The Remanent And The Adventist Church

The Remnant and the Adventist Church
Ángel Manuel Rodríguez
The Remnant in Contemporary Adventist Thinking
I. Introduction
The concept of the remnant is very dear to Adventists and has played a significant role in our self-understanding, in our mission and in our message. There is an almost unconscious feeling among us that if we lose the idea of the remnant we would lose, as a church,our purpose, our reason for existence. The conviction that there is a particular divine reason for our presence in the world is an intrinsic part of the Adventist historical and religious heritage. Therefore it is with great concern that some observe a tendency to de-emphasize or ignore this fundamental self-definition. However, we recognize that there is always a need to re-examine what webelieve in an attempt to make it relevant to our church and to contemporary society. Theological refinement is always welcomed as long as it does not become a threat to the message entrusted to the church.
Here we will briefly look at the reasons for the discomfort that prevails in some areas with respect to the concept of the remnant as a self-designation for our church. Besides, we will lookat the suggestions offered to replace this concept and to their strengths and weaknesses.[1]
II. Reasons for the Apparent Crisis
A. Contact with Other Christians
Probably one of the most significant elements in the present discussion of the remnant concept in the Adventist Church has been the negative way other Christians have perceived us. Evangelicals did not consider us part of theevangelical world, or even Christians, because, among other reasons, our emphasis on the remnant gave them the impression that we perceived ourselves as the exclusive children of God, the only true Christians.[2] Under such pressure the natural human tendency would be to try to find ways to change that image and to persuade the accusers to believe that we are part of the Christian community. The riskin this enterprise is the temptation to modify or re-negotiate our identity. It is precisely that accusation that has been raised by some against the authors of the book Questions on Doctrine.
However, it is our duty to keep the Christian world properly informed concerning who we are and what our mission is. Any misconception in their minds must be eliminated. If what we claim to be istrue, then, we have no choice but to reach out to the Christian world in an effort to share with them, in a winsome way, what we stand for, avoiding as much as possible alienating them. Yet, there is the possibility that some Adventists may have overreacted to the accusations of our evangelical friends modifying our image beyond what would be compatible with the mission assigned to us by the Lord.B. The Apparent Delay of the Parousia
It is probable that the passing of time since 1844 is exerting some influence among Adventists forcing some of them to reconsider the mission and identity of the church. Richard Rice describes the problem as follows: "Since Adventism arose from the Millerite expectation of Christ's imminent return, its nature and purpose have always been related to itssituation at 'the end of time.' Adventists describe themselves as the 'remnant church' entrusted with God's last warning message to the world. Consequently, the continued passage of time without the fulfillment of their hopes challenges the basic self-understanding of Adventists, despite their generally remarkable progress in areas such as institutional size and complexity."[3]
Undoubtedly,our pioneers were persuaded that Christ was about to return and that the final crisis was about to begin. This conviction made the remnant concept as a self designation a very significant one. They had witnessed the signs of the end and were experiencing rejection by other Christians; the dragon was angered against that small remnant. But now, we have grown, become somewhat institutionalized and...