adventists tend to cluster around one of the poles to the neglect of the other and both poles are needed for a full understanding of the doctrinal message.

If you chose to purchase it, you will be challenged in ways that you do not expect.

Here is one comment by him:

 

the purpose of this book is to demonstrate that our movement is endangered by both conservative and liberal cultures.  thus, not one but two competing cultures threaten the integrity of God's last-day message and our mission to proclaim it in  purity.

 

NOTE:  He does not advocate compromise.   The critical words to understand how he defines them are: paradoxical and dialectical.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 25, 2015 by Gregory Matthews

[Kevin H]

A Leroy More's books are spot on and incredibly important. Desmond Ford and the so called "New Theology" does revolve around one set of the opposites of truth. The so called "Historic Adventists" revolve around the other pole. One good book that helps to understand the issue of opposites in the world is Eli Siegel's "Self and World". Mr. Siegel was a poet/philosopher  1902 - 1978. In some ways he was a victim of his times in other ways a head of his time. Sadly after his death there was a power-struggle among his students. The group that won out tended to make almost a religion out of his works. There was a subgroup that lost out who were originally way more fanatical. When they lost out they turned their back on his work and began calling it a cult. This history is sad, but I encourage the reading of his books and articles and to see what benefits you from his thought.

 

I would also like to add to the list:

The ORIGINAL Sanctuary and the Atonement with the articles about Mrs. White and the Investigative Judgment. Sadly left out of the reprintings.

John Bright A History of Israel

Aharoni: The Land of the Bible

The MacMillian Bible Atlas.

Henri Frankfort and others: Before Philosophy

George MacCreaty Price: The Time of the End

Anything by Abraham Joshua Heshel.

 

 

[Gregory Matthews]

Merlin D. Burt, Editor.  Understanding Ellen White: The life and work of the most influential voice in Adventist history. Pacific Press/Ellen G. White Estate, 2015, 253 pages.

This is a book that has some 17 chapters, written by some 14 different people.  It is an important book in attempting to understand the place and role the EGW should have to members living in the 21^st century.

Jon Paulien starts the book off with a discussion of the role that prophets played in Scripture. His section on the role of the apostle is informative.  He places the role of the apostle as more important than that of the prophet.

Some of his valuable comments include:

The apostle is everything the prophet is and more, . . . But, the apostle’s authority of office is even greater than the prophet. . . .  

No later prophet can fill the apostolic role. . . . Ellen White . . . will never be placed in the canon; she is the ‘lessor light’ that points us to the ‘greater light’ of Scripture.

 

Page 17[/quote]

[Gregory Matthews]

Chapter 8 deals with her role in the development of SDA Doctrine.

Chapter 13 deals with issues related to EGW and science.  It is of value.

This may very well be a book that many reading here will find to be of value.

Also from Jon Paulien:

Some may argue that there is no need for common sense and discernment (‘I take it as it reads’) But counsel written to another time and place does not always fit neatly into a radically different situation. 

This means that genuine prophetic messages can be applied in disastrous ways by sincere followers of the prophet. Page 21[/quote]

 

Edited July 26, 2015 by Gregory Matthews

[Gregory Matthews]

Robert L. Mole & Dale M. Mole.  For God & Country: Operation Whitecoat, 1954 - 1973, 197 pages, 1998, Teach Services, Brushtown, N.Y.

There is a history of the SDA Church and its relationship to military service that is little known by the majority of members. That history goes far beyond the knowledge that during the American Civil War, the Church paid a fee for each of its members to be exempted form military service.  The documents related to the story as to how the Church came to formally approve of its clergy serving as military chaplains and the present position taken by the denomination as to  service in the military have mainly been privately printed and are generally not available to most people,  Included in these are the four books written by Robert L. Mole and  records of committee discussion on the stand the denomination should take which governs official policy today.

The above book deals with one specific aspect of the denominations relationship to the U.S.  military:  Operation Whitecoat.   In Whitecoat, SDA members of the military were assigned to a special unit where they voluntarily were exposed to infectious diseases in a program intended to study the effects of such diseases on the human body and to test the effectiveness of various preventive measures.

Some of the diseases involved in this program included: Q Fever, Tularemia, Viral Encephalitis, Sandfly Fever, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Typhus, Typhoid, Rift Valley Fever, Yellow Fever, Plague and more. 

In more recent times, it has been criticized as a program to develop methods of biological warfare.

The above book provides a great amount of information related to this program.  It probably will not be considered a definitive book as to the appropriateness of the involvement of the SDA Church.  It provides little to no information related to issues outside of Whitecoat.

But, if this is a subject that interests you, this book will provide valuable information.

 

Edited August 4, 2015 by Gregory Matthews

[phkrause]

Sounds like an interesting book. My brother went into the whitecoats. When I got drafted in '66, I requested to go there, but was told they were no longer active, but my brother who got drafted in '72 was assigned there!! I had also asked about getting into there printing unit, was also told this was no longer active, but found out later, that they were!! Oh well, I think at the time they wanted as many as possible to go to Vietnam??

[Gail]

I have Understanding Ellen White and am eager to delve into it. Thanks, you guys, for putting this list together!