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Today

evoLUtioN
&cReatioN
WhEN DiD DEath BEGiN?
 AdventistToday
Editor

ID NE SP IA DR ETV O ML . 1 8 EN O .N4 T J. David Newman

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F O U N D AT I O N B O A R D
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COVER STORY Elwin Dunn, Edmund Jones, Chuck Mitchell, Jim Nelson,
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6 Death Before Sin?—No Eldon Stratton, Ervin Taylor, David Van Putten, John Vogt

COV ER A RT BY KATH ERIN E H O LD ER

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10 Death Before Sin?—Yes S E N I O R L I F E T I M E A D V I S O R S ($25,000+)
by Ervin Taylor Beth and Elwin Dunn, Patricia and Douglass Ewing, Kathi
and Richard Guth, Judy and John Jacobson, Betty and Al

14 Responses to Koppel, Joan Ogden, Lori and Thaine Price, J. Gordon Short,
Marilynn and Ervin Taylor, Priscilla and James Walters
“Death Before Sin?”

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16 Trump Cards for Creationists? D E PA RT M E N TS
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3 Editorial Holland, Erika and Brian Johnson, Carmen and Yung Lau,
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24 Book Review Cople, L. Humberto Covarrubias, Judy and John Curtis,
John Cutts, H. Iva Deacon, Joshua Dee, Mary and James
The Case for the Investigative Judgment: Dunn, Anders Engdahl, H.O. Engen, Sharon and Gary
Its Biblical Foundation Fraser, Annette and Gary Frykman, Karen and Brent
Gardner, Gerald Ghelfi, Steven Hadley, Don Halsell, Jackie
and Thomas Hamilton, Sheridan and Richard Hannon,
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30 Remnants Jackie and Jim Henneberg, Jolene and Dennis Hilliard,
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19 Time for the Laity to Take Over Ruth and Edmond Jones, Marga and Elton Kerr, Case
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by Milt Erhart 31 Adventist Man Doreen and Irvin Kuhn, Darrell Litvin, Berryl and Ralph
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Sola Scriptura
20 Contemporary Christian Music Inaugural Sermon
and Leroy Lowrie, Vincent Melashenko, Frances and
Donald Miller, Joan and Chuck Mitchell, Janet and Barton
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2 ADVENTIST TODAY • FALL 2010

e d i to R i a L

counsel for elder Ted n.c. wilson

J. David Newman

Elder Ted Wilson, in his inaugural sermon as the In their own life and character they are to reveal what
new General Conference president, relied heavily the grace of God has done for them”2
on Ellen G. White to make his point for revival and How does this take place? It begins by making
reformation in the church. In the spirit of cooperation, Jesus the center of everything we do and say. Because
I wish to point out what I consider to be foundational we have a special message for the world, we have
statements made by Ellen White that Elder Wilson neglected to focus on the most important part of that
“of all
may wish to ponder. Along with Elder Wilson, I long message.
to see revival and reformation spread like wildfire “Hanging upon the cross Christ was the gospel. professing
among our members. Now we have a message, ‘Behold the Lamb of God,
“If we would humble ourselves before God, and be which taketh away the sins of the world.’ Will not our
christians,
kind and courteous and tenderhearted and pitiful, church members keep their eyes fixed on a crucified seventh-day
there would be one hundred conversions to the truth and risen Saviour, in whom their hopes of eternal
where now there is only one. But, though professing life are centered? This is our message, our argument, adventists
to be converted, we carry around with us a bundle our doctrine, our warning to the impenitent, our should be
of self that we regard as altogether too precious to be encouragement for the sorrowing, the hope for every
given up. It is our privilege to lay this burden at the believer.”3 foremost
feet of Christ and in its place take the character and “Of all professing Christians, Seventh-day
in uplifting
similitude of Christ. The Saviour is waiting for us to Adventists should be foremost in uplifting Christ
do this.”1 before the world. The proclamation of the third christ before
It is really so simple. Do not let the Savior wait angel’s message calls for the presentation of the
one moment longer. As we humble ourselves before Sabbath truth. This truth, with others included in the
the world.”
God, his love will shine out more and more from us. message, is to be proclaimed; but the great center of —ellen G. white
We have been taught so long that the last warning attraction, Christ Jesus, must not be left out”4
message to give to the world revolves around the Sadly, the world does not see us as being foremost
Sabbath and the mark of the beast that we have in “uplifting Christ before the world.” They know us
forgotten the part that love plays. more by our doctrines—like the Sabbath—than by
“Those who wait for the Bridegroom’s coming are our love for Jesus. If revival and reformation is to
to say to the people, ‘Behold your God.’ The last rays come to our church, then Christ must be the focus
of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be of everything we are and do, not the special truths of
given to the world, is a revelation of His character of the Adventist church.
love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. Continued on page 31

ervin taylor retires

Ervin Taylor has served as the executive editor and then publisher of Adventist Today since the July-August 2001 issue. This
volunteer position has not been easy. Adventist Today finances have been a roller coaster from the beginning, and Dr. Taylor
has been at the forefront in raising money and writing provocative and stimulating editorials and articles. As of Sept. 1, 2010,
he is going to take life a little easier. While he will no longer be involved in the day-to-day operations, he will still write his blog
on the Adventist Today website, and we will see him from time to time in the magazine as well. Thank you, Ervin, for your hard
work and dedication.

w w w. ato day.c o m 3
 L E T T E R S

didn’t—wait to land before drafting this what the seven who responded to
letter. the statement “If I Were the Next GC
It was with great relief and renewed President…” wrote (Summer 2010) and
hope that I poured over this particular what Ted Wilson himself said he will
issue. Before leaving for Mexico, I was do now that he is the elected General
privileged to once again minister in music Conference (GC) president. In both his
at the General Conference Session. It was postelection remarks and his Sabbath
with great interest that I listened to Elder lecture, he set forth his presuppositions,
[Ted N.C.] Wilson’s inaugural sermon his beliefs, and his intentions for the
on the last Sabbath of the Session. Suffice organization he leads.
it to say that I feel now more than ever The temptation is to compare specific
the increasing relevance not only of your points set forth by the imaginary
summer issue, but the entire ministry of presidents with those of the one who
Adventist Today
Today. was elected to fill the post, such as: elect
I commend Adventist Today for its a person of color to be GC president;
continued and uncompromising call for focus on basic values, encourage
prayerful, humble, inclusive, intellectual, theological growth; turn the focus of
General Conference Issue scholarly, and compassionate dialogue the church outward; work toward a
The preview of the General Conference in spiritual matters. I encourage each simpler understanding of faith; apologize
session included many fascinating reader to dutifully consider the example for inappropriate behavior and model
articles (Summer 2010). Of particular of Adventist Today in respectful but bold reconciliation; address the complex issues
interest were the “If I Were the Next GC and unapologetic examination in matters in fundamental belief No. 1, including
President…” articles, with many intriguing of doctrine, theology, and ministry while the apparent contradictions found in
and challenging ideas presented. However, simultaneously examining the social the two creation accounts; consider a
I think a golden opportunity was missed. and cultural considerations of mounting less rigid stance toward ambiguous and
I would like to hear the concerns of an relevance to our church. difficult issues; ask the hard questions;
additional group of people. I would like This is the same revolutionary voice follow Christ’s methods; have an effective
to hear what an Asian would do as GC our pioneers adopted in examining their Christ-centered response to society’s
president. I would like to hear what an contemporary status quo. Though they ills; recover what our church leaders
African would do as GC president. I would may too have been labeled and criticized, pledged in 1973 and again 1974; practice
like to hear what a South American would we must press forward in similar fashion. individual and corporate responsibility;
do as GC president. Those, like myself, We should never allow anyone to make empower young leaders; redefine success;
who are from a narrow culture and only us feel our voice is a “step backward,” strengthen local churches; and rediscover
speak one language, need every avenue to for it is with this voice that we must present truth.
broaden our horizons and become more continue to personally and collectively GC President Ted Wilson’s statements
inclusive, as well as to learn the priorities hold accountable our leaders, elected had little in common with the thoughts,
of the rest of the world. or otherwise. I praise God for Adventist concerns, and suggestions expressed by
TIM BLACKWELDER Today, because I firmly believe the voice the seven essayists, nor is there evidence
Walla Walla, Washington demonstrated by your ministry is the that their thoughts influenced his in
This afternoon I hungrily re-read and strongest path by which we may truly any way. Had one not known otherwise,
absorbed the Summer 2010 issue of “move forward.” an uninformed observer might well
Adventist Today from cover to cover P R ESTO N H AW ES conclude that the essayists and Wilson
Baltimore, Maryland were addressing two separate and
during a return flight from Mexico
City, having completed a week of Even the most casual observer will note divergent groups. This leads one to
music ministry there. I couldn’t—and a certain lack of congruence between ponder whether it is the writers who are

4 ADVENTIST TODAY • FALL 2010

out of touch with the Adventist church expense and through legal maneuvers Who Watches? Who Cares? in the chapter
and its needs and possibilities, or is over a protracted seven-year period, “Filthy Lucre” (page 248), under the
it that Wilson knows something they they precluded my attorney from taking section headed Mold Breaker, where my
don’t? Time will tell. (There is another depositions from my accuser and the GC involvement was addressed. These are but
viable option; let the one who has ears to “persecutors,” nor did they ever provide two examples of incidences that did not
hear, hear.) any of the requested documentation. endear me to the GC leadership. What
L aw r e n c e G. D ow n i n G Years later they continue to refer to administrators could not do through
Los Angeles, California this as a “victory.” The GC had every the electoral process, they accomplished
opportunity to present its case against me through a manufactured sex scandal.
David Dennis responds to in court and to make it, indeed, “public Finally, Ms. McLarty recommends
Fatal accounts Letter record.” They went to great lengths just to a “thorough and fair investigation.”
This is a response to a letter you published circumvent the public record! That is exactly what a supportive entity
in the Spring 2010 issue under the title Did the GC have a motive for removing for the church, Members for Church
Fatal Accounts from a Karin L. McLarty. me as the director of auditing? To answer Accountability (MCA), sought when they
Ms. McLarty states that the “circumstances that question, you will wish to read appealed directly to Elder Folkenberg
surrounding the termination of Mr. my open letter to then-GC president, with a petition signed by 1,500 members
Dennis, and the allegations made against Neal C. Wilson, dated April 29, 1989. seeking to establish an independent
him, are a matter of public record.” She Alternatively, read selections from that commission to investigate the allegations
further bitterly complains that Adventist letter in the book Who Watches? Who against the GC as addressed in my
Today provided a platform for me to tell Cares? in a chapter entitled “Evergreen lawsuit. That appeal was denied, but
my side of the story, “while never hinting at Shady Grove” (page 201), under the Folkenberg promised in writing an
that another side exists.” If she refers to section heading “Auditor’s Lament.” independent “blue ribbon commission”
the Adventist “public,” she is, of course, They had the motive and, indeed, acted after the litigation was settled. Elder
absolutely correct because allegations accordingly because shortly thereafter Folkenberg was forced to resign as
against me were spread throughout the Robert S. Folkenberg became president president prior to the completion of the
Adventist world. This other side of the at the 1990 GC Session in Indianapolis. lawsuit. Therefore, MCA appealed to the
story, awash with trumped charges and Under pressure from North American new GC president, Dr. Jan Paulsen, to
gossip, got worldwide exposure. Union presidents, he convinced the honor the commitment of his predecessor
A General Conference (GC)-employed nominating committee to remove my to establish an independent commission
attorney prepared the lurid account on name as a nominee for director of the to investigate my allegations. MCA’s
behalf of my indicated accuser. The GC General Conference Auditing Service, request was forthwith denied by the new
hearing by select GC administrators and by referring to my open letter to Elder world leader of the church. So much for
their close friends denied me access to a Wilson as “immoral.” However, the “a thorough and fair investigation”!
lawyer, and I was prohibited from cross- deletion of my name was rejected by the D av i D D . D e n n i s
delegates at the plenary session, and I Mount Airy, Maryland
examining my accuser. My wife testified
at this staged hearing but was loudly was subsequently re-elected as director Editor’s Note:
called a liar! The panel, under pressure, of auditing. Further, you will recall The book Fatal Accounts is now out of
pronounced me guilty. I requested an incident where donor money was print. Publication of a revised edition is
arbitration as provided by church policy. laundered through the Columbia Union’s being considered by Adventist Today.
This request was denied! I sought legal Worthy Student Fund in order to pay
assistance and filed a suit against the salaries to the wives of Elder Folkenberg
GC. During the discovery phase, defense and the late Alfred McClure, who was
attorneys took nine grueling days of the North American Division president.
depositions from me, my wife, my son, The wives were not denominationally
and my daughter. Then, at considerable employed. Again, I refer to the book

w w w. ato day.c o m 5
D E B A T E
evolution vs. creationism in adventism
death before Sin?—No
By J. dav i d n e w m a n

Within the Adventist Church, there is a growing chorus of voices when writing to the church at Rome about how we are saved, says
proclaiming that macroevolution is consistent with the Bible and this: “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,
especially the book of Genesis. These voices state that science and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men,
has overwhelmingly shown that life on this earth is hundreds of because all sinned—for before the law was given, sin was in the
thousands of years old and that one can no longer accept a short world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law.
chronology—that is, a creation of this earth only a few thousands Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of
of years ago. Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command,
This article will not discuss the pros and cons of this debate. as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come” (Rom. 5:12-
Instead, it will focus on the core issue: how does death fit into 14, NIV).
what God originally said when he created this world, “And God Paul makes it clear that death did not exist before Adam
saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” sinned. Several verses on, Paul reiterates his point: “For if, by the
(Gen. 1:31, ASV)? trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man,
What does “very good” mean? According to Christian how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision
evolutionists, death was part of God’s strategy from the of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the
beginning, as evolution cannot take place without endless dying one man, Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:17, NIV).
and suffering. It also means that earthquakes and tornadoes and If death were taking place in the world before Adam, and
mudslides have all been part of God’s creating activity down if Adam was simply the end result of the evolution of human
through the millennia. So Christian evolutionists say that death beings, why would death be an enemy? And why would it need to
is natural and normal, while the Bible says that death is an enemy. be destroyed?
“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ...
The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:22, 26, NIV). interpreting the evidence
And it will not exist in the new earth (Rev. 21:4). Both evolutionists and creationists look at the same facts, the same
The Bible is very clear that there was a time in this world’s evidence. The issue is how do we interpret the evidence, whether
history when death did not exist. “The Lord God took the man from science or from the Bible?
and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of This subject is very important, because it impacts how we look
it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat at Jesus, at the cross, and at the whole question of sin. If science
from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree explains where we come from, then the same science tells us
of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will that people do not come back from the dead, and that Jesus may
surely die’” (Gen. 2:16-17, NIV). have lived and died on a cross but could never have come back
This passage is saying that Adam would live forever if he to life again. The same people who believe in Christian evolution
abstained from eating from this tree. He would never die. Paul, also believe what the Bible says about the end of this age—that

w w w. ato day.c o m 7
 D E B A T E
evolution vs. creationism in adventism

one day death will no longer exist—even though that is not what conquering Canaan. Just over the next hill live the Gibeonites.
science says. So why accept what science says for the beginning They do not want to be conquered by the Israelites, so they resort
of this world but not accept what science says for the end of this to a deceptive stratagem. They send ambassadors pretending that
world? they have come from a far-away country and desire to make a
There is a second huge issue in this debate, and that is the treaty with the Israelites.
question of evil. If God used evolution to create this world, which The Bible says “they resorted to a ruse: They went as a
involves death and destruction, is that evil or not? Is evil only delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks
what humans do? Is it evil for a lion to tear apart an antelope to and old wineskins, cracked and mended. The men put worn and
satisfy its hunger? As humans evolved, were they innocent, not patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread
evil? When did sin come into existence? The Bible says clearly, as of their food supply was dry and moldy” (Josh. 9:4-5, NIV).

christian evolutionists accept the assumption of

uniformitarianism. i challenge that assumption.
we have seen, that sin came into being when Adam and Eve took The Israelites concluded by the visible evidence that these men
the forbidden fruit. The Bible says they were the first humans. were telling the truth. Three days later, they found that they were
Evolution says they were simply the culmination of the evolving their neighbors and they had made the wrong assumption about
of humans. the evidence presented to them. There is a very telling verse
tucked away in this chapter. It says, “But they did not ask counsel
my assumptions of the Lord” (Josh. 9:14, NKJV).
The real issue is one we seldom ever discuss: the assumptions or I believe that I must use the Bible to correctly interpret the
presuppositions with which we come to the evidence. Assumptions scientific evidence. But immediately someone will ask: “How do
can lead us to all kinds of false conclusions. Here are my you know that you are interpreting the Bible correctly? Hasn’t
assumptions. the church—such as in the days of Galileo—interpreted the
First, I believe there is a God who created this world and this Bible wrongly?” This is a very good question. That is why I am
universe. I cannot prove this assumption, but neither can anyone dealing with the issue of death as the foundational issue. It is very
disprove it. That is what makes deciding which assumptions to hard to interpret the Bible in any way that suggests that death
believe so difficult. existed before Adam and Eve took the fruit from the tree of the
Second, I believe that I need special revelation (the Bible) to knowledge of good and evil.1
help me understand general revelation (this world, science). If Adam and Eve were not historical figures, then we have
Without special revelation, I would not know I am a sinner. no information on how we became sinners. If human beings
Without special revelation, I would not know I need a Savior gradually evolved from the Neolithic man to Homo sapiens, at
and that I am saved by believing in Jesus and by letting his blood what stage did they become sinners? If other humans existed
wash away my sins. along with Adam and Eve, how did they become sinners? Who,
Third, I believe that there is good and that there is evil. I then, did Christ save?
believe that the good comes from God and that evil comes from
Satan. The Bible describes a war in heaven and the rebellion their assumptions
of Satan against God (Rev. 12:7-12). As a result, Satan tries to Christian evolutionists operate under their own assumptions,
discredit God every way that he can and has introduced the as well. One of their foundational assumptions is that of
carnage in nature that we see today, whether the killing of life or uniformitarianism. This assumption means that we can learn about
the natural disasters in this world. He has tried to confuse us as the past by using the laws of the universe as we know them today.
we interpret nature to find God or to cry against God. It assumes that no laws have changed. But what if we challenge this
The book of Joshua tells a story that illustrates the importance assumption, this presupposition? If some of the fundamental laws
of special revelation over general revelation. The Israelites are regarding our earth have changed, then we can only interpret the

8 adveNtist today • fall 2010

past back to the time when these laws changed. Beyond that we that God did not create the world to experience rain. We read in
have no tools with which to examine the past. Genesis: “When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,
Here is one example of a fundamental law that I believe has no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant
changed: the second law of thermodynamics, more commonly of the field had yet sprung up; the Lord God had not sent rain on
known as the law of entropy. This law states that disorder never the earth and there was no man to work the ground, but streams
produces order but order turns into disorder—that everything is came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the
slowly running down until it reaches equilibrium, so that in some ground” (Gen. 2:4-6, NIV).
distant future there will no life left in the universe. It was not until the time of the great Flood in Noah’s day that
You only have to look at your house to see the proof of this law. rain began to fall. “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the
It doesn’t take any effort for it to become dirty and untidy. It takes seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs
much effort to keep it clean and tidy. It doesn’t take any effort for of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens
the paint to chip and get dirty, but it takes lots of effort to restore were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty
the paint. nights” (Gen. 7:11-12, NIV).
I believe this law—along with other laws that lead to decay and Here was another change in the fundamental laws that govern
death—did not exist before sin entered the universe. Let’s take our planet. New weather laws came into play.
a look at Scripture to see when God changed fundamental laws There is a further reason why I believe rain did not fall before
under which our Earth operates. the Flood. After Noah and his family exited the ark onto dry
Adam and Eve have disobeyed God. They have eaten from the land, God made a covenant with them. “And God said, ‘This is
tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God spells out some of the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and
the consequences of their disobedience. “Cursed is the ground every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to
because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign
of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you of the covenant between me and the earth (Gen. 9:12-13, NIV).
will eat the plants of the field.” Rainbows occur only when it rains. If there had been rain
Thorns and thistles did not exist prior to the curse, just as death before the Flood, then there would have been rainbows—and
did not exist. This means that some laws had to change. God gave nothing special about them. Now there is rain, and the refraction
new laws that would guide the life-to-death cycle in the human, of the sun on the water gives us the rainbow. God used it as a
animal, and plant worlds. All animals were vegetarians, but now symbol of his promise never to destroy the world by a flood
some could prey on other animals for their food. This meant a again. What made this symbol so significant was the fact that
change in how they processed food. Microevolution comes into they had never seen it before.
play. And Satan can use all of his skills to help evil develop. Christian evolutionists accept the assumption of
But this was only the beginning of the changes. God uniformitarianism. I challenge that assumption. If
pronounced another curse. After Cain murdered his brother, uniformitarianism is correct, then the whole plan of salvation as
Abel, God held him to account. God said to him: “What have outlined in the Bible becomes suspect. But if fundamental laws
you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the did change—and they would have had to for sin to enter this
ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, world—then there is no conflict between science and the Bible.
which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from
your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its J. David Newman is senior pastor of New Hope Adventist Church
crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth” (Gen. in Fulton, Maryland, and is editor of Adventist Today.
4:10-12, NIV). 1
John Walton in The Lost World of Genesis One says that death did not exist for
The first curse was on the ground. A literal translation says, humans before the fall, but it did exist for all other aspects of God’s creation (pp.
99-101). Denis Alexander in Creation or Evolution—Do We Have to Choose?
“You are more cursed than the earth.” Cain had been a farmer. says that the death that God told Adam and Eve they would experience if they
He had brought fruit and grain as a sacrifice to God against the disobeyed him was spiritual death, not physical death (pp. 244-253). William
Dembski in The End of Christianity believes that just as justification is imputed
command of God. Now God is telling Cain that he is going to back through time before the cross (before salvation became effective), so death
have a much tougher time farming. More changes are coming to can be imputed back before Adam and Eve sinned (see p. 10). His entire book is
devoted to this understanding. Hugh Ross in Creation as Science says there have
the environment. been multiple creations with death involved and agrees with Walton that death
But there is an even bigger curse to come. Genesis tells us involved only humans not other aspects of creation (pp. 78-79).

w w w w. ato day.c o m 9
 D E B A T E
evolution vs. creationism in adventism

death before Sin?—yes

By e r v i n tay l o r

Essentially all of the historic, mainline Christian Protestant contained in Scripture contains any substantive errors. The
denominations, the Roman Catholic communion, and (with other four fundamental precepts involve beliefs concerning
exceptions among some segments of their laity) the Eastern Jesushis virgin birth, substitutionary atonement, literal bodily
Orthodox traditions view biological evolution over billions of resurrection, and the literal reality of his miracles.
years of geologic time as the means, or one of the means, which The implication of the belief in the inerrancy of all Biblical
God employed to create living forms on planet Earth, with, for texts is that they are to be regarded as being free of any
some, the exception of the human species. This general approach substantive error of fact, irrespective of their subject matter. Thus,
or understanding, with a number of permutations, is often referred the mantle of inerrancy has been bestowed by fundamentalists on
to variously as theistic evolution, progressive creation, continuing Biblical statements that not only speak to devotional, religious,
creation, or most recently, evolutionary creation. spiritual, and/or theological topics and themes, but also to subject
In contrast, the younger Protestant fundamentalist Christian matter that today would be considered to impinge directly on
faith traditions, and fundamentalist elements within many of modern historical or scientifically based understandings. In the
the conservative evangelical and Pentecostal groups of churches, context of this discussion, this includes topics such as the age of
actively reject—sometimes with great vigor and vitriol—such the Earth and living organisms upon it and the process by which
an understanding. The positions many of these groups advocate God created them.
are typically referred to by historians and others as Young Earth There appears to be a strong correlation between adopting
Creationism (YEC) and/or Young Life Creationism (YLC). inerrancy as a principal of Biblical interpretation and holding
YLC advocates typically insist that all living creatures, from that all Biblical texts should also be interpreted literally unless
bacteria to mammals, were created by God over a period of there is some very obvious and compelling reason for not
seven literal, contiguous 24-hour days less than about 10,000 doing this. Thus there is a general understanding that classical
years ago. YLC believers typically often also argue that a literal, fundamentalists adhere to the view that correctly interpreting the
Noahian worldwide Flood as described in Genesis occurred a Biblical texts also means taking them both in a literalistic sense
few thousand years after this very recent creation. They argue and as inerrant.
that this worldwide catastrophe produced all, most, or much
of the geological column studied by geologists. Corporate and death and darwinian evolution
traditional Seventh-day Adventism has aligned itself with this There is a theological theme cited by a number of fundamentalist
Protestant fundamentalist tradition in understanding how the adherents—including many traditional and institutionally affiliated
Genesis narratives are to be interpreted. Adventist authors—as, they state, one of the principal reasons for
It is important to understand that the terms “fundamentalist” their opposition to biological evolution occurring over “deep time”
and “fundamentalism” are not used as pejoratives in this in geological history. This is the role that physical death plays in the
discussion. They are being employed exclusively as descriptive currently prevailing scientific model of how biological evolution
terms to refer to any individual or group within the Christian is considered to operate. The fossil record, on its face, reflects a
tradition, beginning in the early 20th century, that held or holds massive amount of death and extinction before the appearance
to the view that a non-negotiable commitment to five doctrinal of humans. There is a modern scientific understanding that that
propositions is absolutely essential to defining an authentic or some 98 percent of all species of organisms known from the fossil
“true” New Testament Christianity. The first of these allegedly record no longer exist. They are all dead. Their species no longer
fundamental and thus “fundamentalist” Christian doctrinal exist. The death of all organisms and extinction of species are great,
precepts is that, because the text of the Bible has been inspired inescapable facts of both modern and past physical reality.
by God, all Scripture is thereby inerrant, i.e., no statement Most educated individuals know that the current most-favored

10 a d v e N t i s t t o d a y • f a l l 2 0 1 0
scientific model of how biological evolution has occurred bears model, differential death rates of better-adapted species explain
the name of the 19th-century English naturalist, Charles Robert why these species increase their populations over time and why
Darwin (1809-1882). It is Darwinian evolution that is the most other species not as well adapted to the same environment will
often vilified by Christian fundamentalists as anti-Biblical and eventually become extinct.
anti-Christian. This rejection is based on an understanding that The effects of natural selection in the relatively small changes
if the Darwinian model provides the correct understanding in both gene frequencies (genotypes) and in the visible structures
about how life evolved on this planet, then it would follow that of various organisms (phenotypes) have been clearly observed
God caused, was complicit in, or at the very least permitted the in the laboratory and field. These effects are widely referred to as
physical death of millions of creatures over eons of time, with all microevolution. My understanding is that this form of Darwinian
of the inevitable attendant suffering that this is assumed to entail. evolution by natural selection is readily accepted by many
This, many fundamentalists insist, is not consistent with the fundamentalist Christians who possess some scientific training,
picture of God represented in the Bible—or at least, they will say, including traditional Adventist interpreters of Genesis, since it
the picture of God that Jesus presented. involves directly observable variations within species.
We thus are confronted with very conflicted understandings. The conventional scientific understanding is that over millions
On one hand, physical death over hundreds of millions of years of years, microevolution becomes what is sometimes called
of geologic time is an important component of the Darwinian macroevolution, the creation of new species of living organisms.
evolutionary model. The fossil record taken at face value involves This occurs when the gradual or more abrupt changes produced
massive amounts of death. On the other, there is the view that by the mechanism of natural selection, and the other factors
such a model is totally incompatible with what is viewed as involved in biological evolutionary processes, slowly accumulate.
orthodox Christianity, and certainly with traditional Adventism. When the accumulation of genotypic variation within one
In light of this conflict, it might be helpful to very briefly species—perhaps as the result of, for example, geographic
outline the concept detailed by Darwin more than a century isolation—results in two populations with clearly distinct
ago to explain scientifically how modifications in biological genotypic and usually phenotypic expressions, we can then
forms over very long periods of time could be explained, how say that a new species has evolved and that what was once one
geological time is documented, and then consider the nature of species is now two or more species. Over long periods of time
theologically based objections. in response to changing environments, this process will produce
organisms very different from the original parental population
micro/macro evolution and Geochronology in previous environments. Using modern scientific protocols
Although subsequent research since Darwin’s time has of scientific taxonomic nomenclature, we would classify such
documented several other mechanisms responsible for biological organisms into different genera and families and, as appropriate,
evolutionary change, the central idea addressed in the Darwinian other groupings even further up the taxonomic ladder.
model of biological evolution involves the understanding of the The most direct, physical evidence that evolution at whatever
processes involved in natural selection. In his “one long argument” level has actually occurred is based on inferences from
in On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the observations of the characteristics of the ancient life exhibited
Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life (1859), Darwin in the paleontological or fossil record contained in the geologic
outlined his understanding of the evolutionary biological process column. What is critical to the general understanding of the great
as proceeding primarily in small, incremental steps over long strength of the scientific evidence supporting the reality that life
periods driven primarily by the effects of natural selection. has evolved over multiple hundreds of millions and billions of
In Darwin’s view, natural selection involves differential years on planet Earth is that beginning in the last half of the 20th
reproductive success for some populations and species in that century, an increasingly accurate and precise time scale for the
they pass on more of their progeny to succeeding generations geological and fossil record has been provided by isotopic dating
than other populations and species competing for space, food, methods.
and other resources in the same environment. This outcome The accuracy of the age determinations produced by the
is viewed as being the result of the fact that populations of application of geochronological methods has absolutely nothing
organisms which pass on more descendents do this primarily to do with whether Darwinian macroevolution is or is not “true.”
because they are better adapted to their environment. In this Almost all geochronometric methods, now numbering more

w w w . a t o d a y . c o m 11
 D E B A T E
evolution vs. creationism in adventism

than 20 distinct (or clusters of related) dating techniques, were out of the eye” comment of Jesus is very rarely understood as
developed not by geologists or evolutionary biologists, but almost a literal command—even by fundamentalists. In the second
entirely by physicists and chemists. Few of these scientists had instance, I submit that the reason why a given set of texts—in this
little, if any, direct interest, in addressing issues involving the case texts assumed to be related to how one interprets the Genesis
validity of Darwinian or any other kind of biological evolution— narrativesare interpreted by Adventist fundamentalists “more
pro or con. The temporal framework for the fossil record, literally” than some others is not based primarily because of a
totally mischaracterized as an “evolutionary time scale” by concern with what is appropriate Biblical exegesis. I suggest that
YEC/YLC advocates, was developed completely separate of any textual interpretations assumed by Adventist fundamentalists
considerations of the current biological evolutionary model. dealing with the doctrine of creation are guided primarily by
the perceived need to defend the various elements of a highly
theological Presuppositions structured and unique doctrinal system. This system has been
As is the case in the vast majority of controversial subjects of the assembled in great detail as a means of defending the classical
type being discussed here, it seems that a clear explication of the Adventist theological worldview as expressed in its master story
assumptions standing behind theological discourse is a necessary motif—the Great Controversy metanarrative. I will elaborate

The accuracy of the age determinations produced by the

application of geochronological methods has absolutely
nothing to do with whether Darwinian macroevolution
is or is not “true.”
prerequisite if one wishes to conduct a reasonable dialogue when on this observation in the last three paragraphs of the next and
highly variant conclusions and opinions are being offered. concluding section.
One of my presuppositions is that while it is certainly One alterative to that worldview is another vision of how
appropriate to expect that a Christian adherent would take Adventism could approach the Genesis narratives, but in a
Biblical texts seriously, it does not follow that this individual nonfundamentalist mode. What would that kind of creationism
would be expected to take all Biblical statements literally. Let look like?
us quickly note that it would appear that even self-identified
fundamentalists, as a practical matter, do not take all Biblical a nonfundamentalist creationism:
texts literally. It would seem that many of them express the answers to objections
awareness that Biblical writers employed a wide range of literary In considering one nonfundamentalist Christian perspective
structures and motifs such as metaphors, similes, and the of how God created our world and its life forms, let me first
language of appearances in their narratives. briefly elaborate on what I understand to be the most common
I would therefore suggest that few modern Christian believers, fundamentalist Christian—and therefore classical Adventist—
even those who have adopted what we have here defined as a theological objection to the standard scientific understanding of
fundamentalist Biblical hermeneutic, actually interpret each and how the biological world has evolved over geologic time.
every Biblical text in a literalistic manner. I submit that what I understand that one important reason why there is a negative
actually occurs is that a contemporary reader will decide which response to the question “Has Physical Death on Earth Always
Biblical text to interpret with some degree of “literalness” and Existed?” comes from an interpretation of the views expressed
which to interpret with some other degree of “literalness” on the in the writings of Paul of Tarsus in the New Testament. I further
basis of some modern rationality or in support of some specific understand that the traditional understanding is that Paul in
theological or doctrinal point of view. a passage in his letter to the Romans is linking the existence
In the first instance, for example, I suspect that the “plucking of physical death in this world with what is characterized as a

12 a d v e N t i s t t o d a y • f a l l 2 0 1 0
“sinful” act of Adam. On the basis of this statement, it is thus them “really happened.” Again, it would seem that this is only a
alleged that a phenomenon called human sin must have existed problem for a fundamentalist Christian who believes both in an
before any physical death could have occurred on planet Earth. inerrant Bible and a Jesus who was not really human.
Therefore, physical death could not have existed prior to the Finally, there is a central point of this discussion that I
creation of humans. No physical death equals no Darwinian wish to propose for a reader’s consideration. That point is my
evolution! In my view, this is truly a breathtaking series of contention that it is views of Ellen White that lie at the heart of
inferences. why traditional Adventism has been so adamantly opposed to
There is no question that the first unintentional theologian of the concept of biological evolution and long geological ages. It is
the Christian Church believed and wrote that human sin began her understanding of what the Bible says about creation, the
with the first human and, because of that act, physical death Flood, and related matters that has created the problem for the
entered the world. I understand that this statement is contained faith tradition she helped to establish. It seems to me that what
in a document composed as a pastoral homily—really something is at issue is not primarily a case of the holding of different
of a written sermon—that sought to communicate a theological hermeneutical models as applied to the understanding of Biblical
point of view to solve a contemporary problem in the early materials, but holding different hermeneutical models having to
Christian Church. That problem was conflict between Jews and do with the understanding of the appropriate role of Ellen White
Gentiles about how to reconcile their theological differences in relationship to Christian doctrinal matters.
about the relationship between the “Old” and “New” Covenants. For those who were and are inspired by her words to live
That a theological understanding of a first-century A.D. fulfilling and meaningful lives of service, she is a prophetic figure.
pastoral theologian should be taken as explaining the origin But prophets are human; they can and do make mistakes, and
of death in the physical world is a classic illustration of the they can and do hold what are, from a strictly factual perspective,
result of applying a set of fundamentalist assumptions to the erroneous views. In Ellen White’s case, I wish to propose
interpretation of a Biblical passage. It apparently matters not at all that some of what she remembered about her out-of-body
to the fundamentalist mindset that the passage in Paul’s writings experiences and communicated to others was extremely helpful
to which they refer has completely and absolutely no conceptual to those who witnessed her visions and heard about these visions
relationship with the whole point of the Genesis narratives. The from those who were actually there. She accomplished what
cliché about “apples and oranges” immediately comes to mind. she set out to do—keep a “Little Flock” together. But I would
Another objection sometimes raised derives from inferences suggest that over the long term, there has been created some very
based on statements of Jesus that suggest he believed that negative unintended consequences. Some of the incidental details
Adam and Noah were “real” individuals and thus the incidents which she “saw” while in her trance states were solidified into
described in connection with their lives must have been “real” factual assertions concerning, among other topics, details about
and “literal” events as well. It seems to me that all Biblical how God created the world and life forms on it.
writers refer to and certainly believed that the individuals they So we come back to the original question with some slight
referenced as earlier actors in various Biblical narratives were modification: How might a nonfundamentalist Adventist
“real people.” There was no differentiation applied when referring Christian answer the question: “Has physical death on earth
to David, Moses, Abraham, Noah, and Adam. always existed?” In my current view, the most probable answer
There are some who view the statements of Jesus in an is “Yes,” since the best evidence we now have about how God
entirely different light than even Biblical writers. It is argued that created the world has been revealed to us in the great advances
statements attributed to him are to be evaluated on a different in science inspired by God, which has occurred over the last 500
standard. However, I understand that the historic orthodox years. In addition, God has graciously allowed us to obtain much
Christian perspective—at least since the 4th century of the better understandings of how the divine presence communicates
Christian era—holds that Jesus was 100 percent God and 100 to the human family in all cultures in ways they can best
percent human. If Jesus was really 100 percent human, that appreciate and understand at the time that the communication
would seem to indicate, at least to me, that he carried in his occurred.
consciousness the human cultural perspectives and assumptions Ervin Taylor is emeritus professor of anthropology at the University
of his time and place. And in his time and place, Adam and of California, Riverside, and retiring executive publisher of
Eve and Noah were “real” people and the stories told about Adventist Today.

w w w . a t o d a y . c o m 13
 D E B A T E
evolution vs. creationism in adventism

My response to “Death Before sin?—Yes” My response to “Death Before sin?—no”

By J. David Newman By Ervin Taylor

“Did death exist before sin entered this world?” was the subject In the two responses to the question posed, we clearly illustrate
for Dr. Taylor’s and my articles. Death has always existed in the how difficult it is for members of the same church community—
evolutionary model, but the Bible calls death an “enemy” and even for two individuals who are Adventist Today colleagues—to
states that at one time it did not exist. Dr. Taylor spends more achieve some general consensus, let alone agreement, on an
than half of his article explaining why the evolutionary model is important point of doctrine when there appears to be such a
the only one that fits the scientific data. profound difference of approach to something as foundational as
When he reaches the Biblical material, he begins by asking the nature of Scripture.
how one should interpret the Bible. He points out, rightly, that However, let me first agree with my colleague. It is certainly
we don’t take everything literally. But we all take death literally. true, as he states, that the “real issue [which] ... we seldom
When he gets to the New Testament texts about death, he ever discuss” are the “assumptions or presuppositions with
agrees that Paul understood what he was writing to mean that which we come to the evidence.” As an example, Dr. Newman
death came only after Adam and Eve sinned. But he dismisses seems to assume that all of the Biblical passages he cites
him in 300 words out of the 3,000 words in his article. Yet the should automatically be considered of absolutely equal weight
writings of Paul are where you find the reasons for why death and relevance to the particular topic at issue. He quotes texts
came into this world. without any attempt to put any of them into a relevant historical
Dr. Taylor says that Paul wrote what was common knowledge or interpretative context or a broader framework. I used to
in his day but that we cannot take what the apostle says as believe that he did not adhere to the key text approach to
having any literal application for us today. Totally absent from an understanding of what the Biblical writers were trying to
his article is any reference to sin and the need for a Savior. He communicate, but the manner in which he here quotes a string
does not deal with where sin came from or what will happen at of Scriptures is making me less sure of my understanding of his
the end of the age. Paul explains that it was because of Adam’s belief on this point.
sin that death came into the world and humans needed a Savior. In his essay, four explicit assumptions are offered: They include:
Our subject was not to prove either evolution or creation but (1) “there is a God who created this world and this universe,”
to deal with the meaning of death and how the Bible explains (2) that we need “special revelation (the Bible) to help [us]
its origin and its remedy. The whole purpose of the Bible is understand general revelation (this world, science),” (3) that
to explain that there is a great controversy going on between “there is good and ... evil ... that the good comes from God and ...
God and Satan. Humans defected to Satan, and Jesus came to evil comes from Satan ... [who tries] to confuse us as we interpret
reclaim as many of these rebels as he could. The Bible then tells nature to find God or to cry against God.” And (4) we “must use
us how it will all end. Satan and all evil will be destroyed along the Bible to correctly interpret the scientific evidence.”
with death, and perfect peace and joy will reign throughout the I am happy to affirm the first assumption as well as the
universe. assumption that there is both good and evil in this world and
Dr. Taylor made no attempt to wrestle with this overarching that good comes from God. The question of the ultimate source
motif of the Bible. It seems that the assumptions with which of evil will have to wait for another time, except for the comment
he comes to the Bible are the opposite of the assumptions with that I would submit that we humans can create great evil all by
which I come. Unless we can agree on the assumptions with ourselves. I would also affirm that humans have a great capacity
which we approach the text, we are whistling in the dark and to be easily confused about many things, and we mostly do
there is not the slightest chance of any agreement or even any it to ourselves. I am not sure what the role of any proposed
fruitful dialogue. supernatural agent might be.
It would appear that the area of needing “special revelation,”
i.e., the Bible “to correctly interpret the scientific evidence” is
where much of our most serious disagreement is centered. If we
can decide on how to appropriately understand and appreciate
the Biblical writers’ assumptions about the topics we are
considering and to consider the validity of these assumptions,
I would then be quite happy to talk about why and how we
might wish to interpret the scientific evidence based on Biblical
14 a d v e N t i s t t o d a y • f a l l 2 0 1 0
statements. After all, are not Adventists supposed to believe in
“present truth”?
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 F E A T U R E

In August 2003 my husband and I attended excess scientific knowledge, I see powerful
the Faith and Science Conference in trump cards in the evidence for Young
Glacier View, which was made up of Earth Creationism. The examples I cite
theologians and scientists. When it was are often snorted at as “anomalies”—
over, we descended the mountains with the exceptions that creationists like to drag up
doleful words ringing in our ears, “There against the overwhelming preponderance
are no trump cards to solve our problems.” of evidence on the other side. But one
Then it hit me that God has provided genuine anomaly has power to dislodge an
some answers. I see some “trump cards” entire theory.
that give room for jump-up-and-down

trump cards
missing sediments
For decades Ariel Roth1 has held out
trump cards with explosive implications.
Follow him to northeastern Arizona,
where the Petrified Forest National Park
is located, and you will find the Pliocene

for Creationists?
Bidahochi Formation lying flat on top of
the Upper Triassic Chinle. The missing
sediments account for 200 million years
of time! Now if the Chinle formation had
lain around for about 200 million years
waiting for Bidahochi to be deposited on
B Y B e aT r i c e s . n e a L L optimism. Not because all of the problems its back, it would have been bombarded by
have been solved, but because certain data wind, water, waves, earthquakes, volcanos,
knock out other data. meteors, and other destructive forces of
Let’s suppose, for instance, that a nature. As a matter of fact, at current rates
suspect is on trial for murder. The of erosion it would have washed away
evidence goes both ways: completely. But it’s all there, almost as
• The accused is the elder of his church, smooth as a skating rink.
with character references from his pastor. How can the absence of erosion be
• The suspect had a conflict with the explained? Some speculate that the Chinle
victim over a large sum of money. might have stood under water for 200
• At the time of the murder, the suspect million years. But water doesn’t preserve
was undergoing open-heart surgery. a smooth surface; look at the continental
• No motivation for the crime can be shelves with canyons as large as the Grand
found. Canyon! Maybe the missing deposits slid
Obviously point No. 3 is the trump off smoothly, like the layers of a cake. (Try
card, making all of the other evidence it on a cake!) Or perhaps the forces of
superfluous. nature ground them off level, like a road-
Now from my vantage point as an building grinder. Yeah.
amateur, with a mind uncluttered by So what is this “anomaly” telling us? It

16 a d v e N t i s t t o d a y • f a l l 2 0 1 0
says that Bidahochi was laid down rapidly most of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Recent samples are hard to date because
on top of Chinle before it got a chance to are wiped out.2 Watch out! The upper they contain so little argon.
erode. The implications are stunning. The layers are collapsing and threatening The accuracy of K-Ar dating can be
missing deposits account for the Jurassic, the ones below. The age of the column checked with volcanic eruptions anchored
Cretaceous, Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, is collapsing like the Twin Towers! Five in history. Mt. St. Helens erupted in
and Miocene epochs. Between the Upper hundred forty-two million years under 1980. Do the lava flows there date to just
Triassic and the Pliocene, there was no pressure! 30 years? Steven Austin had no trouble
geologic time! The age of the column is God has encoded into the column itself finding argon in the samples he analyzed;
shrinking! the message that the geologic ages are not there was so much that it yielded a date of
Now we come to corollary No. 1: If 200 there! 300,000 years.4 But then, he is a creation
million years were missing in northeastern
Arizona, they were also missing around thousands, not millions
the globe! Time happens at the same rate A recent discovery confirms the absence of
all over the world. The missing strata millions of years. A huge dinosaur femur
found elsewhere in the world had to be from the Jurassic period was found to
laid down rapidly. contain “lifelike tissue that had no business
But this is only the beginning. The inhabiting a fossilized dinosaur skeleton ...
gaps in Arizona are only several of many with translucent blood vessels that looked
such gaps (called disconformities) found as if they could have come straight from an
around the world. On the east coast of ostrich at the zoo,” wailed an article in pro-
Australia sits the Bulli Coal Seam with a evolutionary Discover magazine. “Scientists
5-million-year gap above it. How could recognize that soft tissue can survive at
so much soft organic material sit exposed most for a few tens of thousands of years, scientist; maybe he “cooked the books.”
for 5 million years before the next layer not the 65 million since T. rex walked the To ensure unbiased results, scientists
was deposited to apply the pressure and Hell Creek Formation in Montana,” the in New Zealand sent samples of lava
heat needed to “coalify” it? Dead Horse article continued.3 Dinosaurs must have flows from Mt. Ngauruhoe occurring
Point, Utah, contains two gaps, one existed only thousands of years ago! in 1949, 1954, and 1975 to Geochron
representing 12 million and the other But then there’s radio-metric dating— Laboratories in Cambridge, Mass., under
20 million years. In the Rhone Valley, the Goliath before which all Israel the supervision of a specialist in K-Ar
Switzerland, 45 million years are missing. trembles. Let us consider one method, dating. They warned him that these were
In Brazil, 45 million years. It appears that potassium-argon (K-Ar) dating. This is recent samples and might not contain
disconformities are not anomalies; they based on the rate at which potassium much argon. Geochron Labs had no
are nomilies, maybe even commonilies! “decays” to argon gas; hence, the more trouble finding argon; their results dated
(I just coined some words!) But here argon a sample contains, the older it is. from 200,000 to 3.5 million years.5 Ariel
are some blockbusters. The Ogallala The rocks in the earth would be the same Roth cites more anomalies, among them
Formation (Pliocene), extending from age except that melting (as in volcanos) a lava flow in Hawaii historically dated
North Dakota to the Texas panhandle, in and cooling releases the argon gas, setting at A.D. 1801, which yielded a date of 1.1
its southern regions sits smoothly on top the age of the rock back to zero. After million years.6 Evidently the melting and
of Triassic formations 200 million years that the decay rate begins again, making rehardening of rocks does not always expel
older. There go the Jurassic, Cretaceous, it possible to determine how much time all of the argon. In such cases, volcanic
and most of the Tertiary periods! Again, has elapsed since the eruption occurred. action does not set the clock back to zero.

w w w . a t o d a y . c o m 17
 F E A T U R E

Now let’s consider other difficulties with rises at an average of 5 millimeters a year. maintain life, we need everything from E.
a long chronology. At the current rate At this rate it should be 2,500 kilometers coli bacteria to fruit trees. A man on Mars
of erosion (6 centimeters per thousand high by now! Yet Mt. Everest is only could not survive unless he brought along
years), the entire North American 9 kilometers high. Is that because the all of the essentials for human life. What
continent would have eroded away in mountains are getting worn off by erosion are the chances that an ecosystem with
10 million years, or 50 times over the as fast as they are rising? No, because the water, light and darkness, atmosphere,
lifetime of the Phanerozoic portion of the upthrusted matter has not replaced all the moderate temperature, soil, plants, and
sediments above it even once. The young animals could all have evolved randomly
the GeoloGic column and old portions of the column are well and independently of each other over long
represented over the earth’s mountains ages to support life on this planet? All of
and continents.9 The geologic column these elements had to come together at
is still here! Clearly evolutionists have a once, which is exactly what is described in
problem with too much time! Genesis chapter 1.
Art Chadwick, professor of biology I do not wish to minimize the
and geology at Southwestern Adventist challenges that still confront Adventist
University, holds a trump card that scholars. But I urge that we recognize a
turns biological evolution on its head. hierarchy of evidence, giving due weight
Geneticists like to use the similarity of to that which “trumps” other evidence.
DNA in all living things to demonstrate Clearly the long ages read into the
how closely humans are related to apes, geologic column never existed. Contrary
insects, and even yeast. The implication evidence, no matter how baffling, should
is that it would be easy for one form be squared with this fact.
to evolve from another. Chadwick Now I should pray for the rocks to
gives this evidence a different twist by fall on me and hide me from the blasts
showing that the immense complexity of the critics. But from the depths, this
of structures like neural synapses, old fossil would still cry out, “Come on,
brains, and eyes are present even in the skeptics, recognize a trump card when
trilobites, supposedly the lowest on the you see one!”
evolutionary tree. There is no such thing Beatrice Neall is a retired Bible teacher
as development from simple to complex. from Union College, currently residing in
Extraordinary complexity is present in Ooltewah, TN.
all living organisms, beginning with 1
Ariel A. Roth was for many years director of the
the lowest forms of life.10 And all of the Geoscience Research Institute and editor of the
phyla now in existence appear suddenly journal Origins.
2
Roth, “Those Gaps in the Sedimentary Layers,”
in the “Cambrian explosion” at the base Origins, Vol. 15, No. 2, 1988, pp. 75-83.
of the column, without any ancestors. (See also “The Scientific Evidence for a Recent
Creation,” audiotape #ATS-0031 from American
Yet for such complexity to originate Cassette Ministries.)
through random chance, “deep time” is
3
Barry Yeoman, “Schweitzer’s Dangerous
Discovery,” Discover, April 27, 2006, pp. 37-39.
required. (That’s where a lot of improbable 4
Steven A. Austin, “Excess Argon Within Mineral
things happen.) And if the subsequent Concentrates from the New Dacite Lava Dome
at Mount St. Helens Volcano,” Creation Ex Nihilo
biodiversity of life occurred only through Technical Journal, Vol. 10, Part 3, 1996.
undirected blind chance, much more
5
Andrew Snelling, “Radioactive ‘dating’ failure:
recent New Zealand lava flows yield ‘ages’ of
time is necessary than is scheduled by the millions of years,” Creation Ex Nihilo, Vol. 22, No. 1/
geologic ages. Clearly evolutionists have a December 1999-February 2000, pp. 18-21.
6
Roth, Origins: Linking Science and Scripture
problem with too little time! (Hagerstown, MD, 1998), p. 251. (See pp. 251-253,
Biologist Henry Zuill holds another where the author suggests ways in which excess
argon can cause anomalously old dates.)
column.7 Why are the continents still here trump card, this one favoring the seven- 7
The Phanerozoic (containing fossils) excludes the
if they are so old?8 How could they have day creation week. Not only are individual Precambrian levels of the column. Dates on the
chart have been modified somewhat in recent years.
survived 542 million years of erosion? By life forms exceedingly complex, but so 8
Ibid., p. 263.
conservative estimates, Mount Everest are the ecosystems that sustain them. To
9
Ibid., p. 269.
10
Arthur V. Chadwick, http://origins.swau.edu.

18 a d v e N t i s t t o d a y • f a l l 2 0 1 0
O P I N I O N

Time for the Laity to Take Over

By Milt Erhart

Adventist Today has published numerous articles discussing the It is easy in our bureaucracy-heavy church to forget that
decline of the Adventist Church in North America. While the the early Christian church was established by fishermen and
articles have been uniformly correct in diagnosing the sickness, carpenters. The original Adventist Church was started primarily
none has offered a solution that will keep the “church structure” by farmers and shopkeepers.
relatively intact while providing a mechanism for growth. Our unnecessarily employed religious hierarchy consumes
If the Adventist Church in North America is to survive, at funds that could be used to put Adventist education within reach
least two changes should take place. First, each local conference’s of many loyal parents. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
structure should be folded into its respective union conference. Saints (LDS) keeps its title revenue locally and uses unpaid laity
The savings to the North American Division (NAD) would be to fuel the denomination’s phenomenal growth. My LDS friends
between $50 million and $70 million annually. Second, the local can send their children to Brigham Young University for less
church should combine church expense and tithe as one and than the cost of tuition at the University of Utah, which is only
pay 10 percent to the union conference, plus 8 percent into the a fraction of what our universities charge. When a conference
retirement fund. official visits your church, just remember that his salary is the
While this may sound radical, it really isn’t. The only new reason Adventist education is so expensive.
function the union conference would be assuming that it doesn’t
already duplicate is providing a resource database for pastors instances of laity taking over
seeking employment. The union conference or NAD could still Two years ago it became evident to several of us in our
handle payroll and many human resources issues. congregation that unless we stepped up to the plate, our church
Here is a proposed model for how the new system could work. was in danger of collapsing. In the last two years we have
The local churches would hire and fire their own pastors, along completed the biggest lay refurbishing project in more than 50
with setting salaries in an approved range of approximately 85 years and saved the congregation at least $150,000. While doing
percent to 130 percent of an established denominationwide salary this project, we established a theme: “Catch the Spirit.”
schedule. Local churches would be responsible for the entire In 2009 we had two community concerts, both filling the 600-
funding of their local schools. The 82 percent they do not pass seat church—a very rare experience. One of concert singers spoke
on to the union conference would be used to pay for church and to me afterward and said she was thinking of coming back to
school expenses, including salaries for pastors and teachers. church. Then she introduced me to her children and grandchild,
who had come to hear her.
advantages to this Program In 2010 we are planning a community garden and expanding
First, both lay leaders and pastors would be jointly responsible for our community concert series. We are talking about a weekly
a church’s growth or failure. The local church would become the community gym night. Those of us who led out in the project
focal point instead of the conference. The union would become have had numerous members tell us how they appreciate our
a resource center for the churches. In most small conferences, leadership and work to involve the entire church in our project.
the Sabbath School and Youth departments, which have basically This experience has brought renewed energy to our church. It
disappeared, would be restored under this model. The local church was accomplished without significant ministerial involvement
and its pastor together would set benchmarks and goals the pastor and raised the spirits of a previously discouraged congregation.
would need to meet to stay employed. The new Pathfinder leader told the board that for the first time
Second, small churches would have some revenue to employ since belonging to the church, he now thinks there is hope for
at least part-time pastors. Now they share with neighboring the future. We believe that church growth can best be achieved by
churches that are often great distances away or else simply go opening our doors and grounds to the community without first
without. No doubt large churches would financially support asking them to believe a set of doctrines. Other churches may
re-establishing churches in core communities where membership prefer the traditional evangelism methods.
had been allowed to evaporate. For too long we have assumed that the conference hierarchy
Third, it would allow churches to apportion revenue between know best. It is time for the laity to take back their church before
the ministerial and educational ministries. Currently the real cost it completely disappears.
of running elementary schools gets masked due to conference
subsidies. Milt Erhart writes from Boise, Idaho.

w w w . a t o d a y . c o m 19
 F E A T U R E

Contemporary
Christian Music
By Nancy Canwell

Her comment took me back a few decades. many felt we showed too much emotion. want to keep our youth in the church,
Recently our family was visiting an But when I look back on my teen years, maybe we need to listen better to what
Adventist church in a neighboring town, that style of music helped solidify my faith. meets their needs. Maybe there’s a middle
and I was impressed with the song service. It made God more real to me and provided ground where we can all find worship.
The youth leader played guitar while a deeply meaningful way for me to express
several teens led the singing. Words to my love for him. the Present
songs were on a screen along with beautiful Now I have a daughter the same age Just what does contemporary Christian
scenic backgrounds. that I was during those AYA years, and music mean to today’s teens? Here’s what
After the music, the pastor got up once again Christian music has changed some of them have told me:
and asked everyone to stand and greet dramatically. This time, it has been my • Hannah: “My freshman year at high
someone near them. An elderly woman turn to adjust. This became clear to my school was definitely a tough one for me,
sitting in front of us turned around and husband and me when we attended a and I don’t think I could have made it
shook my hand. “I sure enjoyed your song four-day music event called Creation without my style of encouraging Christian
service,” I told her. Fest, where the entire spectrum of music. Every time I felt like I was about to
“Really?” she acted surprised. And then contemporary Christian music is played. break down or just felt so far away from
with a concerned look on her face, she After one particular concert, our daughter God, I would turn on my favorite songs
said: “I don’t know about this new type of came running up the hill from the and they would always bring me back to
praise music. … I’m afraid that the church mosh pit and said, “Mom! What did you that special place with God. Once, when I
is changing.” think about that?!” I was honest when I was having a hard time feeling like I didn’t
“Well, I certainly hope it is!” I replied in answered, “Well, honey, it seemed a bit fit in, I turned on one of my favorites.
a cheerful tone. rocky to me.” With a disappointed and Even though I didn’t feel like I had many
She was stunned. “You do?” earnest look, she replied, “But Mom, didn’t friends at that moment, I felt God close
“Yes, I do.” I said. “If we’re going to keep you see all those kids crying? There wasn’t and vowed to trust him and his plans no
our young people in the church, we need a dry eye around me. Everyone was so matter how hard life gets.”
to make some changes. And being open moved by those songs.” • Joel: “I personally have had the
to different styles of music is one of them.” That’s when I, as a parent, had to have privilege of leading worship for tens of
She mumbled something, turned around, an open mind. Who’s to say that kids thousands of teenagers and young adults
and sat down. today have to be touched by the same all over the continent. This basically
music that touched me in the ’70s? Or means I lead them in music with a very
the Past you in your generation? And how can contemporary style—but with lyrical
Her comments took me back to the ’70s we condemn Christian bands that are content that points them toward a strong,
when my youth group, Adventist Youth obviously reaching kids with the lyrics intimate relationship with the Father.
in Action (AYA), was on fire for God. of their songs and personal testimonies? It is an absolutely flooring moment for
Unfortunately, we received a fair bit of How can we adults say that their music is me to see young kids, sometimes 10 or
criticism. We used guitars. We replaced of the devil—or that anything with a beat 11 years old, connect with God in way
hymnals in the youth room with songbooks can’t be from God? If we so desperately that they have never been able to do
that had praise choruses. Adults said our
music had “too much of a beat.” Some of
the elders felt we were acting Pentecostal
when we joined hands and raised them
during the chorus of Side by Side. And

20 a d v e N t i s t t o d a y • f a l l 2 0 1 0
before—literally on their faces on the for Christ in others. And when I hear I thought to myself, “These kids could
ground as they realize that they need his similar music from other artists, I feel a be anywhere else than here tonight. They
love. I’ve watched hardened kids with connection to my Creator. When I express could be in a bar, at a party, in the back
their arms stretched out toward heaven, my love to him by creating music that will seat of a car, or at the movies. But they
singing songs of surrender. I’ve seen 12- lead me and others closer to him, I feel the chose to come here. Something here
and 13-year-old girls who are struggling connection.” reaches them.” I say we’d better find out
with anorexia, cutting, or abuse at home • Emily: “Maybe it’s the generation gap, what it is, take hold of it, and use it in our
bawling their eyes out at an altar as they but listening to contemporary Christian local churches.
come to understand that they are beautiful music for the first time brought me close My good friend and worship leader,
in the eyes of God.” to God in a way I had never felt before. Joel, asked if we adults would run with
• Lachelle: “Worship leading is my The songs were simple, and a lot of them the torch that God is passing to the next
passion and, as of now, my calling for came straight from Scripture. More generation. He asked if those in leadership
the next few years. I have had many importantly, the songs had life in them. would dare to take risks and step boldly
incredible opportunities to play, sing, and The people I know who enjoy this style into the unknown—and watch God move.
worship in a variety of settings. I believe of music sing from the soul, with true It might not be in the same way that he
that contemporary Christian music is passion. They have a real relationship with moved in our lives when we were teens, or
an amazing way for the youth of this God, and it shines through them when even in the last decade. As Joel said, “God
generation to meet God and for other they sing. I have made this music a huge is much more concerned with his glory
generations to experience him in a new part of my worship and devotional time than our comfort zones. After all, in the
way. It is relevant, interesting, uplifting, with Jesus.” end it’s his show, not ours.”
and inspiring. The words are personal, “Praise him with the sounding of the
and the music inspires a relationship with the Future trumpet, praise him with the harp and
a God who deeply cares for his children. Last night I was at yet another concert with lyre, praise him with tambourine and
Above all else, I have been in many our daughter. It was called the “Rock and dancing, praise him with the strings
situations where contemporary Christian Road Worship Tour.” During the song I and flute, praise him with the clash of
music has led others to Christ, which I Can Only Imagine by the band Mercy Me, cymbals, praise him with resounding
believe is the purpose of everything we do I saw movement out of the corner of my cymbals. Let everything that has breath
here on Earth.” eye. When I turned to look, there was my praise the Lord. Praise the Lord” (Psalm
• Kylon: “When I sit down in the studio 16-year-old daughter. Her eyes were closed, 150:3-6, NIV).
and come up with a new beat on my her face lifted toward heaven. Her right Nancy Canwell is a pastor, freelance writer,
drum kit, or when I write a new song that arm was raised in praise to her God as she and speaker. Her last position was youth
attempts to describe my Creator, I feel sang the song. It was an emotional moment pastor at the Walla Walla University
close to God. That beat is the heartbeat of for me as a mom. An image that I’ll always Church.
God played through me, and those lyrics keep in my heart.
are the words of God spoken through me As I looked over the coliseum filled with
to minister to others. We were made in thousands of teenagers and young adults,
God’s image. He is the Creator. The
ability to create was not meant
to be ignored, but to be
celebrated! So when I
write new music that I
feel is relevant to the
world I live in today,
I hope it will stir
up a new passion

w w w . a t o d a y . c o m 21
 a l D E N t h o m P s o N

an adventist clapham?
By Alden Thompson

At our house we recently finished reading with 69 groups dedicated to various kinds way—before the Parliament finally voted
two fascinating books by Eric Metaxas, of social reforms.3 to abolish the slave trade in 1807. Yet
one of them sobering, the other exciting. Metaxas notes that most of us would even that vote ended only the slave trade,
The sobering one was Bonhoeffer: Pastor, be surprised by the actual quality of life not slavery itself. Some 800,000 human
Martyr, Prophet, Spy.1 In it Metaxas details in Britain in the 18th century: “brutal, beings were still in bondage to their West
how Germany, in the aftermath of the decadent, violent, and vulgar.” In addition Indian masters. The final vote for full
humiliating World War I Versailles treaty, to slavery, he lists a daunting catalog liberation came 26 years later, on July 26,
spiraled deeper and deeper into the spell of societal evils: “epidemic alcoholism, 1833. Wilberforce’s great dream had been
cast by Adolph Hitler. child prostitution, child labor, frequent realized. He died three days later.
One of the more troubling parts was public executions for petty crimes, public The liberation took place on July 31,
the picture of a steady stream of Prussian dissections and burnings of executed 1834. An historian’s description of the
generals resigning their positions as they criminals, and unspeakable public cruelty fateful date in history is a moving one:
became aware of Hitler’s deadly goals, to animals.”4 “On the last night of slavery, the negroes
but refusing to confront their leader I will return to the vision of the in our West Indian islands went up on
because of their keen sense of honor. A Clapham Circle, but first a sharper focus to the hill-tops to watch the sun rise,
certain nobility, to be sure, marks those on the slavery issue. In contrast with the bringing them freedom as its first rays
who simply step quietly aside when they United States, where the slaves were very struck the waters.”6
can no longer support their leader. But much visible within the host country,
in Germany, this time-honored and very few of the approximately 3 million seeking to transform culture
noble tradition meant the squandering Africans pressed into British slavery ever But now let’s return to the Clapham Circle.
of multiple opportunities to expose the set foot in Britain itself. They were sent The name comes from a small community
demonic nature of Hitler’s regime. As directly to the British sugar plantations outside of London, where a cluster of
Hitler increased his grip on the country, in the West Indies, which made it more committed Christians lived in close
any who opposed him usually paid with difficult to rouse the public conscience proximity and dreamed dreams about how
their lives. to the evils of the slave trade. And when they could transform their culture and the
Wilberforce and his colleagues first set world. Quite literally they followed the
restoring “manners” to a society out to address the slavery issue, the initial counsel of Hebrews 10:23-25, seeking ways
The other Metaxas book is entitled outcry was startling. Lord Melbourne, for to “provoke one another to love and good
Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and example, was outraged that Wilberforce deeds.” It worked.
the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery.2 would dare inflict his Christian values One of the triggers for the reforming
It tells how a remarkable cluster of on society at large. Metaxas quotes his work of the Clapham Circle was
committed Christians, known as the infamous outburst: “Things have come embodied in a 1760 royal proclamation
Clapham Circle and led by William to a pretty pass,” he fumed, “when one with the quaint title: “The Proclamation
Wilberforce, not only mounted a should permit one’s religion to invade for the Encouragement of Piety and
successful campaign to end slavery public life.”5 Virtue and for the Preventing of Vice,
in the British empire, but also were Given such resistance at the beginning Profaneness and Immorality.” Typically
actively involved in a host of activities to of the abolition movement, it’s not the public greeted such proclamations
transform public “manners.” At one point, surprising that it would take a full 20 with a shrug and a smile at best, and life
Wilberforce himself was officially linked years—with numerous defeats along the went on as usual. But Wilberforce got an

22 a d v e N t i s t t o d a y • f a l l 2 0 1 0
idea from an old book that found its way III to re-issue his 1760 proclamation in Adventists? It means that by God’s grace
into his hands, History of the Society for 1787, 27 years later. Then Wilberforce we could break out of our sectarian
the Reformation of Manners in the Year and friends set out to form proclamation isolation and make a difference in the
societies throughout Britain; these groups world. Because Adventism has been
included leading people from society, a counter-cultural movement, it has
The name Clapham politics, and business. The Clapham Circle been easy for us to live unto ourselves.
organized more specific groups for special Recently a devout Adventist businessman
Circle comes from projects, often with rather precise titles. described the attractive Adventist church
An example: “Friendly Female Society for in his community as an island, existing in
a small community the Relief of Poor, Infirm, Aged Widows splendid isolation from the community
and Single Women, of Good Character, itself. “In terms of involvement with the
outside of London, Who Have Seen Better Days.”7 community,” he noted, “nobody knows
In a sense, Wilberforce was ahead of his it’s there.”
where a cluster time, for he was convinced that punishing Jesus calls his children to be the salt

of committed
smaller crimes prevents larger ones. of the earth, the light of the world.9 The
The famous “Broken Windows” essay Claphamites showed that it could be

Christians lived in
by John Q. Wilson and George Kelling, done. And it is already happening here
published in 1982 in Atlantic Monthly, and there in Adventism. Could it become

close proximity and argued the same point. Their theory was
demonstrated in New York City, where
as contagious as a smile that brightens
the corner where we are and then spreads

dreamed dreams implementation transformed the city from

having one of the highest crime rates in
everywhere from there? The trenchant
lines attributed to anthropologist

about how they the country to having one of the lowest.

Instead of ignoring small crimes —such
Margaret Mead are ones that we should
be able to adopt with enthusiasm: “Never

could transform as subway fare beating and aggressive

panhandling—in the interest of pursuing
doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.

their culture and more serious ones, the city aggressively

went after the small crimes first.
Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”10
If those citizens are committed

the world. Some 200 years before Wilson and

Kelling, Wilberforce intuitively sensed
Christians, watch out!

the same principle. And by tenaciously

1
Thomas Nelson, 2010.
2
HarperOne, 2007.
1692. What he discovered was that when following through on that one idea, he 3
Amazing Grace, xvii.
William and Mary acceded to the British transformed the culture. In Metaxas’ ibid., p. 69.
4
5
ibid., p. xix.
throne in 1692, their proclamation made words, it was “the lever by which little 6
ibid., p. 277, a quote from G.M. Trevelyan
a difference because the royal couple had Wilberforce replaced an entire world 7
ibid., p. 253.
8
ibid., p. 79.
formed a “Proclamation Society,” which of brutality and misery with another of 9
Matt. 5:13-15.
was given real clout to put into effect civility and hope, one that we now refer 10
According to the Institute for Intercultural
what the proclamation had announced. to as the Victorian era.”8 Studies, the quote cannot be traced to a published
source in spite of its wide attribution to Margaret
So Wilberforce persuaded King George So what does all that mean for Mead.

w w w . a t o d a y . c o m 23
 B o o K R e v i e w

The case for the investigative Judgment Found wanting

by Desmond Ford
The Case for the Investigative Judgment: learned tomes of professional theologians. a doctrine no longer revered
Its Biblical Foundation, by Marvin Moore, But in literary ventures like this one, Then there is the verdict of Seventh-day
Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2010. ignoring the conclusions of men who have Adventist history. For well over half a
spent, in their individual lifetimes, decades century, the majority of Adventist scholars
editors: we print Demond Ford’s review studying the original Bible languages have refused to write an academic work
of Marvin Moore’s latest book with a and all other areas pertinent to accurate supporting 1844 and the investigative
twist: Moore reviews Ford’s review. exegesis is literary suicide. judgment. When I did an M.A. degree
The book’s bibliography cites just three at Potomac University near the end
non-Adventist sources and so contrasts of the 1950s, I found the investigative
with the Adventist classic The Great judgment doctrine was a matter for
Controversy, which draws from scores humor, not reverence. Since then my
outside our ranks. Moore’s work contrasts personal contact with many of the most
also with well-known polemic works respected academicians in our ranks has
by Adventists, such as the voluminous demonstrated the same. When a student
tomes by Le Roy Froom and Questions asked one Andrews University professor
on Doctrine (see “Question 44”). Look, about the reality of the investigative
for example, at the lengthy lists of judgment, he answered by saying it was on
non-Adventist scholars cited in The a par with the man in the moon.
Conditionalist Faith of our Fathers, who Even a clock that is stopped tells the
agree with our position on the nature of truth twice a day, and it would be unfair
man, death, and the wages of sin. There to suggest that there are no virtues in
are hundreds of them, but Moore cannot this book. There are many more than
find one to support his peculiar case. He two. Pages 27-31 are excellent in the
seems unaware that such a doctrine as clarity with which the New Testament
the investigative judgment has long been gospel is presented. And in many other
recognized as “a face-saving device” by places the writing is clearly that of a man
scholars within and without the church. who knows and loves Christ and would
For decades it has made us a laughing- cheerfully die for him.
Hot off the press—Pacific Press—comes stock with other evangelical groups. How The investigative judgment teaching
The Case for the Investigative Judgment, by obvious it has always been to them that rests on more than 20 assumptions, all
Signs of the Times Editor Marvin Moore. the Day of Atonement sacrifices and of which have been disproved. Just to
It will make some people cheer and others the entrance into the presence of God remove one of these from the doctrinal
sigh. With his usual courtesy, Marvin sent pointed to Calvary and not to 1844! structure makes all the rest tumble.
me a copy. This new offering from Pacific Press, if See my Glacier View manuscript, page
ever admitted into seminary libraries, will 287 and following; Daniel 8:14, the
not a theologian be viewed as an oddity and an example Day of Atonement, and the Investigative
Elder Moore is a Christian gentleman of ecclesiastical jingoism. Those same Judgment, p. 174; and For the Sake of the
of absolute integrity. Probably there is libraries may have Kai Arasola’s work The Gospel, page 42 and following. For me, to
not a more loyal Adventist on the globe. End of Historicism, and though written by itemize and critique these assumptions
But his book is an anachronism that a well-known Adventist scholar it would as found in Marvin’s book would require
will be rejected by most Bible scholars, be considered as worthy only of praise. a book larger than his. Therefore I must
be they Adventist or non-Adventist. On Moore gives no evidence that he has ever limit myself to a few cardinal issues.
page 27 the author confesses, “I am not a truly weighed the evidence in this work,
professional theologian.” I am sure that in and this devastates the very foundation year-day Principle
God’s reckoning, the simple faith of the on which his case is built. Arasola’s book Turning to the chief Achilles’ heel in
least of his children weighs more than the is not in his bibliography. this book, I quote from page 253: “Are

24 a d v e N t i s t t o d a y • f a l l 2 0 1 0
Ford and Cottrell correct? I will begin by cosmology, anthropology, and genealogy passages show that Jerusalem had been
agreeing that the Bible doesn’t directly of the Old Testament. A similar scheme is inhabited decades before the decree of
state the year-day principle anywhere. found in Matthew chapter one, where the Ezra 7. After the decree of Cyrus in 539
Neither of the texts I quoted above actually genealogy is not precise (omitting several B.C., fifty thousand of the exiles returned
states it.” generations) in order to give a symbolic to Jerusalem and set about re-establishing
The chief pillar to which Moore clings pattern (based on the number forty-two, it. See the book of Zechariah.”1
for his faith in this pillar of historicism the number of stations in the Exodus, Before writing the foregoing, I had
is Daniel 9:24. He is emphatic that the and the total of the meaning of David’s contacted Professor Alan R. Millard,
Hebrew word translated “weeks” means Hebrew name). Rankin Reader in Hebrew and Ancient
just that and not “sevens.” However, the “Adventists have insisted that the Semitic Languages, University of
revised SDA Bible Commentary says the word translated ‘determined’ in the KJV Liverpool, England. He had written
year-day principle is not present in Daniel actually means ‘cut off.’ It is true that the the Commentary on Daniel for The
9:24-27! Hebrew term signifies ‘cut,’ but its usage International Bible Commentary (editor
I touch on this issue in my recent book among the Jews gave the meaning of F. F. Bruce). There he had stated the
For the Sake of the Gospel. I quote: “The ‘decree’ or ‘determine.’ See any detailed following as he dealt with Daniel 9:24:
word translated ‘weeks’ in the KJV and Bible commentary on Daniel, such as the ““Weeks’ is an interpretative translation;
some other versions is literally ‘sevens’ International Critical Commentary. Heb. gives literally ‘in sevens, seventy,’
and, like the words ‘dozen’ or ‘score,’ can “Because Daniel 9:24-27 is an the word ‘in sevens’ being a masculine
apply to a variety of things. The Hebrew apotelesmatic prophecy pointing to form as in verse 26, whereas the
word there used is never used for a seven- several crises, including that under feminine normally stands for ‘weeks.’ The
day period, although the singular term Antiochus Epiphanes and also both masculine recurs in 10:2-3, but qualified
can be so used. In 90 out of the 94 cases advents of Christ, chronography alone as ‘in sevens, days.’ To understand ‘weeks’
in which the OT used the word shabua in was suitable here rather than an exact here without reserve is unwarranted.”
the sense of seven days, there are added chronology. See my book In the Heart of I wanted to know if this was still
the explanatory and additional words “of Daniel, which is an exposition of Daniel Professor Millard’s position. And he
days,” for shabua on its own merely means 9:24-27. wrote me categorically that it was.
a heptad (a group or series of seven). “The traditional dates used by A heading on page 259 of Moore’s book
Here in Daniel 9:24, the Hebrew is in Adventists in connection with the announces triumphantly regarding the
the masculine, whereas the plural form prophecy of Daniel 9 are either year-day principle, “It Works!”
elsewhere is always feminine. The placing completely false or very much uncertain. But, most emphatically, it does not.
of this special word as first in the text is to The years A.D. 27, 31, and 34 fall in the Here is a very simple approach for
draw attention to its special significance. latter category. Almost universally, A.D. solving the matters in controversy. When
“The ‘seventy sevens’ (see the NIV and 31 as the date for the Crucifixion has I wrote George McCready Price in the
many other versions) is to remind readers been relinquished. … See the article ‘A 1950s about the year-day principle, he
of the Jubilee that came every seven times Basis for New Testament Chronology’ in gave a similar argument to that of Moore.
seven years. Symbolically, the number the SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 5, pp. “It works,” he wrote me. But once more I
alludes to a period of 10 Jubilees ushering 235-266. insist, it does not.
in the Messianic era, which would bring “But there is nothing at all in favor of
the spiritual equivalent of all the Jubilee 457 B.C. A reading of Ezra 7 establishes Papal supremacy
blessings of freedom from debt, captivity, that this was a Temple decree, not one The matter can be proved or disproved
and exile. See Luke 4:16-19. given for the initial rebuilding of the any Sabbath morning if one does a little
“Recent interpreters of Daniel speak city. That had been given by Cyrus and historical research on the period of papal
of chronography. It is a stylized scheme is referred to over and over in the Old supremacy in European history. There
of history for interpreting the records Testament. See also Isa. 44:26-28; 45:13; 2 is no historian in the whole wide world,
of history without being too bound to Chron. 36:23; and Ezra 1:1-4. respected by his peers, who believes that
chronological data. It is similar to the “Haggai 1:4 and other Old Testament the papacy was supreme in Europe for

w w w . a t o d a y . c o m 25
 B o o K R e v i e w

1,260 years. It was not. years at the instance of the emperor, he own lands, and, after a great struggle in
While 1798 was a significant date in suffered much personal persecution, but the eighth century, the Eastern Church
papal history, the same cannot be said without the spirit of martyrdom, and became separate from the West.”4
for 538. To review the events of this year without its glory. For example, at least Here is a question well worth asking:
as they affected the papacy is to discover according to Western accounts, he was “Why do historicists always focus on
that it was not a zenith but a nadir—a violently torn from the altar, upon which Western Europe in interpreting prophecy
year of humiliation without any vestige he was holding with both hands so firmly as though there were not millions living
of glory. that the posts of the canopy fell in above elsewhere?”
In Schaff ’s History of the Christian him; he was dragged through the streets I submit that Moore’s argumentation
with a rope around his neck, and cast into for the investigative judgment stands
a common prison.”2 or falls on this very simple matter: Is it
Moore does not All church historians stress the true that the Papacy had supremacy for
subservience of the papacy to the 1,260 years? Spend a couple of hours with
ignore the arguments emperors, not just for a few decades, but encyclopedias, and the debate for you
over a period of centuries. All attempts to will be over. The year-day principle is not
drawn from Hebrews reverse matters failed until we reach the Biblical, and therefore neither is 1844 as
eleventh century; only with the coming of the beginning of the antitypical Day of
by those who reject Heldebrand did lasting papal supremacy
begin. But within three centuries, its
Atonement.

the investigative course was again downward.

Too often Adventist discussions on
setting Prophetic dates
There is another very simple approach.
judgment. His first the course of history ignore the fact that
the Christian religion in the east, with
With a New Testament in one’s hand,
could one come anywhere near an 1844

words in Part 1 of his its capital at Constantinople, has enjoyed

independence from the papacy for most
investigative judgment? This inspired
volume assumes that a near end for the
of the time since the fourth century.
discussion on Hebrews The council of Chalcedon in 451 placed
world would have come had the church
been faithful to its commission. Thus
Constantinople on equality with Rome.3 Christ declared that his disciples would
tell us that for many All historians tell the same story. In see the end, and Paul spoke of those in
Roberts’ History of Modern Europe, his flock who would witness the second
years he had puzzled we read what happened when the Advent. See the repeated use of “you” in
political center of the empire shifted to Matthew 24, and read 2 Thessalonians
and prayed over these Constantinople: “The Eastern emperors beginning with chapter 4 verse 16. The
consistently resented any movement that New Testament like the Old, using Semitic
problems. would add to the prestige of Rome. They idiom, often spoke of contingent matters
were jealous of their old capital, and as certain.5
tried to repress the Popes. Justinian, for Christ emphatically forbade any
Church, we read the following: “Vigilius, instance, forced the Pope of the day to attempt to establish prophetic dates from
a pliant creature of Theodora, ascended come to his court and there insulted him. Scripture. See Acts 1:7: “It is not for you
the papal chair under the military Constans 11 imprisoned and banished to know the times or dates.” Why is it that
protection of Belisarius (538-554). … another Pope, and various emperors Adventists ignore this word from our
His administration was an unprincipled strove to maintain this policy until Lord? The same New Testament tells us
vacillation between the dignity and duties Pope Sergius, in 692. … At length the that the last days began in apostolic times
of his office and subservience to an alien rivalry developed to such an extent that (Acts 2:16; Heb. 9:26; 1:1; 1 John 2:18;
theological and political influence. … In the Eastern emperors encouraged the Matt. 10:23; 24:34; 16:28; Mark 13:30; 1
Constantinople, where he resided several formation of a separate Church in their Cor. 7:29, 31; Rom. 13:12; 1 Pet. 4:7; and

26 a d v e N t i s t t o d a y • f a l l 2 0 1 0
Rev. 1:1, 3; 2:24-25; 3:3, 10-11, 20; 22:7, on the cross. Adventists usually apply twisting and turning done here.” But not
10, 20). If Adventists really understood it to a future cleansing centuries for a moment am I suggesting that there
what is now known about inaugurated afterward, whereas the passage clearly is the slightest hint of dishonesty in any
and consummated eschatology, means one that has been accomplished. of Moore’s presentation. Often it is just
historicism could never prosper. Moore understands Hebrews 10:19 a matter of missing information, as on
and its following verses as applying to page 305 where recent understanding
the Book of hebrews the inauguration of Christ’s heavenly about inaugurated and consummated
Moore does not ignore the arguments ministry, not the antitypical Yom Kippur. eschatology seems missing. And, while
drawn from Hebrews by those who reject But the preceding verses have the Day of I heartily disagree with my friend’s
the investigative judgment. His first words Atonement in focus. conclusions, I can throw no stones
in Part 1 of his discussion on Hebrews The book we are reviewing contends on because for many years I too did all
tell us that for many years he had puzzled page 294 “that Christ began a Holy Place I could to “prove” the investigative
and prayed over these problems. Then ministry in the heavenly sanctuary when judgment doctrine.
he valiantly offers his solutions. At this he ascended in A.D. 31.” But nowhere does Many look to the Darcom series of
point I remind myself that of all persons Hebrews even hint of any such preliminary books to substantiate their faith in the
I should have tremendous sympathy for ministry. Constantly the author of Hebrews investigative judgment. In an appendix
my friend, for I have travelled the same presents Christ as the antitypical High in Daniel and the Coming King, I
course spending decades trying to solve Priest, who by his death fulfilled the gave evidence why such confidence is
the investigative judgment questions, primary Day of Atonement offering and unfounded. Recently a much-esteemed
particularly those posed by the Book of by his ascension entered into the very Adventist researcher (an ordained pastor
Hebrews. presence of God that had been typified of many years experience) did a more
On page 291 of Moore’s book we by the sanctuary’s second apartment (see searching examination than mine and
read, “if by ta hagia the author meant Heb. 6:19; 9:8, 12, 25; 10:19-20). Thus our found that only three and a half percent
exclusively the Most Holy Place of the Lord throughout this book is presented of the series dealt with the Glacier
heavenly sanctuary, then obviously as the One who alone could discharge the View issues and that these pages were
Jesus must have begun just a Most Holy distinctive high priestly work of atonement. filled with notes of uncertainty. When
Place/Day of Atonement ministry in As a boy of 15, I re-read Hebrews 9 this study is published, it will be the
A.D. 31.” Yes, obviously. But Marvin and saw that it was applying the Day of “wound unto death” for the traditional
concludes that ta hagia can only mean Atonement not to 1844, but to the cross interpretation of Daniel 8:14.
“sanctuary.” However Hebrews 9:8, and Christ’s ascension into heaven. I On his second-to-last page, Moore has
12, 25 clearly affirm that the annual submit that anyone of average intelligence a splendid statement. Here it is: “There
Yom Kippur found its fulfillment in the reading this chapter in any modern is no such thing as total objectivity. We
generation of its readers, and in Leviticus version will conclude (provided they are all come at the evidence with our biases,
16, “holy place” is used six times where not burdened with a case to prove): with our minds about half made up, and
the second apartment is meant. Marvin’s (1) That the Day of Atonement is we set out to prove what we already think
argumentation would read strangely to applied to what Christ had already done is right. And usually we can find evidence
most Greek scholars. before this letter was written. to support our presuppositions.” Touché!
Hebrews 9, alone in the Bible, (2) that the two apartments symbolized Desmond Ford is a retired Adventist
interprets the meaning of the Day of the Old and New Testament eras theologian.
Atonement, the two apartments, and respectively.
the cleansing of the sanctuary. We have (3) That the cleansing of the heavenly 1
Desmond Ford, For the Sake of the Gospel, pp.
habitually misinterpreted the chapter. sanctuary (the removal of sin’s scandal) 58-59.
2
Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol.
For example, take verses 21 and onward, took place at the cross. 3, p. 327.
which declare that the purifying of the I confess to being reminded (as I read 3
For more on this, see Kenneth Scott Latourette’s
A History of Christianity, pp. 278, 291.
antitypical sanctuary of heaven had my friend’s argumentation on Hebrews) 4
Stephen Roberts, History of Modern Europe, p. 18.
already happened by Christ’s atonement of the blacksmith’s sign, “All kinds of 5
See Jonah 3:4 and Acts 3:19-21.

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 B o o K R e v i e w

My response to Desmond Ford’s critique

By Marvin Moore
When I submitted my book on the plagues that immediately precede Christ’s dating of ancient events provide four lines
investigative judgment to Pacific Press, I second coming, an angel praises God for of evidence to substantiate that the seventh
expected that following its publication I his judgments (Rev. 16:5-7). Clearly, that year of Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:8) was in fact
would receive both praise and criticism— judgment has already occurred, prior to 457. They are: (1) the dual dating of the
and I have. Fair enough. As I said in the Christ’s return. Elaphantine papyri; (2) Ptolomy’s Cannon;
first chapter, “I do expect the critics to In his Glacier View manuscript, (3) a compilation of dates from cuneiform
respond to what I’ve written, ... and I hope Ford argues that the purpose of this tablets by Parker and Dubberstein; and (4)
to learn from them.” judgment is to condemn the little horn, the dual eclipse text in the Berlin Museum
not to examine the lives of God’s people. that establishes the year 465 B.C. for the
the Basic issue However, the saints are vindicated in this murder of Artaxerxes.
I will begin my response to Ford’s judgment (verse 22). Elsewhere Scripture
comments by stating what I believe is the clearly teaches that the saints will appear the decree to rebuild Jerusalem
bottom-line issue in this entire debate: in the judgment (Matt. 12:36, 37; Rom. In my book I deal with all of the major
Will the eschatological judgment the Bible 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10), though not in person, issues relative to the Adventist teaching
speaks of occur prior to Christ’s second to answer for their deeds, both good and on the investigative judgment. Ford
coming or at his coming? Apparently, bad. So unless one wishes to posit two comments on just two of these, which is
for Ford, the judgment that is repeatedly judgments in heaven—one in Daniel 7 understandable, given the limited space
spoken of in Scripture (e.g.: Eccl. 12:14; and the other one everywhere else in available in a magazine book review.
Matt. 12:36, 37; Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. Scripture—then we have to conclude that Ford argues that “a reading of Ezra 7
5:10) will take place at Christ’s second Daniel’s judgment will involve the saints establishes that this [Artaxerxes’ decree]
coming, not before. He states in his Glacier as well as the little horn. was a Temple decree, not one given for
View manuscript that the judgment I find the concept of a preAdvent the initial rebuilding of the city.” I agree
when God “make[s] public His righteous judgment that reviews the lives of God’s that Artaxerxes’ decree as recorded in
decisions ... transpires in the split second professed people to be very scriptural. Ezra 7 does not mention the rebuilding of
division of the living at the advent and Everything else in the Adventist teaching Jerusalem. However, I provide significant
subsequent resurrections” (p. 476). about the investigative judgment— evidence that rebuilding probably was a
However, I point out in my book that sanctuary, day of atonement, year-day part of the decree, even though Ezra did not
Daniel 7 clearly describes a judgment that principle, etc.—follows on from this. cite it. Ezra cited the decree by Cyrus twice
will precede the second coming by some Ford says that the years A.D. 27, 31, (1:2-4; 6:3-5), and they are much different
time. After describing the judgment in and 34 used in connection with Daniel from each other. This means that in neither
verses 9-10, Daniel shows the Son of Man 9 are “either completely false or very instance did Ezra cite Cyrus’ entire decree.
(Jesus) approaching the Ancient of Days, much uncertain. Almost universally, Thus, it’s reasonable to conclude that in
and he is “given authority, glory and A.D. 31 as the date for the Crucifixion citing Artaxerxes’ decree in chapter 7, Ezra
sovereign power” (verse 14). This is not has been relinquished.” I am very aware left out the part about rebuilding Jerusalem.
Christ’s second coming. It’s a description of the uncertainty of 31 as the year for Chapter 4, which I analyze in detail in
of an event in heaven prior to his return Christ’s crucifixion, and I don’t argue for my book, provides significant evidence
that will grant him the authority to take its certainty in my book. I do point out that Artaxerexes’ decree did authorize the
over the kingdoms of our world at his that chronological evidence for Paul’s life rebuilding of Jerusalem.
return. Revelation provides at least two supports but does not prove the year 34 for It’s also helpful to note that the words
indications that the judgment in heaven the stoning of Stephen. However, the year restore and build in Daniel 9:25 refer
precedes the second coming. The first 27 for Christ’s baptism is about as certain to two distinct authorizations that
one, chapter 14:6-7, states that “the as any date can be for any event in the New Artaxerxes gave to the Jews. Restore is not
hour of [God’s] judgment has come” at Testament. And there are exactly 483 years a synonym of build. The word restore has
the very time the gospel is still being (69 weeks) from 457 B.C. to A.D. 27. to do with the restoration of independent
preached, which is obviously prior to Ford says that “there is nothing at all in Jewish governance, and that was a part
Christ’s return. Second, in the seven last favor of 457 B.C.” However, experts in the of the decree recorded in Ezra 7. The

28 a d v e N t i s t t o d a y • f a l l 2 0 1 0
king authorized the Jews to appoint such as week, month, or year occurs in that this is a clear indication that Jesus
magistrates and judges, to administer conjunction with yamim. This is simply entered heaven’s Most Holy Place in
justice, and even to execute criminals. an idiom that means “the entire time.” For A.D. 31, not 1844. And since the Day of
example, in Genesis 29:14 yearach yamim Atonement was the only time the earthly
the year-day Principle (“month-days”) means “the full month,” high priest ministered in the Most Holy
One of the issues Ford discusses in his “the whole month”; and in Leviticus 25:29 Place, Ford concludes that any mention
critique of my book is the year-day shanat yamim (“year-days”) means “the of Christ in the Most Holy Place of the
principle. He argues that the Hebrew word entire year” (see also Gen. 41:1; 2 Kings heavenly sanctuary must be Most Holy
shabua in Daniel 9:24-25 means “seventy 115:13). And this is how most versions Place ministry, not what Adventists refer
sevens” (NIV) rather than “seventy weeks” translate shabua yamim in Daniel 10:2-3 to as his Holy Place ministry.
(KJV). He says that shabua occurs 94 times (RSV: “full weeks”; KJV, NKJV: “whole In my book I point out that the earthly
in the Old Testament, 90 of which include weeks”; NASB” entire weeks”). sanctuary includes symbols for God the
the addition of the word yamim, which The term “seven weeks” occurs twice Father (the Ark of the Covenant) in the
means “days,” and he says that this addition in the KJV (Deut. 16:9; Dan. 9:25), and Most Holy Place, Jesus Christ (the table
of yamim is necessary in order for shabua to in each instance the Hebrew says sheba of showbread) in the Holy Place, and
mean “weeks” rather than “sevens.” shabua. The NIV translators translated the Holy Spirit (the lamp stand) also in
The words “week” or “weeks” occur 19 sheba shabua in Deuteronomy 16:9 as the Holy Place. Thus, all three members
times in the KJV of the Old Testament, “seven weeks,” but in Daniel 9:25 they of the Trinity are represented in the two
6 times in Daniel and 13 elsewhere (see translated the same two Hebrew words apartments. My conclusion is that these
Strong’s Concordance), and each time they as “seven sevens.” I assume they did this apartments in the earthly sanctuary
are from the word shabua. These are the for interpretive reasons, because “seven symbolize heaven’s one throne room,
only occurrences of shabua in the Old weeks” would have been a perfectly and therefore when Christ took his place
Testament. I asked Ford in an email to appropriate translation. beside or on (Rev. 3:21) his Father’s
give me some examples of his 94 uses of throne, he was as much in heaven’s Holy
shabua, and he told me to look up the hebrews Place as he was in heaven’s Most Holy
word “seven” in Strong’s Concordance As for Hebrews, I simply disagree Place. Therefore, any ministry that Christ
and I would “find scores of uses of ‘seven’ with Ford on the role that the Day of began in A.D. 31 could as well be a Holy
[shabua] followed by ‘days’ [yamim].” Atonement plays in the book. Ford sees Place (daily) ministry as a Most Holy
However, the Hebrew word for “seven” is the Day of Atonement as the primary Place (Day of Atonement) ministry.
sheba (Strong’s number 7651), not shabua theme of the Hebrews, especially chapters The complete title of my book is The
(Strong’s number 7620). Ford is correct 8-10. However, the evidence in these Case for the Investigative Judgment: Its
that sheba occurs scores of times with chapters points to a significantly different Biblical Foundation. I examined the
the word yamim, but in these instances theme, namely, the superiority of the various aspects of the Adventist teaching
it always means “seven days,” and it is new covenant over the old covenant. The about the investigative judgment from
so translated in our English Bibles. It heavenly Day of Atonement does show Scripture, and where necessary, from
never means “seven weeks.” In 17 of the up at least three times in these chapters history, and I believe my conclusions
19 occurrences of “weeks” in the KJV, it (9:7, 25; 10:1-4), or four, depending on are reasonable. Others may interpret
occurs without yamim. Yamim simply how one interprets ta hagia in 9:12. I make certain passages in a different way than I
is not necessary in order for shabua to what I consider to be a significant case do, but this happens all the time among
mean “weeks.” that ta hagia does not refer to the Day of interpreters of the Bible. My question is
Shabua is accompanied by yamim twice Atonement in verse 12. this: Have I demonstrated a reasonable
in Daniel 10:2-3. However, the reason is Ford cites several texts in Hebrews, Biblical basis for the Adventist teaching?
not because yamim is necessary in order which state that Jesus is at the Father’s Ford and the experts he cites say “No.” I
for shabua to mean “weeks.” There are right hand, beside his throne. And since and the experts I cite say “Yes.”
several instances in the Old Testament God’s throne is symbolized by the Ark Marvin Moore is editor of Signs of the
where a word for a period of time of the Covenant in the type, Ford argues Times magazine.

w w w . a t o d a y . c o m 29
 R e m N a N ts

7 Questions

2
For…cindy tutsch By Marcel Schwantes, Online Editor

what is it that you do at the white estate? institutions in the South. What is interesting to
The White Estate Board hired me in 2000 to help note, however, is that in that circumstance, unlike

6
children and youth understand that Ellen White’s with matters of minor significance, she received
writings could help them know God better and corrective instruction from the Holy Spirit that led
help them meet the challenges they encounter her to reverse her instruction.
in their spiritual journey. I serve as editor of
Visionary for Kids (www.whiteestate.org/vez), an we hear various assessments of the
electronic magazine for kids 8-14, and work to relationship of ellen white, in life, with
promote adaptations of Ellen White’s writings into the adventist denomination, including the
21st-century English. Some of these adaptations are view that she was for a decade “exiled” to
now in audio format that can be downloaded into australia. in a few words, what was the crux
MP3 players. I have also worked with our team to of the controversy Mrs. white had with her
develop resources for parents and teachers who denomination? was it primarily about power
wish to promote Adventist history and Ellen White’s and authority?
writings to their students. While some have characterized her mission
Additionally, I have traveled in all 13 world service in Australia as an “exile,” we must remember
divisions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to that the call they placed left the decision entirely
preach and teach about God’s gift of prophecy to her judgment. The action of the Foreign Mission
to adults and youth at our Adventist educational Board (on which her own son served) read that she
cindy Tutsch, DMin, is an associate director
institutions and at camp meetings, Bible was invited to visit Australia “if her own judgment,
of the ellen G. white estate at seventh-day

3
conferences, youth convocations, and workers’ and the light she may have in the matter, shall be
adventist world headquarters in silver spring,
meetings. in accordance with this request.” She certainly had
Md. she has served as conference youth
painful conflicts with the brethren over how things
director, pastor, Bible teacher, television
what’s your biggest concern about the way were being run at the head of the work, but the
host, and coordinator of youth-in-evangelism
ellen white’s writings are used by church decision was her own to make, and in the absence
initiatives, including Magabook ministries.
members? of any light to the contrary, she accepted the
Dr. Tutsch is the author of ellen white on
1. That her writings are not being used at all, or invitation. She wasn’t enthusiastic about it, yet she
Leadership, scores of articles published
considered to have no authority. went. In the nine years that she lived in Australia,
in adventist periodicals, and is editor of
2. That her writings are used by some to she tirelessly promoted the church and its mission,
visionary for Kids, an online magazine. and

4
supplant the Bible or used inappropriately to including initiating our educational and medical
last but not least, Dr. Tutsch has joined
promote a narrow agenda. work in the South Pacific Division. Nor did she break
adventist Today as one of our featured
any ties with the administrators with whom she had
bloggers (look for her on our website at www. we hear assertions today that the early interacted back in Battle Creek.
atoday.com). in this installment of 7 Questions, adventists may have set apart women for I personally find a lot to contemplate in her
Dr. Tutsch answers several questions about the pastoral ministry. are these reports credible,

1 7
choices during this period that must have been
role of ellen white, past and present. in your view; should we take them seriously? really difficult for her on many levels.
Absolutely. According to General Conference
You were very surprised to have received the archives, 21 women were granted ministerial what’s your view on the recent ellen white
invitation to blog regularly for our website licenses during Ellen White’s lifetime. Some of conference?

5
readers. what led to that reaction? and has these women were church planters, others public I didn’t attend, but I find it thought provoking
your impression of adventist Today changed evangelists, and all of them were preachers. that many credible scholars outside of the Adventist
since you started blogging for us? Church have such an interest in and admiration for
I am pretty theologically conservative! Frankly, The adventist church doesn’t take the position the remarkable contributions Ellen White made to
quite often I’m not at all “on the same page” as that ellen white was infallible. what are two our movement.
Adventist Today, and I haven’t been shy about things she was incorrect about?
my position on a literal interpretation of Genesis I think everyone would agree with Ellen White’s
chapters 1-11. I think most of your editorial board statement that “God alone is infallible.” We know
knows that I believe in a seven contiguous 24-hour- that she never viewed her role as correcting history
days creation and a global flood, for instance. So books, for example, and that she updated some of
yes, the invitation surprised me. the historical information in The Great Controversy
Based on the responses to my blogs, I’m also during her lifetime. Another time she had to retract
surprised at the philosophical diversity of your counsel she had given to church administrators
readership. about whether or not to close one of our major

30 a d v e N t i s t t o d a y • f a l l 2 0 1 0
 Adventist Man
a satirical looK at adventist liFe
not hold to the primacy of Scripture. There are Word.” There is no better way to demonstrate
many ways to deal with this issue. One would be the primacy we place on Scripture than by
to demonstrate from the Bible our fundamental showing people a quote from Ellen White telling
beliefs, and another would be to track down the them that we do. I have no doubt that those
writings of Adventist pioneers who defended visitors from other churches now know the
our biblical positions with great care. But quite ultimate authority in Adventism.
frankly, this smacks of scholarship, hard work,
and copious amounts of time. And as we all adventist man, what was your favorite line
know, time is short. So why not adopt a new from ted wilson’s inaugural sermon?
method from the playbook of our new General “I’m still quoting…”
Conference president, Ted N.C. Wilson, at his
sola scriptura inaugural sermon?
With guests from the Reformed Church and what is a progressive adventist?
inaugural sermon Baptist World Alliance, Wilson declared that “We Historically it means an Adventist who
believes that truth operates as a dynamic
Progressive adventist? must be vigilant to test all things according
to the supreme authority of God’s Word” while progressive revelation instead of being a
holding up the Bible. Then he went in for the stagnant statement of belief. However, in
hey adventist man, what is the best way to recent times, they tend to be reactionary baby
kill—not by quoting scripture, but by adding
show my non-adventist friends that we do, in “and the counsel which we have been blessed boomers who are trying to be relevant and end
fact, subscribe to sola scriptura? with in the writings of Ellen G. White.” Just in up being about as cool as a Twilight mom.
Ah, a very good question. The perpetual case people missed the ultimate Sola Scriptura
struggle to represent ourselves as Bible- argument, moments later Wilson shared that Do you have a tough question? adventist Man has
adhering Protestants has plagued us since “the answer.” as a former member of “the remnant of
our “Biblical foundation will stand secure to the
the beginning. Various misconceptions and the remnant,” adventist Man was ranked 8,391 of the
end of time!” Then he proved it with a two-page 144,000—and working his way up. now he relies solely
miscommunications have contributed to a quote from Selected Messages, pages 207- on grace and friendship with Jesus. You can email him
widespread view that Seventh-day Adventists do 208, which admonished “prayerful study of the at atoday@atoday.com.

editorial continued from page 3

“There is one great central truth to be kept ever
before the mind in the searching of Scripture—Christ
and Him crucified. Every other truth is invested with
influence and power corresponding to its relation to
spiritual renaissance retreat
this theme. It is only in the light of the cross that we
can discern the exalted character of the law of God.
Begins december 30
The 17th annual Spiritual Renaissance Retreat will be held at the Hyatt
The soul palsied by sin can be endowed with life only
Regency in Monterey, California, from Dec. 30, 2010, through Jan. 2,
through the work wrought out upon the cross by the
2011.
Author of our salvation”5
Presenters include J. David Newman, editor of Adventist Today,
“One interest will prevail, one subject will swallow
on Why Seeing Ellen White as a NT Prophet Revolutionizes Our
up every other—Christ our righteousness.”6
Approach; Michael Peason, vice principal of Newbold College on
And you who read this editorial don’t have to wait
Millennial Dreams Recurring; Robert Melashenko on Sin, Science and
for Elder Wilson to follow what Ellen White says. You
Salvation, plus many more.
can begin right now!
John Hughson, founder of the Spiritual Renaissance Retreat, is
1
Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 9, p. 189. coordinating the event along with his wife, Joan.
2
White, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 415-416.
3
White, Manuscript 49, 1898; also in SDA Bible Commentary, Vol.
6, 1956, p. 1113. For more information and/or application, call (707) 965-7297, fax
4
White, Gospel Workers, 1915, p. 156. (707) 965-6774, or email jhughson@puc.edu.
5
White, That I May Know Him, 1964, p. 208.
6
White, “Be Zealous and Repent,” Advent Review and Sabbath
Herald, Dec. 23, 1890.

w w w . a t o d a y . c o m 31
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