Eastern Orthodoxy & Adventism

[SavedSinner777]

Ellen White wrote extensively on the errors of the papacy, but did she ever mention Eastern Orthodoxy, which has never accepted the papacy? Was she even aware of Eastern Orthodoxy, given her primitive education?

 

[Freth]

Ellen White wrote extensively on the errors of the papacy, but did she ever mention Eastern Orthodoxy, which has never accepted the papacy? Was she even aware of Eastern Orthodoxy, given her primitive education?

I assume she was aware of the churches of her day. I can only find generic references to "orthodox churches". For instance.

The orthodox churches used every means to prevent the belief in Christ’s soon coming from spreading. No liberty was granted in their meetings to those who dared mention a hope of the soon coming of Christ. Professed lovers of Jesus scornfully rejected the tidings that He whom they claimed as their best friend was soon to visit them. They were excited and angered against those who proclaimed the news of His coming, and who rejoiced that they should speedily behold Him in His glory. { 1T 54.3}

She wrote on ministers of orthodox churches who were warring against her; last day scoffers. This sums up what is happening today as well, even on this forum (the scoffing concerning the Sabbath, present truth, and the soon return of Jesus).

Last-Day Scoffers

From the beginning of my work, I have been pursued by hatred, reproach, and falsehood. Base imputations and slanderous reports have been greedily gathered up and widely circulated by the rebellious, the formalist, and the fanatic. There are ministers of the so-called orthodox churches traveling from place to place to war against Seventh-day Adventists, and they make Mrs. White their textbook. The scoffers of the last days are led on by these ministers professing to be God’s watchmen. { 1SM 69.3}

The unbelieving world, the ministers of the fallen churches, and the first-day Adventists are united in the work of assailing Mrs. White. This warfare has been kept up for nearly forty years, but I have not felt at liberty even to notice their vile speeches, reproaches, and insinuations. And I would not now depart from this custom, were it not that some honest souls may be misled by the enemies of the truth who are so exultantly declaring me a deceiver. In the hope of helping the minds of the honest, I make the statements that I do. { 1SM 69.4}

I do not expect to reach those who, having seen the light of truth, refuse to heed it, those who have given themselves up to prejudice, and entrenched their souls in unbelief. { 1SM 69.5}

Jesus, the Majesty of heaven, He who was equal with God, was in the world thirty-three years, and yet there were but few who acknowledged His divine character. And can I, who am so weak, so unworthy, a frail creature of humanity, expect greater success than was enjoyed by the Saviour of the world? { 1SM 69.6}

When I first gave myself to this work, to go when God should bid me, to speak the words which He should give me for the people, I knew that I should receive opposition, reproach, persecution. I have not been disappointed. Had I depended on human applause, I would long ago have become discouraged. But I looked to Jesus, and saw that He who was without a fault was assailed by slanderous tongues. Those who made high pretensions to godliness followed as spies upon the Saviour’s course, and made every exertion in their power to hedge up His way. But although He was all-powerful, He did not visit His adversaries as their sins deserved. He might have launched forth against them the bolts of His vengeance, but He did not. He administered scathing rebukes for their hypocrisy and corruption, and when His message was rejected and His life threatened, He quietly passed to another place to speak the words of life. I have tried, in my weakness, to follow the example of my Saviour. { 1SM 70.1}

Notice, she called some of them first-day Adventists. i.e. adherents to Sunday sacredness.

The only other references to orthodox churches that I can find are just mentions.

Looking off toward the sea, she saw the windmills, and to the right of that the golden dome of Alexander Newsky's Russian Orthodox church. Not far away she discovered the Kommune Hospital. { EGWE 93.7 }

In short, it would be almost impossible to give an adequate idea of the interest now felt in the city. There is nothing like extravagant excitement, but an almost universal solemnity on the minds of all the people. One of the principal booksellers informed me that he had sold more Bibles in one month since Mr. Miller came here than in any four months previous. A member of an orthodox church informed me that if Mr. Miller would now return, he would probably be admitted into any orthodox house of worship, and he expressed a strong desire for his return to our city. { Review and Herald, November 25, 1884, p. 18 }

 

[Gary K]

Ellen White wrote extensively on the errors of the papacy, but did she ever mention Eastern Orthodoxy, which has never accepted the papacy? Was she even aware of Eastern Orthodoxy, given her primitive education?

Ellen White was very well read. Ever read D'Aubigne? She quotes him extensively in the book The Great Controversy in the chapter on the Reformation. That is a multi-volume of over 1400 pages that took him 55 years to complete.

A college degree is not the only way to get a very good education. I have yet to meet a self educated person who was not a very clear and logical thinker and who is not a highly self motivated learner.

 

[BobRyan]

Ellen White wrote extensively on the errors of the papacy, but did she ever mention Eastern Orthodoxy, which has never accepted the papacy? Was she even aware of Eastern Orthodoxy, given her primitive education?

I don't think she mentions the Eastern Orthodox, or Russian Orthodox or Greek Orthodox or Hindus or ... a number of different groups.
But it would be a bit naive to suggest that this means she was not aware of their existence.

Ellen White was very well read. Ever read D'Aubigne? She quotes him extensively in the book The Great Controversy in the chapter on the Reformation. That is a multi-volume of over 1400 pages that took him 55 years to complete.

Good point. Many people today still have not read D'Aubigne