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The 1919 Bible Conference and Its Significance for Seventh-Day Adventist History and Theology

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The 1919 Bible Conference and Its Significance for Seventh-Day Adventist History and Theology Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2008 The 1919 iB ble Conference and its Significance for Seventh-day Adventist History and Theology Michael W. Campbell Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the History of Christianity Commons, History of Religion Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Campbell, Michael W., "The 1919 iB ble Conference and its Significance for Seventh-day Adventist History and Theology" (2008). Dissertations. 21. http://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/21 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in the Andrews University Digital Library of Dissertations and Theses. Please honor the copyright of this document by not duplicating or distributing additional copies in any form without the author’s express written permission. Thanks for your cooperation. ABSTRACT THE 1919 BIBLE CONFERENCE AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST HISTORY AND THEOLOGY by Michael W. Campbell Adviser: Jerry Moon ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: THE 1919 BIBLE CONFERENCE AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST HISTORY AND THEOLOGY Name of researcher: Michael W. Campbell Name and degree of faculty adviser: Jerry Moon, Ph.D. Date completed: June 2008 The Topic The 1919 Bible Conference was held immediately after World War I during a heightened interest in the apocalyptic and soon after the death of Ellen White. Patterned after the Fundamentalist prophetic conferences of 1918 and 1919, it was arguably the first “scholarly” conference held by Seventh-day Adventists. During a theologically turbulent time, Adventists found the emerging Fundamentalist movement attractive for its biblicist theology, its opposition to modernism and evolution, and the apparent popular appeal of its prophetic conferences. The Purpose The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the significance of the 1919 Bible Conference for Seventh-day Adventist history and theology. The Sources This was a documentary study based on published and unpublished sources, most of which were produced by Seventh-day Adventists between 1910 and 1922. The most heavily used primary source was the collection of original transcripts of the 1919 Bible Conference. Although these transcripts are not entirely complete, they are extensive. These transcripts were supplemented by other primary sources that included periodicals, correspondence, and other archival materials. Conclusions The 1919 Bible Conference illustrates the polarization in Seventh-day Adventist theology that took place as Adventists grappled with conservative evangelicalism (what later became known as Fundamentalism). Adventist theologians became divided, most notably, between “progressives” and “traditionalists,” both of whom were influenced by the emerging Fundamentalist movement. Some issues were quite controversial at the time, such as the identity of the king of the north in Dan 11, while others such as the covenants and the Trinity would become more important with the passing of time. The topics that had the most lasting effect upon Adventist history and theology were the discussions about Ellen G. White’s writings and their relationship to the Bible. These hermeneutical issues evidenced a theological polarization that continues to shape Adventist thought. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary THE 1919 BIBLE CONFERENCE AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST HISTORY AND THEOLOGY A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Michael W. Campbell July 2007 © Copyright by Michael W. Campbell 2007 All Rights Reserved THE 1919 BIBLE CONFERENCE AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST HISTORY AND THEOLOGY A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Michael W. Campbell APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: ________________________________ _________________________________ Faculty Adviser Director, Ph.D./Th.D. Program Jerry Moon Roy Gane Associate Professor of Church History ________________________________ ________________________________ Gary Land Dean, SDA Theological Seminary Professor of History J. H. Denis Fortin ________________________________ Woodrow W. Whidden Professor of Theology ________________________________ George R. Knight Professor Emeritus of Church History ________________________________ ________________________________ Donald W. Dayton Date approved External Examiner TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .............................. vii PREFACE ................................ ......... viii Statement of the Problem ............................. xiii Purpose ................................ ........ xiv Scope and Delimitations .............................. xiv Justification ................................ ..... xv Review of Literature and Prior Research..................... xvi Published Documents ............................ xvi Unpublished Documents ......................... xviii Methodology and Primary Sources ........................ xxi Published Sources .............................. xxi Periodicals............................... xxi Books and Pamphlets ........................ xxii Unpublished Sources ........................... xxiii Correspondence .......................... xxiii Records and Manuscripts ..................... xxiv Design of Study ................................ ... xxiv Acknowledgments ................................ xxv Chapter 1. THE ORIGINS OF FUNDAMENTALISM, THE PUBLICATION OF THE FUNDAMENTALS: A TESTIMONY TO THE TRUTH, AND THE PROPHETIC CONFERENCE MOVEMENT ..................... 1 Introduction ................................ ..... 1 The Traits of Fundamentalism........................... 3 Revivalist Evangelicalism ......................... 3 Dispensationalist Premillennialism .................... 6 The Holiness Movement .......................... 8 Efforts to Defend the Faith.............................. 10 Publication of The Fundamentals: A Testimony to the Truth ...... 10 The Prophetic Conference Movement ................... 13 Fundamentalist Opinions About Seventh-day Adventists ........... 16 The Historiography of Fundamentalism ..................... 17 Perspective ................................ ...... 20 2. SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST REACTIONS TO FUNDAMENTALISM, 1910-1922 ................................ ......... 22 Introduction ................................ ...... 22 iii Historical Introduction to Seventh-day Adventism, 1910-1922......... 23 The Final Years of Ellen G. White, 1910-1915 .............. 25 World War I and Seventh-day Adventists, 1914-1918 .......... 27 Other Events from 1910-1922 ....................... 30 Seventh-day Adventists and Shared Concerns with Fundamentalism ..... 35 Concerns About Evolution .......................... 36 Concerns About Modernism ........................ 38 Concerns About the Authority of the Bible ................ 39 Observations by Adventists About the Emerging Fundamentalist Movement ................................ ... 40 Adventists and The Fundamentals: A Testimony to the Truth ..... 40 Adventist Attendance at the Prophetic Conferences ........... 41 The 1918 Philadelphia Prophetic Conference .......... 42 The 1918 New York Prophetic Conference............. 45 The 1919 Philadelphia Prophetic Conference ........... 48 References to the Prophetic Conferences During the 1919 Bible Conference........................... 52 Perspective ................................ ....... 56 3. ON THE CUSP OF A WAR: THE “BIG GUNS ARE FIRING BROADSIDES” ................................ ..... 60 Introduction ................................ ...... 60 Pertinent Events in the Formation of Seventh-day Adventist Theology Prior to the 1919 Bible Conference. ..................... 63 The 1888 General Conference Session ................... 64 The “Daily” Controversy ........................... 66 The Battle Creek Crisis, 1902-1907..................... 68 Another Conference Needed............................. 70 Plans for a Bible Conference ............................ 72 The 1919 Bible Conference ............................. 79 Leadership ................................ ... 80 Purpose of the Conference .......................... 81 Schedule ................................ .... 82 Topics of Discussion ............................. 84 Conferees at the 1919 Bible Conference .................. 85 The “Progressives”........................... 88 The Traditionalists or “Conservatives” ............... 89 The Critics ............................... 89 The Educators ............................. 91 The Historians ............................. 91 The Transcripts ................................ ... 92 Reactions to the 1919 Bible Conference ..................... 96 Perspective ................................ ....... 99 4. IN BATTLE ARRAY: PROGRESSIVES AND TRADITIONALISTS WAGE WAR OVER HERMENEUTICS ....................... 102 Introduction ................................ ...... 102 The Bible and Hermeneutics...........................
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