Ellen G. White and Gustavo Gutierrez make significant contributions on the issue of christians and involvement in politics. A knowledge of their backgrounds and theological orientations is helpful. White was born in 1827. She is accepted as a prophet in the Seventh-day Adventist church. Central to her theology is the sanctuary doctrine which also influences her views on politics. White holds that christians may participate in the "broad" but not the "narrow" aspect of politics. A Roman Catholic priest, Gutierrez was born in 1928. Many regard him as the pioneer of liberation theology. The starting point for his theology is the situation of poverty in Latin America. This influences his views on politics. He also argues for christians' participation in the "broad" but not the "narrow" aspect of politics. White and Gutierrez have more points of agreement than disagreement. Comparing their views on politics provides useful insights on christians' participation in politics. "I declare that: ELLEN G. WHITE AND GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ ON CHRISTIANS AND INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged complete references' / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Systematic Theology)

Ellen G. White and Gustavo Gutierrez make significant contributions on the issue of christians and involvement in politics. A knowledge of their backgrounds and theological orientations is helpful. White was born in 1827. She is accepted as a prophet in the Seventh-day Adventist church. Central to her theology is the sanctuary doctrine which also influences her views on politics. White holds that christians may participate in the "broad" but not the "narrow" aspect of politics. A Roman Catholic priest, Gutierrez was born in 1928. Many regard him as the pioneer of liberation theology. The starting point for his theology is the situation of poverty in Latin America. This influences his views on politics. He also argues for christians' participation in the "broad" but not the "narrow" aspect of politics. White and Gutierrez have more points of agreement than disagreement. Comparing their views on politics provides useful insights on christians' participation in politics. "I declare that: ELLEN G. WHITE AND GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ ON CHRISTIANS AND INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged complete references' / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Systematic Theology)

Gustavo Gutiérrez, prêtre latino-américain, nous propose une "théologie de la libération". Il le fait au moyen d'une dialectique ( matérialiste, historique et sociale ) utilisant comme modèle et comme moyen la lutte des classes, à l'intérieur d'une analyse marxienne. De plus, se servant de la dialectique hégélienne, il donne, à la notion de libération, une signification politique. Ainsi, il surgit de la "théologie de la libération" une notion, une réflexion, "attitude critiquée" qui s'inscrit dans une philosophie de l'action incorporant une intention critique de la foi concernant l'homme pauvre. C'est tout un programme théologique, davantage manifeste que méditation que nous offre Gutiérrez. Il est arrivé à un moment crucial de l'histoire du continent latino-américain. Plusieurs se sont retrouvés dans cette nouvelle manière de percevoir la théologie. Mais pour ceux et celles qui aspirent à une liberté spirituelle, qui donne par surcroît une liberté matérielle, il est essentiel de se détacher de cette "théologie de la libération", basée sur la lutte des classes.

La spiritualité de la théologie de la libération fut d'abord présentée par Gustavo Gutiérrez lui-même dans son œuvre maîtresse Théologie de Jô libération. Cette description consistait en quelques pages seulement mais elle contenait déjà substantiellement tous les éléments qu'il présentera plus tard dans La libération par la foi Boire a son propre puits. Ce dernier ouvrage est entièrement centré sur la spiritualité qui sous-tend la théologie de la libération de Gutiérrez. Le plan de notre travail a été inspiré du chapitre "Libres pour aimer" de ce livre, mais il s’est aussi nourri de notions amplement décrites dans Le Dieu de la vie et reprises dans La Verdad los haré libres, thèse de doctorat de Gutiérrez. JOB. Comment parler de Dieu a partir de la souffrance de annoncent a surtout contribué à approfondir la notion de "gratuité" chez Dieu. Le texte final des deux Conférences Episcopales latino-américaines de Medellin et de Puebla de même que La Force historique des pauvres sont venus confirmer l'intuition fondamentale de la spiritualité de la libération: ‘l'option pour les pauvres".

The problem of universal oppression has caused Gutierrez, Cone and Moltmann to advocate that God is orchestrating an historical programme of liberation from socio-economic, racial and political suffering. They feel that God's liberating actions can be seen in the Abrahamic promise, the exodus and the Christ-event. Moltmann, especially, has emphasized both the trinitarian identification with human pain and the influence of the freedom of the future upon the suffering of the present. According to our theologians, Jesus Christ identified with us, and died the death of a substitutionary victim. Through the resurrection, Jesus Christ overcame the problem of suffering and death, and inaugurated the New Age. The cross and resurrection were the focal point of God's liberating activity. Liberation, or freedom, from sin and suffering is now possible, at least proleptically. We are to understand the atonement as having been liberative rather than forensic or legal, although judgement is not ignored. Both the perpetrators of injustice and their victims are called upon to identify with, and struggle for, freedom, with the help of the liberating Christ. We agree with our theologians that God has historically indicated his desire for justice and freedom. The magnitude of evil and suffering still existing, however, forces us to abandon the idea that God is progressively liberating history. Nevertheless, we affirm the idea that the Trinity has absorbed human suffering into its own story through the incarnate Son. Jesus identified with suffering in a four-fold way, namely: its existence, the judgement of it, the overcoming of it, and the need to oppose it. This comprehensive identification gives Christ the right to demand the doing of justice, because the greatest injustice in history has happened to him. The atonement was forensic, rendering all people accountable to Christ; but it was also liberative, validating the struggle against oppression. Furthermore, at his second coming, Christ will be vindicated in whatever judgement he will exact upon the perpetrators of injustice or oppression. For today the resurrection still gives hope and faith to those who suffer and to those who identify with them / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / Th.D. (Systematic Theology)

The aim of this thesis is to compare the concept of sin in the theologies of Ellen G. White and Leonardo Boff. Chapter 1 examines Ellen G. White's concept of sin. White's historical and theological backgrounds coupled with her use of the "great controversy" motif provide a better grasp of her understanding of sin. White defines sin as the transgression of God's Law. She views sin to comprise at least two dimensions, namely, the individual and the social. White regards these two aspects of sin to have equal significance. White's detailed treatment of the sanctuary teaching also highlights the two dimensions of sin. In Chapter 2 Boff' s idea of sin is investigated. Boff' s historical background, which exposed him to the poor, influenced his perception of sin. Boff's theological background together with his familiarity with Karl Marx's social analysis prompted Boff to define sin as the negation of God's love in a human history bedevilled by class conflict. Boff views sin to have the individual and social dimensions. Yet, in terms of importance, Boff believes that the social dimension of sin is more consequential than the individual one. In Chapter 3 White's and Boff s views on sin are compared. From this comparison it is evident that both White and Boff recognize the bipolarity of sin. Both seem to agree that christians should take an active role in correcting social evils because love for God is manifested by how we relate to our neighbor. Boff devotes less space to the individual aspect of sin than White. Chapter 4 shows that White's theological tradition has a lot to learn from Boff and his tradition and also vice versa. An awareness of the current priestly ministry of Christ evident in White's theology could help Boff to bring some balance to his stance on the social and the individual dimension of sin. Boff' s use of Marx's social analysis should also help Seventh-day Adventists, the inheritors of White's theology, not to interpret White's theology of sin only along individualistic lines while overlooking its social dimension. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Systematic Theology)

The problem of universal oppression has caused Gutierrez, Cone and Moltmann to advocate that God is orchestrating an historical programme of liberation from socio-economic, racial and political suffering. They feel that God's liberating actions can be seen in the Abrahamic promise, the exodus and the Christ-event. Moltmann, especially, has emphasized both the trinitarian identification with human pain and the influence of the freedom of the future upon the suffering of the present. According to our theologians, Jesus Christ identified with us, and died the death of a substitutionary victim. Through the resurrection, Jesus Christ overcame the problem of suffering and death, and inaugurated the New Age. The cross and resurrection were the focal point of God's liberating activity. Liberation, or freedom, from sin and suffering is now possible, at least proleptically. We are to understand the atonement as having been liberative rather than forensic or legal, although judgement is not ignored. Both the perpetrators of injustice and their victims are called upon to identify with, and struggle for, freedom, with the help of the liberating Christ. We agree with our theologians that God has historically indicated his desire for justice and freedom. The magnitude of evil and suffering still existing, however, forces us to abandon the idea that God is progressively liberating history. Nevertheless, we affirm the idea that the Trinity has absorbed human suffering into its own story through the incarnate Son. Jesus identified with suffering in a four-fold way, namely: its existence, the judgement of it, the overcoming of it, and the need to oppose it. This comprehensive identification gives Christ the right to demand the doing of justice, because the greatest injustice in history has happened to him. The atonement was forensic, rendering all people accountable to Christ; but it was also liberative, validating the struggle against oppression. Furthermore, at his second coming, Christ will be vindicated in whatever judgement he will exact upon the perpetrators of injustice or oppression. For today the resurrection still gives hope and faith to those who suffer and to those who identify with them / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / Th.D. (Systematic Theology)

The aim of this thesis is to compare the concept of sin in the theologies of Ellen G. White and Leonardo Boff. Chapter 1 examines Ellen G. White's concept of sin. White's historical and theological backgrounds coupled with her use of the "great controversy" motif provide a better grasp of her understanding of sin. White defines sin as the transgression of God's Law. She views sin to comprise at least two dimensions, namely, the individual and the social. White regards these two aspects of sin to have equal significance. White's detailed treatment of the sanctuary teaching also highlights the two dimensions of sin. In Chapter 2 Boff' s idea of sin is investigated. Boff' s historical background, which exposed him to the poor, influenced his perception of sin. Boff's theological background together with his familiarity with Karl Marx's social analysis prompted Boff to define sin as the negation of God's love in a human history bedevilled by class conflict. Boff views sin to have the individual and social dimensions. Yet, in terms of importance, Boff believes that the social dimension of sin is more consequential than the individual one. In Chapter 3 White's and Boff s views on sin are compared. From this comparison it is evident that both White and Boff recognize the bipolarity of sin. Both seem to agree that christians should take an active role in correcting social evils because love for God is manifested by how we relate to our neighbor. Boff devotes less space to the individual aspect of sin than White. Chapter 4 shows that White's theological tradition has a lot to learn from Boff and his tradition and also vice versa. An awareness of the current priestly ministry of Christ evident in White's theology could help Boff to bring some balance to his stance on the social and the individual dimension of sin. Boff' s use of Marx's social analysis should also help Seventh-day Adventists, the inheritors of White's theology, not to interpret White's theology of sin only along individualistic lines while overlooking its social dimension. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Systematic Theology)