Date of Award

1997

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

College

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Program

Religion, Adventist Studies PhD

First Advisor

C. Mervyn Maxwell

Second Advisor

Robert M. Johnston

Third Advisor

Raoul Dederen

Abstract

Problem. Although Seventh Day Baptists and Seventh-day Adventists share a common heritage in the Sabbath doctrine, it has been recognized that significant differences in the Sabbath theologies of the denominations are distinguishable. However, literature that substantiates the nature of the differences in theology has not been researched and compared. The purpose of this study was primarily to investigate and compare differences in the theology of the two denominations as seen in the writings of representative theologians Seventh Day Baptist A. H. Lewis and Seventh-Adventist J. N. Andrews, and secondarily to consider how the differences may have affected the vitality of the respective denominations.

Method. The writings of the two theologians were first presented using a thematic descriptive approach with attention given to development or growth of the theologies. Their views were then compared in significant areas, and effects of the theologies on the respective denominations compared.

Results. The research ascertained that (1) there is a high degree of similarity in the biblical-historical material, but divergence in the philosophical and prophetic-eschatalogical perspectives of the two writers; (2) that the emphases of these theologians has significantly impacted the theologies of their respective denominations; and (3) that there is indication that the theologies of the denominations have affected the vitality of the movements.

Subject Area

Sabbath--History of doctrines, Andrews, John Nevins, 1829-1883--Views on Sabbath, Lewis, Abram Herbert, 1836-1908--Views on Sabbath

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.32597/dissertations/141/

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