THESIS ABSTRACT Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies

THESIS ABSTRACT

Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies Emphasis in Church History

Adventist University of Africa

Theological Seminary

TITLE: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST STATEMENT OF BELIEFS AND ITS THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

Researcher: Tony Ogouma

Primary Adviser: Robert Osei Bonsu, PhD

Date completed: March 2018

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a worldwide Church. It came into existence after the Great Disappointment of 1844, in the United States of America.

Since its very beginning, the question of doctrines or Fundamental Beliefs has been always in the center of Adventist Theology. However, historical development of

Adventist Statement of Beliefs and its theological implications, cannot be enough appreciated because of lack of comprehensive study on the subject. This study, therefore, investigates on the development of the Adventist Statement of Beliefs and its theological implications, from 1872 to 2015.

The study was premised on the observation that, in 1872, the Adventist

Church had twenty-five Fundamental Principles. In 1889, three more beliefs were added to make it a total of twenty-eight. In 1931, the Adventist Church reviewed its beliefs to twenty-two principles. In 1980, it was made up of twenty-seven principles. And from 2005 to 2015, the official Seventh-day Adventist Fundamental Beliefs was composed of twenty-eight principles.

Consequently, the study meticulously and chronologically examines the

Seventh-day Adventist Statement of Beliefs of 1872, 1889, 1931, 1980, 2005, 2010 and 2015; and analyses their theological implications. This study employs the historical/documentary method of research and uses published and unpublished primary and secondary resources.

The study concludes that throughout their history, Seventh-day Adventist have looked forward to discovering or receiving additional truth that will match with prior truth. Their doctrines have developed from their original distinctive principles of beliefs to some explicit doctrines.

Moreover, the study recommends that in-depth studies could be done on the historical development of the Seventh-day Adventist Theology Proper, Christology,

Pneumatology, Anthropology, Soteriology, Eschatology, Bibliology, Ecclesiology,

Lifestyle, as well as on the Seventh-day Adventist unique doctrines. Also, some studies could be considered on the various debates that influenced Adventist theology, such as the 1888 debates of Minneapolis. An in-depth study on Alonzo. T Jones, Ellet

J. Waggoner, and Uriah Smith, who played significant roles in shaping Adventist theology, could be helpful. Finally, the contributions of Ellen G. White on the development of Adventist doctrines and theology could be considered. Adventist University of Africa

Theological Seminary

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST STATEMENT OF BELIEFS AND ITS THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

A thesis

presented in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree

Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies

Tony Ogouma

A thesis

presented in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree

Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies

Tony Ogouma

APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE:

Primary Adviser Programme Director, MABTS Robert Osei-Bonsu, PhD Eriks Galenieks, PhD

Secondary Adviser Dean, Theological Seminary Paul Ahanda, PhD Sampson Nwaomah, PhD

External Examiner Jean Christian Esso, PhD

Extension Site: Valley View University

Date: April 2018 Dedicated to my wife, Ogouma Grace Doriane, and my child.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... viii

CHAPTER

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 1

Background of the Study ...... 1 Statement of the Problem ...... 2 Purpose of the Study ...... 2 Significance of the Study ...... 3 Scope and Delimitations ...... 3 Methodology ...... 5 Definition of Terms...... 5

2. LITERATURE REVIEW ...... 7

Historical Background of the Seventh-day Adventist Church ...... 7 The Early Church Period (AD 33 – 400) ...... 7 The Church in the Medieval Ages (5th – 15th century AD) ...... 9 The Reformation Period in Europe (1517-1648) ...... 10 The Protestantism Period in America (1800 – 1844) ...... 12 The Rise of Adventism ...... 12 Adventist Understanding of Their Doctrinal Development ...... 16 Creeds in the Adventist Church ...... 21 The Era of Doctrinal Development ...... 21 The Doctrinal Background ...... 22 The 1888 Minneapolis Conference ...... 28 The Meaning of the 1888 Minneapolis Conference ...... 32 The 1919 Bible Conference ...... 34 Questions on Doctrines (1955-1956) ...... 36 The 1986 General Conference Session ...... 37 Summary ...... 37

3. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SDA STATEMENT OF BELIEFS .... 38

The 1872 Statement of Beliefs ...... 38 Historical Background ...... 38 An Analysis of the 1872 Statement ...... 41 The 1889 Statement of Beliefs ...... 42 Historical Background ...... 42 Analysis of the 1889 Statement of Beliefs ...... 43 The 1931 Statement of Beliefs ...... 46

Historical Background ...... 46 The Trinity debate up to 1930 ...... 47 Analysis of the 1931 Statement of Beliefs ...... 49 The 1980 Statement of Beliefs ...... 54 Historical Background ...... 54 Analysis of the 1980 Statement of Beliefs ...... 55 The 2005 Statement of Beliefs ...... 58 Historical Background ...... 58 Analysis of the 2005 Statement of Beliefs ...... 59 The 2010 Statement of Beliefs ...... 60 The 2015 Statement of Beliefs ...... 61 Historical Background ...... 61 Analysis of the 2015 Statement of Beliefs ...... 62 Minor revisions...... 62 Major revisions...... 64 Summary ...... 65

4. THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS ...... 67

Theological Implications of the 1872 Statement ...... 67 A Theology Arising from Their Immediate Roots ...... 68 Adventist Bibliology in the 1872 Statement ...... 69 Adventist Theology Proper in the 1872 Statement ...... 69 Adventist Christology in the 1872 Statement ...... 70 Adventist Pneumatology in the 1872 Statement ...... 70 Adventist Anthropology in the 1872 Statement...... 70 Adventist Soteriology in the 1872 Statement ...... 71 Adventist Ecclesiology in the 1872 Statement ...... 71 Adventist Distinctive Theology in the 1872 Statement ...... 71 Adventist Eschatology and the After Life in the 1872 Statement ...... 72 Adventist Lifestyle Theology in the 1872 Statement ...... 73 Theological Implications of the 1889 Statement ...... 73 Adventist Soteriology in the 1889 Statement ...... 73 Adventist Ecclesiology in the 1889 Statement ...... 74 Adventist Eschatology in the 1889 Statement ...... 74 Adventist Lifestyle Theology in the 1889 Statement ...... 75 Theological Implications of the 1931 Statement ...... 75 Adventist Theology Proper in the 1931 Statement of Beliefs–The Trinity ...... 76 Adventist Christology in the 1931 Statement of Beliefs–Christ’s Divinity ...... 77 Adventist Pneumatology in the 1931 Statement of Beliefs ...... 77 Adventist Soteriology in the 1931 Statement of Beliefs ...... 78 Adventist Lifestyle Theology ...... 79 Theological Implications of the 1980 Statement ...... 79 Adventist Theology Proper in the 1980 Statement ...... 79 Adventist Christology in the 1980 Statement ...... 79 Adventist Pneumatology in the 1980 Statement ...... 80 Adventist Ecclesiology in the 1980 Statement ...... 81 Adventist Distinctive Theology in the 1980 Statement ...... 81

Adventist Eschatology in the 1980 Statement ...... 82 Adventist Lifestyle Theology in the 1980 Statement ...... 83 Theological Implications of the 2005 Statement ...... 83 Adventist Lifestyle Theology in the 2005 Statement ...... 83 Theological implication of the 2015 Statement of Beliefs ...... 84 Theology Resulting from the Minor Revisions ...... 85 Theology Resulting from the Major Revisions ...... 86 Adventist bibliology in the 2015 Statement...... 86 Adventist ecclesiology in the 2015 Statement...... 86 Adventist distinctive theology in the 2015 Statement...... 87 Summary ...... 88

5. CONCLUSION ...... 89

Synopsis of Adventist Doctrinal Development...... 89 Review: Backdrop of the Study ...... 92 Recommendations for Further Study ...... 95

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 96

vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank God for sustaining me this far as I was working on this thesis. All glory and honor goes to God the Almighty. I also want to appreciate the great support that I got from my wife, Ogouma Grace Doriane. My sincere gratitude goes to my dear classmates, the dean of the Theological Seminary, Professor Sampson

Nwaomah; Professor Eriks Galenieks, the Director of the MABTS program, and all faculty of the Adventist University of Africa. Many thanks to my advisor, Professor

Robert Osei Bonsu, for the time he took to help me in my research. He is an inspiration for me, and a mentor. Many thanks also to my Co-Advisor, Paul Bernard

Ahanda.

May God bless you all!

viii

CHAPTER ONE 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a worldwide Evangelical Church. In the year 2015, the membership of the Church was about 18,478,9821 members. As a

Protestant Church, Adventists uphold certain beliefs or doctrines that constitute their theological foundation and positions. These doctrines are authoritative and voted by the World Church in session. They give to the world the official doctrinal stand of the

Church.

By 2010, the Adventist Church had twenty eight Fundamental Beliefs2.

Although, many people may think that the Adventist Church has always had twenty- eight Fundamental Beliefs, others may suggest that it has not been always the case. In fact, a critical look at the history of the Adventist beliefs indicates that several changes have been made since the first publication of what could be called the

Adventist Fundamental Beliefs in 1872.

For instance, in 1872, the Adventist Church had twenty-five Fundamental

Principles. In 1889, three more beliefs were added to make it a total of twenty-eight.

In 1931, the Adventist beliefs was reviewed to twenty-two principles. In 1980, it was

1 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Archives and Statistics, Seventh- day Adventists Year Book 2015 (Silver Spring, MD: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 2015), 4.

2 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual (Silver Spring, MD: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 2010), 156–166.

made up of twenty-seven principles. And from 2005 to 2015, the official Adventist

Fundamental Beliefs was composed of twenty-eight principles.

Statement of the Problem

Many of the Adventist pioneers may have a problem belonging to the

Adventist Church today because they may not agree necessarily with some of the twenty-eight Fundamental Beliefs that the Adventist Church subscribes to in 2015.

For illustration, the Adventist pioneers did not accept the belief in the Trinity,3 or the doctrine which holds that Jesus is fully God,4 or the one which affirms the personhood of the Holy Spirit.5 Meanwhile, the Adventist beliefs of 2015, accepts the Trinity, the divinity in addition to the humanity of Christ, and the personhood of the Holy Spirit.

How did the present day Adventist Church move from the views of its pioneers with regards to doctrines to the present position which is held by the Church in 2015? In order words, what really happened between the period 1872 to 2015 with regards to the Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church?

Although one may see that a lot of work has been done on the development of the Seventh-day Adventist beliefs, no major work has already been done on the development of Adventists Statement of Beliefs and its theological implications from

1872 through 2015, hence the relevance of this study.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to examine the historical development of

Adventists Statement of Beliefs from the period 1872 to 2015 and to analyze its

3 George R. Knight, A Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 2000), 17.

4 Ibid.

5 Ibid., 18.

theological implications. In order to achieve this objective, the study will meticulously examine chronologically the Adventists Statement of Beliefs of 1872,

1889, 1931, 1980, 2005, 2010 and 2015.

Significance of the Study

This study is very significant because it is providing, firstly, an understanding of how did Adventists come to believe what they believed by 2015 and how these beliefs have changed6 over the years in the Statement of Beliefs. Secondly, this study gives the theological implications that the changes in the Statement of Beliefs have made to the Adventist theology. This study is significant and useful to the Seventh- day Adventist Church and its members because it gives a clear progressive development that has made the Adventist Church what it is today as far as its beliefs and theology is concerned. This study will serve as a resourceful research document for Adventist History.

Scope and Delimitations

This research traces historically the development of the Seventh-day Adventist

Church Statement of Beliefs form 1872 through 2015. We choose to start with the year 1872, because it was during this year that Uriah Smith published the first

Adventist Statement of Beliefs; and we choose to end with the year 2015, because some minor and major changes were done in the Adventist Statement of Beliefs in that year at the General Conference session. Though the time frame may be long, it is important to note that only seven Statement of Beliefs will be studied, since only seven of them have been published by the Seventh-day Adventist Church from 1872

6 We understand by the word “change,” in the context of this study, the development of the of Seventh-day Adventist Church Statement of Beliefs or the discovering or receiving of additional truths that matches with prior truths.

to 2015, have undergone modifications. Nonetheless, this research gives the theological implications of the beliefs that were added or emphasized, in the

Statement of Beliefs. The study does not give a view on the rightness or wrongness of the changes that might have been made over the years. In other words, the scope of this study is not to judge, agree or disagree on any added, removed or emphasized belief.

An overview of the Seventh-day Adventist movement has been provided, in order to appreciate and understand the historical roots of Adventism in the 1840s.

This overview will also deal with how Millerism influenced and shaped the understanding of the Bible among the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The main body of the research is studying chronologically the changes that have happened in the Adventist Statement of Beliefs. The 1872 Fundamental Beliefs will be compared with the 1889 Fundamental Beliefs. The 1889 will be compared with the 1931. The 1931 will be paralleled with 1980, and the 1980 will be compared with the 2005, till 2015. In the process of the study, attention will be given to the theological implications that come with an added or emphasized belief.

For the theological implications, the work divides the Fundamental Beliefs in eight sections, Bibliology, Theology Proper, Christology, Pneumatology,

Anthropology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology, Adventist Distinctive Doctrines,

Eschatology, and Adventist Lifestyle Theology. The theological implications in this work, therefore, is not to give a deep study on the Adventist theological development, but, its gives only a brief updated meaning or connotation that a belief that has been added or emphasized in the Statement of Beliefs, has on the Adventist theology within the Statement of Beliefs. While studying the various Statement of Beliefs, only the

theological implications of the added or emphasized beliefs will be studied in the following Statement of Beliefs.

Finally, after the presentation of the Seventh-day Adventist doctrinal synopsis, a conclusion will be given in order to summarize the major changes made by the

Adventist Church over the years on its Statement of Beliefs and Theology.

Methodology

This study will employ the historical/documentary method of research and use published and unpublished primary and secondary resources. While examining the various documents, the study traces the historical development of the Seventh-day

Adventist Beliefs and its theological implications from 1872 through 2015.

Definition of Terms

Certain terms will be used in the development of this paper. In order to be clear in the meaning of some important expressions that are going to be use in this study, there is the need to define them.

Statement of Beliefs, also called Fundamental beliefs or Principles, constitute the Church’s [Seventh-day Adventist Church] understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture.7 They are also theological positions held by the Church. The two expressions, Statement of Beliefs and Fundamental Beliefs may be used interchangeably in the course of this work.

Theological implication as used in this study implies the theological impact or significance made by a belief, which has been added, removed, or emphasized in the

Statement of Beliefs.

7 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, 156.

5 CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

Many books have been written about the development of doctrines in general, but not much is found in the area of the doctrinal development of the Seventh-day

Adventist Church. Although the literatures which have been consulted covers a wide history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, this review focuses on three major themes which arise throughout the literature reviewed. These themes are: the historical background of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Adventist understanding of Doctrinal Development, and the Era of Doctrinal Development. Although the literature reviewed present these themes in a variety of contexts, the first part of this literature review discusses the origin of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the second part presents Adventist understanding of Doctrinal Development, and the last part talks about the Era of Doctrinal Development in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Historical Background of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

In studying the origin of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, there is the need to consider briefly the four major periods of the Christian Church’s history – that is, the Early Church period, the medieval period, the Reformation period, the

Protestantism in America, and the rise of Adventism.

The Early Church Period (AD 33 – 400)

The history of the Christian Church can be traced back to the Old Testament.

According to the Adventist Church Heritage Manual “God’s church stretches from

Eden to Eden. Those who have obeyed God have been called by various names, such as ‘the sons of God,’ ‘the seed of Abraham,’ ‘the children of Israel,’ ‘Christians.’

They all have the same fundamental beliefs [doctrines].”1 The Old Testament church passed on its fundamental beliefs to the church of the New Testament. The description of the Apostolic Church is given in the book of Acts. Its doctrines, organization and manner of work were of an extreme simplicity. In describing the Apostolic Church.

Olsen indicates that

The doctrines were Christ-centered. The members believed in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin and acceptance with God. They were justified by faith in His vicarious death on the cross; they were saved by His life. The law of God as revealed in the Old Scriptures was not set aside. It was holy, just and good, and could convict of sin; but it could not save the sinner. There was only one name under heaven whereby men could be saved.2

According to Ferguson, “the special meeting of Christians included observance of the ‘Lord’s Supper, prayer, singing, reading from scripture, and messages of instruction and exhortation.”3 Early Church Fathers such as Clement of

Rome4, and Ignatius of Antioch5 contributed also by writings on Christian doctrines.

1 General Conference Youth Department, Church Heritage Manual: A Guide through Church History Highlighting Significant Details of Interest to the Youth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (Berrien Springs, MI: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 2002), 6.

2 Mahlon Ellsworth Olsen, A History of the Origin and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1925), 12.

3 Everett Ferguson, Church History: From Christ to Pre-Reformation (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005), 45.

4 He wrote an Epistle called 1 Clement (c.96). It is the first Christian epistle aside from the New Testament. It was widely used in the Early Church.

5 He addressed in his letters important topics which included, ecclesiology, the sacrament, the role of Bishops, and the incarnation of Christ.

Moreover, in the same line of church history periods, one the major period recognized by history is the Church in the Medieval Ages.

The Church in the Medieval Ages (5th – 15th century AD)

The early Christians after the first century were leaving their faith in accordance with what they received from the apostles, and it spread throughout the

Greco-Roman World. Though persecution under Nero was as aggressive as it was local,6 changing conditions occurred during the period of Constantine the Great and of

Theodosius. Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire, with the Catholic7

Church as the Church of the Empire. The Edict of Milan in AD 313, by Constantine, decriminalized Christianity in the Roman Empire.8

And along the line, two bishops remained, the Bishop of Rome in the West and the Patriarch of Constantinople in the East. In AD 533-538, Justinian the Roman

Emperor declared the Bishop of Rome the head of all the churches in the Roman

Empire.9 The Bishop of Rome later claimed the headship of the nations, and of the

Church. Also called the Pope, the bishop of Rome became the most important leader in the West.10 The Catholic Church was seen as the depositary of Christian teachings.

The Apostles’ Creed described de fundamental doctrines held by the Church after the

6 Williston Walker, History of the Christian Church, revised, vol. 1 (New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1959), 30.

7 The word “Catholic” was firstly used by Ignatius who employed this word in a platonic sense of “Universal” as opposed to particular or sect. Later it will be found in the later of the Church of Smyrna, describing the martyr of Polycarp (156).

8 Paul R. Spickard and Kevin M. Cragg, A Global History of Christians: How Everyday Believers Experienced Their World (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1994), 56.

9 Le Roy Edwin Froom, Movement of Destiny (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1971), 42.

10 Spickard and Cragg, A Global History of Christians: How Everyday Believers Experienced Their World, 79.

Nicaea Council in AD 325. From AD 538, many unbiblical teachings and practices were introduced in the Church such as, the use of images as devotional aids, the particular position ascribed to the Virgin Mary,11 and the doctrine of transubstantiation. For instance “where the Romans honored different gods and virtues, Christianity venerated those who died in faith [martyrs].”12 Many were forced to choose either to accept the false doctrines and pagan ceremonies of the Catholic

Church or to suffer imprisonment. As one historian stated, “the noon of the papacy was the midnight of the world.”13 Then came the time of the Reformation.

The Reformation Period in Europe (1517-1648)

There had been a lot of discontent with the Catholic Church and the papacy for a couple of hundred years before the commencement of the reformation in the

Church. The moral corruption of the clergy, the sale of indulgence, the use of tradition in church, “the changes introduced into the doctrines and polity of the church where largely in the nature of compromise.”14 These and many other practices constituted the backbone of the Reformation. For instance, salvation by faith as it was during the

Apostolic Church period, gave way to the erroneous doctrine that man could be saved by his own works. And the belief in such a doctrine with time led the people to accept the notion that “these works were the property of the Church, and could by her be

11 This development of the position of the Virgin Mary will be done mostly after the Reformation of the sixteenth century.

12 Jonathan Hill, The History of Christianity (Oxford, UK: Lion Hudson, 2007), 62.

13 Ellen G. White, “J. A. Wylie,” in The Great Controversy (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1915), 60.

14 Olsen, A History of the Origin and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists, 21.

dispensed for the benefit of such of her children as stood in need of it.”15 Also, the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, which viewed the soul as an entity apart from the body, and that when the body dies the soul goes to heaven, hell, or purgatory gained prominence.

The Reformation period started with Martin Luther, however “John Wycliffe

[(ca. 1320-1384)] had tried to start the reformation, as did Huss and Jerome a little later.”16 The immediate occasion of the reform lunched by Luther was the teaching of indulgence which was promulgated by Leo X, in order to complete the Cathedral of

St. Peter. Though Martin Luther aimed at starting a discussion with some scholars at the University of Wittenberg, on October 31, 1517, Luther nailed a list of ninety-five theses. The ninety-five thesis that he nailed on the door of the Church of Wittenberg marked the beginning of the break with the Catholic Church. But he later indicated that, “what I did toppled heaven and consumed earth by fire.”17

Before 1517 Luther discovered “Christ and His salvation; and later before

1520, he had discovered the identity of “the Antichrist and his damnation.”18 Other reformers joined later such as Ulrich Zwingli, John Knox, and John Calvin. The

Reformation of the sixteenth century aimed at reaffirming the fundamental doctrines of Christianity based on the teaching of Scriptures, especially the doctrine of righteousness by faith. For Luther, the Gospel had to take the central place.19 It has

15 Olsen, A History of the Origin and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists, 22.

16 Marvin Moore, Challenges to the Remnant (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press, 2008), 97.

17 Hill, The History of Christianity, 251.

18 Leroy Edwin Froom, The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2 (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1948), 243.

19 Ernest George Schwiebert, Luther and His Times: The Reformation from a New Perspective (St. Louis, MO: Concordia, 1950), 91.

been said about the Reformation that “Pentecost formed it, the Papacy deformed it, and now Protestantism re-formed it.”20 The Reformation that started in Europe was later be expanded to North America.

The Protestantism Period in America (1800 – 1844)

After the discovery of America, by Columbus in 1492, many people flee from

Europe to America in order to find “freedom from the religiously oppressive policies of the British government and the Church of England.”21 Therefore, Protestantism flourished in America because it was free of opposition from the powerful Catholic

Church. The theological context of the North America Protestantism and William

Miller did play a major role in shaping the early Adventist beliefs.

The Rise of Adventism

The Apostolic doctrine of Christ’s second coming, did catch the interest of

Christians in the 1800s in America. And it was in the midst of Protestantism in

America that a Baptist layman, William Miller, started Adventism. Though he had been a deist before, he returned later to believe in the Bible. Being under the influence of the reformation impact of the sixteenth century that was prevailing in North

America, he like many people of his time, was compelled to study the Bible. His

Bible study led him to discover many Bible truths, among which was the 2,300 days prophecy of Daniel 8:14. He expanded the doctrine of the imminent return of Christ.

Miller went through a deep study of the prophecy of Daniel 8:14 for five years.22

20 Froom, The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, 2:243.

21 Moore, Challenges to the Remnant, 99.

22 Froom, Movement of Destiny, 111.

He and LeRoy Edwin Froom (1818-1823) would continue to study this prophecy for the next nine years23 (1823-1832). Other prominent laborers had become connected with him in the work and the study of prophecy. Among those who supported Miller were Joshua V. Himes, who used several means to spread the soon coming of the Lord. Miller and Joshua V. Himes concluded the validity of Bible prophecy based on the various calculations that arose from the study of Daniel 8:14.

Miller came later with the conclusion that Jesus will come in the 1840s. Through

Bible Conferences and Camp meetings, Miller spread his Bible discoveries throughout America.

Miller wrote:

I found, in going through with the Bible, the end of all things was clearly and emphatically predicted, both as to time and manner. I believed; and immediately the duty to publish this doctrine, that the world might believe and get ready to meet the Judge and Bridegroom at his coming, was impressed upon my mind.24

From that point Miller preached a doctrinal movement that was a visual, and a literal premillennial return of the Messiah in the clouds of heaven. By 181825, through his meticulous and expended Bible study he came to the conclusion that Jesus will come back by 1843, which was later changed to October 22, 1844 based on the teaching called the “Seventh Month Movement.”26

23 George R. Knight, A Brief History of Seventh-day Adventists, 3rd ed. (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 2012), 15.

24 Joshua V. Himes, Views of the Prophecies and Prophetic Chronology: Selected from Manuscripts of William Miller, with a Memoir of His Life (Boston, MA: Joshua V. Himes, 1842), 12.

25 Knight, A Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs, 43.

26 It is a view that saw the Old Testament ceremonial Sabbaths as types and the ministry of Jesus as the antitype. Mostly advocated by S.S. Snow, he proclaimed that Christ will come on “tenth day of the seventh month” according to the Jew calendar. After some calculation, this period was corresponding to October 22, 1844.

In the summer of 1844 the cry was given by many voices, “Come out of

Babylon,” and a large number of the Adventists left their churches and were disfellowshiped. “This movement has since been interpreted by Seventh day

Adventists as the second angel’s message of Revelation 14:8.”27 Unfortunately, 1844 is remembered today as the date of the Great Disappointment, because Jesus Christ did not return as Miller predicted it. On the day of October 22nd of 1844, throughout the United States people were gathering themselves together expecting to see the coming of Jesus. “But the great day passed. Most of the believers continued waiting expectantly until clocks tolled midnight. Then they were forced to face the fact that something was wrong.”28 Jesus had not come as they expected.

Henry Emmons wrote, while talking about that day:

I waited all the forenoon Wednesday, and was well in body as I ever was, but after 12 o’clock I began to feel faint, and before dark I needed someone to help me up to my chamber, as my natural strength was leaving me very fast, and I lay prostrate for 2 days without any pain – sick with disappointment.29

Hiram Edson also adds:

Our fondest hopes and expectations were blasted, and such a spirit of weeping came over us as I never experienced before. It seemed that the loss of all earthly friends could have been no comparison. We wept, and we wept, till the day dawn.30

After the disappointment Miller was not be discouraged, though he faced verbal and sometimes physical reaction to the October 22, 1844 event. He wrote to

27 Everett Dick, Founders of the Message (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1938), 7.

28 Richard W. Schwarz and Floyd Greenleaf, Light Bearers: A History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (Ontario, Canada: Pacific Press, 1979), 48.

29 Henry Emmons, “Letter from Bro. Emmons,” The Day-Star, December 20, 1845.

30 James Nix, “The Life and Work of Hiram Edson,” Unpublished Manuscript (Andrews University Heritage Room, 1941).

Smith and said that “I have been twice disappointed, I am not yet cast down and discourage. God has been with my spirit, and has comforted me.”31

David Arthur also states that in the early 1845, “the cause of Adventism was flying off in several directions.”32 Millerism being an ecumenical movement prior to

1844 composed of many evangelical denominations underwent a fragmentation as a result of the disappointment.33 Among the various branches that came as a result of the October 1844 disappointment were the Spiritualizers,34 the Shakers35 and later the

Sabbatarian Adventists. From those who attended the Albany Conference36 many churches emerged.37 “From the radicals not invited to the Albany conference, the

Sabbatarian Adventists, who were formally organized as Seventh-day Adventists in

31 William Miller, “Apology and Defense,” May 12, 1844, 179.

32 David Arthur, “Joshua V. Himes and the Cause of Adventism, 1839-45” (MA Thesis, University of Chicago, 1961).

33 George Knight, William Miller and the Rise of Adventism (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press, 2010), 196.

34 This group believed that the date and the event of October 22, 1844, had been fulfilled. They believed that Jesus has come not in the clouds of heaven but rather He has come has the bridegroom in heaven to receive the kingdom. See A. Hale and J. Turner, eds., “The Advent Mirror” (January 1845): 1–4.

35 They believed that Jesus Christ has come in spirit, and that this coming had taken place in Ann Lee (a prophetess). According to them lustful sexual intercourse was the origin of sin in Eden. See Edward Deming Andrews, Edward Deming Andrews, The People Called Shakers: A Search for the Perfect Society (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1953), 223–292.

36 Held from 29 of April, 1845. Called by Himes and Miller it was a conference that aimed at strengthening one another in the faith. The conference also set forth ten point as doctrinal platform related to the advent and salvation. See Knight, William Miller and the Rise of Adventism, 196, 228– 250.

37 “Out of those who met at Albany, three principal Adventist churches eventually developed: the American Evangelical Adventist Conference, the Advent Christian Church, and the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith (later Church of God General Conference). From the radicals not invited to the Albany conference, the Sabbatarian Adventists, who in the 1860s formed the Seventh-day Adventist Church, emerged as the largest of all the groups with Millerite roots.” Gary Land, Historical Dictionary of Seventh-day Adventists (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2005), 197.

the early 1860s38 became the largest church having a Millerite roots. Hence,

Adventism found its immediate roots in the Second Advent movement of the early nineteenth century.39 With time, Adventist understood that they have erred in the nature of the event that was supposed to occur in 1844. They understood “the cleansing of the sanctuary” as making reference not to the end of the world but to the entrance of Jesus Christ as the High Priest in the Most Holy place. Joseph Bates clearly understood that, Jesus Christ entered into the Most Holy place in 1844.40

His arguments was later supported by Uriah Smith as well.41 It was not just about finding truth but also changing life. Gerald Wheeler also pointed out that

“Adventist religion was not just what one believed but also what the Holy Spirit could do in each live. Believers sought not only propositional truth but transformed lives.”42

As the Adventist Church was growing, there came a need to have an appropriate set of doctrines, but what has been the Adventist understanding of doctrinal development?

Adventist Understanding of Their Doctrinal Development

A doctrine “is what is taught by the church; as the officially agreed teaching of the institution.”43 It comes from the Latin word doctrina which means “teaching” or

38 Douglas Morgan, Adventism and the American Republic: The Public Involvement of a Major Apocalyptic Movement (Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 2001), 12.

39 Knight, A Brief History of Seventh-day Adventists, 13.

40 Joseph Bates, An Explanation of the Typical and Anti-Typical Sanctuary (New Bedford, MA: Benjamin Lindsey, 1850), 10.

41 Uriah Smith, The Sanctuary and the Twenty-Three Hundred Days of Daniel VIII.14 (Battle Creek, MI: Steam Press of The Seventh-day Adventist, 1877), 234–236.

42 Gerald Wheeler, James White: Innovator and Overcomer (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 2003), 52.

43 Colin Gunton, “Historical and Systematic Theology,” ed. Colin Gunton, The Cambridge Companion to Christian Doctrines (Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1997), 4.

“instruction.” Doctrines define views that are acceptable and unacceptable.44 Also called “dogma,” they are opinions that have been determined by authority, a decree, an edict or a precept. And in this sense, it is used by some philosophers like Plato, and

Demosthenes.45 When we speak of “Christian doctrine,” “we are speaking of the

Christian system of belief or the common core of Christian teaching that determines

Christian self-understanding –that is, what it means to be Christian.”46 During the apostolic Church the doctrines were Christ-centered.47 In the early century after the apostolic age “Christianity seems to have implied a complex of belief and practice” or doctrines from the Apostolic Fathers,48 and the Greek Apologists.49

From then on, the Christian Church has gone through a doctrinal development, which is marked by different periods, that is for the early Church, the Pre-Nicene,50 the Nicaea,51 and the Chalcedon52 period. Later, the church was plunged deeper and

44 Thomas C. Oden, The Rebirth of Orthodoxy: Signs of New Life in Christianity (San Francisco, CA: Harper San Francisco, 2003), 132–136.

45 James Franklin Bethune-Baker, An Introduction to the Early History of Christian Doctrine: To the Time of the Council of Chalcedon (London, UK: Methuen & Co., 1903), 5.

46 Ronald E. Heine, Classical Christian Doctrine: Introducing the Essentials of the Ancient Faith (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2013), 5.

47 Olsen, A History of the Origin and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists, 12.

48 Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp, the author of 2 Clement, Barnabas, Hermas.

49 Aristides, Justin, Tatian, Athenagoras, Theophilus.

50 This period was characterized by the doctrine of the God. “For not until the council of Constantinople (381) was the formula of one God existing in three co-equal Persons formally ratified.” It is also the period of Apostolic Fathers, and they appear as witnesses to the traditional faith.

51 The Council of Nicea drew up a creed based on the Rule of Faith of the church in Caesarea. The Nicene Creed not only confirmed the ancient view of the Trinity held by the Church, but it specifically refuted and condemned Arianism.

52 The Fourth Ecumenical Council, held in 451, affirmed the two nature of Christ – Godhead and manhood.

deeper into apostasy. Many new teachings entered the church and “all the element that contributed to its downfall were at work already in the fourth century.”53

In the sixteenth century the Reformation came, and reaffirmed primarily the doctrine of righteousness by faith. The Reformers rejected doctrines that did affect the mediaeval church, and in order to explain where “they stood with regard to the practices of the mediaeval Catholic Church, the several Protestant groups constructed their own confessional statements,”54 in order to express their doctrines. Since then, some denominations have seen changes or revisions of their doctrines, others have seen theirs remained statics.

In addressing the issue of doctrinal development, basic approaches or views have been suggested. Among the various views which developed in history, three stand out:

1. The Static View55

2. The Evolutionary/Revolutionary View56

3. The Dynamic View.

Adventists, who have seen the development of their doctrines believe in the dynamic view. It is a view which lay emphasis on doctrinal continuity and at the same time allow for doctrinal change or revision. It is also known as “progressive

53 Olsen, A History of the Origin and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists, 31.

54 Samuel Koranteng-Pipim, “Do We Need a 28th Fundamental Belief?,” in Here We Stand: Evaluating New Trends in the Church (Berrien Springs, MI: Adventists Affirm, 2005), 103.

55 This view sees doctrines as not being subject to changes and the development of human society. It sees doctrines to be unchangeable. See Rolf J. Pohler, “Change in Seventh-day Adventist Theology: A Study of the Problem of Doctrinal Development” (Doctoral Dissertation, Andrews University, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, 1995), 120–123.

56 This view has “the tendency to make father light of doctrinal continuity as well as of the objective aspects of revelation, faith, and knowledge of truth. It refuses to see doctrinal propositions as belonging to the invariable substance.” See Ibid., 120-123. 127-128.

revelation.”57 Throughout their history, Seventh-day Adventist have looked forward to discovering or receiving additional truth that will match with prior truth. Their doctrines have developed from their original distinctive principles of beliefs to some explicit doctrines. Though the pioneers of the Adventist Church, who emerged as

Protestants, rejected formal creed, they accepted the Bible as the only standard of faith. This is why “in order to base their beliefs on Scripture alone, and to disenfranchise tradition from exercising any theological authority, they found it methodologically essential to reject every doctrine not clearly grounded in Scripture alone.”58

Adventists have seen their confessional statements [doctrines] not as rigid, fossilized, or infallible expressions of truth, but as a reflection of their understanding and expression of Biblical truth.59 In the same line, George Knight says that “the

Seventh-day Adventist Church had a dynamic concept of what they called ‘present truth,’ opposed creedal rigidity, and had an openness to new theological understandings that built upon the landmark doctrines that had made them a people.”60 Uriah Smith in agreement with it wrote that:

Every additional evidence upon one, proportionally strengthens all the rest; and thus, by this reciprocal strength which each point furnishes to the others, the great

57 P. Gerard Damsteegt, “Seventh-day Adventist Doctrines and Progressive Revelation,” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 2, no. 1 (1991): 77–92.

58 Jerry Moon, “The Adventist Trinity Debate Part 1: Historical Overview,” in Andrews University Seminary Studies (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 2003), 129. [113-129.].

59 Koranteng-Pipim, “Do We Need a 28th Fundamental Belief?,” 108.

60 Knight, A Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs, 27.

platform of truth is established, on which God’s people will finally be found standing, and which will abide the rest of the great day.61

On the same line of doctrinal development, in her article, Ed Zinke, presented some points that might lead a domination to revise its beliefs statement, as he introduced an analysis on changes that were done on the Adventist doctrines, during the 2015 General Conference session. He mentioned: finding smoother language and sentence structure; finding language that is easier to translate into other languages; updating terminology when the meaning or usage of language has changed; clarifying language that may not clearly state where the church stands; addressing new situations that call for clarification; adding an emphasis that was not mentioned in prior statements; changing or adding new statements that add to or change the meaning of the prior statements.62

Hence, doctrinal development in the Seventh-day Adventist Church has always been a reality since “the revision of these statements [doctrines] may be expected at a General Conference session when the church is led by the Holy Spirit to a fuller understanding of Bible truth or finds better language in which to express the teaching of God’s Holy Word.”63 As the Adventist Church believes in progressive doctrinal development, the next part of this work highlights the major era of doctrinal development in the Adventist Church.

61 Knight, A Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs, 27.

62 Ed Zinke, “What Got Changed in Fundamental Beliefs: A Look at Some of the Statements That Were Revised and Why,” Adventist Review Online, last modified July 7, 2015, https://www.adventistreview.org/church-news/story2975-what-got-changed-in-fundamental-beliefs.

63 Adventist Fundamental Beliefs, quoted in Samuel Koranteng Pipim, Koranteng-Pipim, “Do We Need a 28th Fundamental Belief?,” 108.

Creeds in the Adventist Church

Throughout the development of their Statements of Beliefs, Seventh-day

Adventists have insisted on the fact that they have no creed but the Bible alone.

64Their hesitancy to subscribe to a “creed” seems to be based on the tendency of creeds to lead to authoritarianism, calcification of beliefs, and the stifling of fresh searches for biblical understanding and truth.65

Kwabena Donkor stated that “The church’s holding certain fundamental beliefs and at the same time affirming the Bible as its only creed may seem contradictory.”66 Nevertheless, he adds, “When it is kept in mind that the word creed comes from the Latin credo, which simply means ‘I believe,’ it becomes immediately apparent that, technically, there is no contradiction here. But behind the Seventh-day

Adventist expression of the phrase ‘no creed but the Bible’ is a particular understanding of the relation between the church’s expression of doctrine and beliefs and the Bible.” 67

The Era of Doctrinal Development

In an attempt to study the era of doctrinal development in the Seventh-day

Adventist Church, the paper presents firstly, the doctrinal background of Adventism.

Secondly, it introduces the Minneapolis Conference, which played an important role in the Adventist Church. And finally, the paper gives the meaning of the Minneapolis

64 Kwabena Donkor, “The Role of the Statement of Beliefs and Creeds,” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 16, no. 1–2 (2005): 93.

65 Fritz Guy, “Uncovering the Origins of the Statement of Twenty-Seven Fundamental Beliefs,” Spectrum Magazine, 2004, 20.

66 Donkor, “The Role of the Statement of Beliefs and Creeds,” 99.

67 Ibid., 100.

Conference, the Bible Conference of 1919, and a brief overview of the General

Conference statement of 1986 in Brazil.

The Doctrinal Background

The Adventist Church came from the Millerite movement of 1800s, with a focus on prophecy and the Second Advent of Christ. Schwarz and Greenleaf in the book entitled Light Bearers to the Remnant, states that “William Miller’s contact with

Joshua V. Himes opened an entirely new era in the advent awakening in the United

States.”68 Joshua V. Himes was not only one of the major collaborators of William

Miller, but he was also the one who brought the theory of the earthly Millennium in the advent movement of 1840s,69 which could be seen has a belief or a doctrine.

Though there were two different views on the millennium, the premillennial and the postmillennial view, Joshua Himes and many Christians during the advent movement believed in the post-millennial view, for most of the Christians believed that Jesus would come in a few years.

However, a shift from the postmillennial view to the premillennial to occurred later after a complete understanding of the sanctuary by advent believers. According to Damsteegt’s “the sanctuary theology [Jesus’ two phase ministry in the heavenly sanctuary] provided an explanation of the Disappointment and interpreted the event as an important factor in God’s plan of redemption,”70

As it has been stated earlier, Miller Bible study led him to discover many

Bible truths, among which was the 2,300 days/years prophecy of Daniel 8:14. This

68 Schwarz and Greenleaf, Light Bearers: A History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 35.

69 Knight, A Brief History of Seventh-day Adventists, 16.

70 P. Gerard Damsteegt, Foundations of the Seventh-day Adventist Message and Mission (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1977), 132.

study led the first Adventists to have a strong interest in prophecy, but later, a development occurred with a more accurate precision as to what the prophecy of

Daniel was all about. Miller later wrote:

I found, in going through with the Bible, the end of all things was clearly and emphatically predicted, both as to time and manner. I believed; and immediately the duty to publish this doctrine that the world might believe and get ready to meet the Judge and Bridegroom at his coming, was impressed upon my mind.71

Heirs of sixteenth century reformation, which led to the rising of the Protestant

Church in North America, the Millerite movement had as only creed the Bible and the

Bible alone. For instance the Christian Connexion72 stipulated that the Bible alone should be its guide and standard.73 This high view of Scripture extremely impacted the founders of the Adventist Church. James White indicates later that “the [B]ible is a perfect, and complete revelation and our only rule of faith and practice.”74 Uriah

Smith also affirmed the same point when he stated that “the Holy Scriptures, of the

Old and New Testaments, were given by inspiration of God, contain a full revelation of his will to man, and are the only infallible rule of faith and practice.”75

The understanding of what occurred in 1844, was another element that brought new doctrines among the Adventists. After careful Bible studies, the forerunners of the Adventist Church understood that Miller made a mistake as to the interpretation of

71 Himes, Views of the Prophecies and Prophetic Chronology, 12.

72 One branch of the Restorationism movement that influenced Adventism. Among the founders of the Adventist Church who were part of this branch are James White and Joseph Bates.

73 S. Joseph Kidder, “Creeds and Statements of Belief in Early Adventist Thought,” in Andrews University Seminary Studies, vol. 47 (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 2009), 102.

74 James White, A Word to the “Little Flock” (Brunswick,OH: James White, 1847), 13.

75 Uriah Smith, A Declaration of the Fundamental Principles Taught and Practiced by the Seventh Day Adventists (Battle Creek, MI: Steam Press of The Seventh-day Adventist, 1872), 5; James White, “Fundamental Principles Signs of the Times (Hereafter ST),” Words of Truth Series, no. 5 (June 4, 1874).

the event that occurred on October 1844. They understood the teaching of the sanctuary and came to the conclusion that Jesus had entered the Most Holy place in

1844. From the sanctuary teaching many other doctrines were brought out. Later

Roswell saw a close relationship between the Ten Commandments and the Sanctuary.

D. M. Canright, connected the judgment in the heavenly sanctuary with the doctrine of non-immortality; and Uriah Smith went on to demonstrate the connection between the Sabbath and the Sanctuary.76 Also, they clearly found a connection between the sanctuary and the judgment, for according to their understanding the investigative judgment started exactly when Jesus Christ entered the Most Holy place. Maxwell indicates that “the Seventh-day Adventist doctrine of the pre-advent investigative judgment was not work up by Ellen White or Hiram Edson. … It was developed by many Bible students from a large body of interrelated data located in both Old and

New Testaments.”77

Concerning the Sabbath, according to George Knight, “a zealous Seventh-day

Baptist by the name of Rachel Oaks became interested in the Second Advent.”78 And

Knight adds that “She had also shared her Sabbath perspective with the Adventist congregation in Washington.”79 Though by 1844, many Adventists founders had not yet accepted the Sabbath. It is believed that Joseph Bates after being convinced of the

Sabbath, did convince the others. “Bates gave the Seventh-day Sabbath doctrine a

76 Paul A. Gordon, Sanctuary, 1844, and the Pioneers (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1983), 20–21.

77 C. Mervyn Maxwell, Magnificent Disappointment: What Really Happened in 1844...and Its Meaning for Today (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1994), 81.

78 Knight, A Brief History of Seventh-day Adventists, 62–63.

79 George R. Knight, Joseph Bates: The Real Founder of Seventh-Day Adventism (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 2004), 79.

richness and prophetic meaning.”80 Ellen White did not accept it at once. She indicates later that “I did not feel its importance and thought that he erred in dwelling upon the forth commandment more than upon the other nine.”81 Later, she believed and accepted the truth of the Sabbath. She wrote, “I believed the truth upon the

Sabbath question before I had seen anything in vision in reference to the Sabbath.”82

Hence, the Sabbath faced a doctrinal development. Hence, “intensive Bible study following the Great Disappointment led them to identify themselves as the divinely commissioned heralds for the message of the three angels.”83

On the question of the Trinity, the divinity and the personhood of Jesus, many

Adventist pioneers could not subscribe to it during the early history of the movement.

However, in contrast to the evangelicals, the Seventh-day Adventists developed a whole set of “unconventional beliefs that they saw as their special mission to share to the world.”84 They put in place biblical principles that became doctrinal and lifestyle borderline.

Between 1849 and 1888 the Adventist Church underwent, according to

Schwarz and Greenleaf, all the major and basic doctrinal development. By the end of

1848, Adventist had already agreed on some basic doctrines which were not seen as creeds. They believed that continued study of the Bible could lead them to a more complete and comprehensive understanding of the truth. It was 1872 that the first

80 Knight, William Miller and the Rise of Adventism, 264.

81 Ellen G. White, Life Sketches of Ellen G. White (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1915), 95.

82 Ellen G. White, “Letter 2, 1874,” in Ellen G. White Manuscript Releases, vol. 8 (Silver Spring, MD: Ellen G. White Estate, 1990), 238.

83 Schwarz and Greenleaf, Light Bearers: A History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 160.

84 Knight, William Miller and the Rise of Adventism, 282.

most comprehensive Seventh-day Adventist doctrinal statement in a small booklet was published which contained twenty-five articles. It was seen as basic Adventist doctrines. And the purpose was to “meet inquiries,” “to correct false statements,” and

“to correct erroneous impressions.” The first two propositions in the 1872 statement of Fundamental Principles, composed by Uriah Smith,85 though proclaimed a belief in

“one God” and “on the Lord Jesus Christ,” did not contain any affirmation of the

Trinitarian belief.86 And by the end of the century this teaching [doctrine] on Trinity, was developed and the Adventist switched and viewed the trinity as three equal person. Uriah Smith statement focused on Christ ministry in the heavenly sanctuary, the Second Advent, and the humanity’s true nature.

On June 4, 187487, James White published a significant article in the journal

Signs of Times, presenting a synopsis of the Adventist doctrines. This article contained twenty-eight articles of faith [doctrines], which had three more articles of faith added to the 1872 Statement of Beliefs. It was obviously seen that there was a development in Adventist doctrines. The three added doctrines were number five, fifteen and sixteen:

That the new birth comprises the entire change necessary to fit us for the kingdom of God, and consists of two parts: First, a moral change wrought by conversion and a Christian life (John 5:3) second, a physical change at the second coming of Christ, whereby, if dead, we are raised incorruptible, and if living, are

85 Alberto R. Timm, “A History of Seventh-day Adventist Views on Biblical and Prophetic Inspiration (1844-2000),” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 0, no. 1–2 (1999): 488.

86 Schwarz and Greenleaf, Light Bearers: A History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 161.

87 See James White, “Fundamental Principles,” Signs of the Times, June 4, 1874; Anita Ganeri, The Living Witness: Significant Articles from the Signs of the Times, 1874-1959 (Oakland, CA: Pacific Press, 1959), 1, 2.

changed to immortality in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Luke 20, 36; 1 Cor.

15:51, 52.88

That the Scriptures insist upon plainness and modesty of attire as a prominent mark of discipleship in those who profess to be the followers of Him who was “meek and lowly in heart; “that the wearing of gold, pearls, and costly array, or anything designed merely to adorn the person and foster the pride of the natural heart, is to be discarded, according to such scriptures as 1 Tim. 2:9, l0; 1 Peter 3:3, 4.89

That means for the support of evangelical work among men should be contributed from love to God and love of souls, not raised by church lotteries, or occasions designed to contribute to the fun-loving, appetite-indulging propensities of the sinner, such as fairs, festivals, crazy socials, etc., which are a disgrace to the professed church of Christ; that the proportion of one’s income required in former dispensations can be no less under the gospel; that it is the same as Abraham (whose children we are, if we are Christ’s. Gal. 3:29) when he gave him a tenth of all (Heb.

7:1-4); the tithe is the Lord’s (Lev. 27:30); and this tenth of one’s income is also to be supplemented by offerings from those who are able, for the support of the gospel. 2

Cor. 9:6; Mal. 3:8, 10.90

It is important to note that before 1888 Adventist doctrines were divided into two sets. The first set of doctrines were made up of doctrines that Adventists shared with other Christians; the second set was made of the destined doctrines that had been presented previously. But the most important event that marked and influenced one of

88 See White, “Fundamental Principles,” Ganeri, The Living Witness, 1, 2.

89 Ibid.

90 Ibid.

the significant historical development on Adventist doctrines was the Minneapolis

Conference in 1888.

The 1888 Minneapolis Conference

The 1888 General Conference session was held from October 17, to

November 4, in Minneapolis.91 Certain circumstances prepared the eruptive atmosphere of the Minneapolis conference, that is, the Galatians controversy, the

National Sunday Law, the ten Kingdoms, the California conspiracy,92 and conflicts of personality.93

In October 1888, at Minneapolis, the General Conference addressed four important points, that marked another doctrinal development of the Seventh-day

Adventist Church: “(1) a reexamination of the grounds for authority in settling theological and biblical issues, (2) a fuller understanding of righteousness by faith, (3) significant development in Adventism’s position on the Trinity, the divine nature of

Christ and the personhood of the Holy Spirit, and (4) exploration into the human nature of Christ.”94 However, all the above mentioned topics were not much emphasized as the ten horns and the law in Galatians.

Before the Minneapolis conference there was an ongoing debate between

Alonzo T. Jones and Uriah Smith over the identity of the ten horns of Daniel 7.95

91 There was a ministerial program which lasted for 10 days before the formal session started.

92 Before the 1888 General Conference session, A.T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner with other people gathered to study the subject the Galatians controversy. But a pastor from California named William M. Healey decided to expose the meeting to Butler as a conspiracy meeting which aimed to force the church to change its theology.

93 A conflict of personality between Butler, Smith and Waggoner, and Jones and other participants will be a realty before, during and after the 1888 Conference.

94 Knight, A Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs, 93.

95 George R. Knight, From Eighteen Eighty-Eight to Apostasy: The Case of A. T. Jones (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1987), 20.

Meanwhile, Uriah Smith, by that time, had always thoughts that his interpretation over the ten horns was correct until Waggoner found out that it was not correct based on Jones’ research. Gary Land, states that “during the course of 25 years Smith had become the Adventist authority on the interpretation of prophecy.”96 This notwithstanding, it is important to note that the delegates of the 1884 General

Conference session asked Jones to “write a series of articles gathered from history on points that showed the fulfillment of prophecy.”97

As Jones was well versed in his research on the topic, it became clear to him that the Alemnanni, not the Huns – as suggested by Uriah Smith, would be a better identification of the tenth horn of Daniel 7. After his new discovery A.T Jones wrote to Smith but he did not receive any feedback. Later, Jones decided to publish his new position in the Signs of the Times, from August 6, 1885 stretching to January 6, 1887.

But later, Gary Land clearly says that “Uriah acknowledged receipt of the articles but expressed frustration that Jones had taken the issue into the public realm.”98 This situation thereafter aroused “the heretofore-unresponsive Smith to an irate counterattack.”99 During the Minneapolis conference the discussion on the topic of the tenth horn identity was heated, that they could confront each other with the question

“Are you a Hun or an Alemanni?”100 If the debate on the 10 horns was intensive

96 Gary Land, Uriah Smith: The Apologist and Biblical Commentator (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 2014), 168.

97 Woodrow W. Whidden II, E.J. Waggoner: From the Physician of Good News to the Agent of Division (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 2008), 95.

98 Land, Uriah Smith: The Apologist and Biblical Commentator, 170.

99 Whidden II, E.J. Waggoner: From the Physician of Good News to the Agent of Division, 95.

100 Froom, Movement of Destiny, 245.

during the Minneapolis conference, the debate on the law in Galatians “was literally explosive.”101

Before 1888, the Adventist Church had felt itself defenseless by theological change as far as its teachings are concerned on the nature of the law in Galatians. “For three decades Adventist had interpreted that law to be the ceremonial law.”102

According to Knight it is between 1884 and 1886 that Jones and Waggoner begun to teach a new understanding of the law in Galatians.103 They understood the law in

Galatians104 to be the Ten Commandments rather than the ceremonial or the Mosaic

Law. Then, a fight on arguments on the subject will be done via publishing between

Alonzo T. Jones, Ellet J. Waggoner and Butler who was then the President of the

General Conference of the Adventist Church. For Butler and Smith, such position was going against the traditional teachings of Adventists. Nevertheless, Waggoner claimed that the understanding of Galatians as referring to the Decalogue brings anyone unto

Christ in order to experience justification.

During the 1888 General Conference session, Waggoner will present nine lectures, “which called upon Adventists to move their emphasis from God’s law to

Christ’s righteousness as a means of salvation.”105 Ellen G. White appealed to the delegates to listen to Waggoner without biases.106 And later she agreed with

101 Knight, From Eighteen Eighty-Eight to Apostasy: The Case of A. T. Jones, 36.

102 Ibid., 24.

103 Ibid.

104 The bone of contention was on Galatians 3, especially the “added law.”

105 Land, Uriah Smith: The Apologist and Biblical Commentator, 170.

106 Whidden II, E.J. Waggoner: From the Physician of Good News to the Agent of Division, 41.

Waggoner on this subject, and stated it later in Testimonies to Minister and Gospel

Workers.107

Waggoner wrote later:

Christ has been set forth by God as the one through whom forgiveness consist simply in the declaration of His righteousness (which is the righteousness of God) for their remission. God ‘who is rich in mercy’ (Eph. 2:4), and who delight in it, put His own righteousness on the sinner who believes in Jesus, as a substitute for sin. Surely, this is a profitable exchange for the sinner, and it is no loss to God, for He is infinite in holiness, and the supply can never be diminished.108

After the Minneapolis conference in 1887, Waggoner wrote:

Divine pardon is justification; God pardons the believer in Christ by imputing His righteousness ‘for the remission of sins of the past.’ The pardoned one is as though he had never sinned; where there nothing but guilt before, God beholds nothing but righteousness – righteousness put there through His own wonderful love.109

During the 1888 conference Alonzo T. Jones and Ellet J. Waggoner became prominent speakers during the Minneapolis conference for they focused not only on a new understanding of righteousness by faith, that is, the relationship between the Law and the Gospel, but also on the nature of Christ. Waggoner presented what was then a revolutionary view on the divinity of Christ, for Waggoner “contends that Christ is

‘the source whence all things have their origin.’ He is the ‘Creator and not a creature.’”110 He insisted that not only Christ is Creator but “He is of the very substance and nature of God.”111 Nevertheless, his view and arguments were later accepted by the church and confirmed by Ellen G. White.

107 Ellen G. White, Testimonies To Ministers And Gospel Workers (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1923), 91–98.

108 Froom, Movement of Destiny, 196.

109 E. J. Waggoner, “The Lord’s Prayer,” Signs of the Times (May 5, 1887).

110 Froom, Movement of Destiny, 196.

111 Ibid.

The Meaning of the 1888 Minneapolis Conference

Till today, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has looked at the 1888

Conference as an important point in their history. This Conference proved to be a major turning point in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The changes on doctrinal position were made slowly during the following years of the Conference.

On the negative side, a clear conflict was felt during the Minneapolis

Conference. The attitude of some delegates at the Conference who opposed righteousness by faith “were ruled by the wrong spirit.”112 A lot of bitterness was persevered among brothers even after the conference. For Olsen, this opposition against E. J. Waggoner and A.T. Jones was as a result of the weaknesses of human nature.113 Ellen White called it “the saddest experience of my life.”114 According to

Knight it was the “spirit of critical attitude toward those who differed theologically upon its possessors.”115

There was also a positive side to the Minneapolis Conference. “E. J.

Waggoner's sermons on salvation through faith in Christ's righteousness struck a note that had long been missing from Adventist sermons.”116 Though many people may have the impression that the Minneapolis session rejected the doctrine of righteousness by faith, for Olson, this is a serious mistake for “no action whatever was taken by vote of the delegates to accept it or to reject it. Its acceptance or rejection by

112 Knight, From Eighteen Eighty-Eight to Apostasy: The Case of A. T. Jones, 65.

113 Ibid.

114 Ellen G. White, The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials: Letters, Manuscripts, Articles, and Sermons Relating to the 1888 Minneapolis General Conference, vol. 1 (Washington, DC: Ellen G. White Estate, 1987), 179.

115 Knight, From Eighteen Eighty-Eight to Apostasy: The Case of A. T. Jones, 65.

116 Robert W. Olson, “1888-Issues, Outcomes, Lessons,” Ministry Magazine, 1988, 4–9.

the people present at the session was an individual matter.” 117 Ellen White later wrote that “the Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through

Elders Waggoner and Jones.”118 She defined the message of Minneapolis as the

“matchless charms of Christ,”119 as “the third angel's message,”120 and also as “the third angel's message in verity.”121

According to Knight after the Minneapolis Conference, many later, admitted their errors, such as Uriah Smith in January 1891, J. H. Morrison in July 1892 and

George I. Butler in June 1893.122 They all accepted the teaching on righteousness by faith, for later “no one from the Adventists leader ever denied it to be a central pillar of New Testament Christianity.”123 Many testimonies from E. G. White attest of the acceptance of the doctrine of righteousness of 1888. She stated that “there was a time when this work was made necessary, because our own people opposed the work of

God by refuting the light of the truth on the righteousness of Christ by faith.”124 And

W. C. White added that

Mother … says after the Minneapolis conference there was no much need of ministerial institutes, but now that the light has been presented and accepted,

117 A.V . Olson, Thirteen Crisis Years, 1888-1901, From the Minneapolis Meeting to the Reorganization of the General Conference (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1960), 40.

118 Ellen G. White, “Ellen G. White Letter 57, 1895,” in The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials: Letters, Manuscripts, Articles, and Sermons Relating to the 1888 Minneapolis General Conference, vol. 3 (Washington, DC: Ellen G. White Estate, 1987), 57.

119 Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 5 (Silver Spring, MD: Ellen G. White Estate, 1889).

120 White, Testimonies To Ministers And Gospel Workers, 93.

121 Ellen G. White, “Repentance the Gift of God,” Review and Herald, April 1, 1890.

122 Whidden II, E.J. Waggoner: From the Physician of Good News to the Agent of Division, 67.

123 Ibid., 68.

124 White, Testimonies To Ministers And Gospel Workers, 401.

that is the duty of those workers to gather about them laborers and lay helpers, and go into the mission fields working and teaching as they work.125

In order to keep the spread of the new teaching on righteousness by faith, E.G.

White A.T. Jones, and Waggoner spent many years leading revivals at camp meetings and in larger churches across the country.

In His article entitled 1888-issues, outcomes, lessons, Robert W. Olson gives seven lessons that can help the Seventh-day Adventist church not to repeat the same mistakes. First, people must learn to humble themselves and give themselves to God and put their idols away. Secondly, people should learn to pray constantly. Thirdly, there is a need to learn how to love one another despite opposing views. Fourth, every believer should search the Scriptures and not allow others to think on their behalf.

Fifth, an emphasis on righteousness by faith should be preached. Sixth, it is important not to “despise any prophecy (1 Thess. 5:20). Lastly, confidence in the Seventh-day

Adventist Church must be maintain.126

The 1919 Bible Conference

Before 1919, no major discussion occurred in the Seventh-day Adventist

Church, as far as doctrines, and Statement of Beliefs are concerned. This might have been because of the World War I (1914-18). However, prior to the 1919 Bible

Conference, Adventists were troubled127 by “the unfolding of life over eons of time which threatened faith in the biblical account of Creation.” The question of evolution

125 John Norton Loughborough, “W. C. White, to D.A Robinson,” in The Great Second Advent Movement (Battle Creek, MI: Teach Services, 1895), 295.

126 Olson, “1888-Issues, Outcomes, Lessons,” 4–9.

127 For an overview of the debate over creationism and evolution , Ronald L. Numbers, The Creationists: The Evolution of Scientific Creationism, Revised. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2006), 72.

threatened the creation concept of the Adventist belief,128 but also the core Adventist belief in the validity of the Seventh-day Sabbath. Adventists were also concerned about modernism, and he Authority of the Bible.129 The 1919 Bible Conference was shaped by pertinent events such as, the 1888 General Conference session, The translation of the word “daily” for the Hebrew word “tamid” (Dan. 8:11-13; 11:31;

12:11).

The Bible Conference was held from July 1 through July 19. The purpose of the 1919 Bible Conference was for those present to study the “various phases of our truth.” The most complete list of topics leading up to the Conference included the following topical assignments:

1. The person and mediatorial work of Christ (W. W. Prescott)

2. The nature and work of the Holy Spirit (A. G. Daniells)

3. The two covenants (F. M. Burg)

4. The principles of prophetic interpretation (M. C. Wilcox)

5. The Eastern question (H. C. Lacey and C. M. Sorenson)

6. The beast power of Revelation (M. C. Wilcox)

7. The 1260 days (H. S. Prenier)

8. The United States in prophecy (W. H. Wakeham)

9. The seven trumpets (M. L. Andreasen2 and C. L. Benson)

10. Matthew twenty-four (W. W. Prescott)

11. The identification of the ten kingdoms (C. P. Bollman).130

128 Michael W. Campbell, “The 1919 Bible Conference and Its Significance for Seventh-day Adventist History and Theology” (Doctoral Dissertation, Andrews University, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, 2008), 24.

129 Ibid., 66.

130 W. E. Howell, “Dear Brother,” WCW Correspondence, June 3, 1919.

Questions on Doctrines (1955-1956)

Between 1955 and 1956, a series of conferences between a few Adventist spokespersons and Protestant representatives were organized around the subject of doctrines. The roots of these conferences originated in a series of dialogues between

Pennsylvania Conference president, T. E. Unruh, and evangelical Bible teacher and magazine editor Donald Grey Barnhouse. Therefore, in order to answer specific questions asked by certain scholars and representatives of other Christian denominations as to what Seventh-day Adventist believed on certain major doctrinal points, the book Question on Doctrines was written and published. According to the authors,

[the] book came into being to meet a definite need. Interest concerning Seventh-day Adventist belief and work has increased as the movement has grown. But in recent years especially, there seems to be a desire on the part of many non-Adventists for a clearer understanding of our teachings and objectives. Uncertainty regarding our basic beliefs is abundantly evident in much of the literature published concerning us. There are already many books purporting to give the story of this people.131

Though there was no name of contributors in the book, the primary contributors to it were Le Roy Edwin Froom, Walter E. Read, and Roy Allan

Anderson. They presented the Adventist theological understanding on doctrinal questions such as, questions about Christ, questions on the relationship of Ellen G.

White’s writings to the Bible, questions on prophecy on Daniel 8 and 9, questions on

Christ and His ministry in the sanctuary, questions on the Second Advent and the millennium, questions on immorality, and some miscellaneous questions.

131 Review and Herald Publishing Association, Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine: An Explanation of Certain Major Aspects of Seventh-day Adventist Belief (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1957), 7.

The 1986 General Conference Session

On October 12, 1986, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Executive Committee approved and voted at the Annual Council Session in Rio de

Janeiro, Brazil, a statement entitled Bible Study: Presuppositions, Principles, and

Methods. This statement was important for the Seventh-day Adventist Church because it was purposely made to provide “guidelines on how to study the Bible, both the trained biblical scholar and others.” Implicitly, the statement influenced the way

Adventist approached doctrines, hermeneutic, hence their Statement of Belies, which is a reflection of their theology.

Summary

After reviewing the literatures available to us, the study did show that the

Seventh-day Adventist Church found its root in the Millerite movement of the 1800s.

Heirs of the Reformation, they had the Bible as their only creed and at the center of their teachings. The review has shown that Adventists believe in the dynamic view of doctrinal development. It is a view that uplifts doctrinal continuity but also allow changes132 to occur. This is the reason why many important events such as the

Minneapolis Conference of 1888, Questions of Doctrine of 1957, the Bible

Conference of 1919, and the 1986 General Conference Session, have played important roles in shaping the Seventh-day Adventist Statement of Beliefs.

132 No in a sense of contradiction but in sense of removing, emphasizing, adding, or making more explicit.

CHAPTER 3

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SDA STATEMENT OF BELIEFS

After perusing what has been written about the Seventh-day Adventist

Statement of Beliefs and its doctrinal development, this chapter focuses on the historical background of the Statement of Beliefs, published by the Seventh-day

Adventist Church in 1872, 1889, 1931, 1981, 2005, 2010, and 2015. The chapter also presents an analysis of the Statement of Beliefs.

The 1872 Statement of Beliefs

Historical Background

As it is stated in the Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs, it was “in 1872 [that] the

Adventist press at Battle Creek published a ‘synopsis of our faith’ in twenty-five propositions.”1 Though it was unsigned, it is believed that the pamphlet was written by Uriah Smith. 2Moreover, it is clearly stated in the 1912 Yearbook that “the

Declaration” was written “by the late Uriah Smith.”3 This statement which was written by Uriah Smith was entitled The Declaration of the Fundamental Principles

1 Ministerial Association of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Seventh-day Adventists Believe, A Biblical Exposition of Fundamental Doctrines, 2nd ed. (Silver Spring, MD: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 2005), v.

2 Timm, “A History of Seventh-day Adventist Views on Biblical and Prophetic Inspiration (1844-2000),” 488.

3 General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Statistical Secretary of the General Conference, Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1912 (SDA Yearbook 1912) (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1912), 261.

Taught and Practiced by the Seventh-day Adventists.4 “It contained twenty-five unsigned propositions that provided a broader picture of what the Church, as a body of believers, accepted as its doctrinal teachings.”5 The statement was later published in The Signs of the Times on June 4, 1874, under the title “Fundamental Principles.”6

According to Uriah Smith, the early Seventh-day Adventists needed to explain their beliefs to others, especially in the light of recent criticisms. Campbell added that

“for Uriah Smith, who commented regularly on publications received from various other Adventists entities, he recognized that Seventh-day Adventists were all too often confused with these other Adventist groups.”7

Therefore, the introductive statement in the 1872 Statement of Beliefs gave the purpose for which it was written. According to the author, it was written in order to correct and remove erroneous impressions, especially in the midst of recent criticism.

Hence, the reader was asked to be attentive “to the following propositions, which aim to be concise statement of the more prominent features of our faith.”8 It was then, because of the criticisms, and also because there was a need to provide a clear stand of the Seventh-day Adventists that Uriah Smith wrote,

Our only object is to meet this necessity [criticisms]. As Seventh-day

Adventists, we desire simply that our position shall be understood; and we are the

4 Smith, A Declaration of the Fundamental Principles Taught and Practiced by the Seventh Day Adventists; Roy Allan Anderson, “Our Declaration of Fundament Beliefs,” January 1958, 41.

5 Sergio Silva, “Development of the Fundamental Beliefs Statement with Particular Reference to the Fundamental Belief #6: Creation,” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 21, no. 1–2 (2010): 14. 14-44.

6 Review and Herald Publishing Association, “Doctrinal Statements, Seventh-day Adventist,” Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 2000), Doctrinal Statements, Seventh-day Adventist.

7 Michael W. Campbell, “Seventh-Day Adventism, Doctrinal Statements, and Unity,” 2013.

8 Smith, A Declaration of the Fundamental Principles Taught and Practiced by the Seventh Day Adventists, 4.

more solicitous for this because there are many who call themselves Adventists who hold views with we can have no sympathy, some of which, we think, are subversive of the plainest and most important principles set forth in the word of God. As compared with other Adventists, Seventh-day Adventists differ from one class in believing in the unconscious state of the dead, and the final destruction of the unrepentant wicked; from another, in believing in the perpetuity of the law of God as summarily contained in the Ten Commandments, in the operation of the Holy Spirit in the church, and in setting no times for the advent to occur; from all, in the observance of the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath of the Lord, and in many applications of the prophetic scriptures.9

It was a brief statement of “what is, and has been, with great unanimity, held by them [Adventists].”10 The Declaration appeared in the 1872 Yearbook; in the Signs of the Times in 1874 and 1875, and in the Review and Sabbath Herald in 1874.11 It was a set of twenty-five doctrinal beliefs.

In its introduction it states that:

In presenting to the public this synopsis of our faith, we wish to have it distinctly understood that we have no articles of faith, creed, or discipline, aside from the Bible. We do not put forth this as having any authority with our people, nor is it designed to secure uniformity among them, as a system of faith, but is a brief statement of what is, and has been, with great unanimity, held by them.12

9 Smith, A Declaration of the Fundamental Principles Taught and Practiced by the Seventh Day Adventists, 4.

10 Koranteng-Pipim, “Do We Need a 28th Fundamental Belief?,” 111.

11 Sergio Silva, “The Development of Fundamental Belief Number 6: Bedrock Adventist Belief in the Earth’s Creation Has Met Many Challenges,” Perspective Digest, July 27, 2016, http://www.perspectivedigest.org/article/54/archives/17-1/the-development-of-fundamental-belief- number-6.

12 Smith, A Declaration of the Fundamental Principles Taught and Practiced by the Seventh Day Adventists, 4.

An Analysis of the 1872 Statement

The 1872 Statement of doctrine was composed of twenty-five articles of faith.

Each article was a clear reflection of what Adventists believed, not only as heirs of the reformation, rooted in the Millerite movement, but also as a unique people. The twenty-five articles can be summarized as follows:

1. “That there is one God, a personal, spiritual being, the creator of all things.”

2. “That there is one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, the one by whom God created all things.”

3. The Holy Scriptures.

4. Baptism is an ordinance.

5. The New Birth.

6. Prophecy is a part of God’s revelation to man.

7. The World history fulfills Bible prophecy.

8. The Millennium.

9. The 2300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:14.

10. The Sanctuary of the New Covenant is the Tabernacle of God in Heaven.

11. The Ten Commandments.

12. The Seventh-day Sabbath.

13. The Papacy Changed the Sabbath.

14. Repentance and Conversion.

15. The Grace to Keep God’s Law.

16. The Spiritual Gifts.

17. Three Angels of Revelation 14.

18. The Cleansing of the Sanctuary and the Investigative Judgment.

19. The Grave is a Place of Darkness.

20. Human beings are reduced to a state of unconsciousness.

21. The bodily resurrection at Second Advent of Christ.

22. At the Second Coming the Living Righteous are “transformed in a moment.”

23. These immortalized ones are taken to heaven for millennium.

24. The final destruction of wicked at end of millennium.

25. The New heavens and new earth.

The 1872 Statement of Beliefs could be mainly divided into two sets of beliefs. The first set of beliefs was made up of doctrines that the early Adventists shared in common with the other Christian dominations. The other set, was composed of distinctive doctrines that made their unique identity. Among the set of doctrines shared in common with other Christian communities, we can mention God as the

Creator (#1), Jesus as the Savior (#2), Scripture, Baptism and the New Birth (#3, #4, and #5). And among the beliefs that were unique to the Sabbatarian were, a focus on prophecy (#6, #7); a new view of the millennium (#8, #23, #24); a tentative explanation of their understanding of what had happened in 1844 (#9); the truth of the sanctuary (#10, #18); an emphasis on the commandments of God (#11, #12, #13, #14, and #15); Spiritual gifts (#16); the three Angel’s Messages (#17); the State of the dead

(#19, #20, #21); the resurrection and the New Earth (#22, #25)

The 1889 Statement of Beliefs

Historical Background

In the 1889 Yearbook of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which was a larger volume than usual, which contained general information about the church and its activities, had twenty-eight sections of the “Fundamental Principles,” slightly revised and expanded, with a subtitle “Embracing Twenty-Eight Specifications,” from

page 147-151.13 These new principles of faith were reproduced in the Yearbook of

1905, 1907, and 1914.

The General introduction read:

As elsewhere stated, Seventh-day Adventists have no creed but the Bible; but they hold to certain well-defined points of faith, for which they feel prepared to give a reason ‘to every man that asketh’ them. The following propositions may be taken as a summary of the principal features of their religious faith, upon which there is, so far as we know, entire unanimity throughout the body.14

Analysis of the 1889 Statement of Beliefs

The 1872 Statement of Beliefs had twenty-five doctrinal points, while the

1889 statement had twenty-eight. Three other doctrines were added in the 1889

Statement of Beliefs, showing a progression, or a development in the Adventist

Theology. The twenty-eight articles were presented as followed:

1. “That there is one God, a personal, spiritual being, the creator of all things.”

2. “That there is one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, the one by whom God created all things.”

3. The Holy Scriptures.

4. Baptism is an ordinance.

5. The New Birth.

6. Prophecy is part of God’s revelation to man.

7. The World history fulfills Bible prophecy.

8. The Millennium.

9. The 2300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:14.

10. The Sanctuary of the New Covenant is the Tabernacle of God in Heaven.

13 General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Statistical Secretary of the General Conference, Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1889 (SDA Yearbook 1889) (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1889), 147.

14 Ibid.

11. The Ten Commandments.

12. The Seventh-day Sabbath.

13. The Papacy Changed the Sabbath.

14. A peculiar people.

15. Modesty.

16. Tithes and Offerings.

17. Repentance and Conversion.

18. The Grace to Keep God’s Law.

19. The Spiritual Gifts.

20. Three Angel’s message of Revelation 14.

21. The Cleansing of the Sanctuary and the Investigative Judgment.

22. The Grave is a Place of Darkness.

23. Human beings are reduced to a state of unconsciousness at death.

24. The bodily resurrection at the Second Advent of Christ.

25. At the Second Coming the Living Righteous are “transformed in a moment.”

26. The Resurrection.

27. The Destruction of the wicked.

28. The new heavens and earth.

However, if we look closely and compare the two statements – the 1872 to the

1889, it becomes clear that they were also a development in terms of wording, that is to say that certain words were added, and others removed.

Article 1 remained the same, but article 2 had known some clarifications. The

1872 statement said that “with his own blood he makes atonement for our sins,” however, the statement did not clearly indicate precisely what the “our” stands for.

Also, there seemed to be no explanation on the means of the atonement. In the 1889 statement, the authors clarified this statement and added the means of the atonement

and the people they earlier described as “our.” They added that the atonement was made “through the merits of his shed blood, he secures the pardon and forgiveness” for “all those who penitently come to him.” Also, the 1889 statement gave more precision as to when “the great atonement” was to be, and according to the statement it will be “before he [Jesus Christ] takes his throne as king, he will make the great atonement for the sins of all such, and their sins will then be blotted out (Acts 3:19) and borne away from the sanctuary.”15

Articles 3, 4, and 5 remained the same. The authors just added a bible text to support and clarify article 5 (1 Cor. 15:51-52). Articles 7, 8, and 9 also remained the same, but some bible passages were added to the 1889 statement (1 Thess. 5:3; 2

Thess. 2:8; Matt. 13:29, 30, 39; 2 Tim. 3:1, 13). Furthermore, in this version, “the statement on the observance of the Sabbath—the seventh fundamental belief— included the words “memorial of Creation,” making the concept of Creation more evident than its previous versions.”16

Article 10 remained the same, but a slight precision was made as to when the two thousand and three hundred days of Dan. 8:14 ended, and in the 1889 statement it was clearly stated that the thousand and three hundred days of Dan. 8:14 “terminated in 1844.” In article 10 some modifications, were made. Certain phrases were added for the purpose of clarification. For instance, it was made clear that the sanctuary to be cleansed was the heavenly sanctuary “and not the earth.” The expression “blotting out” in the 1872 statement was replaced by “making the atonement” and Leviticus chapter 16 was added as a supporting text. The article said that the atonement had a

15 Emphasis is mine.

16 Silva, “The Development of Fundamental Belief Number 6: Bedrock Adventist Belief in the Earth’s Creation Has Met Many Challenges,” 15.

“beginning” in 1844, while the 1872 statement used the word “commencing”, and

“consists in actually blotting out the sins of believers.” The expression “and the

Second Advent of Christ will take place” was also added in the 1889 statement.

Articles 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 26, 27, in the 1889 statement, which were respectively articles 14, 15, 16, 17,20,21,23 in the 1872 statement, remained the same.

Slight precisions were provided in the 1889 statement for article 21,17 a Bible quotation was added (Rev. 14:9-10) and the word “secondly” was added in order to show that “the investigative judgment” was to come before “the closing of probation.”

In article 2218 two words were added for a better explanation, “word” and “or condition.” In article 24,19 the expression “the righteous having part in the first resurrection” clarified the people who will have a part in the first resurrection. In article 25,20the word “the risen” was added to the 1889 statement. In article 27,

“which is everlasting death” is added to clarify “the everlasting destruction,” and in article 28, “and this renewed earth” is added to state the condition of the new earth after the destruction of the wicked in “ashes of the old.”

New doctrines were added, namely; the body as the temple of God as the basis for healthful living (#14, #15), and tithes and offerings (#16).

The 1931 Statement of Beliefs

Historical Background

On December 29, 1930, the General Conference Executive Committee received a request from missionaries in Africa for a Statement of Beliefs, they

17 It was article 18 in the 1872 Statement of Beliefs.

18 It was article 19 in the 1872 Statement of Beliefs.

19 It was article 21 in the 1872 Statement of Beliefs.

20 It was article 22 in the 1872 Statement of Beliefs.

believed it “would help government officials and others to a better understanding”21 of who Adventists are. Also H. Edson Rogers who was the Statistical Secretary of the

General Conference desired to place a Statement of Beliefs in the Seventh-day

Adventist Yearbook. Then, the General Conference president Charles H. Watson noted that, he along with three others ((M. E. Kern, F. M. Wilcox, and E. R. Palmer) formed a committee of four to review the former statement of Fundamental Beliefs.22

Meanwhile, important debates were going on among Adventists since 1888, concerning righteousness by faith, the nature of Christ, the personhood of the Holy

Spirit, and the Trinity.

The Trinity debate up to 1930

During the early years of the Church “some even held the view that Christ was a created being.”23 Joseph Bates and James White, and Joshua V. Himes rejected the doctrine of the Trinity. Uriah Smith, believed during the 1860s that Jesus was a created being. He was “the first created being, dating his existence far back before any other created being or thing, next to the self-existent and eternal God.”24 By 1881

Smith had changed his view and concluded that Jesus was “begotten” and not created.25 Just before 1890, Adventists came to the realization that “He [Jesus] was seen as the Creator with the Father. The nature of the Holy Spirit was lightly

21 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, General Conference Committee Minutes (Berrien Springs, MI: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, December 29, 1930), 195.

22 Ibid.

23 Merlin D. Burt, “History of Seventh-day Adventist Views on the Trinity,” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 17, no. 1 (Spring 2006): 126.

24 Uriah Smith, Thoughts, Critical and Practical, on the Book of Revelation (Battle Creek, MI: Seventh-day Adventist Publishing, 1881), 59.

25 Ibid., 74.

discussed, though He was generally considered to be the omnipresent influence from the Father or the Son rather than a person.”26 The period after the Minneapolis session led some the Adventist family to lay emphasis on Christ and His salvation. Though, the debate held at Minneapolis session did not automatically enter in the Adventist

Statement of Beliefs. Though, divided on the subject, it was clear to some Adventists that ““God is one. Jesus Christ is one. The Holy Spirit is one. And these three are one: there is no dissent nor division among them.”27

At the 1919 Bible Conference, W. W. Prescott affirmed the eternity of the

Son, he also said that He derived his existence from the Father.28 According to Merlin

D. Burt, “for Seventh-day Adventists, it took over 50 years for the doctrine of the

Trinity to become normative.”29

It was, for the first time in 1931, that two articles concerning the trinity and the divinity of Christ were added as part of the Statement of Beliefs. It stated:

That the Godhead, or Trinity, consists of the Eternal Father, a personal, spiritual Being, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, infinite in wisdom and love; the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, through whom all things were created and through whom the salvation of the redeemed hosts will be accomplished; the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, the great regenerating power in the work of redemption. Matt. 28:19. 30

That Jesus Christ is very God, being of the same nature and essence as the

Eternal Father. While retaining His divine nature He took upon Himself the nature of the human family, lived on the earth as a man, exemplified in His life as our Example

26 Burt, “History of Seventh-day Adventist Views on the Trinity,” 128.

27 A. T. Jones, Advent Review and Sabbath Herald (January 10, 1899): 24.

28 Burt, “History of Seventh-day Adventist Views on the Trinity,” 132.

29 Ibid., 139. 125–139.

30 General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Statistical Secretary of the General Conference, Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1931(SDA Yearbook 1931) (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1931), 377. This statement was prepared by H. E. Rogers.

the principles of righteousness, attested His relationship to God by many mighty miracles, died for our sins on the cross, was raised from the dead, and ascended to the

Father where He ever lives to make intercession for us. John 1:1, 14; Heb. 2:9–18;

8:1, 2; 4:14–16; 7:25.

Analysis of the 1931 Statement of Beliefs

The 1931 Statement of Beliefs was made up of twenty-two articles, unlike the

1889 statement which had twenty-eight articles. The twenty-two articles were presented with the following31 opening Statement: “Seventh-day Adventists hold certain fundamental beliefs, the principal features of which, together with a portion of the scriptural references upon which they are based, may be summarized as follows:”

1. The Holy Scriptures.

2. The Godhead, or Trinity.

3. Christ is very God, of the same nature and essence as the Eternal Father.

4. The New Birth.

5. Baptism is an ordinance.

6. The Ten Commandments.

7. The Seventh-day Sabbath.

8. The Ten Commandments points out sin, the penalty of which is death, which can only be kept through the enabling power of the indwelling Christ.

9. Humans are mortal. Only God is immortal.

10. The resurrection both of the just and of the unjust at Second Coming of Christ.

11. The destruction of the wicked at a state of nonexistence.

12. The prophetic period of Daniel 8:14 terminated in 1844.

13. The sanctuary corresponds with judgment phase of Christ’s ministry in heaven.

31 It is important to note the articles in the 1931 Statement as well as the one from 1872, and 1889 did not have titles. What we give here is only the main ideas, which come out of the doctrinal statements.

14. Work of threefold message of Revelation.

15. Work of threefold message of Revelation.

16. The investigative judgment.

17. The body is the temple of God.

18. The tithes and offerings for the support of the gospel.

19. The perpetuity of spiritual gifts.

20. The Second Coming of Christ is the great hope of the church.

21. Millennial reign of Christ.

22. Restoration of earth at end of Millennium.

After going through the twenty-two articles, one can notice that the positions of some articles in the 1889 statement had changed in the 1931 statement. An important change in terms of phases and sentences were done in the 1931 statement. It can be noted that articles 2 and 3 deals with the trinity and the divine nature of Christ.

In fact, these articles in their essence did not appear in the 1889 statement.

In article 1, the phrase “full revelation of his will to man” and “infallible rule” was changed to “an all-sufficient revelation of His will to men” and “unerring rule of faith.” Article 5 in the 1889 statement, became article 4 in the 1931 statement and was reframed totally. It read:

That every person in order to obtain salvation must experience the new birth; that this comprises an entire transformation of life and character by the recreative power of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:16; Matt. 18:3; Acts 2:37-

39.32

Article 5 in the 1931 statement, which was article 4 in the 1889 statement remained the same but, with slight modification. The word “faith” was replaced by

32 General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Statistical Secretary of the General Conference, Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1931(SDA Yearbook 1931), 377.

the phrase “forgiveness of sins.” The last part of this article was also changed and read

“By its observance faith is shown in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. That the proper form of baptism is by immersion.” More Bible passages were provided in the 1931 Statement (Rom. 6:1-6; Acts 16:30-33). Article 11 in the 1889 Statement was changed and became article 6. It was more specific as to the relationship between the Law and the moral conduct, and also its validity. Its read: “That the will of God as it relates to moral conduct is comprehended in His law of ten commandments; that these are great moral, unchangeable precepts, binding upon all men, in every age. Ex.

20:1-17.”33

Article 12 now became article 7. It also underwent some modifications. The words “unchangeable law” were added to indicate that the Sabbath was part of the

Law, and that it is also “unchangeable.” The Sabbath in the new Statement was presented as “a memorial of creation and a sign of sanctification.” Articles 17 and 18 in the 1889 Statement was merged together to become article 8 in the 1931 Statement.

This new article did show clearly for the first time the belief in “righteousness by faith alone.” The article stated that “That one is justified, not by obedience to the law, but by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. By accepting Christ, man is reconciled to God, justified by His blood for the sins of the past, and saved from the power of sin by his indwelling life.”34

Articles 23 and 22 became articles 9 and 10 in the 1931 Statement. In contrast to the 1889 statement, the 1931, pointed out clearly that “God only hath immortality” and the immortality will be only acquired by man at the second coming of Jesus as the

33 General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Statistical Secretary of the General Conference, Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1931(SDA Yearbook 1931), 377.

34 Ibid.

free gift of God. Until Christ’s second coming, “the condition of man in death is one of unconsciousness.” Articles 24, and 27 were merged together as article 11 in the

1931 Statement. This article talked about the resurrection of the just which will take place at the second coming of Jesus, while the resurrection of the unjust will take place after the millennium. Article 27, which had become article 12 was slightly reframed to read:

That the finally impenitent, including Satan, the author of sin, will, by the fires of the last day, be reduced to a state of non-existence, becoming as though they had not been, thus purging the universe of God of sin and sinners. Rom. 6:23; Mal. 4:1-3;

Rev. 20:9, 10; Obadiah 16.35

Article 10, became article 14 in the 1931 Statement. This article seemed to be more explicit with clear terms than the former statement. Articles 15, and 16 in the

1931, which were articles 20, and 21 in the 1889 statement were more precise. For instance, article 16 was more accurate in explaining the role of the investigative judgment, and stipulated that “this investigative judgment determines which of the myriads sleeping in the dust of the earth are worthy of a part in the first resurrection, and who of its living multitudes are worthy of translation.”36

Articles 14 and 15 in the 1889 Statement were put together to form article 17 in the 1931 Statement, with some changes in wording:

That the followers of Christ should be a godly people, not adopting the unholy maxims nor conforming to the unrighteous ways of the world, not loving its sinful pleasures nor countenancing its follies. That the believer should recognize his body as the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that therefore he should clothe that body in neat, modest, dignified apparel. Further, that in eating and drinking and in his entire course of conduct he should shape his life as becometh a follower of the meek and lowly Master. Thus, the believer will

35 General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Statistical Secretary of the General Conference, Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1931(SDA Yearbook 1931), 378.

36 Ibid., 379.

be led to abstain from all intoxicating drinks, tobacco, and other narcotics, and the avoidance of every body- and soul-defiling habit and practice. 1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 9:25; 10:31; 1 Tim. 2:9, 10; 1 John 2:6.37

Article 18 in the 1931 statement was article 16 in the 1889 Statement. It dealt with the principle of tithes and offerings. However, the concept of stewardship was added. “We are stewards who must render account to Him of all that He has committed to our possession.”38 Article 19 in the 1931 Statement, which was article

19 in the previous statement talked about the Spiritual gifts. It was simple and clear than the previous one. Article 20 in the new statement, seemed to have been a new article, since it did not appear in the former statement. It gave a clear understanding of the great hope of the Church, which is the second coming of Christ, and alighted the fact that “the exact time of that event has not been foretold. Believers are exhorted to be ready, for "in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man" will be revealed.”39

The last two articles of the new statement (#21, #22), which were articles 27 and 28 in the previous statement, talked about the millennium and the restored world.

It is important to note that the new statement gives more information as to the period which the millennium convers, “the millennial reign of Christ covers the period between the first and the second resurrections, during which time the saints of all ages will live with their blessed Redeemer in Heaven.”

It is important to note that certain articles which were in the 1889 Statement had been removed in the 1931 Statement. Article 6 (Prophecy as part of God’s revelation to man), and article 7 (World history fulfills Bible prophecy) were not

37 General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Statistical Secretary of the General Conference, Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1931(SDA Yearbook 1931), 379.

38 Ibid.

39 Ibid.

appearing anymore in the 1931 Statement. Article 1 which talked about “one God, a personal, spiritual being, the creator of all things” in 1889 Statement was also removed, and article 13, which mentioned that he Papacy Changed the Sabbath, was removed as well.

The 1980 Statement of Beliefs

Historical Background

During the 1980 General Conference session in Dallas, Texas a public adoption of the 1980 “Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists” was made.40 It was a statement of 27 articles of faith. Prior to the vote a number of 194 persons from the ten world divisions consulted with theologians in their fields and passed on their recommendations to the smaller working committee. Then, on April 25, 1980, the

General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists at session took a vote on what became known as the Twenty-Seven Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day

Adventist Church. It was “a summary of the principal features of Adventist beliefs.”41

According to Campbell, these statement of Beliefs were also the products of new challenges that were arising in the Adventist theology. Desmond Ford, who was an Australian Bible teacher at Pacific Union College, started to question “whether

Hebrews 9 represented a literal sanctuary, and therefore he questioned the Adventist understanding of the sanctuary including the investigative judgment.”42 Ford was ultimately dismissed as a minister and religion professor, in August 1980 at Glacier

40 Burt, “History of Seventh-day Adventist Views on the Trinity,” 125–139.

41 General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Statistical Secretary of the General Conference, Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1931(SDA Yearbook 1931), 377–380; Review and Herald Publishing Association, “Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists,” Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 2000).

42 Campbell, “Seventh-Day Adventism, Doctrinal Statements, and Unity,” 9.

View Ranch.” And, “it was during the tension leading up to this pivotal meeting that the 1980 “Fundamental Beliefs” was voted on April 25, 1980.”43 Moreover, there was a strong discussion on the prophetic ministry of Ellen G. White.

Analysis of the 1980 Statement of Beliefs

It can be noticed in reading the 1980 Statement of Beliefs that subtitles appeared for the first time before defining the doctrines. For instance, subtitles such as

“the Sabbath,” “The Holy Scripture,” “The Trinity,” and many more were noticeable in these statement of beliefs. Though, it did not appear in this format in the 1980

Yearbook44, however it did appear in this form in May 1980 in the Adventist Review and Herald45 and later in 1981, they appeared in that format in the Adventist Church

Manual.46 There was a total of twenty-seven articles in this statement. Therefore, compare to the 1931 edition of the Statement of Beliefs, which had twenty-two articles of faith, five more articles were introduced in the 1980 statement. Just like the previous Statements of Beliefs, the preamble affirmed that the “Seventh-day

Adventist accept the Bible as their only creed, and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures.” The way was left open for possible future revisions.47 The articles subtitles were presented as followed:

1. The Holy Scriptures.

43 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, “Fourteenth Business Meeting, Fifty-Third General Conference Session, April 25, 1980, 9:30 AM,” Adventist Review (May 1, 1980): 215–218.

44 General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Statistical Secretary of the General Conference, Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1980 (SDA Yearbook 1980) (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1980), 5–6.

45 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, “Session Actions: Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists,” Adventist Review (May 1, 1980): 23–27.

46 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual (Washington, DC: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1980), 31–46.

47 Knight, A Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs, 23–24.

2. The Trinity.

3. God the Father.

4. God the Son.

5. God the Holy Spirit.

6. Creation.

7. The Nature of Man.

8. The Great Controversy.

9. The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ.

10. The Experience of Salvation.

11. The Church.

12. The Remnant and Its Mission.

13. Unity in the Body of Christ.

14. Baptism.

15. The Lord’s Supper.

16. Spiritual Gifts and Ministries

17. The Gift of Prophecy.

18. The Law of God.

19. The Sabbath.

20. Stewardship.

21. Christian Behavior.

22. Marriage and the Family.

23. Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary.

24. The Second Coming of Christ.

25. Death and Resurrection.

26. The Millennium and the End of Sin.

27. The New Earth.

The 1980 Statement of Belief was well arranged in a systematic format. It presented the twenty-seven articles in a clearer manner. In this statement, Jesus is introduced as “God the eternal Son,” compared to the previous statement where

“Jesus Christ is very God.” There is also an article that is dedicated to the Holy Spirit, which did not exist in the previous statement. It can be noted that the Holy Spirit was identified as “God the eternal Spirit.”

For the first time an article was presented on creation (#6) in the 1980

Statement, mentioning that “God is Creator of all things.” Many other new articles appeared such as the nature of Man (#7), the Great Controversy (#8), Marriage (#22), and a statement on ecclesiology (#13). Most important, was the adding of the statement of belief on the spirit of prophecy (#17) which read:

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. As the

Lord's messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth and provide to the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested.48

An article on the death, and the resurrection of Christ (#9) which did not existing in the 1931 Statement, was provided in the 1980 Statement.49

The article on tithes and offering in the former statement, was further expatiated and introduced by the sentence “We are God’s stewards.” Article 23 in the

48 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, “Session Actions: Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists,” 23–27.

49 Article 4 of the 1931 Statement will be mixed with article with article 9 of the 1980 Statement.

new statement was a combination of articles 13, 14, and 16. Among the Articles which were removed, one can mention article 12.

The General Conference session of 1980 made major revisions to the

Fundamental Beliefs. Completely new articles were added on: Creation; The Great

Controversy; The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ; The Church; Unity in the

Body of Christ; The Lord's Supper; The Gift of Prophecy; and Marriage and the

Family. Some existing articles were rephrased.”50

The 2005 Statement of Beliefs

Historical Background

A draft of the new Fundamental Beliefs statement, titled “Growing in Christ,” was presented to the General Conference executive committee in April 2004. Based on the proposition of a new doctrine entitled “Growing in Christ.”51 A wide consultation was done, and the proposed new Fundamental Beliefs was voted at the

General Conference session which was held at St Louis (USA), from June 29 to July

9, 2005.

The major reason that caused the Adventist Church to revised and add a new article of belief was the need for a statement referring to “the spread of the church to many different cultures around the world as highlighting the need for a specific statement referring to the struggle with evil powers in the world.”52 But also, in his

50 See, “An official report on the possibility of a further article of belief being included in the Adventist expressions of faith,” General Conference Executive Committee, “The Fundamental Beliefs and ‘Growing in Christ’: Proposal for a New Fundamental Belief,” Ministry Magazine, June 2004, 23.

51 Article 11 in the 2005 Adventists Statement of Beliefs.

52 Nathan Brown, “A New Fundamental Belief?,” Ministry Magazine, July 2004, 8. 1,8.

article Nyaundi says that “one of those greatest challenges comes from interaction with the beliefs and practices of African traditional religion.”53 He added:

The need to provide the rationale comes from the realization that, in their

Christian experience, Adventists in Africa get entangled with traditional beliefs that hinder their “growing in Jesus Christ.” To aid those who find themselves in this uncertain position, the organization has undertaken to provide an assuring doctrinal position.54

Nyaundi further states that “the present Fundamentals say little about spirituality in terms of its importance in the life of a Christian or the spirits that are at work in the world that are working to entrap and enslave human beings.”55 The purpose of that statement was “to express the church’s understanding of God’s power to give victorious life over the powers of evil to the believers in Jesus Christ.”56

Analysis of the 2005 Statement of Beliefs

A quick analysis of the statement of Beliefs of 2005 shows that no change was made in the previous Statement. All the articles seemed to have been kept intact.

However, as it has been stated in the historical background, a new doctrinal belief was added, making a total of twenty-eight beliefs in the 2005 statement of beliefs. The article read:

By His death on the cross Jesus triumphed over the forces of evil. He who subjugated the demonic spirits during His earthly ministry has broken their power and

53 Nehemiah M. Nyaundi, “The Challenge to "Growing in Christ,” Ministry Magazine, October 2007, 27.

54 Ibid.

55 Ibid.

56 Ministerial Association of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Seventh-day Adventists Believe, A Biblical Exposition of Fundamental Doctrines, 6.

made certain their ultimate doom. Jesus’ victory gives us victory over the evil forces that still seek to control us, as we walk with Him in peace, joy, and assurance of His love. Now the Holy Spirit dwells within us and empowers us. Continually committed to Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we are set free from the burden of our past deeds. No longer do we live in the darkness, fear of evil powers, ignorance, and meaninglessness of our former way of life.

In this new freedom in Jesus, we are called to grow into the likeness of His character, communing with Him daily in prayer, feeding on His Word, meditating on it and on His providence, singing His praises, gathering together for worship, and participating in the mission of the Church. As we give ourselves in loving service to those around us and in witnessing to His salvation, His constant presence with us through the Spirit transforms every moment and every task into a spiritual experience.

(Ps 1:1, 2; 23:4; 77:11, 12; Col 1:13, 14; 2:6, 14, 15; Luke 10:17-20; Eph 5:19, 20;

6:12-18; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:17, 18; Phil 3:7-14; 1 Thess 5:16-

18; Matt 20:25-28; John 20:21; Gal 5:22-25; Rom 8:38, 39; 1 John 4:4; Heb 10:25.)57

The 2010 Statement of Beliefs

The Adventist Yearbook of 2010, and 201158 had an introductory sentence on the Fundamental Beliefs, “As amended at the 58th session held in St. Louis Missouri,

June 29 to July 9, 2005,”59 implying that from 2005 to 2011 the Adventist Statement of Beliefs had not be modified or revised.60 Therefore, it is safe to conclude that the

57 Article 11 in the 2005 Adventists Statement of Beliefs.

58 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Archives and Statistics, Seventh- day Adventist Yearbook 2010 (SDA Yearbook 2010) (Silver Spring, MD: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 2010), 5.

59 Ibid.

60 The Statement will appear the same even in the Adventist Yearbook of 2015.

Adventist beliefs as expressed or presented in the Statement of Beliefs in 2005, remained the same in 2010.

The 2015 Statement of Beliefs

Historical Background

After the 2010 Session of the General Conference, a committee of four members was appointed to tackle “Creation.” The committee was further asked at the same time, to review the other beliefs for possible adjustments.61 After a careful study, at the 2014 Annual Council of the General Conference of Seventh-day

Adventist Church, in Silver Spring, Michigan, “one proposed revision was approved by a 179-15 vote, with five abstentions, before noon.”62 Andrew McChesney, News editor of Adventist Review stated that:

The revisions are a milestone in the history of the Fundamental Beliefs, which numbered 27 when they were first drafted in 1980. With the exception of the addition of a 28th belief (“Growing in Christ, No. 11) in 2005, they have remained untouched until now. Among other core beliefs are “The Sabbath” (No. 20), “Baptism” (No. 15), and “The Nature of Man,” which is now set to become “The Nature of Humanity”

(No. 7).63

During the General Conference session of 2015, in San Antonio, Texas, delegates at the session approved an updated document of the Seventh-day Adventist

Church’s 28 Fundamental Beliefs, based on a proposed draft. “The core statements of

61 The other members of the committee are Angel Rodriguez, retired director of the Biblical Research Institute, and Gerhard Pfandl, retired associate director of the Biblical Research Institute.

62 Andrew McChesney, “28 Fundamental Beliefs Get an Update,” Adventist Review (October 2014), accessed May 26, 2017, http://www.adventistreview.org/church-news/28-fundamental-beliefs- get-an-update.

63 Ibid.

the church’s Fundamental Beliefs had not been touched since they were first adopted in 1980, with the lone exception an additional belief in 2005. The delegates’ approval on Tuesday, after two days of discussions, marked the end of a five-year revision and vetting process.”64

Analysis of the 2015 Statement of Beliefs

There were two major types of changes that were made in the Fundamental

Beliefs of the Church in 2015: (i) Minor Revisions and (ii) Major Revisions.

Minor revisions. Firstly, the minor revisions have to do with the Biblical passages which were given in order to support each Beliefs. In reading the texts attached to each of the Fundamental Beliefs, one can note that these bible passages were re-arranged chronologically in the order of the Bible books. Secondly, another aspect of the minor revisions has to do with minor semantic change, aimed at clarifying the original passages. These changes were made in order to find a better or smoother language or sentence structure. In other instances, the minor changes included language that would make it easier to translate into other languages.

In Belief 17 on Spiritual Gifts and Ministries, the word “which’ was replaced by “that” in order “to reflect modern usage.”65 Also, the word, “apostolic” was removed from the belief. In Fundamental Belief 20, the word “Beneficent” was replaced by “Gracious” in order to describe God as the creator. In Fundamental Belief

25, the second coming of Jesus which was earlier presented as “imminent” was now changed to read “near.”

64 Admin, “Delegates Approve Landmark Update of Fundamental Beliefs,” Adventist News Network, last modified July 2015, accessed May 26, 2017, https://news.adventist.org/en/all- news/news/go/2015-07-07/delegates-approve-landmark-update-of-fundamental-beliefs.

65 Another kind of this change is notice in Beliefs 1, were “revelations” is removed and the word “those” is added. Moreover, in Belief 22, “which” was replaced by “that.”

Another kind of minor revision was to make explicit certain statements which were already implied. In Belief 9 on the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ, the expression “bodily” was added in front of “resurrected.” In Belief 24 on Christ’s

Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary, the phrase “His intercessory ministry, which was symbolized by the work of the high priest” was revised by replacing the word

“symbolized” with “typified.” In Belief 11 on Growing in Christ, a sentence was added, “We are also called to follow Christ’s example by compassionately ministering to the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of humanity.” Likewise,

Belief 21 on Stewardship, presented a gender-neutral revision to make it clear that

“male and female” are invited to be faithful stewards.66 Consequently the “men” was replaced with “fellow human beings.” It was the same case in beliefs 4, 677,68 1,69,

12,70 21.71

In Belief 4, the word “heaven” is placed before “he ascended.” In Belief 7, the word “under God” is removed. In Belief 10, the phrase “this faith which receives salvation” is replaced by “this saving faith.” In Belief 11, the sentence “we are called to follow Christ’s example by compassionately ministering to the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of humanity” is added. In Belief 12, the phrase

“word, and from the Scriptures, which are the written word” has been removed and

“Word revealed in the Scriptures” added. In Belief 19, the expression “but its

66 It is important to note also that the word “tithes” was revised and put in the singular form and, “the steward rejoices” was replaced by “Stewards rejoice.”

67 “He became also truly man” was replaced by “He became truly human.”

68 The Title of the Belief “The Nature of Man” was replaced by “The Nature of humanity.”

69 “God has committed to man” was changed to become “God has committed to humanity.”

70 “For service to mankind” is replaced by “for service to humanity.”

71 “his faithfulness” was replaced by “their faithfulness.”

fruitage” was replaced by “and its fruit.” In Belief 22, “the principles of heaven” was replaced by “with biblical principles in all aspects of personal and social life.”

Major revisions. Though, most of the changes were minor, there were some very significant changes. In Belief 1 on the Holy Scriptures, one significant change was made. It is a change on the descriptive phrase for the Scriptures from

“Authoritative revealer of doctrines” to “definitive revealer of doctrines.” So that it reads:

The Holy Scriptures are the final, authoritative, and the infallible revelation of

His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the definitive revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history.72

In Belief 6 the sentence “the heaven and the earth and all living things upon the earth, and rested on the seventh day of that first week. Thus, He established the

Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of His completed creative work” was removed from the previous statement. Many sentences were added such as “God has revealed in

Scripture the authentic and historical account of His creative activity,” “in a recent six-day creation,” “the sea, and all that is in them,” and “He performed and completed during six literal days that together with the Sabbath constituted the same unit of time that we call a week today.” Similarly, the revision on The Great Controversy (#8) changed the term “worldwide flood” to “global flood.”

Belief 18 on The Gift of Prophecy had undergone a major change as well. The previous statement was:

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. As the

72 Emphasis is mine.

Lord’s messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. (Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; Heb. 1:1- 3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10.)73

It was revised and now read:

The Scriptures testify that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and we believe it was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. Her writings speak with prophetic authority and provide comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction to the church. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. (Num. 12:6; 2 Chron. 20:20; Amos 3:7; Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10; 22:8, 9.)74

In Belief 23 on Marriage and the Family, the word “partners” were changed into “man and woman,” which appears in order to explain clearly what the Adventist church meant by “partners.” The phrases “loving disciplinarian, ever tender and caring” and “increasing family closeness is one of the earmarks of the final gospel message” were removed, while the last portion “the family of God which embraces both single and married persons” was added.

Summary

This part of the study has clearly demonstrated that from 1872 to 2015, the

Seventh-day Adventists Statement of Beliefs has undergone changes. The observation was made that, in 1872, the Adventist Church had twenty-five Fundamental

Principles. In 1889, three more beliefs were added to make it a total of twenty-eight.

73 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Archives and Statistics, Seventh- day Adventist Yearbook 2010 (SDA Yearbook 2010), 7. Emphasis is mine (see in italic words that were removed)

74 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Archives and Statistics, Seventh- day Adventist Yearbook 2016 (SDA Yearbook 2016) (Silver Spring, MD: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 2016), 7. Emphasis is mine (see in italic words that were added).

In 1931, the Adventist Church reviewed its beliefs to twenty-two principles. In 1980, it was made up of twenty-seven principles. And from 2005 to 2015, the official

Seventh-day Adventist Fundamental Beliefs was composed of twenty-eight principles. These changes were characterized by the fact that certain doctrines were removed, added or emphasized.

CHAPTER 4

THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

After studying the historical background of the Adventist Statement of Beliefs, this section of the study focuses on the theological implications of the Seventh-day

Adventist Statement of Beliefs. It concentrates only on Theology Proper, Christology,

Pneumatology, Anthropology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology, Adventist Distinctive

Theology, Eschatology, and Adventist Lifestyle Theology.

Theological Implications of the 1872 Statement

According to the Adventist Church Manual, published in 2010, the official

Seventh-day Adventist Fundamental Beliefs gives a theological position of the

Adventist Church.1 Hence, by analogy, the Declaration of the Fundamental

Principles Taught and Practiced by the Seventh-day Adventists, composed by Uriah

Smith in 1872, gave a clear theological position of the Adventist Church in that year.

Then, the question is, what are the general principles or core values which flowed out of the 1872 Declaration? In order words what are the theological implications of the

1872 Statement of faith?

1 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, 156– 166.

A Theology Arising from Their Immediate Roots

It is clearly seen from the 1872 Declaration that the Adventist Theology, as heirs of the Reformation, affirms that the Bible is the only creed and foundation of all doctrines and teachings. James White states that “the Bible is a perfect and complete revelation. It is our only rule of faith and practice.”2 Moreover, the Adventists Church accepted baptism as a way of commemorating the resurrection of Christ, but more specifically they upheld that Scriptures prescribe baptism by immersion as the true biblical way of experiencing baptism. Baptism was also seen as a way of experiencing the new birth which “consists of two parts: first, a moral change, wrought by conversion and a Christian life; second, a physical change at the second coming of

Christ, whereby, if dead, we are raised incorruptible, and if living, are changed to immortality in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”

Adventists saw God as the creator of the universe and Jesus as His son who came to earth and died at Calvary for the salvation of humanity. Moreover, they understood the work of the Holy Spirit only in the sense that “the Spirit of God was promised to manifest itself in the church through certain gifts.”3

As for the state of the dead, their theology was clear about it. They believe that there are no activities inside the grave, for the grave was seen as a place “of silence, inactivity, and entire unconsciousness,” and “that out of the grave mankind are to be brought by a bodily resurrection,” either for eternal life or for judgment and destruction. According to Georges Knight, this theology of Conditional Immortality

2 Knight, A Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs, 58.

3 Smith, A Declaration of the Fundamental Principles Taught and Practiced by the Seventh Day Adventists, article XVI.

came from a Methodist minister called Georges Storrs and from the Christian

Connexion, the Church where James White and Joseph Bates came from.4

The Seventh-day Sabbath was also part of the 1872 Declaration. It indicates that by 1872, Adventists had accepted that the Sabbath day was to be observed by

God’s people. They understood that the Sabbath was established before sin came to the World, and that it will be observed even in Heaven. Adventist History tells us that this believe came from the Seventh-day Baptist Church, more specifically through

Rachel Oaks who became interested in the Second Advent before 1844.5

Adventist Bibliology in the 1872 Statement

Adventist saw the Bible as the inspired word of God, both the Old and New

Testament. And the only rule of Faith. Ellen White said that “The Holy Scriptures are to be accepted as an authoritative, infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the revealer of doctrines, and the test of experience.”6 In

Agreement with Ellen G. White, Aleksandar S. Santrac, added that “regarding faith and morals, we have no other specific revelation (tradition) that needs to guide us and bring us to salvation in Christ except Scripture and Scripture only.”7

Adventist Theology Proper in the 1872 Statement

Adventists saw God as a spiritual and personal being, with the attribute of the

Creator of all things, Eternal, Omnipotent, and Omniscient. They understood that God is everywhere present by the Holy Spirit.

4 Knight, A Search for Identity: The Development of Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs, 72–73.

5 Ibid.

6 Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1915), vii.

7 Aleksandar S. Santrac, “The Sola Scriptura Principle in the Current Debate,” Journal of Adventist Theological Society 24, no. 1 (2013): 123. 107-126.

Adventist Christology in the 1872 Statement

Adventists viewed Christ only as the Son of God. The one by whom God created all things. They accepted that through his incarnation and death, Jesus provided justification to all humanity. Furthermore, they believed that the blood of

Jesus Christ on the cross made the atonement possible. Then, He went to the heavenly sanctuary as a High priest and mediator into the most holy place to blot out and remove from the sanctuary the sins which have been transferred to it.

Adventist Pneumatology in the 1872 Statement

Adventists saw the Holy Spirit as the representative of God on earth8, and He was seen in the Adventist Theology as the one who does the regeneration or the conversion in the carnal heart of man.9 The Holy Spirit was also seen as responsible for giving spiritual gifts to converted people. However, there was no specific article dedicated to the Holy Spirit.

Adventist Anthropology in the 1872 Statement

There is not enough information as to how Adventists understood the creation or the nature of man. However, it clearly portrayed that man has sin, and because of that, the natural or carnal heart is at enmity with God and His law. Therefore, Man by himself cannot render obedience to the requirements of God’s law. The declaration upheld the fact that because of sin man dies, and that death is a state of silence, inactivity and unconsciousness. However, it is only at the second coming of Jesus that those who will take part at the first resurrection will be transformed and live forever

8 See article 1 in the 1872 Statement of Beliefs.

9 See article 14 in the 1872 Statement of Beliefs.

with the Lord, while the wicked will take part in the second resurrection and, after the millennium, they will be destroyed forever.

Adventist Soteriology in the 1872 Statement

It is seen from the 1872 statement that the Adventist Theology affirmed that salvation came only through the atonement of Jesus at the cross. Through baptism by immersion one could take part by faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The act of faith leads the believer to experience the new birth, which consist of a moral change, and a physical change at the second coming of Christ. Once a believer,

God grants through the Holy Spirit spiritual gifts.

Adventist Ecclesiology10 in the 1872 Statement

The Adventist Ecclesiology in the 1872 Statement is seen in the baptism by immersion as an ordinance of the Christian Church. It is an act of faith that commemorate the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Also, the Adventist ecclesiology, is concerned with the spiritual gifts, which are given to the Church members by the Spirit of God. But it is very important to note that these gifts are said not to take the place of the Bible, which is sufficient to make humans wise unto salvation.

Adventist Distinctive Theology in the 1872 Statement

The Adventist unique theology is seen in the sanctuary (#10, #18), the Law

(#11, #12, #13, #15), and the Three Angel’s message (#17). Adventist Theology understood that there are two sanctuaries, one in heaven and one which was built by

Moses in the wilderness. The heavenly sanctuary is the sanctuary to be cleansed at the

10 See article 4 and 16 in the 1872 Statement of Beliefs.

end of the 2300 days of Daniel chapter 8:14. This work started in 1844, when Jesus entered the most holy place.

It is clear enough to notice that the Adventist Theology of 1872, seemed to have been more focus on the law. Four articles have been dedicated to that. The law is contained in the commandments given by God to Moses, and this law is immutable – it does not change, and is perpetual – it cuts across all generations. From the Ten

Commandments, the Adventist Theology placed emphasis on the fourth commandment which talked about the Sabbath and applied it to the weekly rest day.

Finally, the three-angel’s message is peculiar to the Adventist theology.

Adventists saw themselves as the three angels described in Revelation 14. And the proclamation of the three-angel’s message is to be done before the second coming of

Christ.

Adventist Eschatology and the After Life in the 1872 Statement

The Adventist theological view on eschatology was well expressed in the 1872 statement. It was encompassed in Prophecy (#6, #7, and #9), the Millennium (#8, #24) and the Resurrection (#22, #23). They believed in prophecy as a part of God’s revelation, and that the history of the world was being fulfilled according to prophecy.

They believed in pre-millennialism – the millennium will occur after the second coming of Jesus.11 But before He comes, the message of Revelation 14, must be proclaimed, and it is only after the millennium that God will destroy all the wicked

11 “In very general terms, premillennialism taught that the coming of Christ would take place before the millennium. Postmillennialism advanced the view that the literal coming of Christ would follow the millennium. Amillennialism (literally "no millennialism,") taught that there would be no future millennium, that instead, the term was a figurative one for the reign of Christ in the hearts of His followers in the present age.” Roy Israel McGarrell, “The Historical Development of Seventh-day Adventist Eschatology 1884-1895” (Doctoral Dissertation, Andrews University, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, 1989).

and create a new world. They understood that 1844 was not the coming of Jesus but the beginning of His ministration in the heavenly sanctuary.

Adventist Lifestyle Theology in the 1872 Statement

Adventist theology on lifestyle was not described in 1872 Statement of

Beliefs.

Theological Implications of the 1889 Statement

The Adventist theology of 1889 remained almost the same as the one expressed in the 1872 statement. Only minor modifications, and clarifications were made in wordings, but in essence the doctrines did not change, hence the theology as well. However, three more doctrines were added in the 1889 statement, revealing new theological concerns of the Adventist Church. Therefore, since we have already discussed the 1872 theological implications – which is almost the same as the 1889 statement, this part is focuses only on the Adventist Soteriology, Ecclesiology, and

Eschatology.

Adventist Soteriology in the 1889 Statement

The Adventist soteriology had undergone major development. The first one was the adjustment made on article 2, which implied theologically that, Adventist limited atonement to the priestly ministry of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary and implicitly understood the annual ceremonial sacrifices of the Old Testament as a shadow of Jesus’ ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. They understood the atonement was to be accomplished only through the blood shed on the cross by Jesus.12 But also

12 As a matter fact, Uriah Smith in 1888, will explain that atonement was made on the cross, and his revised version of article 2 will be published in the 1889 statement of belief. See Uriah Smith, A Brief Sketch of the Origin, Progress, and Principles of the Seventh-day Adventists (Battle Creek, MI: RHPH, 1888).

that the atonement was done on the cross “as the closing portion of His [Jesus] work as a priest.”

Secondly, the 1889 Statement of Beliefs added a theology on modesty, and morality. These statements did show that Christians should not live anymore according to the pleasures of the world. The believer must insist upon plainness and modesty of attire as a prominent mark of discipleship.

Adventist Ecclesiology in the 1889 Statement

An important development noticeable in the 1889 Statement of Beliefs, was the introduction of a new article (#16) on how to support Church financially. It stated that the believer, has to support the evangelical work with the tenth of his or her income, which is supplemented by offerings. Ben Maxson justified this theology, when he state:

Shaping Adam’s form with His hands and breathing through his lips the breath of life, God created us by means of an act of incredible intimacy. This story provides humanity's initial and core identity—intimate friends with God who as stewards are entrusted with the task of managing God’s world. Remember, ‘The earth is the

Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it’ (Ps. 24:1, NIV).13

Adventist Eschatology in the 1889 Statement

There was not only a strong emphasis on the Adventist eschatology in the

1889 Statement of Beliefs, but there was also one added article on the subject. In total eight articles focused on eschatology. Similar to the previous statement on Prophecy

(#6, #7, #9), the Millennium (#8), the Resurrection (#25, #26), and New heaven (#28).

13 Ben Maxson, “The Privilege of Stewardship,” Ministry Magazine, June 2004, 8. 8-11.

The 1889 Statement of Beliefs reserved an article on “the destruction” of the wicked, which will happen at the end of the millennium.

Adventist Lifestyle Theology in the 1889 Statement

The Adventist theology on lifestyle appeared for the first time in the 1889

Statement of Beliefs as presented in article 14 and 15. The two articles presented that a Christian should live without following the ways of the world. As a peculiar people the followers of Christ should insist on modesty.

Theological Implications of the 1931 Statement

After perusing the 1931 Statement of Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist

Church, one can note a certain doctrinal development. It can be noted clearly that the

1931 Statement of Beliefs was informed by the earlier 1889 Statement of Beliefs. At the same time theological priorities had definitely changed by 1931.

The 1931 Statement seemed to be less concerned about prophecy as opposed to the former statement, which had no less than three articles dedicated to prophecy.14

The Statement of 1931 on the contrary seemed to demonstrate an emphasis on the

14 Article 6: “That prophecy is a part of God's revelation to man; that it is included in that Scripture which is profitable for instruction (2 Tim. 3: 16); that it is designed for us and our children (Deut. 29: 29); that so far from being enshrouded in impenetrable mystery, it is that which especially constitutes the word of God a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Ps. 119: 105; 2 Peter 1: 19); that a blessing is pronounced upon those who study it (Rev. 1:1-3); and that, consequently, it is to be understood by the people of God sufficiently to show them their position in the world's history and the special duties required at their hands.” Article 7: “That the world's history from specified dates in the past, the rise and fall of empires, and the chronological succession of events down to the setting up of God's everlasting kingdom, are outlined in numerous great chains of prophecy; and that these prophecies are now all fulfilled except the closing scenes.” Article 8: “That the doctrine of the world's conversion and a temporal millennium is a fable of these last days, calculated to lull men into a state of carnal security, and cause them to be overtaken by the great day of the Lord as by a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5: 3); that the second coming of Christ is to precede, not follow, the millennium; for until the Lord appears, the papal power, with all its abominations, is to continue (2 Thess. 2: 8), the wheat and tares grow together (Matt. 13: 29, 30, 39), and evil men and seducers wax worse and worse, as the word of God declares.2 Tim. 3: 1, 13.”

sanctuary doctrine, with greater clarification .15 In the next part we will only address major theological moves presented in the 1931 Statement of doctrines.

Adventist Theology Proper in the 1931 Statement of Beliefs–The Trinity

It is for the first time that a declaration on the Godhead or the Trinity was made clearly in Adventist Beliefs. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that before

1931 Adventist had a challenge accepting this doctrine.16 “They did not always accept or understand the traditional Christian doctrine of the Trinity which is shared by

Catholic, Orthodox, and most Protestant churches alike.”17 Trinitarianism was clearly affirmed in the 1931 Statement of Fundamental Beliefs. It was an important shift in the Adventist Theology. For “these statements fully expressed the biblical doctrine of the Trinity.”18 Seventh-day Adventists adopted the Trinitarian position which regards the Son as equal to the Father in each and every respect, as postulated by Ellen G.

White in her book, Desire of Ages.19

15 See article 13,14,15,16 in the 1931 Statement of Beliefs.

16 Trinitarianism was perceived as being inextricably bound up with the doctrine of the immortality of the soul and as teaching that only Christ's human body died, while his eternal Deity as well as his immortal soul did not die on Calvary. On this basis, Trinitarianism was thought to down grade and, actually, deny the atonement of Christ, for a merely human sacrifice could never atone for the sins of the world.

17 Pohler, “Change in Seventh-Da0y Adventist Theology: A Study of the Problem of Doctrinal Development,” 169.

18 For an Adventist defense of the biblical doctrine of the Trinity, see Raoul Dederen, “Reflections on the Doctrine of the Trinity,” Andrews University Seminary Studies 8 (January 1970): 1–22; Fernando L. Canale, “The Doctrine of God,” in Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, ed. Raoul Dederen (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2000), 120–138; Woodrow Whidden, Jerry Moon, and John W. Reeve, “The Biblical Evidence for the Full Deity of Christ, the Personality of the Spirit, and the Unity and Oneness of the Godhead,” in Trinity: Understanding God’s Love, His Plan of Salvation, and Christian Relationships (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2002), 16–119; Gerhard Pfandl, “The Trinity in Scripture,” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 14, no. 2 (Autumn 2003): 80–94; Max Hatton, Understanding the Trinity, ed. David Marshall (Grantham, UK: Autumn House, 2001), 11–37.

19 Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1898), 530.

However, Merlin D. Burt makes an important remark saying that:

These statements left certain details undefined. While the Father was ‘eternal,’ Jesus was the ‘Son of the Eternal Father.’ A specific statement of belief about the Holy Spirit was omitted, though He was referred to as the ‘third person of the Godhead.’ The theologically loaded couplet ‘very God’ made Christ and the Father equally self-existent and eternal, but the vocabulary was couched in theological terms not generally understood by Adventists and functionally left room for interpretation.20

Adventist Christology in the 1931 Statement of Beliefs–Christ’s Divinity

In the 1931 Statement “Christ is described as ‘very God,’ self-existent and eternal.”21 It is also important to note that “the two-nature of Christ was clearly expressed in the 1931 Statement of Fundamental Beliefs and has remained the official

Adventist position ever since.”22 It said that “while retaining His divine nature He took upon Himself the nature of the human family.”23

Adventist Pneumatology in the 1931 Statement of Beliefs

The Holy Spirit is identified as the third person of the Godhead.”24 There is a shift in Adventist Pneumatology, which consist not only to see the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Godhead but also in the personhood of the Holy Spirit. The 1931

Statement affirms that the Holy Spirit is the “third person of the Godhead.” This has been an important doctrinal development in the Adventist theology. Rolf J. Pöhler

20 Burt, “History of Seventh-day Adventist Views on the Trinity,” 136.

21 The development of Adventist Christology is discussed in Eric Claude Webster, Crosscurrents in Adventist Christology (New York, NY: Peter Lang, 1984), 67; Gil G. Fernandez, “Ellen G. White: The Doctrine of the Person of Christ” (Ph.D. dissertation, Drew University, 1978).

22 Pohler, “Change in Seventh-day Adventist Theology: A Study of the Problem of Doctrinal Development,” 182.

23 See article 3, in the 1931 Statement of Beliefs.

24 Gerhard Pfandl, “The Doctrine of the Trinity Among Seventh-day Adventists,” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 17, no. 1 (Spring 2006): 169. 160–179.

says that the “1980 [statement] affirms that ‘through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified’; it does not specify, however, whether sanctification is to be thought of as an integral part or only as the result of the new birth.”25

Adventist Soteriology in the 1931 Statement of Beliefs

The 1931 Statement clearly upheld the doctrine of righteousness by faith, which was not the case in the previous statement. The theology of salvation is expressed in article 8, “That one is justified, not by obedience to the law, but by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” This shift may be the result of the debate held during the

Minneapolis conference in 1888, where A.T. Jones and Waggoner presented a new comprehension on the nature of the law in Galatians.26 “Although during our history of more than one hundred and sixty years it did not always receive due emphasis.”27

With this statement theologically “Adventists believe that there is only one way of salvation from Genesis to Revelation and that way is faith in Christ and his righteousness.”28

According to LaRondelle an Adventist theologian:

Basic to Adventism is the gospel principle that human salvation is not through the law or by human works but solely through the saving grace of God …Adventist belief accepts Christ as man’s substitute and example, in this irreversible order. Faith in Christ as our substitute before God provides our justification as God’s act of declaring the repentant believer righteous. Justification is seen as the opposite of condemnation (see Rom. 5:16; 8:1, 33,

25 Pohler, “Change in Seventh-day Adventist Theology: A Study of the Problem of Doctrinal Development,” 204.

26 Waggoner will present nine lectures, which called upon Adventists to move their emphasis from God’s law to Christ’s righteousness as a means of salvation.

27 Peter M. van Bemmelen, “Justification by Faith: An Adventist Understanding,” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 20, no. 1–2 (2009): 181.

28 Ibid., 183.

34). The basis for the believer’s justification is not their law observance, but Christ’s sinless obedience (Rom. 5:18, 19).29

Ellen White stated:

There is not a point that needs to be dwelt upon more earnestly, repeated more frequently, or established more firmly in the minds of all than the impossibility of fallen man meriting anything by his own best good works. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone.30

Adventist Lifestyle Theology

In the 1931, the Adventist Lifestyle theology was expressed only in Article 17.

It remained the same and was a combination of article 14 and 15 of the precedent

Statement of Beliefs.

Theological Implications of the 1980 Statement

This part of the study focuses on the changes that has occurred in the

Adventists Theology as it is presented in the 1980 Statement of Beliefs.

Adventist Theology Proper in the 1980 Statement

The Adventist theology on God is presented in article 3. The expression “God head” is replaced by “There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons.” It did show a theological emphasis without any ambiguities on the nature of God, but also on Trinitarian theology.

Adventist Christology in the 1980 Statement

Christ is presented has “God the son” and “forever truly God, He became also truly man.” It is obvious to see that the article puts an emphasis not only on the divine

29 Hans K. LaRondelle, “The Seventh-day Adventist View of the Relationship of Justification—Sanctification—the Final Judgment,” in Lutherans & Adventists in Conversation: Report and Papers Presented 1994-1998 (Berrien Springs, MI: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 2000), 123.

30 Ellen G. White, Faith and Works (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1979), 19.

and human nature of Christ,31 but also on the salvation which He provides to humanity through His death. Christ’s birth and experiences as a human denoted a theological emphasis on the fact that He is a perfect example for humanity.32 His work in the heavenly sanctuary is also presented.

Adventist Pneumatology in the 1980 Statement

It was an important theological move to see Adventist Pneumatology expressed in this Statement. Article 5 was dedicated to the Holy Spirit. The Holy

Spirit is seen as “God the eternal Spirit” and “was active with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation, and redemption.” His role was clearly expressed as the One who draws and renews man’s heart. He gives the spiritual gifts. It is also important to note that the Holy Spirit is mentioned as “He,” and not as “It.”33 This, demonstrated clearly the personhood of the Holy Spirit, which has not been the same in previous statements. Ellen G. White talking about the Holy Spirit made use of the personal pronoun “He” who is said to be “the Third Person of the Godhead.”34 For, Ron

Clouzet “this is standard Christian doctrine.”35

31“While retaining His divine nature He took upon Himself the nature of the human family” (1931, article 3). “Forever truly God, He became also truly man” (1980, article 4).

32 Ellet J. Waggoner, Christ and His Righteousness (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1972), 26,28; A. T. Jones, “The Third Angel’s Message,” General Conference Bulletin, no. 13–14 (1895): 230–235.

33 The lack of clarity in the Adventist Church regarding the person of the Holy Spirit was the result of a lack of a truly Trinitarian understanding of God. Even Ellen White, quoting the King James Version, kept referring to the Holy as “It.”

34 White, The Desire of Ages, 530.

35 Ron E. M. Clouzet, “The Personhood of the Holy Spirit and Why It Matters,” Journal of Adventist Theological Society 17, no. 1 (Spring 2006): 22.

Adventist Ecclesiology in the 1980 Statement

A doctrine on the church was added showing the importance of Adventist

Theology on ecclesiology. Though “Adventists were not entirely alone in this since there was a late-twentieth century rediscovery of the doctrine of the church on the part of other evangelicals.” However, three articles covered the Adventist ecclesiology in the 1980 Statement, namely; Article 11, 12, and 13.

Also, Adventists were convinced of their peculiar role in salvation history.

Article 12 described the Adventist Church as the as the remnant Church. Fordham indicates that:

Just as Noah's ark was the only place of safety, of salvation, for the people of the antediluvian world, "the remnant church," the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is the only visible place or organization that God has designated as the place of safety, of salvation, for the people of our day.36

Pöhler says that “Seventh-day Adventists have already once experienced a significant readjustment of their ecclesiology.”37 And being the remnant is of a

Central importance to Adventist ecclesiology.38

Adventist Distinctive Theology in the 1980 Statement

The 1980 Statement contains the first formulated set of fundamental beliefs to include an explicit statement on Creation. It is a theological affirmation form the

Adventist church on creationism and not evolutionism. Pierson’s statement shows the

36 W. W. Fordham, “The Remnant Church,” Ministry Magazine, June 1970, 61.

37 Pohler, “Change in Seventh-day Adventist Theology: A Study of the Problem of Doctrinal Development,” 259.

38 Hans K. LaRondelle, “The Remnant and the Three Angels’ Messages,” in Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, ed. Raoul Dederen, 12 (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2000), 857–892.

importance of bringing out a theology on creation, which sees God as the creator of all things, a six-day creation:

Already, brethren and sisters, there are subtle forces that are beginning to stir. Regrettably there are those in the church who belittle the inspiration of the total Bible, who scorn the first 11 chapters of Genesis, who question the Spirit of Prophecy’s short chronology of the age of the earth, and who subtly and not so subtly attack the Spirit of Prophecy. There are some who point to the reformers and contemporary theologians as a source and the norm for Seventh-day Adventist doctrine. There are those who allegedly are tired of the hackneyed phrases of Adventism. There are those who wish to forget the standards of the church we love. There are those who covet and would court the favor of the evangelicals; those who would throw off the mantle of a peculiar people; and those who would go the way of the secular, materialistic world. Fellow leaders, beloved brethren and sisters—don’t let it happen! I appeal to you as earnestly as I know how this morning—don’t let it happen! I appeal to Andrews University, to the Seminary, to Loma Linda University— don’t let it happen! We are not Seventh-day Anglicans, not Seventh-day Lutherans—we are Seventh-day Adventists! This is God’s last church with God’s last message!39

Another important theological implication of the statement is the explicit statement on the Gift of Prophecy (#17). In this statement Ellen G. White is mentioned in the Adventist Statement of Beliefs as the one through whom was manifested the Spirit of Prophecy. And theologically her writings are qualified as

“continuing” and “authoritative” source of truth in the Adventist Church.

Adventist Eschatology in the 1980 Statement

Adventist eschatology was reemphasized, by providing a new doctrinal statement on the Great Controversy (#8), the second coming of Christ (#24), the

Millennium and the end of Sin (#26). Though, they understood the second coming of

Christ to occur, leading to the first resurrection, they also understood like in the previous statement that the millennium was to occur after the second coming of

39 Robert H. Pierson, “An Ernest Appeal From the Retiring President of the General Conference,” Review and Herald (October 1978): 10, 11.

Christ. However, the great controversy, gave a more complete theological view on eschatology. Ted Wilson said that:

Seventh-day Adventists do not make the Spirit of Prophecy part of the Bible or equal to the Bible. As Ellen White herself indicated, the Spirit of Prophecy is to lead to the Bible. The Spirit of Prophecy is inspired by the same divine inspiration that inspired the Bible.40

Ellen G. White wrote:

Through His Holy Spirit the voice of God has come to us continually in warning and instruction, to confirm the faith of the believers in the Spirit of prophecy. Repeatedly the word has come, write the things that I have given you to confirm the faith of my people in the position they have taken. Time and trial have not made void the instruction given, but through years of suffering and self-sacrifice have established the truth of the testimony given. The instruction that was given in the early days of the message is to be held as safe instruction to follow.41

Adventist Lifestyle Theology in the 1980 Statement

Further insight is share on the Adventist theology of lifestyle. The statement added healthful living as part of the Adventist life style. And also that “amusement and entertainment should meet the highest standard of Christian taste.

Theological Implications of the 2005 Statement

Adventist Lifestyle Theology in the 2005 Statement

A new doctrine entitled “Growing in Christ” revealed a progression in the

Adventist theology. Though it was indirectly encompassed in the theology of the

Great Controversy, however it was more specific. It brought into context the call to

40 Ted N. C. Wilson, “Believe His Prophets: Why I Accept Ellen G. White’s Prophetic Ministry,” Ministry Magazine, October 2016, 6. 6-8.

41 Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, vol. 1 (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1958), 41.

Christians to grow in freedom from the controlling power of demons. The article addressed Demonic Powers and also Character Development. This theology, uplifted the fact that since Christ has triumphed over the demons, Christians have also received the power to do so. “No longer do we live in the darkness, fear of evil powers, ignorance, and meaninglessness of our former way of life.” However, it is important to experience growth into the likeness of His character. It states clearly the present freedom that Christians are called to enjoy from the enslaving power of demons, moreover its presents God's triumph over the forces of evil within the context of a constant Christian growth in Christ.

Theological implication of the 2015 Statement of Beliefs

It is important to note that the Fundamental Beliefs have not been changed but as Ted Wilson said, “we are simply trying to enhance them and make them more understandable.”42 Therefore, Adventist Theology has not changed as well, however, there was much emphasis and additional words or removed words, expression or sentences which were removed in order to get a better theological understanding. The next part of the work focuses on the minor and major revisions. Stele said that

“looking at all the changes, I must say there are none that bring anything new to our beliefs.” “This is what we have always believed. The commission only sought to express this better and help to avoid possible misinterpretations.”43

42 McChesney, “28 Fundamental Beliefs Get an Update.”

43 Ibid.

Theology Resulting from the Minor Revisions

As it has been said earlier, Adventist Theology in the 2015 Statement remained the same in essence. However, the changes made brought either emphasis or better explanation to Adventist Theology.

It is clear, that the 2015 Statement was mainly concerned about a gender neutrality in the Statement. Throughout the statements many revisions or clarifications were made as far as the gender is concerned. Expressions such as “humanity,” “male and female,” “human,” “human being,” “theirs,” revealed this theological emphasis.

For Andrew McChesney, News Editor of Adventist Review, “the revisions introduce gender inclusive language to the text in places where the biblical teaching being referred to clearly intends to include both men and women.”44

Concerning Adventist Pneumatology, the adding of the phrase “He is as much a person as are the Father and the Son,” clarified the fact that Adventists theologically said that the Holy Spirit is God as is the Father and the Son.

On soteriology, the adding of “bodily” to resurrection, made explicit the type of resurrection Jesus had experienced. It “clarified [theologically] that the resurrection of Jesus was not a continuing influence nor a spirit experience, but an actual resurrection of Christ in His total person, including His body.”45

On Adventist Unique theology, Growing in Christ, added the sentence “We are also called to follow Christ’s example by compassionately ministering to the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of humanity,” summarizes “a

44 McChesney, “28 Fundamental Beliefs Get an Update.”

45 Admin, “What Was Changed in the Fundamental Beliefs Document?,” Adventist Today, last modified May 28, 2017, https://atoday.org/what-was-changed-in-the-fundamental-beliefs-document.

genuine Seventh-day Adventist concern for service to suffering human beings that is not emphasized in the Statement of Fundamental Beliefs.”46

In Article 22, which in the context of this study falls under lifestyle, added the phrase “biblical principles in all aspects of personal and social life.” It clarified that

Christian behavior does not only have to do with health, dressing, and adornment but also with our interaction with others in all places. Adventist eschatology was reaffirmed with emphasis on the use of “near” which is a biblical term, to present the second coming of Jesus.

Theology Resulting from the Major Revisions

Adventist bibliology in the 2015 Statement. The replacement of the word

“authoritative” with “definitive,” while “authoritative” is maintained in the second sentence, shows a theological emphasis or reinforcement of what had always been the

Adventist Bibliology. The introductive sentence of the fundamental belief reminds the reader that “Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures.”

Adventist ecclesiology in the 2015 Statement. The important changes made in Adventist Theology as far as the ecclesiology is concerned is the statement on the

Marriage and the Family. In the new Statement the composition of the family of God is explicit, “the family of God which embraces both single and married persons.” This addition acknowledges theologically that single Adventist Church members are part of the family of God and are valuable to the Church as married couples. It is important to notice also, the change as to those who are made to marry. The statement made it clear that to “the Christian marriage commitment is to God as well as to the

46 See the draft.

spouse, and should be entered into only between a man and a woman.” Finally, instead of the word “disciplinarian,” it was changed to “Christ is a loving, tender, and caring guide.” Thus, reading:

Parents are to bring up their children to love and obey the Lord. By their example and their words they are to teach them that Christ is a loving, tender, and caring guide, who wants them to become members of His body, the family of God which embraces both single and married.

Adventist distinctive theology in the 2015 Statement. The Creation belief which had undergone major additional sentences, appears to be more explicit. The

Adventist Church seemed to have brought more explanations to its theology on creation. Creation is understood as “a historical account” which occurred in six literal days. This statement makes explicit what Adventist understands by creation and the first week of creation. The word “recent” six-day creation, is more specific with regard to time periods. The use of the word “complete” indicates that the biblical creation account is not describing a still ongoing process, hence, excluding any possibility of the concept of evolution creeping in to Adventist theology. “It also added a phrase characterizing the Sabbath as a memorial of God’s ‘creative work, performed and completed during six literal days that together with the Sabbath constituted the same unit of time that we call a week today,’”47 showing therefore a theological relationship between Creation and the Sabbath.48

Likewise, the change of the term “worldwide flood” to “global flood.” The intended meaning of that statement was to convey the biblical teaching that the flood covered the entire world.

47 Admin, “What Was Changed in the Fundamental Beliefs Document?”

48 Lawrence T. Geraty, “Dr. Larry Geraty’s Partially-Aborted Remarks on Fundamental Belief 6,” Spectrum Magazine, July 2015, accessed May 28, 2017, http://spectrummagazine.org/article/2015/07/06/dr-larry-geratys-partially-aborted-remarks- fundamental-belief-6.

Also, on Belief number 18 on The Gift of Prophecy, changes made led to the removal of an ambiguity that could lead some to think that the writings of Ellen G.

White writings were comparable to the Bible. By removing the sentence that was qualifying her writings as “a continuing and authoritative source of truth,” the

Adventist Theology not only affirms that only the Bible is the source of truth, but also that Ellen G. White writing are not to be equated with the Bible. These changes emphasized that Elle G. White’s prophetic authority is subject to the Scriptures.

However, the new wording of this statement does not in any way diminish the

Church’s understanding of the authority of the Bible or the prophetic role of White.

Summary

This part of the work has presented the theological implications that the

Adventist Statement of beliefs made in the Adventist Theology. The chapter has demonstrated a progressive revelation of bible truths in the Adventist theology. It is

1889, that a theology on lifestyle was introduced in the Statement of Beliefs, with a theology on tithes and offerings. In Christology and Pneumatology, it is only the 1931

Statement that Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are presented as part of the Trinity. It was emphasized in the 1980 Statement, with a new theology that addressed the divinity of Christ as well as the personhood of the Holy Spirit.

In 1980, new doctrines were added in the Adventist ecclesiology, that is, the

Church, Lord’s Supper, Unity of the body and Marriage and Family. As far as

Adventist distinctive theology is concerned, a theology on Creation, Sabbath, and the

Gift of Prophecy appeared clearly expressed in the 1980 Statement, as well as the

Great Controversy in the Adventist Eschatology. In 2005, a theology on lifestyle was introduced in the Statement of Beliefs, entitled “Growing in Christ.”

CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION

This study investigated historical development of Adventist Statement of

Beliefs from 1872 to 2015, and its theological implications. The findings are treated briefly below in the table captioned Synopsis of Adventist Doctrinal Development.

Synopsis of Adventist Doctrinal Development1

Table 1 provides a summary of the development of Adventist Statement of

Beliefs and its theological implications, between 1872 and 2015.

1 See the table in the next page.

Table 1. Synopsis of the Seventh-day Adventist Doctrinal Development (Theological Findings) Theology 18722 1889 1931 1980 2005 2010 & Number of 253 28 22 27 28 2015 Beliefs 28 Bibliology4 Bible (3)5 Bible (3) Bible (1) Bible (1) Bible (1) Bible (1) Theology God the God the Trinity (2) Trinity (2) Trinity (2) Trinity (2) Proper Creator Creator God the God the God the (1) (1) Father (3) Father (3) Father (3) Pneumatolog New birth New birth Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, y and Holy and Holy third third person third person the third Spirit (14) Spirit (17) person of of the of the person of the Trinity Trinity (2) Trinity (2) the Trinity (2) The The (2) Personhood Personhood The of the Holy of the Holy Personhood Spirit (5) Spirit (5) of the Holy Spirit (5)

Anthropology Man Man Man death Nature of Nature of Nature of death death (10) man (7) man (7) Humanity (19,20,21 (22,23,24 Conditional (7) ) ) Immortalit y (9) Christology Jesus Son Jesus Son Jesus is Jesus is part Jesus part of Jesus is part of God of God part of the of the the Trinity of the (2) (2) Trinity (2) Trinity (2) (2) Trinity (2) Jesus is Jesus is God Life, death Life, death God (3) (4) and and Life, death Resurrectio Resurrectio and n (9) n (9) Resurrectio n (9) Soteriology New birth New birth New birth Experience Experience (5) (5) (4) of Salvation of Salvation (10) (10)

Lifestyle Lifestyle Lifestyle Christian Christian Christian (14,15) (17) Behavior Behavior Behavior (21) (22) (22) Growing in Growing in Christ (11) Christ (11)

table continues

2 Year of publication of the Adventist Statement of Beliefs.

3 Number of articles presented in the Adventist Statement of Beliefs.

4 The theology reflected in the Adventist Statement of Beliefs.

5 The numerical number of the doctrines in the Statement of Beliefs.

Table 1 (continued). Synopsis of the Seventh-day Adventist Doctrinal Development (Theological Findings) Theology 18726 1889 1931 1980 2005 2010 & Number of 257 28 22 27 28 2015 Beliefs 28 Ecclesiolog Baptism (4) Baptism (4) Baptism (5) Baptism Baptism Baptism y Spiritual Spiritual Spiritual (14) (15) (15) Gifts (16) Gifts (19) Gifts (19) Spiritual Spiritual Spiritual Tithes and Tithes and Gifts & Gifts & Gifts & offerings offerings(1 Ministries Ministries Ministries (16) 8) (16) (17) (17) Stewardshi Stewardshi Stewardshi p (20) p (21) p (21) The Church The The (11) Church Church Lord’s (12) (12) Supper (15) Lord’s The Unity of Supper Church body of (16) (16) Christ (13) Marriage Marriage Marriage and Family and Family and Family (23) (23) (22) Unity of Unity of the body of the body of Christ (14) Christ (14)

SDA Sanctuary Sanctuary Sanctuary Sanctuary Sanctuary Sanctuary Unique (10) (10) (14) (23) (24) (24) Theology Law Law Law (6,7,8) Law (18) Law (19) Law (19) (11,12,13,1 (11,12,13,1 3 Angel’s Remnant Remnant Remnant 5) 8) Message and its and its and its 3 Angel’s 3 Angel’s (15) Mission. Mission Mission Message Message Sanctuary (12) (13 (13) (17) (20) (16) Creation (6) Creation Creation Sanctuary Sanctuary Sabbath (6) (6) (18) (21) (19) Sabbath Sabbath Gift of (20) (20) Prophecy Gift of Gift of (17) Prophecy Prophecy (18) (18) Eschatolog Prophecy Prophecy Prophecy Millennium Millenniu Millenniu y (6,7,9) (6,7,9) (13) (26) m (27) m (27) Millennium Millennium Millennium Second Second Second (8,24) (8) (21) Coming Coming Coming Resurrectio Resurrectio Resurrectio (24) (25) (25) n (22,23) n (25,26) n (11) Death and Death and Death and New Hearth New Hearth Destruction Resurrectio Resurrectio Resurrectio (25) (28) of evil (12) n. (25) n (26) n (26) Destruction New Hearth Great Great Great of evil (27) (22) Controvers Controvers Controvers Second y (8) y (8) y (8) Coming New Hearth New New (20) (27) Hearth (28) Hearth (28)

6 Year of publication of the Adventist Statement of Beliefs.

7 Number of articles presented in the Adventist Statement of Beliefs.

1. The research has demonstrated that Adventist theology at its beginning was founded in general on the theological background of the Reformation theology but mainly on the Millerite movement.

2. The study has documented that Adventist Theology is progressive and has undergone minor and significant changes within the period under consideration, 1872 to 2015.

3. The findings reveal that the changes made in the Adventist theology were greatly influenced by theological discussions which took place during a particular time in the history of the Adventist Church. For instance, the debate in 1888 on righteousness by faith led the Adventist Church to consider this doctrine in its later Statement of Beliefs.

4. The work has shown that the changes in Adventist Theology were reflected in the fact that some doctrines were removed, added, or made more explicit.

Review: Backdrop of the Study

The study began with a brief history of the origin of the Seventh day Adventist

Church. The investigation started with the consideration of the Church during the

Early Church, Medieval, and Reformation period. The Reformation led to

Protestantism, which influenced North America during the period between 1800 and

1844. Adventism came out of the interest that caught many people during the 1800s.

They found their roots especially in the Millerite movement. Through the disappointment of 1844, a group of people, came out of the Millerite Movement to form the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1860.

The Study led us also, to see that Adventists believe in the dynamic view of doctrinal development or progressive revelation. They have always had a belief which emphasizes doctrinal continuity and at the same time allow for doctrinal change or revision. Throughout their history, Seventh-day Adventist have looked forward to discovering or receiving additional truth that will match with prior truth. Their doctrines have developed from their original distinctive principles of beliefs to some explicit doctrines.

The research has documented the fact that Adventist theology has changed over the years sometime based on theological discussions. The fact that Jesus Christ did not come in 1844 as planned by the Millerite movement, led the group that later became the Adventist Church, to study Scriptures to understand what really happened in 1844. This understanding led to the doctrine of the Sanctuary and Christ’s ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. Between 1849 and 1888 Adventists underwent significant doctrinal debates, on Christ’s nature as God, the personhood of the Holy Spirit, the

Trinity, Righteousness by faith, and the Sabbath. All these discussions led to the development of the Adventists Beliefs and Theology.

The work has also presented, the development of Adventist Statement of

Beliefs between 1872 and 2015. Cleary, it has been demonstrated that the numbers of

Articles have changed over the years in the Statement. With time certain doctrines were removed, added, and clarified.

In Bibliology, the Bible has always been the standard by which Adventists have measured any teachings or doctrines. In Theology Proper, God’s creatorship of the universe has been a cardinal belief among them and it is accepted without any questions. On the other hand, it was in the 1931 Statement of Beliefs that Adventists officially acknowledged the doctrine of Trinity. Though the Adventist Theology recognized the role of the Holy Spirit as the one transforming the life of the believer, it only in the 1931 statement that the Holy Spirit was presented as part of the

Godhead, followed in the 1980 Statement by the affirmation of the personhood of the

Holy Spirit.

In theological Anthropology, the nature of man has been understood since

1872 as a mortal being, who shall receive immortality at the second coming of Christ.

In the 1872 and 1889 Statement of Beliefs Jesus is theologically seen as the son of

God the Father. But in 1931 Statement of Beliefs Jesus Christ was clearly identified as being part of the Trinity and is considered as the Son of God who died on the cross for the salvation of humanity.

Adventist Soteriology has been the same since the 1872 Statement, but an emphasis on righteousness by faith alone gained prominence in the 1980 Statement of

Beliefs. No Statement on lifestyle appeared in the first Statement of Beliefs. However, by 1889, two Articles were introduced to deal with it (#14, #15). The 1980 Statement of Belief included Christian behavior, and in 2005, Growing in Christ is added. This was a demonstration of the interest the Church had in the way its members conduct themselves.

Another essential doctrine of the Church is the belief in baptism by immersion which has always been the right way of experiencing baptism since the 1872

Statement. Gradually, the study has shown that Adventist added a theology on

Spiritual Gifts, Tithes and Offering, Lord’s Supper, Marriage and Family, and the

Church. Since the 1872 Statement of Beliefs, Adventists have always had a unique theological doctrine. From 1872 to 1931, only the Adventist Church had a theological doctrine on the Sanctuary, the Law, the Three-Angel’s message (Rev 14:6-12). In the

1931 Statement a theology on Creation and the Sabbath was added. From the beginning, Adventist Eschatology has been based on the belief in prophecy, the millennium, and its consequences on human beings and the state of the earth. In a nutshell, it can be said that the study has been fruitful because it has help to unearth how Adventist theology (doctrines) has evolved over the years and its effect and influence on the growth of the Church’s theology.

Recommendations for Further Study

Separate in-depth studies could be done on the development of each of the ten theology which were considered in the theological implications a far as Adventist

Church is concerned. Particular attention could be given to those unique beliefs of the

Adventist Church. Some studies could be considered on the various debates that influenced the Adventist Theology, such as the 1888 debates of Minneapolis. An in- depth study on Alonzo. T Jones, Ellet J. Waggoner, and Uriah Smith, who played significant roles in shaping Adventist Theology could be helpful.

Finally, the contributions of Ellen G. White in the development of the

Adventist Theology and doctrine could be considered. Her contribution to the theological discussions and development could be useful.

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