The Cosmic Conflict The Cosmic Conflict and the Future and the Future

(of America)(of America)sktonstad@llu.edu

October 8, 2011October 8, 2011

Re-acceptances

1.1. Re-acceptance of the Re-acceptance of the Church as StateChurch as State

2.2. Re-acceptance of Re-acceptance of extreme economic extreme economic inequitiesinequities

3.3. Re-acceptance of Re-acceptance of unaccountable authorityunaccountable authority

4.4. Re-acceptance of the Re-acceptance of the mother mother

Accountability and FallibilityAccountability and Fallibility

““As President of the United States, I will devote As President of the United States, I will devote myself to an American Century. myself to an American Century. And I will never, And I will never, ever apologize for America. ever apologize for America. …I believe we are an …I believe we are an exceptional country with a unique destiny and role in exceptional country with a unique destiny and role in the world. Not exceptional, as the President has the world. Not exceptional, as the President has derisively said, in the way that the British think Great derisively said, in the way that the British think Great Britain is exceptional or the Greeks think Greece is Britain is exceptional or the Greeks think Greece is exceptional. In Barack Obama’s profoundly exceptional. In Barack Obama’s profoundly mistaken view, there is nothing unique about the mistaken view, there is nothing unique about the United States.”United States.” ----Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, October 7, 2011.

Our LossesOur Losses

Understanding Understanding and Accountabilityand Accountability

““Christian theology Christian theology invincibly confirms this, in invincibly confirms this, in that it tells us that the that it tells us that the torments of the damned torments of the damned will be eternal and will be eternal and continuous, and as strong continuous, and as strong at the end of one hundred at the end of one hundred thousand years as they thousand years as they were the first day.” were the first day.” - Pierre - Pierre Bayle, Bayle, DictionaryDictionary, 171. , 171.

Beyond AccountabilityBeyond Accountability

““All of this warns us that we should not All of this warns us that we should not dispute with the Manicheans until we have dispute with the Manicheans until we have established the doctrine of established the doctrine of the elevation of the elevation of faith and the abasement of reasonfaith and the abasement of reason.” .”

““What must be done then? Man’s What must be done then? Man’s understanding must be made a captive of understanding must be made a captive of faith and must submit to it. He must never faith and must submit to it. He must never dispute about certain things.”dispute about certain things.” - -

- Pierre - Pierre Bayle, Bayle, DictionaryDictionary, 177. , 177.

Politics TheologyPolitics Theology

““Augustine identified Augustine identified God’s purposes with God’s purposes with Rome’s policies. .. Rome’s policies. .. Politics had recast Politics had recast prophecy.”prophecy.” Paula Paula Fredriksen, Fredriksen, Augustine Augustine and the Jewsand the Jews, 341, 343. , 341, 343.

Political TheologyPolitical Theology

““The Church gave unto God the attributes which The Church gave unto God the attributes which belonged exclusively to Caesar.”belonged exclusively to Caesar.”

- - A. N. Whitehead, A. N. Whitehead, Process and RealityProcess and Reality, 485., 485.

Luther:Luther:God’s Imperial Will God’s Imperial Will

From this it follows irrefutably that everything From this it follows irrefutably that everything we do, everything that happens, even if it we do, everything that happens, even if it seems to us to happen mutably and seems to us to happen mutably and contingently, happens in fact nonetheless contingently, happens in fact nonetheless necessarilynecessarily and immutably, if you have regard and immutably, if you have regard to the will of God. For the will of God is to the will of God. For the will of God is effectual and cannot be hindered, since it is effectual and cannot be hindered, since it is the power of the divine nature itself; moreover the power of the divine nature itself; moreover it is wise, so that it cannot be deceived. it is wise, so that it cannot be deceived.

- - Martin:Luther, Martin:Luther, The Bondage of the Will, The Bondage of the Will, 37.37.

Faith vs. UnderstandingFaith vs. Understanding

This is the highest degree of faith, to believe him This is the highest degree of faith, to believe him [God] merciful when he saves so few and [God] merciful when he saves so few and damns so many, and to believe him righteous damns so many, and to believe him righteous when by his own will he makes us necessarily when by his own will he makes us necessarily damnable, so that he seems…to delight in the damnable, so that he seems…to delight in the torments of the wretched and to be worthy of torments of the wretched and to be worthy of hatred rather than of love. If, then, I could by hatred rather than of love. If, then, I could by any means comprehend how this God can be any means comprehend how this God can be merciful and just who displays so much wrath merciful and just who displays so much wrath and iniquity, there would be no need of faith.and iniquity, there would be no need of faith.

- - Luther, Luther, The Bondage of the WillThe Bondage of the Will,, 62.62.

InfallibilityInfallibility

Therefore, …we teach and define as a divinely revealed dogma that when the Roman pontiff speaks EX

CATHEDRA, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd

and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole church,

Infallibility (cont.)Infallibility (cont.)

he possesses, by the divine assistance promised to him in

blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer

willed his church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals.

Therefore, such definitions of the Roman pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the church, irreformable.

- First Vatican Council, 1870

Infallibility Infallibility and Unaccountabilityand Unaccountability

Have these persons forgotten the claim of Have these persons forgotten the claim of infallibility put forth for eight hundred years by infallibility put forth for eight hundred years by this haughty power? So far from being this haughty power? So far from being relinquished, this claim was affirmed in the relinquished, this claim was affirmed in the nineteenth century with greater positiveness nineteenth century with greater positiveness than ever before. As Rome asserts that the than ever before. As Rome asserts that the “church “church never erred;never erred; nor will it, according to nor will it, according to the Scriptures, the Scriptures, ever errever err” how can she ” how can she renounce the principles which governed her renounce the principles which governed her course in past ages? course in past ages? - E. G. White, - E. G. White, The Great The Great Controversy, Controversy, 564.564.

Infallibility Infallibility as Institutional DNAas Institutional DNA

The papal church will never relinquish her The papal church will never relinquish her claim to infallibility. All that she has done in her claim to infallibility. All that she has done in her persecution of those who reject her dogmas persecution of those who reject her dogmas she holds to be right; and would she not repeat she holds to be right; and would she not repeat the same acts, should the opportunity be the same acts, should the opportunity be presented? Let the restraints now imposed by presented? Let the restraints now imposed by secular governments be removed and Rome secular governments be removed and Rome be reinstated in her former power, and there be reinstated in her former power, and there would speedily be a revival of her tyranny and would speedily be a revival of her tyranny and persecution. persecution. - E. G. White, - E. G. White, The Great Controversy, The Great Controversy, 564.564.

Revelation and TrustRevelation and Trust

God in His wisdom permitted Satan to God in His wisdom permitted Satan to carry forward his work, until the spirit of carry forward his work, until the spirit of disaffection ripened into active revolt. It disaffection ripened into active revolt. It was necessary for his plans to be fully was necessary for his plans to be fully developed, that their true nature and developed, that their true nature and tendency might be seen by all. tendency might be seen by all. - E. G. White, - E. G. White, The Great Controversy, The Great Controversy, 497.497.

Faith Faith andand Understanding Understanding

Satan had made it appear that he himself Satan had made it appear that he himself was seeking to promote the good of the was seeking to promote the good of the universe. The true character of the universe. The true character of the usurper, and his real object, must be usurper, and his real object, must be understood by all. He must have time to understood by all. He must have time to manifest himself by his wicked works. manifest himself by his wicked works.

- E. G. White, - E. G. White, The Great Controversy, The Great Controversy, 498.498.

Disclosure and TransparencyDisclosure and Transparency

God could have destroyed Satan and his God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers as easily as one can cast a pebble sympathizers as easily as one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this. Rebellion to the earth; but He did not do this. Rebellion was not to be overcome by force. Compelling was not to be overcome by force. Compelling power is found only under Satan’s government. power is found only under Satan’s government. The Lord’s principles are not of this order. His The Lord’s principles are not of this order. His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the presentation of these principles is the and the presentation of these principles is the means to be used. God’s government is moral, means to be used. God’s government is moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing and truth and love are to be the prevailing power. power. - E. G. White, - E. G. White, The Desire of Ages, The Desire of Ages, 759.759.

Transparency and Trust - ITransparency and Trust - I

It was God’s purpose to place things on an It was God’s purpose to place things on an eternal basis of security, and in the councils eternal basis of security, and in the councils of heaven it was decided that time must be of heaven it was decided that time must be given for Satan to develop the principles given for Satan to develop the principles which were the foundation of his system of which were the foundation of his system of government. He had claimed that these were government. He had claimed that these were superior to God’s principles. Time was given superior to God’s principles. Time was given for the working of Satan’s principles, that they for the working of Satan’s principles, that they might be seen by the heavenly universe. might be seen by the heavenly universe.

- E. G. White, - E. G. White, The Desire of Ages, The Desire of Ages, 759.759.

Transparency and Trust - IITransparency and Trust - II

Yet Satan was not then destroyed. The Yet Satan was not then destroyed. The angels did not even then understand all that angels did not even then understand all that was involved in the great controversy. The was involved in the great controversy. The principles at stake were to be more fully principles at stake were to be more fully revealed. And for the sake of man, Satan’s revealed. And for the sake of man, Satan’s existence must be continued. Man as well as existence must be continued. Man as well as angels must see the contrast between the angels must see the contrast between the Prince of light and the prince of darknessPrince of light and the prince of darkness. . - - E. G. White, E. G. White, The Desire of Ages, The Desire of Ages, 761.761.

SDA Theology SDA Theology and Accountabilityand Accountability

1.1. “…“…in the context of the Great Controversy, it in the context of the Great Controversy, it is not the role of humans to bring God into is not the role of humans to bring God into judgment, but judgment, but vice versavice versa””

2.2. ““This theological presupposition is especially This theological presupposition is especially important in the interpretation of passages in important in the interpretation of passages in Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Romans, and Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Romans, and Revelation, which have often been viewed Revelation, which have often been viewed from a rational/empirical perspective…” from a rational/empirical perspective…” - - Hermeneutical Statement for the International Hermeneutical Statement for the International Seventh-Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, 2010. day Adventist Bible Commentary, 2010.

Questions about Questions about Authority and Accountability Authority and Accountability

1.1. Which is the more distinctive [SDA] belief, Which is the more distinctive [SDA] belief, that (1) we are accountable to God, or that that (1) we are accountable to God, or that (2) God wields accountable authority?(2) God wields accountable authority?

2.2. If there is divine accountability, is it If there is divine accountability, is it because we demand it or because God because we demand it or because God demands it? demands it?

3.3. Are we no longer permitted to find the Are we no longer permitted to find the message of divine accountability in Isaiah, message of divine accountability in Isaiah, Romans, and Revelation? Romans, and Revelation?

Next SabbathNext Sabbath

Re-acceptance of the mother Re-acceptance of the mother

Through the two great errors, the immortality of the Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of foundation of spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience. trampling on the rights of conscience. {GC 588.1}{GC 588.1}