Key research themes
1. How does Seventh-day Adventist theology address social engagement and prophetic witness in contemporary humanitarian crises?
This research theme investigates the role and stance of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) concerning social activism, development, and humanitarian relief efforts, especially focusing on the tension between traditional orthodoxy and practical orthopraxis in politically and socially volatile contexts. It explores how SDA's historical apolitical posture impacts its response to human rights abuses and assesses the call for increased prophetic voice within missiological praxis.
2. In what ways do Seventh-day Adventist theological doctrines—such as the sanctuary and eschatology—influence its mission and discipleship strategies?
This theme centers on the doctrinal foundations intrinsic to SDA theology that guide mission, discipleship, and identity formation. It assesses how core beliefs like the heavenly sanctuary doctrine shape ecclesiological vision, missionary engagement, and the spiritual formation of members. Also examined is the dynamic between doctrinal instruction and practical discipleship amidst contemporary challenges of member retention and mission clarity.
3. How has Seventh-day Adventist theology historically engaged with biblical canon controversies, particularly regarding the Apocrypha and the concept of sola scriptura?
This theme investigates the evolving Adventist theological perspectives on the biblical canon boundary, focusing on the historical inclusion and subsequent marginalization of the Apocrypha within early Adventism. It critically analyzes the visions and writings of Ellen G. White that endorsed certain Apocryphal texts, addressing the theological and canon formation debates surrounding scripture authority (sola scriptura). It also considers the implications of these findings for contemporary Adventist doctrinal identity.