THEOLOGICAL WORLDVIEW

THEOLOGICAL WORLDVIEW

AND ITS IMPACT ON THE

SDA CHURCHPresentation made at the

General Conference of the Seventh_day Adventist Church

Autumn Council _ October 2, 1995

by

Fernando L. Canale

Andrews University

1. Introduction

We have already been introduced to the existence of the worldviews and the pervasive way in which they penetrates our daily lives. The fact that the worldviews operating in Christian theologies differ radically from the worldview operating in biblical thinking has also been underlined. Within this general context I am supposed to help you "see" the way in which a worldview, when working within theology, impacts the life of the church, specifically, the Seventh_day Adventist Church. Why should the attention of the Church be distracted from its essential task of Proclaiming to Gospel to dealing with a theoretical issue? Is theworldview issue relevant for the life and the mission of the Church today?

My presentation will attempt to explain a technical issue in everyday language in the hope that the connection that exists between worldview, theology, and life may be clearly perceived. With this goal in mind I will first review the general notion and role of worldview and then address the impact thatworldview has on the theology and the life of the Adventist Church.

2. Clarifying the Notion of Worldview

Definition: Set of First Principles

We can define the notion of worldview in various ways. Ronald H. Nash has advanced a simple way to define the concept of Worldview. He suggests that "a worldview is a set of beliefs about the most important issues in life" (Worldviews in Conflict: Choosing Christianity in a World of Ideas [Grand Rapids, MI.: Zondervan, 1992], 16). In more elaborate fashion, it is possible to suggest that a worldview is an ensemble of ideas about reality that, because of their general nature and broad scope, condition the entire range of human thought and action.

Some Implications of the definition In first place, it is important to recognize that we are using the concept "worldview" technically. We are not referring literally to a "view of the world" as in Cosmology (the study of the world as natural phenomenon). In this presentation the term worldview has a much broader connotation. For instance, it involves, among other foundational issues, general notions about God, human beings, and human history. The definitions also reveal that the worldview belongs to the realm of human knowledge, in other words, to the cognitive domain. Further, we must emphasize the fact that precisely due to its cognitive nature and role [to be discussed later] worldview is an essential component of human nature. Scripture states the anthropological principle that "as he [man and woman] thinketh in his heart, so [is] he" (Prov 23:7 [KJV]). Ellen G. White, fully working her thought based on this Scriptural principle, explains that "the mind controls the whole man. All our actions, good or bad, have their source in the mind" (EGW, Mind, Character, and Personality, 1:72). Precisely because human beings are what they think, cherish, and decide in their thoughts, worldview plays such an important and decisive role, not only in the thinking, but also in the life and action of the Church. Let us turn now to explore briefly the general role that worldviewplays in the experience of human beings.

Role: Ultimate Presuppositions

What does worldview do within the area of knowledge and life? The answer to this question is simple and foundational for understanding the impact of worldview on the life of the church. The specific direct role played by worldview consists in determining the way in which human beings think. From this it follows that worldview determines the way in which human beings act. Let me explain the role of worldview by using some analogies. Let us think of worldview as a pair of eyeglasses. As eyeglasses allow the individual to perceive reality, worldview allows us to see (understand) the teachings of Scripture. This analogy underlines the fact that worldview functions as the ultimate presupposition involved in the process of thinking and interpreting Scripture. Imagine a very primitive, underdeveloped culture of aborigines. They are human beings like we are with the only difference that they have no knowledge of our technology. They are as capable of knowing things as we are. Consequently, they have a Worldview through which they can understand reality and even themselves. In this context, imagine bringing a car to their village, ready to be driven. What would happen? Would any of them open the door, turn on the ignition, and drive away? Certainly not. Imagine the same situation in the Bronx. Would the residents of the Bronx act in the same way as the villagers? Certainly not. What factor is responsible for the difference? The factor responsible for the difference is not the car, but the worldview that each group uses to interpret the same situation. The same happens in the realm of theology. Scripture is the same but theologies are different because of the worldviews used in its interpretation.

The role played by worldview can also be likened to a computer program. As a computer programworldview allows us to interpret the entire range of biblical data without eliminating any piece or ignoring the natural connections. Specifically, the break down of the comparison between worldview and the computer would be as follow. The hardware corresponds to the human brain. The software (program) to run the computer corresponds to the Worldview. The data being processed or interpreted in our case come from Scripture. The outcome the computer produces, for instance a printout, corresponds to theology and preaching. Finally, in a very real way worldview produces a domino effect. The presuppositional role played by aworldview trickles down, affecting the way in which we understand each portion and doctrine of Scripture. I hope you are familiar with the very popular table game called "Dominoes." One plays the domino game with many small, flat blocks. The face of each block has two squares, each either blank or bearing dots. These flats are used in a game in which the ends of such pieces are matched. My analogy does not refer to the domino game but to the domino effect that is obtained when these flats are arranged in a vertical position in close proximity to each other and in a consecutive order thus forming a line or series of lines. The domino effect is obtained when the first domino in the consecutive series is tilted toward the one standing immediately next to it. As we very well know, tilting the first flat in the series unleashes a chain reaction that tumbles the whole series of dominoes. In the theological task the worldview functions like the first domino flat, or the first few flats in the entire sequence, whose action determines a chain reaction that brings the whole line to the floor. In the same way the worldview initiates a chain reaction that affects the whole thinking and life of the church.

Summary: Some Important facts about the Worldview

First, we have stated in various ways that the Worldview is a bunch of foundational ideas about realities which, working as presuppositions, are directly involved in the process by which human beings understand, and relate to, reality. Moreover, the universal reach of worldview needs to be recognized and accepted as an unavoidable reality. Possessing a worldview is not optional. All human beings think and act within a worldview even when unaware of such a fact. Next, all human beings initially get a worldviewthrough a process of cultural assimilation. Worldviews usually spread by way of an uncritical process of assimilation of whatever is available in the cultural milieu. Worldviews also spread through cultural assimilation in the more sophisticated levels of academia. Worldview works as a pair of glasses, as a computer program that allows us to see and determines the way we understand things including Scripture. A veritable chain reaction (Domino effect) generating from the Worldview reaches the entire range of human thinking, experience, and action.

Finally, we need to realize that human beings are not predetermined to function within the worldviewprevalent in the culture in which they have been educated. On the contrary, by way of some reflective process they can choose the worldview they want to adopt. Of course, the choice between availableworldviews becomes possible only after the individual recognizes the existence and role of a worldview in his/her own thinking and life. Worldview is programmable. We are not bound to cultural slavery by means of the Worldview. To get a Worldview by cultural assimilation is not like getting a terminal disease. Even when we have assimilated one or several components of different worldviews, replacing them by another one is possible. The worldview we operate with is not absolute or unchangeable. On the contrary, we can program our operative Worldview and even exchange it with another. In fact, a variety of worldviews from which to choose is always available. This fact brings hope for the consciousness and work of the Church.

After this brief review of some important aspects of worldview, we now turn our attention to the way in which the worldview impacts the task of Christian theology and the thinking and life of the Seventh_day Adventist Church. As we continue let us keep in mind the following question: Why should we change our operative Worldview?

3. Worldview's Impact on Theology

Clarity demands that I briefly define the way in which I am going to use the word "theology" in the following pages. By the world "theology" I mean the understanding of Scripture. Our previous discussion has made us aware of the fact that the interpretation of Scripture always involves a worldview. Theology, then, is always subordinated to the worldview theologians, pastors, and believers operate with. This being the case, we should ask ourselves whether Adventist theology can adopt any worldview without contradicting its biblical foundations. Previous presentations and Dr. Humberto Rasi's paper mention the existence of three major options from which Adventism could choose, namely, the Naturalistic, Pantheistic, and Theistic Worldviews.Clearly, Adventism cannot adopt either the Naturalistic or the Pantheistic Worldviews without contradicting itself. Consequently, in this presentation I am going to deal specifically with the Theistic Worldview operating in most of classical and modern theologies. The conception of God we find working in the Biblical Worldview is neither pantheistic nor naturalistic but theistic. The Biblical God cannot be confused or identified with His creation. In this sense we can argue that the Biblical Worldview is Theist. Yet, when the Biblical Worldview is compared with the Classical Worldview operative in Christian theology, which is generally designated as Theistic Worldview, one discovers the existence of foundational differences between the classical and the biblical way of understanding God which generate different interpretations of Theism. To avoid confusion in my presentation I will call classical theism Theistic Worldview, and, biblical theism Biblical Worldview. Comparing the Theistic and Biblical Worldviews is a complex enterprise. The intricacy of the issue and the specific purpose of this presentation calls for simplification. Thus, I will deal only with two main factors that are at the very root of the difference that exists between the Theistic and Biblical Worldviews. These two components exercise their role at the very beginning of the chain reaction characteristic of the way in which a worldview works. Thomas Aquinas recognized the importance of giving careful thought to the way in which the theological task is started. The first words of his Being and Essence warn all theologians that "a small mistake in the beginning is a great one in the end." The two components are first, the question of the origin of one's Worldview, and second, the way in which the basic nature of reality as a whole is understood. Since most of us are more familiar with the Biblical than with the Theistic Worldview, I am going to concentrate my attention on the Theistic Worldview.

The Theistic Worldview departs from the Biblical one

The Theistic and Biblical Worldviews disagree at the very beginning of the theological task on two major counts. First, in adopting the Theistic Worldview Christian theology explicitly recognizes that the theological worldview originates in some human philosophy. The Biblical Worldview, on the contrary, originates in divine revelation as inspired in the scriptural record. That the worldview operative in Christian theology originates in human philosophy rather than in biblical revelation is a presupposition widely accepted in Christian theology. The Theistic Worldview operating in Christian Theology originated in Greek philosophy, particularly in the writings of Plato and Aristotle. The basic ideas of Plato's worldvieware so influential that some thinkers see the whole history of western thinking as a footnote to Plato.

The content of the Theistic Worldview operative in most Christian theologies has been, and continues to be, decided by general tenets of Greek philosophy or some modified version of it. From this source, a dualisticworldview has developed. As Adventists we are familiar with the anthropological dualism manifested in the soul_body dichotomy generally embraced by Christianity. We know that such a dichotomy does not come from biblical thinking. Where does it come from? It comes from Greek philosophy as a requirement of the grounding dualistic worldview. Let me succinctly explain some basic features of the dualistic worldview of theism. Plato conceived the world as having two tiers, the heavenly and the earthly. The basic characteristic of the heavenly tier is its immutability. In heaven there is no change, no movement, no space, no time, no history, in a word, nothing ever happens in heaven. Precisely because of these characteristics Plato conceived that heaven is real in the true and ultimate sense. The earthly tier, on the other hand, is the duplication of the heavenly but under a not so real dimension where change, movement, space, time and history rein.

When applied to Christian theology, this worldview requires that God and His actions should always meet the basic requirements of the heavenly tier. God cannot interact within the earthly tier. No action of God involves, then, any change, movement, or involvement with space, time, and history. This dualisticworldview determines that God acts in His world while human beings act in theirs. A basic incompatibility between the heavenly and earthly orders is established. I hope you can see that the Theistic worldview is incompatible with the biblical one. If you ask me to put the Biblical worldview in one word, I will use three: The Great Controversy. Yet, when the Theistic Worldview is operating the Great Controversy idea and all its components are to be discarded because God is not involved with space, time, and history. No wonder Christian theology has been unable through the centuries to make sense of Scripture. The first step anybody needs to understand God's revelation in Scripture is to approach it on its own terms. In other words, to understand the cognitive content of God's revelation one needs to read Scripture using the Biblical rather than the Theistic Worldview. The direct application that this issue has for the witnessing and evangelism of the Church deserves that pastors and lay members should take it seriously. Summing up this section, let me suggest that Adventism cannot face the challenge of adopting a worldviewby uncritically absorbing the theistic interpretation of it. The Adventist position requires faithfulness to Scripture above any human idea. Consequently, the contents of the worldview cannot be drawn from the philosophical supermarket. Christians need to turn to Scripture in order to discover the worldviewoperating in it. Then, this discovery must become operative in the way the Church as a whole relates to the prompting of the Holy Spirit as it reads Scriptures, thinks, and acts. Additionally, Adventism cannot adopt the Theistic Worldview because it rules out the basic biblical view that God dwells and acts within our human history. To make this suggestion clearer we turn our attention now to some consequences of doing theology under the Theistic Worldview.

Theological Implications of the Theistic Worldview

As a sample, we are going to consider only one way in which the adoption of the Theistic Worldviewaffects the task of theology. I am referring to the issue of God's actions. We have already explained that when the Greek dichotomous worldview is adopted, God can only act outside time and history. Conversely, according to the Theistic Worldview God cannot act historically within the flux of time and history. Catholic and Protestant theologies, whether in their classical or liberal traditions, adopt this feature. The issues I have selected as samples are: the manner of God's activity, the role of Scripture, creation, the experience of salvation, the cross, and the atonement.

The Manner of God's Activity. When the Theistic Worldview is applied, God's action in the human world can only occur in the instantaneous event. In other words, God's action occurs always at the point of intersection (the instantaneous event) between a vertical line illustrating His nonhistorical eternal action and a horizontal line depicting the historical world of human beings. God cannot simply act within the historical world of human beings in the historical way that is proper to them. This view clearly contradicts the historical way in which Scripture portrays the actions of God. The conception of the manner in which His activity takes place affects the interpretation of all divine actions and therefore the entire range of biblical interpretation and doctrinal teachings.

The Role of Scripture. When the Theistic Worldview is adopted, the interpretation of the manner of divine activity described above applies to all doctrines. The doctrine of Scripture and its interpretation are no exception to the domino effect unleashed by the application of the Theistic Worldview. If God acts only in the instant His action in revealing His will cannot be historical. In revelation God does not speak or disclose information. Scripture, then, does not originate in God's thinking process but in the mind and imagination of humans. Even if some theologians maintain a high view of biblical inspiration, in the end, the Theistic Worldview will undermine the divine authority of Scripture which the doctrine of inspiration is supposed to have established. Biblical contents, then, hold human rather than divine authority. The erosion of biblical authority we witness these days is due, among others factors, to the application of theTheistic Worldview. When the Theistic Worldview is applied to the doctrine and interpretation of Scripture a major clash occurs. On the one hand, Scripture portrays God acting within the historical understanding of ultimate reality (as unfolded in dynamics of the Great Controversy), on the other hand, the Theistic Worldview does not make room for such a conception. It follows that the nonhistorical definition of reality espoused by the Theistic Worldview requires a major reinterpretation of biblical teachings therefore undermining its authority as text and exalting the authority of the reader. This consequence of applying the Theistic Worldview clearly collides with the Adventist position on the authority and role of Scripture.

Creation: Nonhistorical Instant. Since the theistic interpretation of worldview does not allow historical divine activity within human time, Christian theologians see major problem in conceding that the six days creation account of Genesis ever actually happened. It seems clear to those using the Theistic Worldview that since Genesis speaks of creation as a historical act of God, we should interpret it as an illustration or myth of God's timeless instantaneous creative activity. As myth, Genesis is not referring to the historical process through which our universe originated but to the ontological instant in which the whole existence of our universe is grounded. According to this view, then, creation is not an account of the historical side of the origin of the Universe but of its grounding on the other side of the dichotomous worldview of theism. According to the requirements of the Theistic Worldview one is led to assume that God does not act within the order of historical things but rather in His own nonhistorical eternal never changing act. The interpretation of the way in which our world originated belongs in the historical level (world), of theTheistic Worldview. It is logical for those operating within this worldview to ask science for the most accurate explanation of the historical side of the "creation" process. Within this framework an increasing number of Christian theologians know no major problem in subscribing to theistic evolutionism. TheTheistic Worldview, therefore, makes room for Theistic evolution. This obviously contradicts the historical understanding of the origins of our universe essential to Biblical and Adventist theologies.

The Experience of Salvation. According to the Theistic Worldview human beings experience salvation only as an otherworldly event. That is, as an event which does not take place within the flow of historical time. Salvation is experienced in the instant in which God's eternity and human history intersect. Specifically speaking, the experience of salvation takes the form of either "sacrament" (classical) or "encounter" (liberal). The dichotomous worldview of theism requires that both the "sacrament" and the "encounter" should be understood in a dualistic way as well. Sacrament and encounter have two sides, one visible but external and the other invisible but real. Sacrament and encounter, then, take place in the nonhistorical side of the instant in which the divine intersects with the human. Since the cognitive dimension of humanity mainly belongs to the historical level (world), the Christian experience in sacrament and encounter is non_cognitive in nature. This view contradicts Biblical Theology because it does not integrate the historical consciousness of the individual in the process of salvation. According to the Theistic Worldview, then, the knowledge of biblical revelation contributes literally nothing to the essence of the way in which Christian believers experience salvation.

The Cross. Since the Theistic interpretation of worldview does not make room for a historical understanding of God's actions, the cross of Christ cannot involve a risk to God. In other words, the temptations of Christ were not real temptations to God. Besides, since the cross as presented in the New Testament is essentially a historical contingent event, God Himself can never have experienced the cross. The cross only "happened" "for us." Again the dichotomy of the Theistic Worldview requires a dichotomous interpretation. The cross, then, has two sides. The real side occurs on the other side of time where time and risk do not exist. The external side of the concrete historical cross transpires where time and risk exists. God's action can only happen on the real side, the invisible side. We can access the invisible real side only indirectly by faith. We can access the historical concrete side directly through knowledge. It follows that the divine_human Christ never died or resurrected. Such actions cannot occur within the nonhistorical level in which God exists and acts. Within this context, then, the cross becomes only the most appropriate revelation to us of the eternal reality of salvation always preexisting in God's being. Moreover, the biblical statement that the son "learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation" (Heb 5:8 [NIV]) cannot be understood literally. The spatial temporal event of the cross cannot be understood as the cause of salvation because God cannot act in space and time nor can salvation be the consequence of a historical action. The central stone of Christian teaching is reinterpreted away. The cornerstone of the Great Controversy has been removed.

The Atonement. Since God's action belongs to the nonhistorical side of the theistic dichotomousworldview, divine salvation cannot be understood as a process of historical acts. According to the Theistic Worldview God achieves the salvation of human beings by way of one perfect and eternal act equal to Himself. Thus, the biblical idea of a historical process in which God is involved and through which He works out the salvation of human beings, the world, and the universe, is unthinkable under the domain of the Theistic Worldview. Again, the dichotomous worldview of theism requires a dichotomous view of the atonement. The atonement can only be a divine act. Therefore, it must occur in the nonhistorical invisible side of reality. The atonement, then, was always real. It never becomes real. Such eternal reality is complete and completely revealed in the cross of Jesus. Nothing can be added to its completeness by God because the atonement is an eternal reality in God Himself. Conversely, the biblical doctrine of the sanctuary which presents a God still involved in achieving human and universal salvation within space and time becomes simply contradictory and senseless under the Theistic Worldview. When the Theistic Worldview is adopted, the sanctuary doctrine becomes another historical symbol of the eternal atonement whose reality belongs to the invisible nonhistorical side.

Summary

The content of the worldview, working as a presupposition, unleashes a chain reaction (a domino effect) which determines the interpretation of Scripture and the understanding of the doctrines of Christianity. We have concentrated our attention on worldview which has exercised a dominant influence on Christian theology ever since its beginnings. We have also attempted a brief comparison between the Theistic and the Biblical Worldviews. The impact of the Theistic Worldview on Adventist theology (understanding of Scripture) is momentous and negative. If I should sum up this impact, a word comes to mind: assimilation to Catholic and Protestant theologies. Concretely, the application of the Theistic Worldview to Adventist theology would require a major departure from Biblical theology and the historical landmarks of Adventist Theology. To clarify the kind of reinterpretation I am talking about let me mention some, by way of example. In the first place, Scripture has to capitulate to philosophy its rightful role as ultimate theological authority. Consequently, all Biblical teachings must undergo a process of reinterpretation to bring them in line with the nonhistorical presuppositions of the Theistic Worldview. In this way foundational features of theBiblical Worldview (the Great Controversy and the Sanctuary) will be eliminated as illustrations or myths. As a result, biblical thinking will become distorted and replaced by ideas originating in human imagination. The requirements of the Theistic Worldview,if accepted, would bring Adventist theology to deny the reason for its existence (faithfulness to the entire record of divine revelation as recorded in the Old and New Testaments).

Meanwhile, the careful identification and use of the Biblical Worldview in the task of interpreting Scripture and doing theology will impact Adventist theology in a positive way. To clarify what I mean let me mention some points by way of examples. Scripture rightfully and completely exercises its role as the ultimate theological authority. Biblical teachings are interpreted within the worldview in which they were originally conceived and expressed by God. The Great Controversy and Sanctuary are called to play an essential role at the presuppositional level. As a result, biblical thinking is recovered to its full extent and richness. In this way Adventist theology could work within the sophisticated level of contemporary scholarship while affirming its reason for existence: "God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and basis of all reforms" (GC, 594_595). By developing the theological enterprise of the Church based on the Biblical Worldview Adventist theology will produce a Biblical Theology as an alternative to the Ecumenical Theology that has become pervasive at the end of the second millennium.

4. Worldview's Impact on the Life of the Church

We are now able to attempt answering the question proposed to us by the title of this presentation, namely, "what is the impact of the theological worldview on the life of the SDA Church?" The impact of theological worldview on the life of the SDA Church depends on the way in which we come to interpret the operative worldview. We have described two major choices presenting themselves to us, namely, the Theistic and the Biblical Worldviews. In the preceding section we have briefly dealt with the theological consequences. Now we address the repercussions for the life and action of the SDA Church. I will start by referring to the impact that adopting the Theistic Worldview will have on the life of the Church. I think the impact of the Theistic Worldview will be felt, at least, in the following areas: The thinking of the SDA Church, the structure of the community of faith, the way the community of faith carries on its mission, and the way in which Adventism relates to the Christian world.

Impact of the Theistic Worldview on the Adventist Church

The impact of the Worldview on the life of the Church flows from the grounding impact of the worldviewon the thinking and theology of the Church. The application of the Theistic Worldview to the study of Scripture and thinking of the Church will lead to a subtle assimilation of various kinds of Catholic and Protestant theologies available in the supermarket of theology. Such a trend, if integrated into the thinking of the Church, would translate itself inexorably (domino effect) in the fabric of everyday life.

Secularism. As theology becomes assimilated to mainline Christian thinking, the process of secularization that such a trend has already brought to most Christian congregations, will find no restraint to its universal expansion. On the contrary, Adventist pastors will argue in favor of secularizing thinking and practices to match the already secular mind of their congregations. The Bible will only play the role of an honoris causa in the life of the Church. Human opinion will replace the Word of God that has been entrusted to our corporate stewardship. Of course, since such practices occur within the Church, their proponents will claim that theirs are endorsed by the Holy Spirit even when contradicting Scripture or the counsel of Ellen White. We can already observe some of this secularization in some places. Some will argue that, to reach secular minded persons, adapting our ways to the culture of the times is necessary. This is the same argument that many Christian theologians have espoused for centuries. As Adventist congregations assimilate themselves to their local cultural environment the unity of the universal Church will break up in many pieces. This brings us to the next consequence of adopting the Theistic Worldview.

Internal Divisions. If the Theistic Worldview were to be adopted, a chain reaction would be unleashed. Theology would depart from Scripture and pay obeisance to the ideas of human beings. This would cause the thinking of the Church to adapt to the cultural environment, that is, the thinking of the Church would secularize. The next sept in this relentless chain reaction is the fragmentation of the Church. The divisions that the Theistic Worldview has produced in Christianity would be reproduced in Adventism. We are painfully aware that this aspect is already present in the life of the SDA Church. Maybe some Adventists will consider these internal divisions as a healthy expression of diversity. I think that diversity is healthy and to be encouraged. What I am dealing with here is much deeper than what is usually meant by diversity. I am talking about a division in the foundational structure of thinking and acting. As explained earlier on in this presentation the Worldview stands at the very basis of the thinking and life of the Church. A disagreement at this level divides us into de facto different communities. I know that some may need time to digest this idea. For that reason let me explore another consequence of adopting the Theistic Worldview that all pastors may more concretely understand.

Growth Decline. As we have seen, the adoption of the Theistic Worldview will lead us to embrace the views and teachings of main line Christian denominations. If Adventism assimilates its teachings to the theologies of Christian denominations working within the same Theistic Worldview, it necessarily follows that we will not only have the same problems they have but, that we will become stagnant in our growth. If Adventism believes that its theology is basically identical to the theology of the rest of Protestantism, there is no reason why we should invite anybody to become "Adventist" instead of Catholic or Protestant. As the mission of the Church loses its theological foundation it becomes unnecessary. Mission cannot be the task of proclaiming forgotten biblical truths any longer. The mission of the Church will stand in need of reinterpretation. Instead of proclaiming biblical truths the mission of the Church may be reinterpreted as social involvement, political activism and the like. I invite all those directly involved in the mission of the Church to consider this point very carefully. Why is the growth of the Adventist Church stagnant or not as energetic as it should be? Deficiency of consecration? Absence of the Holy Spirit's power? Shortage of methods and human resources? We have emphasized these factors for years. Could it be that the factor we have been dismissing all along is, after all, the real reason of our calling as ministers? Could it be that a clearly developed theology firmly and faithfully grounded in divine revelation as given to us in Scripture is a necessary condition for the growth of the Church and the accomplishment of its Final mission? I am not saying that it is the only factor involved. I am only suggesting that it be a necessary one. We cannot systematically neglect this aspect and still expect God's blessings on our pitiful human ideas, imagination, and culture. Could it be? Could it be that now is the time for the Church to go back to Scripture as seriously as our pioneers did? That is the whole point for talking about the issue concerning worldview.

Assimilation to the Ecumenical Movement. If Adventism adopted the Theistic Worldview its theology would assimilate to traditional or current trends. When theological differences are belittled, eventually we forget them. Adventism came to existence because one reason: to bring biblical religion back to its full potential. This goal, basic for the reason of existence and mission of Adventism, cannot be accomplished without a theology faithful to Scripture. Adopting the Theistic Worldview will destroy the reason for the existence and mission of Adventism. The assimilation of traditional or current theological trends will lead present and future generations of Adventists to forget the biblical teachings that brought the Remnant Church into existence. Moreover, if future generations think and act assuming the Theistic Worldview, they will not understand the biblical doctrines that originated this movement. Remember that worldviewworks as eyeglasses allowing us to see some things and completely miss others as if they were nonexistent. If this scenario takes place, it will not surprise me to hear poignant arguments addressed to this body in favor of joining the Ecumenical movement.

Impact of the Biblical Worldview on the Adventist Church

All along I have assumed a reasonable degree of awareness of the basic contents of the Biblical Worldview. The first presentation this morning gave us a taste of some ideas that play a paramount role in the Biblical Worldview. A full appreciation of the impact that the Biblical Worldview will have on the Adventist Church requires a more detailed explanation of some basic issues. For instance, the Church must carefully address issues like the nature and role of worldview, its components, the biblical interpretation of its components, and the theology produced by such a worldview. As you very well know, Adventism has not accomplished these tasks yet. However, describing some results that we can logically expect from faithfully retrieving, adopting, and applying the Biblical Worldview to the life of the Church is possible. I will address the same topics explored in our analysis of the Theistic Worldview's impact on the life of the SDA Church. This procedure will help us to compare the different outcome each worldview produces.

Holiness. Contrary to secularization that results from the adoption of the Theistic Worldview, we find the holiness resulting from the application of the Biblical Worldview. Adopting the Biblical Worldview will help Christians to understand the inner logic of Christianity as revealed in Scripture. Additionally, it will uncover the present relevancy of Christianity. Christianity will appear as a transcendent option for our present history and culture rather than being changed into the image of every new cultural fashion. Religious holiness, however, does not result merely from adopting either the Biblical Worldview or the theology it produces. Holiness becomes a personal experience only in the religious act of surrendering to the Holy Spirit's promptings. Nevertheless, the personal experience of holiness as separation from the world can only occur when theology is also separated from the ideology of the world and is faithful to divine revelation as presented in Scripture. It is not in the power of the Church to show the Holy Spirit what to do. Yet, a faithful representation of God's intentions and plans is a specific task about which we can do something. God's plan and intentions are never the result of cultural construction. They originate in God's revelation. God's revelation grounds the real possibility of holiness, that is, of living in direct departure from, and conflict with, the cultural ideologies of the times. If Christ was not of this world ( John 17:16) His disciples cannot dismiss biblical revelation by adopting every form of cultural ideology. The adoption of the Biblical Worldview, then, will allow the Church to retrieve divine teachings. Confronting human ideologies, Biblical Theology introduces a true alternative for human life and history. By opening a divinely originated option within the continuum of human culture, the Biblical Worldviewbrings real novelty to the relentless determinism of human culture. Release from cultural determinism is one concrete outcome of biblical religion. Holiness, thus, belongs to the essence of Christian theology and Christian life. A word of clarification to the reader on this point is advisable. The total separation from culture and philosophy I am advocating here applies to the level of the worldview. Only when, excluding all philosophies and cultural ideologies, the Church firmly bases its operative worldview on Scriptural ideas, judgement and use of specific aspects of various cultures should be integrated into the life and mission of the community of faith.

Internal Unity. A deliberate search for, and adoption of, the Biblical Worldview is a necessary condition for taking "captive every thought" and "to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Cor 10:5). Christian unity is not only a unity in action. Unity in action and mission is grounded at a deeper level, namely, unity in mind and thought (1 Cor. 1:10). Adventism cannot attempt to achieve internal unity just by working at worship, action, and mission while failing to address the level where unity is grounded, namely, in thinking. The Biblical Worldview becomes the indispensable tool for grounding the internal unity of the global church. However, unity of thinking is not enough. Unity of surrender to the Lord of thinking must be an ongoing reality in the Church. As each of us surrenders to Christ's thinking, internal unity will become a reality. As we all know, unity is a condition for receiving the latter rain. The dynamic unity of Biblical Christianity will be reproduced in Adventism. It is time for Adventists to realize that administrative policies or total concentration in missionary activities that neglect the thinking process of the Church cannot force internal unity. If Adventism insists on promoting what is practical for the worship and mission thereof, while forgetting the reflective level of the Church, the culture and ideologies of the times will, in due course, take control of the Church. Thus, the honest desire to be practical and foster the mission of the Church will be ultimately defeated.

Growth Explosion. The identification and utilization of the Biblical Worldview in the process of understanding Scripture will open the gates of God's treasure house. It will also meet a necessary condition for receiving God's blessings: unity of mind in submition to the mind of God. Besides, the richness of biblical gems so far neglected will empower the missionary task of the Church around the world. There is much more to minister to the world than our present eyeglasses allow us to see and use. As we engage in ministerial in_reach and outreach we are generally satisfied to use less than a tenth of the power harnessed in Scripture. Divine teachings in all their scope and power need to be brought to the consciousness of the Church, and to bear directly on its life and mission. I know that the growth and mission of the Church are very important priorities in the agenda of church administrators. I think this is the way it should be. We should always ask ourselves: How shall we accomplish our God given mission? How can we help the global and local communities in the task of sharing the gospel to the world? Generally we have answered these questions in a practical way. Better communication skills and more efficient equipment may be the obvious answers for a global mission. Another familiar approach to this issue suggests the need to strengthen the spirituality of our lives. After all we know that we have the truth. What we need are not more theological studies, we say, but more consistent lives and better ways to express the truth that we already possess. Yet, do we possess the truth or are we wandering around in the supermarket of ideas becoming more confused as time goes by? Does the present generation of Adventists know the truth? The answer depends on what you mean by "knowing." If knowing means being aware of the enunciation of foundational doctrines, you may be right. Most Adventist believers may know the truth in this superficial sense. Nevertheless, to know the truth has a much deeper meaning. We do not become transformed into the likeness of the information we are aware of, but of the ideas we understand, accept and follow. Do we understand the truth as it is in Jesus? Are we able to share that understanding with others? The impact of the Theistic Worldview in Adventism, via cultural assimilation leads me to suspect that such may not be the case. What if, instead of persisting in the old and ineffective emphasis on practice alone we try to balance it with a retrieval of the reflective level where we discover and share truths? What if that which we have been neglecting for decades is the cornerstone of our mission? Think about it. Pray about it. Do something about it.

Alternative to the Ecumenical Movement. When the Biblical Worldview replaces the Theistic Worldviewthe vast richness of divine truth is made available to everyone. Our ministry consists in helping human beings to get acquainted with and use the Biblical Worldview as they consider Scripture as divine revelation. When Scripture is studied without that simple provision, the culture of the times will become a formidable stumbling block hindering and even impeding a proper understanding of Scripture. We need to help human beings to see and understand. As we attempt such a comprehensive task, our mission to the world will not only be underway but it will take a surprising new form. In its universality it will present a real alternative to the ecumenical movement. As we know it today, the ecumenical movement is the necessary outcome of pursuing Christian Theology under the requirements of the Theistic Worldview.Conversely, the adoption of the Biblical Worldview and its consistent application to the life and mission of the Church will not only prevent believers from joining the ecumenical movement, but will create a formidable alternative to it. This alternative has the decisive advantage of being solidly based on God's revelation that is universally available in Scripture. When the final scenes of the Great Controversy come to pass, this alternative will help many other sincere Christians to stand, together with Adventist believers, in an unwavering allegiance to the God of Scripture.

5. Conclusion

Can Adventism incorporate the Theistic Worldview without contradicting itself and forsaking its mission? It seems clear to me that the Theistic Worldview, still operative in most Christian theologies, is incompatible with the Biblical Worldview and, therefore, cannot be incorporated into Adventism without contradicting its reason of existence and causing irreparable damage to its experience and mission. What can we do? Can Adventism avoid becoming assimilated to culture? Yes, Adventism can avoid the inroads of secularism and institutionalism. The way I recommend is simple. However simple, it requires a change in the logistics of Adventism. The movement should be able to function, not only on the basis of a practical level of everyday life, but also based on the reflective mode of human experience (see diagram). Within the reflective mode, we must observe unwavering faithfulness to the authority of Scripture in the daily business of interpreting, thinking, and acting out God's will in today's world. This is the only way in which Adventism can avoid the twin threat of secularism and institutionalism. The task of retrieving the Biblical Worldview and using it in the daily business of the Church should be undertaken simultaneously at all the levels of Church life, including the administrative, pastoral, educational and research communities. The choice before us is clear. On one side we can dismiss the worldview issue as another theoretical non_essential to the life and mission of the Church. This attitude flows from simple inertia which holds that "if we continue the usual routine but pray a little harder, every problem will be solved. After all, God is still in control and in Him we trust." This is the easier route. It requires neither effort nor the investment of time and money. As tempting as it might seem this alternative will lead Adventism to assimilate the Theistic Worldview of main line Christianity or some version of the Naturalistic or Pantheistic Worldviews. By the way, this is the course some of us are exploring right now. If we allow it to continue unabated the secularization of the Church will accelerate in the years to come. On the other side, Adventism might make a bold move and break away from administrative inertia and cultural determinism. The issue regarding worldview and its hidden work could be considered essential to the life and mission of the Church as to include it in its permanent agenda. This choice, through active involvement of all the levels of the Church, will lead to the recapturing and retrieval of the Biblical Worldview. Retrieving the Biblical Worldview into the consciousness and life of the Church will trigger a chain reaction (a domino effect) which, among others aspects, will include the straightening of the internal unity of a Global Church, and our moving beyond a simple growth explosion into the eschatological accomplishment of the final mission of the Christian Church. The future of Adventism depends on the decision we take today. To take no decision reinforces the status quo which in the end will bring Adventism to absorb the Theistic Worldview and the chain reaction it originates.