Editor's Note: Periodically the Gleaner will feature reviews or summaries of recently published books from the Pacific Press Publishing Association. Following are the first two featured books in the series.
Understanding Ellen White
Merlin D. Burt, editor
Enter "Ellen White" in a Google search, and 302,000,000 results pop up in less than a second — many of which misrepresent reality and influence people who do not have adequate information or appreciation of her writings.
Understanding Ellen White provides a thoughtful look at her prophetic ministry and explores the two themes that were foundational to her life and work. “Basic to any understanding of Ellen White is her own walk with God,” writes Merlin D. Burt. “Everything she did must be understood and interpreted within this context. Readers need to know her passions that weave like two golden threads through her entire life and experience are central to who she was and what she accomplished: the love of God in Christ and a focus on Scripture.”
Written by 16 well-respected theologians, including Jon Paulien, Alberto R. Timm and Herbert Douglass, Understanding Ellen White explores chapters such as "Ellen White and Science," "The Development of SDA Doctrines" and "The Plagiarism Debate."
While it doesn’t try to offer a final answer on every issue, this book provides answers to specific questions regarding Ellen White and her prophetic ministry. It opens a window to her heart that allows us to discover her passion for her Savior and for the Word of God.
Ellen White for Teens
Seth J. Pierce
Ellen White for Teens is the latest title in Seth J. Pierce’s best-selling series, What We Believe for Teens. When he posed the question, “What do you know about Ellen White?” to a group of teenagers in a Bible class one day, he received a torrent of wild answers that included: “Cheese is poison” … “She wrote a lot of books” … “She was a bazillion years old” … “She didn’t like tea” … “She was hit by a rock.”
Pierce is gifted in being able to take difficult-to-understand concepts and explaining them in a way that makes them easy to grasp. He does it with great insight, wisdom and humor — in a language teens readily understand.
Some of the topics covered include:
- Did Ellen Ever Make Mistakes?
- What’s the Difference Between Her Books and the Bible?
- Are You Gonna Eat That?
Pierce writes, “My prayer is that you will become a friend of Ellen’s. Above all I hope you hear a voice that will point you to Jesus. Her voice matters, and I hope you can begin to hear it in the pages of Ellen White for Teens.”