I first encountered the term “post-Christendom” in a college course on postmodernism. I had no idea what it meant, but I was intrigued. Eventually, I discovered the same definition everyone else has who works in the fields of theology, missions, education, cultural studies, political science, social services, government, and general church work:
Post-Christendom refers to the dismantling of the veneer of Christianity in Western civilization—assumptions about the role and place of Christian beliefs, notions of Christian-influenced morality, and the Church as a community institution—as the accepted religious shape of a given society and its culture.
In other words, post-Christendom refers to the ongoing practice of Western societies to move away from Christianity as the assumed leader of morality or a leading influence on culture and government. The biggest impact post-Christendom has had on our lives has been the increasing reality that Christian identity is no longer considered axiomatic in our larger society and culture. Living in a post-Christendom society inevitably means learning to live without the comfort, security, or ease of the forms and expressions of Christianity that previously made it easier to live unbothered as a believer.
Adventism, Normalcy, and the Problems of Living in Postnormal Times
Why am I talking about the concept of post-Christendom? The reason is because people are now living in what can only be called the “postnormal” and having the same experience with postnormal times as I first did with post-Christendom times. Like it or not, the last few years have been anything but normal. In fact, they’ve been downright strange and even a little bizarre. I’m not going to address any of the odd events that have occurred in the United States or throughout the world for the last four years, because that level of strangeness can be absolutely overwhelming on certain days! Instead, I want to address some of the postnormal that has been happening in the Seventh-day Adventist Church that has now come to define much of the spiritual background of our lives.
Since 2020, these postnormal times have witnessed a blossoming of independent Adventist movements and “supporting ministries,” whose sole purpose seems to be to angrily snipe at the organized Adventist Church for its apparent apostasy, while still wanting to be identified as part of the organized Adventist Church. You know it’s not normal when other independent ministries start to express discomfort with this new breed of “Adventist” independent ministry.
Likewise, the presence of anti-trinitarian groups in Adventist circles is not new to the denomination, but the rise in a militant style of anti-trinitarianism is something novel. This “Adventist” anti-trinitarianism not only tries to take over local congregations but also whole conferences (and their headquarters!)—which isn’t so much alarming as it is strange.
What is stranger still, however, is the phenomenon of Adventist church members allying themselves with odd theological and social bedfellows. Adventists who tend to describe themselves as progressive or liberal are increasingly joining forces with mainline Protestant groups and organizations. This is nothing new, though what is a little unusual is how much self-proclaimed social activists within Adventism are starting to also embrace the liturgical life of these denominations, given their historic disinterest in liturgy.
But even more odd are the self-identifying conservative and moderate Adventists who are now flirting with the secret rapture, the role of Israel in end-time events, and the seven-year reign of the antichrist as acceptable Adventist beliefs, or at least an openness to Adventism being wrong about the end-time apostasy of other churches.
Perhaps the strangest thing of all are those Adventists and independent groups who are now claiming Ellen G. White always believed that Christians need to turn the United States into a theocracy, with the organized Adventist Church slipping into apostasy while the American evangelicalism of the culture wars is considered the true remnant. Talk about postnormal times indeed!
This situation can easily feel overwhelming and discouraging. The polarization of Adventism seems to be increasing by the day and it’s unclear what the solution is. Talking about the problem is of no help either. Different factions within Adventism have drawn up their doctrinal, lifestyle, missional, and authorial reasons for this polarization, including who is to blame (and in some instances, who ought to be expelled from the Adventist Church). The only thing these disparate perspectives can agree on is that there is a problem and that these are not normal times!
Besides, we know what the true problem—dare I say crisis?—actually is, because it has been with us for a long time: lovelessness. We are judgmental and ungracious to ourselves and each other, and we generally distrust our leaders, pastors, and teachers. We are also suspicious and fearful of each other, both from the clergy side and the laity side, and we often actively undermine each other in subtle, passive, and indirect ways—which ultimately undermines our mission and witness. Like my original confrontation with post-Christendom, it can feel good and reassuring to go back “to when things were normal” and even strive to reclaim a semblance of that normalcy. But if time tells us anything about normalcy, it is that one can never go back to when things were normal and made sense (and they probably never existed anyway). All you can do is move ahead.
Constructing an Adventist Theology of Hope
The requirement to move ahead (because there is no other option) brings us back to the issue of Adventism in postnormal times. How are we to move forward? What we need is an Adventist theology of hope. I’m not talking about Jürgen Moltmann’s famous book Theology of Hope, though this is an admirable example of hope as the tenor of theology and faith. I’m talking about the very bones and sinew of Adventism! So many Adventists approach their denominational identity and mission devoid of hope. Some of us focus on doctrine, others health, still others church policy and tradition, while yet still others highlight any number of marginal hobbyhorses. The problem with this approach is not that it creates competition between all these good and important aspects of the mission, though it truly does, and we have been reaping the limiting and stagnating effects of this for well over a century. The real problem is that none of this can give any hope for the mission, because all of this is the fruit rather than the root of Adventist mission and identity.
A theology of hope, I believe, has four core elements: a foundation, an orientation, a life, and a structure. The foundation of an Adventist theology of hope must be the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus, the God-man, is the only reality that can sustain the Adventist Church, because Jesus is the only one who has died for us, conquered death, and strode forth from the grave robed in everlasting life. Such a rootedness in Jesus’ resurrection inevitably lifts us out of empty searching for meaning and purpose and sets us on he who is meaning and purpose itself. Consequently, the orientation of an Adventist theology of hope must be the second coming of Jesus. He who came the first time to die for us is the same one who will come the second time to finish the work of salvation he began in us, and who has preserved that work with his ongoing heavenly ministry for us.
But an Adventist theology of hope can only be nurtured and lived out of a living connection with the crucified and risen Lord Jesus who is coming again. This kind of theology of hope can never be sustained by wishful thinking, hoping things turn out well, or trying to live your life the best you can. Rather, it is only by the grace and fellowship that is daily given to us by the Lord and Rabbi to whom we belong and who calls us his beloved. Finally, such a life and connection with the risen Jesus can only be maintained by structuring it around what I call missional gospel practices: fasting, prayer, Bible reading, giving to the poor, Sabbath, sharing your faith, hospitality, spending time in nature, being with your family, serving, practicing forgiveness, resting, and trusting in God.
Conclusion: Living as an Adventist in Postnormal Times
An Adventist theology of hope will enable Adventists to live boldly and robustly in postnormal times. Such an Adventism would be relevant, not by someone else’s standards but by its own standard. The reason this is true is obvious: an Adventist theology of hope gives us the courage to reclaim our identity, mission, and unity, practice Jesus’ commands to care for the poor and oppressed in society, proclaim the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and joyfully embrace the responsibility to share the three angels’ messages with the world in preparation for the soon return of King Jesus. Like the early Adventists who were energized by their friendship with Jesus and invigorated by a theology of hope to get involved in missions, hospitals, schools, and relief work, the sky is the limit for twenty-first century Adventists who will do the same.
Nathaniel Gamble is the RMC Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Director and pastors four churches in Colorado. He is currently finishing his PhD from Calvin Theological Seminary and is married to Alexandria. Email him at: nathanielgamble@outlook.com