Graybill's Exit Going Home to Grenada ":; .. A Quarterly Joumal of the Association of Adventist Forums 'Volmne 14, Nmnber 4 A CALL FOR AN OPEN CIIURCH The Need for Structural Change A Model Constitution In Defense of Participation Comparing, Church Structures SPECTRUM Editorial Board Consulting Editors Edward Lugenbeal Editor Roy Branson Earl W. Amnn.uon Anthropology Ethics, Kennedy Institute President Kettering, Ohio Georgetown University Atlantic Union Conference Roy Branson Margaret McFarland Molleurus Couperus Eric Anderson Attorney Associate Editor Physician History Washington. D.C. ·Angwin, California Pacific Union College Charles Scriven LaVonne Neff Gene. Daffern Roy Benton , Publishing Physician Mathematics DOWf:1ers Grove; Illinois Senior Editor Washington, D.C. Columbia Union College R,onald Numbers Tom Dybdahl Bonnie Dwyer Bonnie Casey -History of Medicine Journalism Writer/Editor University of Wisconsin Lorna Linda, California Washington. D.C. News. Editor Gary Patterson Bonnie Dwyer TomDybdahl George Colvin President Editor Government Georgia-Cumberland Conference Allentown. Pennsylvania Claremont Graduate School Manuscript Editor Edward E. Robinson Richard Emmerson Raymond Cottrell Attorney Gene Daffern English Theology Chicago. I1Iinois Walla Walla College Lorna Linda. California Gerhard Svrcek... Seiler Book Review Editors Alvin L. Kwiram Geri Fuller Psychiatrist Chemistry Public Relations Vienna, Austria Peggy Corbett University of Washington Washington, D.C. Carolyn Stevens Rennie Schoepflin Gary Land Lawrence Geraty English History Old Testament Walla Walla College Andrews University SDA Theological Seminary Editorial Associate Helen Ward Thompson Rennie Scboepflin Fritz Guy Administration Penelope Kellogg Winkler History Theology Walla Walla College Uni~ersity of Wisconsin SDA Theological Seminary L. E. Trader Editorial Assistant Charles Scriven F .E.J. Harder Education Dana Lauren West Theology Educational Administration Marienhoehe Gymnasium Walla Walla College College Place, Washington West Germany Ottilie Stafford Jorgen Henriksen Louis Venden English Artist Pastor Atlantic Union College Boston, Massachusetts Lorna Linda Univeristy Church Association of Adventist Forums ; President Southern .Lyndrey A. Niles Directors Region~l Representatives T. Grace Emori Communications Nursing .,If Atlantic Howard University, Washington. D.C. Of Chapter Development Atlanta. Georgia Walter Douglas John Hamer Business Southern Pacific Theology Vice President Hudson, Massachusetts Mike Scofield Andrews University Edward Lugenbeal Business Systems Management Of International Relations Monterey Park, California Kettering, Ohio Molleurus Couperus Central Physician Danell J. Huenergardt Executive Secretary Angwin, California Attorney Claire Hosten Kimball. Nebraska Staff Attorney Of Membership Ronald D. Cople Legal Consultant Washington. D.C. Columbia Business Bradley Litchfield E. Theodore Agard Silver Spring, Maryland Attorney Treasurer Radiation Physicist Washington, D.C. Richard C. Osborn Of Promotion Kettering Medical Center Principal Richard B. Lewis, Jr. Ket~ering, Ohio Secretary Takoma Academy Advertising Vinette Anderson Takoma Park. Maryland Weston. Massachusetts Takoma Park, Maryland Northern Pacific Editor Of Special Projects John Brunt Systems Manager Roy Branson Glenn E. Coe Theology Don McNeil Ethics. Kennedy Institute Attorney Walla Walla College Computer Programmer Georgetown U~iversity West Hartford. Connecticut College .Place, Washington Spencerville, Maryland SPECTRUM is a journal established to encourage quarterly by the Association of Adventist Forums. Direct Seventh-day Adventist participation in the discussion of all editorial correspondence to SPECTRUM, 7710 Carroll contemporary issues from a Christian viewpoint, to look Avenue, Takoma Park, ,Maryland 20912. 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Subscription Information: In order to receive SPEC­ The Association of Adventist Forums is a nonsubsi­ TRUM, send a membership fee ($15 per 4 issues, except dized, nonprofit organization for which gifts are deduc­ $18 in Canada and in other foreign countries; $2 less for tible in the report of income for purposes of taxation. The students) to Association of Adventist Forums, Box 5330, publishing of SPECTRUM depends on subscriptions, gifts Takoma Park, Maryland 20912. Phone: (301) 270-0423. from individuals and the voluntary efforts of the Single copies may be purchased for $4. Pay by check made contributors and the staff. out to the Association of Adventist Forums. For address Editorial Correspondence: SPECTRUM is published changes, send old address label along with the new © 1983 All rights reserved. address. Litho USA In This Issue Vol. 14, No.4, March 1984 Articles Graybill's Exit: Turning Point at the White Estate? Bonnie 1. Casey 2 Home to Grenada: A Seminary Professor on His Role in the New Government Roy Branson 9 Special Section: A Call for an Open Church The Need for Structural Change James W. Walters 14 A· Call for an Open Church 18 Defining Participation: A Model Conference Constitution 25 Explaining Participation: A Commentary George Colvin 36 The Varieties of Church Structure Raymond F. Cottrell 40 Reviews 54 News Update 60 Black Adventists Hold Ministry Meetings; Winds of Reform: Structural Transition in North America Responses 64 trained students to quote from the thousands About This Issue of documents in its vaults unless the Estate board permits it. The institutional form Adventism now he shape of Advent­ takes may not be the shape it will have in the T ist institutions and future-at least in North America. The structure dominates this issue of Spectrum. report and model constitution which the What has happened to Ronald Graybill, Task Force on Church Structure announces after 13 years as a member of the staff of the in this issue, after more than two years of Ellen G. White Estate, is a dramatic story: study, will no doubt be of interest to the an Adventist tries to remain faithful both to commissions on church structure that are the facts as he perceives them and to his now becoming active in local conferences, employers whom he considers his mentors. unions, and the General Conference. The But in a larger sense, it is the story of the report and constitution should also interest Ellen G. White Estate defining its role individual members, all of whom would be within the Seventh-day Adventist Church: affected if its proposals were to be imple­ whether to be a defender of Adventism, as mented. It may well be that events such as it sees it, or to be an archive, making Graybill's forced departure from the White documents of vital interest available to all Estate, the work of task forces and members of the church. No doubt the commissions on church structure, and the Graybill incident will bring into sharper prospect of a General Conference session focus the significance of the White Estate next year, will make 1984 the year of and its policy of not allowing even carefully reorganization.-The Editors Graybill's Exit Turning Point At The White Estate? by Bonnie L. Casey fter 13 years of ser­ of Christ, Scientist; Catherine Booth, co­ Avice as a church founder with her husband of the Salvation historian at the Ellen G. White Estate, Ron Army; and Alma White, founder of the Graybill, under pressure from the Estate Pillar of Fire Church), the dissertation board, agreed to request reassignment. focuses mainly on Ellen White-how her Following a controversy over his doctoral role as a church leader was legitimated and dissertation, Graybill has been reassigned exercised, and how that role affected her from his position as associate secretary of roles as woman, wife, and mother. Graybill the Ellen G. White Estate to one of course argues that because she was a "charismatic" author and subject specialist at Home Study leader-one without official constitutional International. He will also be available to authority-her authority was exercised the qeneral Conference officers for special through influence. Because of this, her projects. His assignment at Home Study, influence had to be jealously guarded against which involves preparing a course on "negative associations. " "I happen to denominational history, will run to the end think," says Graybill, "that her leadership of1984, when his position will,be reassessed. was for good and not selfish ends. My As with other controversies in the recent dissertation deviates from some accepted past, the one over Graybill and his understandings of Ellen White and how she dissertation raised questions about church did her work, but it is not negative or discipline, the role and leadership of Ellen defamatory. " White, and the policies of the White Estate. Those in the White Estate whose major In April 1983, Graybill successfully criticisms centered on the dissertation itself defended his doctoral