Union with Christ in the Writings of Ellen G. White
type: CreativeWork
description: Building on the work of nineteenth-century theologian Augustus Strong, five historical approaches to union with Christ identified by Bruce Demarest in the late twentieth century include: an ontological union, a sacramental union, a covenantal union, a moral or filial union and an experiential union. Given the identification of multiple approaches to union with Christ, my dissertation attempts to clarify Ellen G. White’s concept of union with Christ using Demarest’s categories as an evaluation tool. I traced the development of her writings on union with Christ from 1860 to 1898 to ask whether White’s approach is best described as an ontological, sacramental, covenantal, moral or filial or experiential union. While elements of some of the approaches Demarest identified are evident in White’s writings, such as the need for believers to experience Christ for themselves, no one category fits White’s approach exclusively. White’s approach can best be described using her own language. Union with Christ is a spiritual, vital, heart, mystical, indissoluble, moral union that connects repentant sinners to Christ and other believers. Her key metaphors used to describe the nature of this relationship are the vine and the branches, the mystic ladder and the golden chain. The vine and the branches explain how believers are intimately connected to Christ, receiving moral and spiritual power through the Holy Spirit who makes Christ present within. The mystic ladder illustrates Christ’s incarnation that makes union with Him possible. White also used the mystic ladder to describe the progressive nature of sanctification, ascending the ladder by faith and perseverance. The golden chain illustrates the love of the Father poured into the hearts of believers. For White, Christ metaphorically is the true vine, the mystic ladder and the golden chain. Believers partake of the divine nature and by exercising faith in Christ, become one with God. In my conclusion, I answered the following addi…
abstract: Building on the work of nineteenth-century theologian Augustus Strong, five historical approaches to union with Christ identified by Bruce Demarest in the late twentieth century include: an ontological union, a sacramental union, a covenantal union, a moral or filial union and an experiential union. Given the identification of multiple approaches to union with Christ, my dissertation attempts to clarify Ellen G. White’s concept of union with Christ using Demarest’s categories as an evaluation tool. I traced the development of her writings on union with Christ from 1860 to 1898 to ask whether White’s approach is best described as an ontological, sacramental, covenantal, moral or filial or experiential union. While elements of some of the approaches Demarest identified are evident in White’s writings, such as the need for believers to experience Christ for themselves, no one category fits White’s approach exclusively. White’s approach can best be described using her own language. Union with Christ is a spiritual, vital, heart, mystical, indissoluble, moral union that connects repentant sinners to Christ and other believers. Her key metaphors used to describe the nature of this relationship are the vine and the branches, the mystic ladder and the golden chain. The vine and the branches explain how believers are intimately connected to Christ, receiving moral and spiritual power through the Holy Spirit who makes Christ present within. The mystic ladder illustrates Christ’s incarnation that makes union with Him possible. White also used the mystic ladder to describe the progressive nature of sanctification, ascending the ladder by faith and perseverance. The golden chain illustrates the love of the Father poured into the hearts of believers. For White, Christ metaphorically is the true vine, the mystic ladder and the golden chain. Believers partake of the divine nature and by exercising faith in Christ, become one with God. In my conclusion, I answered the following addi…
author: Blue, Katrina B.
keywords: Union with Christ, Ellen G. White, Practical Theology, Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion
date published: 2015-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T00:53:14Z
provider: Andrews University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Andrews University