The publication of the 605-page Oxford Handbook of Seventh-day Adventism (2024) is, in itself, a noteworthy accomplishment that deserves special recognition and attention among Adventists. This is especially the case as this volume is among the Oxford Handbook series. Although written primarily for a scholarly audience, the language is accessible to general readers interested in the field.

The first major handbook related to Seventh-day Adventists was the classic 1,027-page Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, edited by Raoul Dederen and published by the Review and Herald in 2000.¹ As an official theological publication of the church, its twenty-eight chapters were carefully reviewed by the Biblical Research Institute Committee (BRICOM), which at the time comprised sixty-six members—primarily scholars, along with select administrators—representing the worldwide body of believers. The volume presents the denomination’s mainstream doctrinal and theological positions in a reliable and systematic manner.

This second major handbook, The Oxford Handbook of Seventh-day Adventism, edited by Michael W. Campbell, Christie Chui-Shan Chow, David F. Holland, Denis Kaiser, and Nicholas P. Miller, is published by Oxford University Press. All the editors are Seventh-day Adventists except David F. Holland, who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thirty-eight authors contributed chapters to the volume, four of whom are not Adventists: David F. Holland, Thomas S. Kidd, Alec Ryrie, and Samuel L. Young. Rather than an official denominational publication, this Oxford Handbook was written for a wider audience by a variety of authors representing a broad spectrum of perspectives.

The volume offers a rich and insightful overview of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America, but a comparatively limited treatment of the denomination in the rest of the world. The introduction states that the book was written by “a wide variety of authors, from around the world and from both inside and outside the Adventist tradition” (p. 3). While the contributors do represent a range of perspectives, most come from the English-speaking world, with relatively few voices from other linguistic and cultural contexts. Moreover, although certain chapters provide a more global analysis of their respective topics, others focus exclusively on developments within the United States.

As a whole, the book appears to have been carefully edited, although a few typographical and factual errors have slipped through. For instance, on page 22 the word “certainly” should read “certainty,” a typo that appears twice in the same sentence. On page 454 the town of Taquari is described as being “on the outskirts of the city of São Paulo,” when in fact it is in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The overall content mingles positive and some negative assessments of Adventism, but as one moves closer to the end—especially in the final part of the book—the tone tends to become more negative and critical. At times, one also gets the impression that some authors do not fully engage with the literature listed at the end of their chapters.

The introduction states that “the origins of the Seventh-day Adventist Church stem from the Millerite revival during the 1830s and 1840s” (p. 2). For the benefit of readers unfamiliar with Adventism, it might have been helpful to add a sentence or two explaining that, although rooted in the Millerite revival of the 1830s and 1840s, the Seventh-day Adventist Church was formally organized only in the early 1860s.

In addition to its introduction, the volume includes thirty-eight chapters organized into seven major parts. Part I, “History of Adventism,” comprises the first four chapters. In chapter 1, “The Second Great Awakening Context,” Thomas S. Kidd and Samuel L. Young describe the broader religious milieu in which Millerism emerged. Interpreting the movement as the zenith of the era’s widespread “eschatological fever,” they observe that “initially Miller had judged that Christ would return between March 1843 and March 1844, but the year passed without incident. Using different Jewish calendars, Miller proposed a new date, April 14, 1844” (pp. 16–17). To the best of our knowledge, however, Miller himself did not set April 14; rather, some Millerites later suggested April 18 as a possible alternative date.

In chapter 2, “Theological Roots of Seventh-day Adventism,” Nicholas P. Miller identifies four principal roots: (1) “A God of Truths: Common-Sense Philosophy and the Words of God”; (2) “A God of Righteous Loves: The Atonement, the Sanctuary, and God’s Moral Government of Love”; (3) “A God of Freedoms: Free Will and Religious Liberty”; and (4) “A God of Creations: Sabbath, Human Wholism, and Stewardship.” He further acknowledges that “a central and very important root is that of the prophetic, apocalyptic, eschatological tradition of Protestantism and Christianity in which both Millerism and Adventism very much participated” (p. 29), though he left this dimension for other chapters to explore.

Michael W. Campbell’s chapter 3, “Millerite Revivalism and Post-Millerite Adventist Churches,” provides a concise overview of the Millerite movement, its fragmentation after 1844, and the principal groups and denominations that emerged from it. In surveying the dramatic end-time eschatological “signs,” the chapter mentions the 1755 Lisbon earthquake and the 1780 Dark Day (p. 33), yet makes no reference to the 1798 imprisonment of Pope Pius VI—an event that significantly rekindled interest in the apocalyptic prophecies of Daniel and Revelation.

Chapter 4, “Backgrounds of Sabbatarian Adventism,” by Jeffrey Rosario, offers a concise historical survey of seventh-day Sabbath observance: (1) from the Patristic era through the sixteenth century, (2) in seventeenth-century England, (3) in colonial America, (4) among the Millerites, and (5) among Seventh-day Adventist pioneers.

Part II, “Scripture, Inspiration, and Ellen G. White,” comprises chapters 5 through 7. In chapter 5, “The Phenomenon of Continuing Revelation in the Nineteenth Century,” David F. Holland offers a helpful survey of how nineteenth-century openness to supernatural manifestations prepared the ground for the acceptance of Ellen G. White’s prophetic ministry. Reflecting on the Seventh-day Adventist experience, Holland insightfully observes that 

their restorationism insisted on a God as miraculous today as he had ever been; their anti-creedalism rejected the legitimacy of mere human authority; and their disappointment reminded them that readings of Scripture could be disastrously inadequate without divine assistance: all these factors fueled a commitment to the idea that God may yet lead his people by living vision. (p. 74)

Denis Kaiser’s chapter 6, “Adventist Views of Inspiration and the Biblical Canon,” offers a historical-theological overview of the topic across three major periods: (1) “The Nineteenth Century: From Closed Canon to Functionally Open Canon”; (2) “The Twentieth Century: From Functionally Open Canon to Wide Diversity”; and (3) “The Twenty-First Century: Consolidation of Theory and Practice in Matters of Canon. Recognizing the genuineness of White’s prophetic gift, Kaiser explains that “the timing and reception of visions and dreams were beyond her control” (p. 82). He also acknowledges the trustworthiness of her self-testimony when he states, “She stressed her dependence on the Holy Spirit in writing out the matters given to her in vision, yet she did not define that dependence as a dominating power that eliminated her personal choice and engagement. Rather, the Spirit had to refresh her memory, as she often did not remember all the details of the vision” (p. 82).

Meanwhile, Kaiser also points out that her “early works acknowledged a private, common realm in her life for which she did not claim divine inspiration,” thereby explicitly rejecting “any claim to infallibility” (p. 81). He further argues that the compilations of her counsels published from the 1920s onward may “easily give readers the impression that everything she had written was divinely inspired, authoritative, normative, and infallible” (p. 86). Finally, he maintains that “neither did she claim inspiration for her autobiographical works or writings on common matters” (p. 87).

Unquestionably, White herself acknowledged that when addressing “common things”—such as “houses and lands, trades to be made, and locations for our institutions”—her words were “not given under the special inspiration of the Spirit of God.”² The question, however, is how to distinguish uninspired information from inspired material. This is a complex issue—one that I have addressed briefly elsewhere³—but it still requires more thorough consideration.

In Chapter 7, “Ellen G. White’s Influence in the Development of Adventist Beliefs and Practices,” Denis Fortin examines White’s role in the development of Seventh-day Adventist doctrines and in the development of Seventh-day Adventist organization, institutions, and lifestyle. Fortin explains that “Seventh-day Adventists certainly value the writings of Ellen White and give them a measure of doctrinal and theological authority, albeit secondary to Scripture” (p. 105). He compares her role among Adventists to that of The Book of Concord for Lutherans, John Calvin and the Synod of Dort for Reformed Christians, John Wesley and Arminianism for Methodists, and the Westminster Confession of Faith for Presbyterians. According to Fortin, “It can be argued that the writings of Ellen White influence Adventist theological thinking and Christian life to an extent similar to how the writings of other Christian church founders’ influence their denominations’ theological thinking and Christian life” (p. 105). While this analogy may appear insightful, it overlooks an important distinction: Adventists view White not merely as an influential leader, as in those other traditions, but uniquely as exercising a prophetic non-canonic role.

Part III, “Theology,” is the largest section of the volume, encompassing chapters 8 through 16. In chapter 8, “Doctrine of God,” John C. Peckham briefly addresses the relationship between God and the world, the divine attributes, and the doctrine of the Trinity. He observes that “Adventist conceptions tend to fall within the range of social (or relational) theories of the Trinity, . . . especially the kind of I–Thou relationships between the Trinitarian persons” (p. 123). He further notes that “the majority of academic Adventist theologians maintain that the submission of the Son and the Spirit are [sic] merely functional and temporary within the economy of redemption” (p. 123).

In chapter 9, “Eschatology, Great Controversy, and Prophetic Interpretation,” John K. McVay raises the crucial question of why Seventh-day Adventists have continued to uphold historicism as their “central framework for interpretation” of apocalyptic prophecy, while other Protestants have gravitated toward alternative approaches. He insightfully explains that the interpretive pattern Adventists 

had inherited from the Reformers and Miller led them to see themselves in the text, to perceive in Bible prophecy predictions of their own existence and role (especially in Rev 12–14 and the idea of “remnant”). To turn away from historicism would be to abandon their own story and identity in a way that was not true for wider, Protestant Christianity. (p. 135)

The next two chapters are devoted to the seventh-day Sabbath. In chapter 10, “Early Adventists and the Seventh-day Sabbath,” Edward Allen surveys the development of early Adventist Sabbatarianism. He notes that 

by identifying the United States as the beast from the earth in Revelation 13 and predicting that it would abandon its commitment to religious liberty, Sabbath-keeping Adventists offered a critique of the United States as a slaveholding imperial power that would seek to coerce the conscience of those who would not uphold Sunday as sacred. (p. 149)

Indeed, even after the Civil War, Uriah Smith argued that the abolition of slavery was only temporary.⁴ He maintained this slaveholding interpretation of the United States into the 1870s but seems to have abandoned—or at least softened—it by the mid-1880s.⁵ The chapter would benefit from the inclusion of subheadings to provide greater structural clarity.

Sigve Tonstad’s chapter 11, “The Sabbath: Twentieth-Century Developments,” explores emerging perspectives and evolving interpretations of the Sabbath in the twentieth century. While engaging several important scholarly contributions to the study of the Sabbath (pp. 151–157), Tonstad might also have referenced some other crucial ones.⁶ Seeking to present the Sabbath in a way that speaks more directly to the sociopolitical concerns of the contemporary world, Tonstad argues that “the contours of a different construct [of the Sabbath] are beginning to emerge, . . . with social justice, ecology, and economics restored to the Sabbath’s portfolio of meanings” (p. 164). However, this more humanistic perspective of the Sabbath does not reflect the denomination’s position in its more recent treatment of the subject.⁷

In chapter 12, “Sanctuary, Atonement, and Judgment,” Martin Pröbstle highlights the relevance of the doctrine of the sanctuary for Adventists from both theological and experiential dimensions. “Theologically, the sanctuary doctrine reveals a harmoniously constructed system of biblical truths centered on Christ’s sacrificial death and priestly ministry, which serves as foundation and frame of reference for the Adventist faith” (p. 181). Experientially, “Christ’s priestly ministry is indispensable for salvation, and so are the phases of judgment—the pre-Advent judgment and execution at the Second Coming; and the millennial judgment and execution after the millennium. All these steps are interlinked” (p. 181).

John Brunt’s chapter 13, “Sin, Justification, and Sanctification,” appropriately cautions readers against the dangers of legalism and perfectionism, yet it appears to do so by framing salvation primarily in terms of subjective experience. The discussion would be strengthened by a clearer distinction between the biblical concept of perfection and the excesses of perfectionism.⁸ In the same chapter, Brunt describes “justification” as one of the “various metaphors to help us understand the reality of grace” (p. 195). This statement calls for further clarification, given its potential for raising questions regarding the author’s view of atonement.⁹

Chapter 14, “Creation,” by Timothy G. Standish, offers a balanced and reliable overview of creationism from an Adventist perspective, while also engaging selected contributions from other Christian creationists. He provides helpful reflections on the tension between contemporary science and the doctrine of creation (pp. 205–207) and outlines key creationist and catastrophist responses to evolutionary science (pp. 207–210).

In chapter 15, “Adventist Anthropology: Conditionalism, Physicalism, and Perfection,” Zane Yi briefly addresses the crucial subject of Adventist anthropology. Although he offers helpful insights on conditionalism, physicalism, and perfection, some readers may find the treatment lacking a more sustained biblical exposition of the foundational theme of Adventist theology. The chapter’s bibliography could be strengthened by including a few other sources.¹⁰ 

George R. Knight’s chapter 16, “Adventist Lifestyle,” emphasizes that (1) the development of the Seventh-day Adventist lifestyle did not follow a systematic or progressive line of logic, (2) White played a more prominent role in shaping lifestyle practices than in formulating doctrinal beliefs, and (3) this area has generally lacked the level of sophistication evident in the denomination’s theological reflections (pp. 229–230). Knight then explores several case studies, including stewardship, the question of unclean foods, the timing for the beginning of the Sabbath, and issues of adornment and dress (pp. 234–238). He concludes that 

the official position of the denomination in its statement of Fundamental Beliefs is principle based, culturally sensitive, and biblically informed: “While recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and neat, befitting those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit.” (pp. 238–239)

Part IV, “Worship, Preaching, and Ordinances,” comprises chapters 17 through 19. In chapter 17, “Adventist Pastoral Ministry and Preaching,” Jud Lake highlights the significant contributions of several American preachers and evangelists, and how Adventist preaching today has evolved from mainly topical approaches to a more exegetical one (p. 254). The chapter would have been strengthened, however, by acknowledging at least some influential figures from other regions of the global Adventist field.

Chapter 18, “Adventist Hymnody and Music,” by David A. Williams, surveys the rich musical legacy of the Millerite movement and the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The discussion would be improved, however, by expanding its brief, single-paragraph treatment of Adventist music beyond the United States (pp. 269–270). The assertion that “music is not a universal language; but every culture has a musical language” (p. 270) might also be further nuanced to acknowledge that, while musical expression is culturally shaped, it also incorporates certain universal elements.

In chapter 19, “Ordinances and Rituals,” Darius Jankiewicz offers a helpful response to sacramental theology from an Adventist perspective. He then outlines the Adventist understanding of such ordinances and rites as baptism, the Lord’s Supper, foot washing, ordination, child dedication, and the anointing of the sick. The statement “Unlike many Christian denominations, Adventists do not believe that baptism is necessary for salvation” (p. 278) is true, because Adventists do not share a sacramental understanding of baptism, as it is affirmed in many churches. However, Adventists do recognize that baptism “is fundamentally the pledge of entrance into Christ’s saving covenant and should be treated as a solemn and yet joyful welcome into the family of God.”¹¹ The sections on “The Lord’s Supper” and “The Foot-Washing Ordinance” (pp. 279–283) would have been strengthened by reference to the major study on these subjects conducted by the Biblical Research Committee (BRC) of the Euro-Africa Division (now the Inter-European Division).¹²

Under the topic of “Ordination,” Jankiewicz argues,

Because the Adventist church rejects a sacramental understanding of pastoral ministry and, at least at the official level, does not subscribe to an ideology that supports the headship of men in the church, both men and women may function as associate or senior pastors within local congregations. The ordination of women is customarily referred to as commissioning.

While there are policy differences between ordination and commissioning at the organizational level, once a female pastor accepts a call and is accepted by a local congregation as its pastor, these differences tend to disappear and do not play a significant role in the fulfillment of ministerial duties. Thus, within Adventist local church congregations, women fulfill much the same ministerial services as men. (p. 284)

For the sake of clarification, the ordination and/or commissioning of women to the pastoral ministry is practiced only in some places of the world but it is not an official practice of the worldwide church.

Part V, “Organization and Ministry,” consists of chapters 20 through 24. In chapter 20, “Church Organization,” Wendy Jackson offers a concise overview of the church’s initial organizational structure, its subsequent reorganization, and its current governance model. She contends that the Adventist Church’s distinctive “hybrid form” of governance has generated a number of challenges, including “a confusion over the locus of authority within the structure” (p. 291). Expressing concern over “the continued rejection of [women’s] ordination” and “the overwhelming male structural makeup” (p. 302), Jackson maintains that “true representation does not occur beyond the local conference level” (p. 299). She further suggests that “the General Conference has sent mixed messages regarding the locus of authority that have added to the confusion over who has the final say on various matters of church practice” (p. 299). Ultimately, she calls for a revised organizational model capable of addressing the “tension between the majority from the developing world who impact the decisions in the church and those from the developed world who are largely financing those decisions” (p. 300). The overall tone of the chapter is decidedly critical of the current church structure, yet it offers no constructive alternative. As a result, some readers may be left wondering what form of church organization she ultimately envisions.

Chapter 21, “Healthcare and Medical Work,” by Anne Collier-Freed and Denis Kaiser, offers a positive assessment of Adventist contributions in these vital areas. The chapter addresses (1) the roots of healthful living among Adventists, (2) the development of Adventist health care networks, and (3) distinctive Adventist health innovations. After underscoring the pioneering role of Adventists in preventive medicine—illustrated by the recognition of Loma Linda, California, as one of the world’s five “Blue Zones” (p. 314)—the authors also issue a sobering caution: “the lifestyles of a growing number of Adventists are beginning to reflect more the lifestyle habits of the surrounding culture” (p. 318).

In chapter 22, “Adventist Education,” Lisa Beardsley-Hardy and George R. Knight open with a helpful historical overview and then identify key philosophical anchor points; patterns of institutional growth; developments in professional education in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy; as well as issues related to educational effectiveness and ongoing challenges. The chapter notes that “fully qualified medical education programs” are currently offered in the Philippines, Rwanda, and Mexico (p. 325); this list, however, could be updated to include Argentina, Peru, and Brazil. In addition, some readers might expect greater attention to the graduate programs in theology offered around the world today—for example, at the General Conference institutions of Adventist Institute of Advanced Studies in the Philippines and Adventist University of Africa in Kenya, besides others.

The authors underscore that 

the central pillar in the denomination’s epistemology is God’s special revelation found in the Bible, which not only provides revealed knowledge from beyond the human realm, but offers a framework for understanding and evaluating all other sources of knowledge, including science and nature (God’s general revelation), reason, intuition, and established authorities. (p. 326)

Within this framework, the prophetic ministry of Ellen White is understood as “magnifying God’s truth as found in the Bible and applying the principles of that truth to the contemporary world” (p. 326).

Lawrence T. Geraty’s chapter 23, “Adventists and Archaeology,” offers an insightful survey of Adventist archaeological contributions related to the lands of the Bible. He identifies Lynn H. Wood, Edwin R. Thiele, and Siegfried H. Horn as the founders of Adventist archaeology and gives special attention to the Heshbon and Madaba Plains projects. Geraty also highlights the contributions of Andrews University, Southern Adventist University, and other Adventist institutions of higher learning to this field. He underscores the fact that Adventists understand themselves to be a “people of the Book” and, consequently, “they have been keenly interested in archaeological discoveries” (p. 337).

Chapter 24, “Youth and Family Ministry,” by Melanie Bockmann, addresses the relevance and mission of both family ministries and youth ministries, as well as some challenges and resources associated with them. She cautions that 

while the original Adventist movement was youth-driven, the church has experienced a demographic shift during the past 150-plus years, particularly in North America. Although the median age of a Seventh-day Adventist worldwide is thirty-two, a 2008 study found that the median age of a Seventh-day Adventist in North America is fifty-one. (p. 361)

Among the existing initiatives aimed at addressing this serious challenge, Bockmann mentions the progressive The One Project and the conservative Generation of Youth for Christ (GYC) (pp. 363–364). Yet one is left wondering what other concrete strategies might also be implemented by the official departments of the church.

Part VI, “Global Church,” comprises chapters 25 through 31. Overall, this section provides a helpful overview of Seventh-day Adventism worldwide, though its coverage of the various regions is somewhat uneven.

In chapter 25, “The Development of Adventist Missiology,” Chigemezi N. Wogu traces the development of Adventist missiology from “shut-door missiology” to “open-door missiology,” and eventually to a “cross-cultural worldwide mission” (pp. 372–378). He then examines Adventist mission praxis, strategies, and contemporary challenges, including issues related to migration and engagement with secular and postmodern contexts (pp. 378–382).

Gilbert M. Valentine’s chapter 26, “Adventists in North America,” provides a historical survey that, understandably, overlaps to a considerable extent with the history of the worldwide church, which has largely revolved around North America. Consistent with his issue-oriented approach, Valentine underscores the “conflict between the North American church and the General Conference over where authority resides to ordain women to ministry” (p. 393). Citing Ronald D. Graybill, he further notes that “progressive theologians came to see her [Ellen White’s] authority as ‘formative,’ while fundamentalist Adventists continue to view her as ‘normative’” (p. 396). Regardless of this polarization (and the labels attached to it), over the years the official statements of the denomination have expressed her authority as both formative and normative.¹³ In this case, would the author place the Seventh-day Adventist Church itself also within the fundamentalist camp?

Expressing concern over the church’s commitment to a short chronology for the age of the earth, Valentine observes, 

Even as converging lines of scientific evidence increasingly challenge the idea of a short chronology, the church, in its official statements, has become assertive concerning its view, venturing in 2015 to further tighten its Fundamental Belief on creation, seeing it [as] fundamental to the church’s stance on the seventh-day Sabbath. (p. 396)

Here the author puts himself at odds with the official statement of the church on this crucial matter.

It is evident that Valentine would welcome greater theological openness. He further contends, “As the Seventh-day Adventist Church approaches the end of the second century since its founding in the midst of disappointed hope of an imminent Second Advent, it finds itself needing to adjust theologically and practically to a continuing delay in the arrival of the Parousia” (p. 398). Some readers may therefore ask what specific adjustments the author envisions.

In chapter 27, Daniel Heinz addresses “Adventists in Europe” in a balanced and judicious manner. After examining several crises, internal tensions, and emerging challenges facing the church on that continent (pp. 409–413), he concludes, “For European Adventists to survive and even grow, Adventists will need to gain a new missionary vision to share the Adventist message within a complex, post-Christian society without betraying their identity as a biblically faithful, end-time movement” (p. 413).

Chapter 28, “Adventists in Australia and the Pacific,” by Wendy Jackson, is a rich and perceptive essay that explores the challenges the church encountered in seeking to reach the Indigenous peoples of the South Pacific Islands. Jackson concludes that “the story of Adventism in the Pacific is very much the story of a church learning that adaptation and contextualization are important in worldwide mission” (p. 427). She further observes that “a clearer understanding of the importance of cultural awareness and working with cultural authority structures has also developed and has been shown to be fruitful” (p. 428).

Boubakar Sanou’s essay on “Adventists in Africa” in chapter 29 adopts an exclusively missiological rather than historical approach and is organized into two main sections. The first, “Pathways for Adventist Mission in Africa,” outlines the church’s primary outreach strategies, emphasizing education, health care, literature evangelism, and humanitarian services. The second, “Challenges to Adventist Mission in Africa,” addresses issues such as African traditional religion and social structures, ethnocentrism, racism, tribalism, dual religious allegiance, and the influence of the prosperity gospel. Regrettably, the continent’s extraordinarily rich Adventist history is largely absent from this chapter and, consequently, from the volume as a whole.

Floyd Greenleaf’s (1931–2022) treatment of “Adventists in Latin America” in chapter 30 offers a concise synthesis of his two-volume work The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Latin America and the Caribbean (1992),¹⁴ as well as his later study, A Land of Hope: The Growth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America (2011).¹⁵ Some readers might expect further developments and a more substantial updating in this chapter. Even so, one must acknowledge the remarkable contribution of this esteemed historian of the church.

Chapter 31, “Adventists in Asia and Global Themes,” by Christie Chui-Shan Chow, likewise adopts a predominantly missiological perspective, drawing attention to several major challenges confronting the church across that extremely vast and diverse region of the world, with just brief allusions to such huge countries as China and India. The chapter is quite informative from that perspective, but one is also left wanting a more in-depth historical exposition.

The final section of the volume is Part VII, “Culture, Ethics, and Politics,” which comprises chapters 32 through 38. In chapter 32, “Adventists and Racial Equality,” Benjamin Baker surveys Black-and-white racial tensions¹⁶ within Seventh-day Adventism in the United States, South Africa, and England. From Baker’s perspective, the church “has always prided itself on being ‘not of this world’ [John 18:36], yet in the most quintessential of Christian principles—treating all people equitably despite color—has in fact reflected the racism of its host nations and often even fallen behind them in racial progress” (p. 477). Regrettably, this assessment has proven accurate in many contexts; however, in other settings the church has likely experienced genuine success.

In chapter 33, Heidi Olson Campbell’s essay, “Women in Adventism,” addresses the role of women in the church in a forceful and at times provocative tone. She contends that “after White’s death, church leadership imbibed conservative evangelical gender views, and reinterpreted White to support a more conservative stance on gender roles than had existed during her lifetime” (p. 493). In her view, “for a church with so many women, Adventism exhibited many masculine traits. Fundamentalism proved attractive because it promised increased male participation” (p. 500). She supports her argument by asserting that “beginning in the early 1900s, and increasingly after 1915, the Review and Herald discouraged women from paid work and encouraged them to focus on motherhood” (pp. 500–501) and that “denominational rhetoric began to increasingly match fundamentalist rhetoric in relation to gender” (p. 501).

From Campbell’s perspective, even the classic and widely read Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories by Arthur S. Maxwell portrayed boys and girls “in stereotypical fashion” and “depicted a growing rhetorical binary of gender roles” (p. 501). She further observes that, following White’s death, her writings were employed to reinforce what is characterized as fundamentalist gender roles, a tendency she believes was perpetuated in compilations such as Messages to Young People (1930), The Adventist Home (1952), and Sons and Daughters of God (1956). Yet some readers may wonder whether it is fair to discredit those publications on the basis of modern ideologies that were not a matter of concern when they were written or compiled.

Campbell presents her arguments in clear and unequivocal terms; nevertheless, some readers may wish for greater clarification of what she means by “fundamentalism” and “gender,” as well as by “a growing rhetorical binary of gender roles.” Does she employ “fundamentalism” in the historical sense associated with early twentieth-century American Evangelicalism, or more broadly as a reference to religious rigidity and intolerance? Similarly, is “gender” understood in the biblical sense of male and female (Gen 1:27), or in a more expansive sense aligned with contemporary gender theory, which would seem to fit her reference to a “rhetorical binary”?

In chapter 34, “Adventists and Ethics,” Zdravko Plantak addresses a wide range of issues, including slavery, racism, pacifism and noncombatancy, the sanctity of life, abortion and end-of-life care, marriage and divorce, sexuality, as well as social and environmental concerns. Consistent with the broader claim that Adventism was adversely influenced by fundamentalism in the 1920s, Plantak contends that “instead of engaging emerging practical issues of justice and social justice, the church became distracted by theological debate, sought acceptance by the fundamentalist community, and was caught up in the problem of two world wars” (p. 518). In his assessment, the denomination is “moving away, in following the siren song of fundamentalism, from a robust framework of moral philosophy and natural law that the Adventist pioneers brought to bear on such questions” (p. 519). He expresses regret that the church has not been more actively involved in human rights and social activism (p. 520). However, it seems quite evident that the New Testament does not primarily call the church to social or political activism.

Kevin M. Burton’s chapter 35, “Adventists and the Military,” focuses primarily on the American context—where Adventism originated and continues to find an important reference point—while still acknowledging significant developments beyond the United States. The chapter emphasizes that, historically, Seventh-day Adventists have generally adopted noncombatant roles in the military, viewing themselves as conscientious cooperators. Yet, the assertion that “Adventists made social justice central to the church’s very fabric” (p. 527) could be misunderstood if removed from its immediate context—namely, a number of Adventist members and leaders publicly defied the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 (including White) or assisted escaped slaves. And I would add that this historical stance differs substantially from some contemporary forms of social and political activism driven by ideologies at odds with biblical principles.

Some conclusions in this chapter are questionable. For instance, Burton affirms that “as Adventism spread to other nations, reluctant noncombatancy developed into conscientious cooperation, guided by the principle that Adventists were committed to saving life, not taking it” (p. 535). While this may be true for the United States of America, in many other countries around the world Seventh-day Adventists still uphold noncombatancy, which remains the official position of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The chapter concludes with the rhetorical sentence, “At present, Adventists are united in their agreement to disagree about the state and the propriety of involvement in its military” (p. 537). Again, this observation may reflect the situation in some regions (such as North America), but it does not accurately represent the stance held in many other parts of the world.

Douglas Morgan’s chapter 36, “Adventists and Politics,” focuses exclusively on the relationship between Seventh-day Adventists and American politics. Drawing heavily on his major work Adventism and the American Republic (2001), Morgan shows how early Adventists eventually “forged a link with the new Republican Party that would remain tight for more than a century” (p. 543). He notes, however, that this connection began to fragment in the 1980s and that “by the 2010s the historic link between a strong majority of Adventists and the Republican Party had broken down entirely” (p. 554). But one might wonder whether, during that “more than a century,” American Blacks and Latino Americans also supported the Republican Party. The chapter would have been strengthened by at least a brief consideration of Adventist political engagement beyond the United States.

In chapter 37, “Adventists, Popular Culture, and the Arts,” Lisa Clark Diller portrays Seventh-day Adventism in largely critical terms, characterizing it as a sectarian movement whose “commitments to being ‘separate from the world’ were strengthened by the theology of the three angels of Revelation 14:6–12, and the message to ‘come out of Babylon’ (Rev 18:4)” (pp. 559–560). She notes that 

when more Adventists in North America began attending movies and listening to popular music in the 1980s, concerned elders tapped into both the sectarian element of Adventist heritage as well as the broader burgeoning evangelical culture wars to warn about the dangers of “slipping away” from the denominationally distinctive practices. (p. 565)

Diller’s one-sided approach can easily give the impression that engagement with popular culture is more valuable than preserving the church’s moral values. 

Emphasizing creativity and justice, Diller suggests that “investing in beauty alongside justice” forms part of the church’s calling in anticipation of the kingdom of God (p. 564), although it is unclear how such an investment would actually anticipate the kingdom. Yet she contends that “the politically quietist tradition of the church” has limited deeper engagement with justice initiatives such as Black Lives Matter, Me Too, and similar movements (p. 569). At any rate, this chapter may illustrate how a primarily sociocultural analysis of popular culture—apart from the great controversy framework and without explicit biblical parameters—can easily lead to the assumption that virtually all expressions of popular art are neutral and therefore acceptable.

Finally, in chapter 38, “Epilogue: Adventism in the Larger Protestant World,” Alec Ryrie points out that “America’s antebellum ferment produced very few enduring successful movements, among them being the Mormons and the Seventh-day Adventists” (p. 573). He highlights three foundational characteristics of Adventism—namely apocalypticism, anticlericalism, and apoliticism—and their respective risks. For example, regarding the 1844 transition in Christ’s heavenly priestly ministry, Ryrie sees the danger of “claiming that something has happened when to any outside observer it is plain that nothing has” (p. 575). Meanwhile, the author stresses that 

a vital ingredient of Adventists’ success is that—unlike, for example, their distant cousins the Jehovah’s Witnesses—they have managed to hold onto apocalypticism without being unbalanced by it and removing themselves from societal involvement, such as in education, the operation of medical institutions, and some level of engagement with public policy issues relating to religious freedom and health. (pp. 576–577)

A survey of the entire volume reveals a generally rich and reliable use of sources, as evidenced by the extensive endnotes and the “Further Selected Readings” sections appended to each chapter. Nevertheless, it is difficult to overlook the fact that, with very few exceptions, the sources cited are exclusively in English, with little acknowledgment of significant contributions published in other languages.

In the introduction, the editors affirm that “the volume seeks to take seriously the role of Adventist beliefs and lifestyle that have influenced and continue to influence many people within American culture and many other countries around the world” (p. 2), and this emphasis sets the tone of the work as a whole. But some committed Adventist readers may feel uneasy with what appears to be a one-sided and at times combative tone—for example, in chapters 33 (“Women in Adventism”) and 37 (“Adventists, Popular Culture, and the Arts”). To reduce potential misunderstanding, the authors might have devoted more space to alternative viewpoints before articulating their own positions as definitively as they did.

Given the wide spectrum of contributors, it is not surprising to find an uneven quality of research and topic coverage, and a diversity of literary styles, methodological approaches, and theological perspectives. Even so, it would be beneficial for general readers if the official, mainstream views of Adventism were more clearly represented, without overlooking other important perspectives. Some chapters accomplish this very well, but not all. Thus, despite its valuable content, the book should be read with discernment.