The Pioneers of Adventism and Theological Macrohermeneutics: The Notions of Timeand Space in Periodicals between 1844 and 1915

Abstract

This article examines the role of ontological and epistemological assumptions held by early Adventist pioneers in shaping theological construction between 1844 and 1915, focusing on time and space as fundamental hermeneutical categories. In contrast to the dominant Christian tradition—heavily influenced by Greek philosophy, which conceives God and heavenly realities as timeless and immaterial—Adventist pioneers advocated for an alternative view: heaven as a physical and temporal place, and God as a personal, corporeal being actively involved in history. Through analysis of Adventist periodicals, the study reveals that this material and historical worldview underpinned the early doctrinal development of Adventism and functioned as a macro-hermeneutical foundation for its theology.