Here We Stand: Luther, the Reformation, and Seventh-Day Adventism ed. by Michael W. Campbell, Nikolaus Satelmajer

Abstract

Reviewed by: Here We Stand: Luther, the Reformation, and Seventh-Day Adventism ed. by Michael W. Campbell, Nikolaus Satelmajer Christopher Richmann Here We Stand: Luther, the Reformation, and Seventh-Day Adventism. Edited by Michael W. Campbell and Nikolaus Satelmajer. Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press, 2017. 320 pp. Ellen G. White, a founder and prophet of the Seventh Day Adventist church, had greater regard for Martin Luther than for any other figure in Christian history. While the historical trajectory from Luther to White is winding, as George Knight’s preface in this volume indicates, the Wittenberg Reformer remains relevant for Adventism for his teachings on biblical authority, the doctrine of justification, and the priesthood of believers (10). Still White, like so many before and since, primarily celebrated Luther as a hero of biblical conscience against papal tyranny, and she and Seventh Day Adventists depart from Luther on crucial doctrines like communion and baptism. Added to this—although not fully articulated by the essayists of this collection—was Adventism’s essential restorationist orientation. Like other radical evangelicals of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries—especially holiness adherents and Pentecostals— Seventh Day Adventists believed that God had been progressively restoring New Testament doctrine for centuries. This story was often told in a litany of the Protestant saints, always beginning with Luther. This collection of twenty-seven brief essays was occasioned by the five hundredth anniversary of Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses. The essays are organized into four sections: historical foundations, echoes of Luther in Adventist Theology, eschatology and politics, and dialogue and legacy. The structure for most of the chapters is “Luther on x,” followed by a very short “Seventh Day Adventists on x.” Seemingly, the essays aim to educate Adventists about Luther’s teachings. This is a laudable purpose but has unfortunate results. First, most of the essays do not engage in critical comparison of the two traditions; some make little effort to relate Luther’s ideas to Adventism at all. The chapter on the Lord’s Supper, for instance, devotes more space to Adventist views on foot washing than communion. A few of the essays purposefully critique Luther’s thought, although these [End Page 452] critiques are not original, nor do they seem to arise from a distinctly Adventist perspective. For instance, describing Luther’s views on predestination as “an amalgam of biblical faith and Greek philosophy” (49), Darius Jankiewicz and Joel Jankiewicz argue that Melanchthon and Arminius “offer a correction to Luther’s deterministic understanding” (51). Additionally, Sigve K. Tonstad weighs Luther against the “new perspective on Paul,” connecting Luther’s reading of Romans to a “compassion deficit” for the Jews that ultimately leads to the Holocaust (194). Second, treatment of Luther’s thought in these essays sometimes lacks nuance. Despite Timothy Wengert’s fine overview of “what happened” in the early years of the Reformation and his attempt to dispel “myths” (21), other essays repeat uncritical understandings of theologia crucis (85) and sola scriptura. More than one writer describes Luther’s view of the Lord’s Supper as “consubstantiation” (126, 162). Finally, the essays do not explain key Adventist teachings that would help non-Adventist readers make comparisons to Luther. For example, the chapter on Christ as High Priest would have benefited from more background on Adventist views of Christ’s role in the heavenly sanctuary and its relation to interpretation of biblical prophecy. Likewise, the chapters on the sabbath and the state of the dead could have used brief apologies of Adventist views. Still, this collection points to fruitful avenues for further scholarship. Luther scholars should be intrigued by Ellen White’s claim that the Decalogue is essential promissory in nature (109). And deeper comparison of Luther and Adventist views on “soul sleep” (134–49)—especially the motivations behind their positions—might contribute to the ongoing discussion of immortality and resurrection among biblical scholars. This collection is evidence that the Reformation anniversary has led to wider appreciation of Luther. It is further evidence that there is room for deeper engagement with Luther among some of his less direct heirs. [End Page 453] Christopher Richmann Baylor University Waco, Texas Copyright © 2019 Johns Hopkins University Press and Lutheran Quarterly, Inc...