Alden Thompson

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Alden L. Thompson
Personal details
Occupation
Theologian
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Alden Lloyd Thompson is a

Washington, United States
.

Biography

He graduated from Walla Walla College in 1965 with a BA.[1] The same year he married Wanda Hoffman. Thompson graduated from Andrews University with an MA in 1966 and a BD in 1967.[2]

After serving as a pastor in southeastern California from 1967 to 1970, he became a faculty member of Walla Walla University in 1970. From 1972 to 1974 he attended the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He was awarded with a doctorate in Old Testament and Judaic Studies in 1975,[3] and his dissertation was published in 1977 by Scholars Press.[4]

In 1980 and 1981, he taught at

Marienhoehe Seminary in Darmstadt, Germany
. From 1986 to 1990 he served as the academic vice president of Walla Walla College, returning to full-time teaching in the School of Theology in 1990.

Theology

Thompson has written much about the

historical-critical method of Bible interpretation, although many Adventists reject this method, for example, the 1986 statement Methods of Bible Study
, "urge[s] Adventist Bible students to avoid relying on the use of the presuppositions and the resultant deductions associated with the historical-critical method."

He is very much concerned with church unity, and has described his 2009 book Beyond Common Ground: Why Liberals and Conservatives Need Each Other as "a kind of capstone to my teaching career."[11] He has also discussed differing personality types and how they relate to God and the church.[12]

He supports the process of change, and has argued for significant change in

Adventist Review. It discusses a change from a more fear-based picture of God in the Bible at Mt Sinai, to a more grace-based image of God at the cross. He also claims Ellen White moved from fear to joy.[13] See also his article, "The Scary Lady of Adventism Learns to Have Fun".[14]
His book Escape from the Flames: How Ellen White Grew from Fear to Joy - and Helped Me to Do it Too (2005) has a similar theme.

Thompson's speaking engagements and writings cover many topics, including the

Ellen White studies, inspiration (see biblical inspiration, revelation), and Adventist history
.

Non scholarly books and denominational publications

His books include:

Two chapters were withdrawn from Inspiration prior to publication, "Eschatology: The Angels Always Say the Time Is Short" (RTF format), and "The Adventist Church at Corinth" (RTF), which describes three dominant strands of Adventist theology. These were eventually published in Beyond Common Ground.

See also

References

  1. ^ Thompson, Alden. "Brief Biographical Sketch for Alden Thompson". Archived from the original on 2006-09-01. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
  2. ^ "Curriculum Vitae | Walla Walla University". www.wallawalla.edu. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  3. ^ Thompson, Alden Lloyd (1975). "Responsibility for evil in the theodicy of IV Ezra: a study illustrating the significance of form and structure for the meaning of the book". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ "Curriculum Vitae | Walla Walla University". www.wallawalla.edu. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  5. ^ Alden Thompson in the Adventist Review. "Adventists and Inspiration", 5 September 1985, p5–7. "Improving the Testimonies through Revisions", 12 September 1985, p13–15. "Questions and Perplexities without End", 19 September 1985, p7–9. "Letting the Bible Speak for Itself", 26 September 1985, p12–15. Full series available (RTF) from Thompson's website. The series was reprinted in Adventtiairut (Finnish) in 1986
  6. ^ "A Peek Inside"
  7. ISSN 0890-0264. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 2010-06-26. Retrieved 2006-11-21.
  8. ISSN 1550-7378. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2006-10-23.
  9. ^ Koranteng-Pipim, Receiving the Word. Berrien Springs, Michigan: Berean Books, 1996
  10. ^ "En Route to a `Plain Reading' of Scripture Archived 2010-06-26 at the Wayback Machine". Spectrum 26:4 (January 1998), p50–52
  11. ^ "A Peek Inside" interview
  12. ^ "Adventist Personality Types" (RTF). Insight, 10 August 1985, p6–11. Also Beyond Common Ground, "The Adventist Church at Corinth", etc.
  13. ^ Also republished on SDANet AtIssue.
  14. ^ Thompson, "The Scary Lady of Adventism Learns to Have Fun". Insight 2 October 1993, p2–4; reprint Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine (RTF format) on Thompson's website
  15. ^ Review Archived 2009-08-28 at the Wayback Machine by Dan Akers. Spectrum blog, August 24, 2009
  16. ISBN 0-8280-0621-0
    .
  17. ^ Inspiration: Knifflige Fragen - Ehrliche Antworten, 1998
  18. ^ Inspiratie: Moeilijke vragen, eerlijke antwoorden, 2002
  19. ^ Amazon.com: Responsibility for Evil in the Theodicy of IV Ezra (Dissertation series - Society of Biblical Literature; no. 29): Books: Alden Thompson

External links

Preceded by
Sakae Kubo
 President of the
Adventist Society for Religious Studies

1987 		Succeeded by
James Londis
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