The Aristotelian paradigm shift with the neo-generation SDA's

by koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

By the time of Phillip Melanchton, humanism had developed to the point of being an idealist model and its function was seen as the studia humanitis.

For him humanism remained vibrant and autonomous (see the article by Riemer Faber "The Humanism of Melanchton and of Calvin" in  Melanchton-Schriften der Stadt Bretten eds. Gunter Frank and Johanna Loehr 9 [Cannstatt: Stuttgart-Bad, 2005]: 25, available online).

Calvin consciously subordinated humanism to revelation.

For Melanchton the interaction between faith and culture did not presuppose a subordination but for Calvin the interaction between faith and  culture makes subordination a prerequisite.

For Melanchton independent critical analysis was fine but for Calvin the process was subordinate to the norm of scripture.

Calvin consciously absorbed humanism into his theological system.

Melanchton wanted to restore humanism or the study of it by developing a universal system of which disciplines can be juxtaposed or placed next  to each other.

What we have here between these two scholars is the revival of Aristotelian methods by Melanchton and the more Platonic concepts of the  protestant theology of Calvin.

Aristoteles points with his finger down indicating that reality is on earth and now and Plato points with his finger up indicating that reality is outside  our domain above.

For Plato reality will lie in the idealism but for Aristotle reality will lie in existence.

For Melanchton culture will have something to offer and should always be respected for that contribution and for Calvin culture can only be  tolerated as long as revelation has given the "green light" for it.

The new generation of Seventh Day Adventists are  Aristotelian Humanists who considers culture as an excellent message carrier that can push  the Bible aside to a secondary or zero position and make experience of popular culture a way-station for a message about God. The message or  content about God comes out very thin and in a minimalist way. It is sometimes overshadowed by the drums, the hand-waving, the amens, the  hallelujas, the rhythm, the electrical guitars or organs, the amplifiers, the movie clips and video clips and drama appeals.

All these aspects are considered by these young Aristotelian SDA's as kosher without any consultation as to whether the Bible or Spirit of  Prophecy approves of it or not.

All previous generations so far has, like Calvin and unlike Melanchton, subordinated the culture to faith. Ellen White did, the pioneers did, all  members of the Seventh Day Adventist church did, but lately, a laxity to study the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy has created a willingness to  experiment with this paradigm shift from platonic Calvinism, subordinating pop-culture to the Word of God for an aristotelian Melanchtonism,  juxtaposing popculture and theology as on the same and equal level.

Juxtaposing other sciences, arts (music, drama, dancing, films, video, CD, fashion, lights, decor, audio) with theology, and placing a higher  premium on these other sciences than on theology, it is almost a natural development for the whole world.

Regular TV watching, movie watching, video watching, CD listening, Tape listening, drama watching, fashion interests) will create "idols"  that will  be seen as models to emulate.

Emulation of famous, beauty, smart, wealthy, physically sports-like, becomes a subconscious desire in the Seventh Day Adventist member's  mind that calls for allowing similar surprises and "theology by glands" to work also in the church.

Since the singer reminds them of someone they saw on TV or in a historical drama, the "gate keepers" in the local churches are swept away with  permissiveness.

By the time they wake up, the paradigm shift is a reality that cannot be stopped.

The problem in the time of Elijah the prophet was that Israel did exactly the same.  They intermarried with Phoenicians and thus could not see any  longer a problem between faith and Phoenician culture.

Eventually they even allowed a few hundred Baal priests to operate in the country since "all cultures are equal" and with a romantic view of culture,  "all are useful and beneficial". On mount Carmel the opposite was illustrated for us.

Canaanitism was the same process of inculturation. What is happening with some of the youth in the Adventist church is that popular inculturation is taking place. That is why we have places like Weimar College and similar 'wilderness schools of the prophets'. They try to escape the inculturation process of popular culture and maintain the supremacy of the Word of God for all decisions regarding lifestyle.

It is not only Seventh Day Adventism that is suffering from this paradigm shift, also Judaism is suffering from it.

In a very insightful interview with Felix Rosen in the Jerusalem Post of 13th of August 2009 " One on One with Felix Posen: Secular scholarship" by Ruthie Blum Leibowitz, we learn that this soul emigrated to the USA and literally "lost" his Judaism in the process.

"I no longer celebrate Yom Kippur or attend Kol Nidre. However, I have extracted from the prayers some things that are completely secular - for  instance, the part about the sins we've committed. Nearly all - except five - are secular sins. If one feels like it, one can take those prayers and  think about what one has or has not done over the course of the year, to be an ethically correct or incorrect person. But if you don't know the  prayers, you don't do that. You go bike riding. In the Diaspora, those who don't know anything don't even go bike riding. They basically do nothing.  And people who know little mix things up, like those who eat ham on matza during Pessah.

So, I ask myself: If you do not practice religion, what is left in Judaism? Why bother to call yourself a Jew? And that's how the whole concept of  teaching Judaism as a culture got started."

Rosen is not shy to call himself a secular Jew and that practices secular Judaism.

What are we going to call or do with our pro-Aristotelian humanists who are eager to so-called "revive" or "reform" the Seventh Day Adventist church, separate from the Word of God?

End item.