(Matt. 28:20, KJV). In obedience to REFERENCES BY ALBERTO R. TIMM* the Great Commission, Paul states, “I 1 Evangelism , p. 140. 2 have not shunned to declare unto you A. Scott Moreau, “Syncretism,” in Evan - gelical Dictionary of World Missions , A. Scott all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27, Moreau, ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, KJV). As a result of evangelism in the 2000), p. 924. early church, baptized believers “con - 3 David J. Hesselgrave, “Syncretism: Mis - tinued steadfastly in the apostles’ doc - sion and Missionary Induced?” in Context - ADVENTIST VIEWS trine and fellowship ” (2:42 , NKJV). uali zation and Syncretism , pp. 71-98. Those who were being saved were 4 Evangelism, p. 484. “added to the church” (vs. 47 , KJV). 5 Jerald Whitehouse, “Issues of Identity ,” The guidelines from the Church Man - Global Center for Adventist-Muslim Rela - tions ( 2005), Appendix 3, p. 27. ual are in harmony with the Scrip - 6 ON INSPIRATION __________, “Developing New Church 14 tures. All policies related to the Gen - Structures for More Effective Mission, Nurture , eral Conference should be in har mony and Growth of New Believers,” Global Center with them. for Adventist-Muslim Relations, October 1997. There is an appropriate use of C-5 7 Ibid. strategies. These strategies should be 8 Global Mission Issues Committee, “Guide - The last half of the 20 th century provided viewed, however, as catalysts for lines for Engaging in Global Mission” (Silver a continuation of the debate in the Adventist Church Spring, Md.: General Conference of Seventh- movement into the next stage of the day Adventists, 1993), GM/BRI/AD COM to over the nature of inspiration. scale. The underlying issue is whether MLR. the use of C-5 strategies is an out - 9 Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 95; significant number of publica - tions, the commentary integrated in a reach technique or is the mindset of Testimonies to Ministers , p. 128. tions came out during the 1950s single project the views of its various the missionary. A mindset that seeks 10 Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual uplifting the reliability of the contributors. It was stated that while and is willing to accept and baptize (Silver Spring: General Conference of Sev - Bible and the writings of Ellen rejecting the position that “the writers enth-day Adventists, 2005), pp. 30, 31. A converts who remain at this level is G. White. Of the books dealing of Scripture wrote under verbal dic - 11 not faithful to the Scriptures or to the Jerald Whitehouse, “Contextual Ad - with Ellen White, Francis D. Nichol’s tation by the Holy Spirit,” the com - ventist Mission to Islam: A Working Model,” church. An Adventist missionary or in The Three Angels and the Crescent: A Ellen G. White and Her Critics (1951) mentary was carried out under the as - an Adventist sending organization Reader , Jonquil Hole and Børge Schantz, eds. was the most outstanding. In this 702- sumption that the writers of Scrip ture should not compromise the integrity (Bracknell, England: Seventh-day Adventist page volume, Nichol responded to al - “spoke and wrote according to their of the gospel for pragmatic purposes Global Centre for Islamic Studies, 1993), p. most all charges raised against Ellen own individualities and characteris - (i.e., to see church growth where 257. White since the days of Canright. tics, as is indicated by the varied styles there has been no success). A mis - 12 _________ , “Key Issues Foundational to It was also during the 1950s that a of writing that they display, but free of sionary with a C-5 mindset does not Comparison of Seventh-day Adventists Be - group of Seventh-day Adventist liefs with Beliefs of Islam Leading to Sum - adequately represent the Seventh-day scholars combined their efforts to *Alberto R. Timm, Ph., D., is Director mary Relation Statements,” Global Center for Adventist theology and message. The Ad ventist-Muslim Relations, 2000, p. 15, ital - produce a Seventh-day Adventist Bible of the Brazilian Ellen G. White Re - search for and use of strategies should ics supplied. Commentary (1953-1957). With the search Center and Professor of Church be creative, but they should be based 13 The Desire of Ages, p. 478. help of such groups as the Committee History and Historical Theology at on a solid foundation—faithfulness 14 Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual , on Bible Chronology and the Com - Brazil Adventist College (Central to the Scriptures. pp. 30, 31. mittee on Problems in Bible Transla - Campus). 28 29 The first edition of the Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia emphasis on the personal content of and the Bible have the same author, revelation—that it consists in an ‘I- there can be no conflict between (1966) came off the press with a specific entry on the Thou ’ relationship in which God them when they are rightly under - “Inspiration of Scripture.” After quoting the statement on the communicates Himself to man. She stood.” 8 Varieties of “styles and sub - “Holy Scriptures” of the Fundamental Beliefs that had been did not share Brunner’s hesitancy to ject matters” are seen by Ellen White accept the revelation of specific as “a strength rather than weakness,” officially accepted since 1931, the entry stated that Seventh- truths, for these, she believed, con - because they provide “varying em - day Adventists “do not believe in verbal inspiration, tribute to the ultimate reconciliation phases” to the many aspects of truth 4 according to the usual meaning of the term, but in what may between man and God. ” “which would not be presented in a While acknowledging that Ellen toughly uniform work.” 9 properly be called thought inspiration.” White recognized the communica - Another slight move toward en - tion of specific truths in the process counter revelation was taken by Jack of revelation, Harder did not empha - W. Provonsha, professor of Chris - the errors found in other writings.” 1 enth-day Adventists believed that the size her understanding of that com - tian Ethics at Loma Linda Univer - In the mid-1950s , Carl W. Daggy Bible “not merely contains the word of munication as an actual impartation sity, in his article “Revelation and In - completed his M.A. in which he ex - God, but is the word of God.” 3 of propositional truths. Although spiration,” published in 1964 in the plicitly suggested that Seventh-day In the following year (1958) Ellen “the line between the natural and the Andrews University Seminary Stud - Adventists were not in full agree - White’s Selected Messages, Book 1, supernatural is almost nonexistent so ies. In this article, Provonsha spoke ment with the Fundamentalist view came off the press with an insightful far as the attainment of knowledge is of encounter revelation in a much of inspiration. According to Daggy, section compiled from the author’s concerned,” there is still a need for the friendlier way than previous tradi - “Fundamentalists and Seventh-day writings on inspiration. Word of God because that Word was tional Seventh-day Adventists. The Ad ventists are in agreement that the Although Seventh-day Adventists “communicated by methods less sub - overall tenor of the article seemed Bible is the Christian’s sole unerring had traditionally held the proposi - ject to the distortions of sin” than in even to suggest a certain via-media rule of faith and practice. They tional view of revelation, a perceiv - natural revelation. 5 position between the propositional sharply disagree, however, on the able move toward the encounter In regard to the inspiration of concept of revelation and the en - question of verbal inspiration. The view of revelation was taken by Scripture, Harder stated that for Ellen counter revelation theory. Fundamentalists generally take the Frederick E. J. Harder in his 506- White “inspiration reveals thought, The first edition of the Seventh- position that the words of Scrip - page Ph.D. dissertation, “Revelation, but it does not set the mold for its day Adventist Encyclopedia (1966) tures, as such, were inspired by God. a Source of Knowledge as Conceived form of expression.” 6 Harder recog - came off the press with a specific Seventh-day Adventists, on the other by Ellen G. White,” defended in 1960 nized, however, that for Ellen White entry on the “Inspiration of Scrip - hand, believe that inspiration func - at New York University. In this dis - the Bible was “a correct record” of bi - ture.” After quoting the statement on tioned in the minds of the Bible sertation , Harder studied Ellen G. ography and history because (1) “the the “Holy Scriptures” of the Funda - writers, but that their choice of White’s concept of revelation in the scribes wrote under direction of the mental Beliefs that had been officially words was their own. At the same light of Thomas Aquinas, John Holy Spirit,” and (2) “this influence accepted since 1931, the entry stated time, they insist that this choice was Calvin, Friedrich Schleiermacher, counteracted the human biases which that Seventh-day Adventists “do not guarded so that the writers did not Augustus Strong, and Emil Brunner. cause biographers to gloss over many believe in verbal inspiration, accord - express error. ”2 In interpreting Ellen White’s con - derogatory facts about their heroes ing to the usual meaning of the term, In 1957 , the book Questions on cept of revelation, Harder suggested and thus present only a partial but in what may properly be called Doctrine came out affirming that Sev - that “White agreed with Brunner’s truth.” 7 “Inasmuch as both science thought inspiration.” 10 This statement 30 31 was followed by some quotations of the divine revelation of truth The years 1950 to 1970 saw the emergence of some from Ellen White’s writings.