Study Materials

BY LAEL O. CAESAR Satan has almost completely lost his standing in the world of Christian theology. Consider, for example, the attitude of three writers in recent biblical and theological publications. First, celebrated New Testament scholar N. T. Wright, who is fully aware of the pervasive presence of evil in our world today. But in […]

  Display and Adornment The basic philosophy of Christian standards as understood by Seventh-day Adventists is set forth on pages 149 to 151 of the Church Manual(1995 edition): Dress      As Seventh-day Adventists we have been called out from the world. We are reformers. True religion which enters into every phase of life must have […]

CremationGeorge W Reid, Former Director Biblical Research Institute May 6, 1997         Responding to your inquiry, Adventists have never taken a position on cremation because our understanding of death/resurrection makes the matter not significant. The God who created us is equally capable of re-creating us from ashes of incineration or from ashes the result of […]

  Cohabitation: Biblical and Ethical Concerns Ángel Manuel Rodríguez I. Introduction       The practice of cohabitation is becoming more and more common in the Western world as a substitute for Christian marriage in a secular society. The term “cohabitation” is usually defined as a short or long-term heterosexual relationship outside marriage. Since the term itself carries […]

William H. Shea Former Associate Director Biblical Research Institute December 1988 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Introduction        The law on clean and unclean animals in the Pentateuch divides all animals into two groups: clean which can be eaten, and unclean which are not to be eaten. This law has been followed by many Jews for thousands of years. It […]

  Clapping in Church Ángel M. Rodríguez Adventist Review May 1997 In my local church clapping during worship service is very common. Is there any biblical support for this practice? Clapping during church services is becoming more and more popular in many of our churches. So your church is not unique in this respect. Clapping […]

  Beer and Wine: The Bible’s Counsel William H. Shea Former Associate Director Biblical Research Institute*         Doesn’t the Bible refer in a number of places to wine and strong drink? Don’t we quite often find people drinking alcohol in the Bible? Can’t we assume, then, that Scripture generally does not condemn drinking alcoholic beverages? […]

  Assisted Human Reproduction-Considerations         Developments in medical technology have led to a number of interventions designed to assist human procreation. Procedures such as artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, surrogacy, embryo transfer, and cloning increasingly provide new options in human reproduction. Such interventions raise serious ethical questions for Christians seeking God’s will on these issues. […]

  The Anointing Service Herbert Kiesler I. Introduction       It is our purpose to examine the current practice of the anointing service within the context of the healing ministry carried out by pastors and elders in the SDA Church. Traditionally this service has been performed in strict privacy, although in most instances the congregation of the […]

Adventists and Homosexuality: The Central Issue in the Debate By Ángel Manuel Rodríguez In its commitment and loyalty to the will of the Risen Lord as revealed in the Scriptures, the Adventist church has rejected homosexual behavior as a proper expression of human sexuality. This position is universally held by the church. A shift has […]