Vicarious atonement questioned

tall73 · Seventh-day Adventist Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 96

I am wondering if any of you happen to have the June, 2004 edition of Ministry magazine (Adventist publication for pastors, etc.)

In reading this month's letters they made several references to an article by Oliver Jacques who apparently was Ellen White's grandson. In it he claimed that Ellen White never used the term "vicariously" and in fact was quoted as saying vicarious atonement was "a concept that she steadfastly rejected."

Three different respondents noted that a simple search of her writings found a use of the term vicarious atonement, and of course she often referenced Jesus death as being for our benefit.

It seems the moral influence theory of atonement is indeed fairly popular these days in the church. I was friends with a pastor who endorsed this view, and I was suprised that he refused to see any evidence for a substitutionary atonement.

I somehow missed the article the first time around, and apparently it got thrown out with some other items by mistake. The archives only go up through 2003.

If anyone has the article I would be interested in reading it. Thanks!