Jesus was both divine and human. But the nature of Christ's humanity is perhaps
the most explosive and divisive issue in Seventh-day Adventism. Was His
humanity like that of Adam before the Fall, or like that of a fallen human
being?
It is not just an intellectual question, as one's understanding of what that
nature is goes on to shape one's understanding of salvation and the daily life
of the Christian before Christ's return. Both viewpoints appeal to the writings
of Ellen White to support their position. How do we interpret what she has
to say on the subject?
As he did in his Ellen White on Salvation, Woodrow Whidden analyzes Ellen White's
comments from a chronological perspective. he has gathered all the
statements she made on the subject and examines how she expanded or focused her
perspective to meet changing issues and needs n the developing Seventh-day
Adventist Church. Whidden asked those on both sides of the issue to send him
every Ellen White statement that they feel speaks to the subject, and he has
collected them in an extensive appendix. Every Seventh-day Adventist studying
this issue will want this book for the appendix alone.
In addition to going carefully through what Ellen White said on the humanity of
Christ and offering his conclusions and suggestions for further study, Whidden
asked for comments from a number of leading spokespersons who have emphasized the
fallen nature of Christ. Kevin Paulson has written a response to Whidden's
research.
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