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GSEM534Lecture OutlineRevised:May 29,796Belief in Ellen G. White as a Prophet:Should It Be Made a Test of SDA "Fellowship"?Roger W. CoonIntroduction1. On Madr 26, 1996,an E-nnil messagewas posted on the SDA hternet web page from"Nancy:"a, I would really appreciateyour arswering this inquiry. We are goingthrough quite a conEoversyin our church,and I needguidance,When I wasbaptizedin the SDA Churdr 22 yearsago,I was toldI didn't have b believe that Ellen Whib was a prophet to be anSDA. Otherwise, I wouldnjt be an SDA. Other folks in ourchurdr were told the samewhen they becane SDAs. Ftrowever,sone people in our church said they had to say they believed inEllen White when they joined.You can prove all our docbines from the Bible and I firrnlybelieve them. Sincebelief in EUenWhite is not necessaryforsalvatio& I can't seewhy somefolks want to strong-armeveryoneinto conforming. It's really dividing the drurdr lherel. Sheherself said that nothing should be preachedfrom the pulpitexceptthe Bible,My questionis this: is it nec ssaryb believeshewas a prophetto be an SDA? I certairilybelievethat prophecyis a spiritual gift,but I believethe term "spirit of prophecy"meanstuving the spiritof Christ, who was alsoa prophet (Acts 3t2-23). I do not believethe term r fersto Ellen White. Thank you in advancefor helpingme.2. SDA's traditionally have used the expression "test of fellowship" to refer to tests of 'churdr membership, as they relate to:'Fundammtal Beliefs"a. Belicfs: The coredoctrinal fiamework-the 'rminimum"one mtrst believe in order to be accepted as a member in the fellowshipof the churcb and to remain as a meiber "in good and regular standingi'b. Belaoior: Lifestyletonduct, in harmony with those 'Fundamental Belie6," thatdoes not reflect a departue and apostasy from those basic beliefs.3. Two questions, in this context, have been raised since the eartest days of the SDAchurdua. Is beliefin EllenWhite asa propheta "test"of Tellowship"(membershipXb. Shouldbeliefin EGWasa prophetbe madea testof fellowship?
Beliefin Ellar G. Whitea Testof Fellouship?-Page24. And lerhaps four resulting categoriesof viewpoints, among leadersand members,have arism over the years:a. Belief in her as a prophet a-and shoulilbe-a test of fellowship.b. Belief in her as a prophet is-brtt Ehouldnot be-a test of fe[o;,ship.c. Belief in her as a prophet risn'f-but it shoulitDe-atest of fellowshi'p.d. Belief in her as a prophet rsz'f-and it shouldnot be-a test of fellowship.5. That there is not, today, unanimity amongour believers,coalescingaround oneof thesefour viewpoints is a surprise-and equally a distress-to many within the church.a. But that there are differmces of opinion upon the question antongconseruatioeSDAs may to somebe even more surprising-and distressingt6. Historically, the evidenceseemsto indicate that the rajority of the pioneer sDAleadersopposed making it a test of fellowship.a. Many conservativeleaderstoday still hold to such a position.(1) A number of White EstateTrusteesand stafff present and recentlyretired, continue to hold this historic Dosition.b. others, of equal erudition and dedicatio& feel thai the time lus come to makeit a test,1nd havg increasingly voiced that opinion in public forums.(1) And thereis documentary evidenceof a fairly tecent shift of opinion,in severaldirections, as will be noted below.c. lastly, some,frankly, are confused.(1)Perhapssomeof theconfusionarisesbecauseof an individual's irnbilityto distinguish betweena ,,teaching',of the church, on the one hand,ilfri"i:{." thechurch,on theorher apoint,arso,to be dealtI. Those Who Approve Making It a Test of FellowshipA. Spokespersonsfor the Affir:srative1. FrancisD. Nichol [1897-1966]:Church leader,minister, author, djtor of theReoiewandHaald for 21 years:a. Nichol posesand then arswers the questionin his characterisucallyforthrightllanner:(1) There is anotherquestionthat is sometimesasked: Should apersonbe takeninto the drurch who doesnot acc ptMrs,White asGod'sspecialmessengerto the remnantchurch?We believe that the Adventist ministry in generalwouldquickly answer,No. . . . In view of the fact that such abelief in Mrs. White is one of our artides of faith, whvwould anyonewish to belongb our church if he did notacc ptMrs. White?-WhyI Bdiatein Mrs.E. G. lry7tire[RH:19641,p. 105(for a more completetext, seeAppendix A).b. Nidrol provides no evidence whatever in his essayof any awareness on his partthat his view ildiamehically oppositeof the positionespousedby E-GWand the earlySDApioneers,or of the historicpositionof the church.
Belid in Ellen G. Whitc a Test of Felloroship?-Page 3c. More astonishing(to those of w who rememberhim as a most astute logicianand polemicist)is the apparentfailure on his part to distinguish betweenEllen White asa personand asa doctrine,and to demonstratehis aPParenthability to asp Paul's doctrine of spiritual gifts, and the concomitantdoctrine of a rerrnant church possessingthe prophetic gift!2. A growing nunber of SDA leaders,teachers,and pastorsat all levels of the church,virtually all of whom are conservativein their theologyand lifestyle, and who areseriously concernedthat the growing negative attitudes eroding confidence inEGW,her role, and message,be reversed,and that shebe given her rightfirl placewithin the church which she helped to co-found.B. Reasons for Their Approval1. 'rHistorical Conditioningf' While recognizing that EGW truly did oppose makingbelief in her a test of fellowship, they allege that her opposition is historicallvconditioned, and must be viewed contextually,taking into account her tine andplace.a. They allegethat her position of oppositionwas,indeed,appropriate for her day,in the infancy of the denomination,when she and her ninistry were stillcomparatively uriknown, even within the drurch itself.b. But, say they, times have changed;and the position appropriate to the churchin that day is not at all appropriate now.2. The 1980(hange in the "Statementof FundarnentalBeliefsl'a. They poirt out correctly, that a change was made at the 1980 GeneralConferenceSessionin which that "Statementof Fundamental Beliefs"dealing with the Spirit of prophecy was amended,so that EGW's nameappmrs earlier in the statement,making mention of it more prominmt andmore explicit. Let us notice the exactnature of this change:(1) The original statementof belief (which first appearedin print in the1931edition of the SDA Yearbookand the first edition of the SDzAChurdt lvlanualin 1932,read:19,That God hasplacedin His churchthe gifts of theHoly Spirit, as enumeratedin 1 Corinthians12 andEphesiaru4, Thatthesegiftsoperatein harmonywith theprinciplesdivineof the Bible, nd are given'for theperfectingof thesaints,for the work of theminisky, forthe edifyingof thebodyof Christ" Eph.4:12.Thatthegift of the Spirit of prophecyis one of the identifyingmarksof ;Amos3:7;Hosea12:1Q13.)TheyRev.12:17;recognizethat this gift wasmanifestedin the life andrninisty of Ellen G. White.-SDd Encyclapdia(108C119761:39G90.(2) The statement,as revised at the 1980GC Session,presently reads:17.The Gift of ProphecyOneof thegiftsof theHoly Spiritis prophecy.Thisgiftis an identifyingmark of the remnantdrurch and was
Belief in Ellat G, White a Test of Felloarhip?-Page4manifestsdin the minisby of Ellen G. WhiE. As thelord's messenger,her writings are a continuingandauthoritativesourcrof tsuthwhichprovidefor thechurchcomfort,guidance,fuEEuctioDandconection Theyalsornakedear that the Bibleis tlle sbndardby whidr allteadringand experiencemust be tested. (oel ulletin#9,May l, 1980,pp. 25,26;w clapedia(3)Somewould now view (possiblyincorrectly)this changeasthe church'sauthenticatingbelief in her as a prophet as a test of fellowship, bymears of this 'Good HousekeepingSeal-of-Approval."b. And somenow go so far as to argue that belief in her should be a test, "just asmuch as tithepaying is a test!"(1) In this line of argu.ment,however, such overreach themselves; fort:;th*paying is not--yet (and never has bem) a test! Belief in.thetrthe obligation-theBiblical doctrine of tithe.paying-is a test offellowship; but if tith .paynent were a test, only thosegainfully employedcould become(or remain) membersof the SDAChwch!(a) And, to carry this inappropriate analogy one step further,reducing it to the absurd who among us can determinewhether an amount of money put into the tithe.envelopeand marked as "tithe," is actually the dono/s honest rttre?3. A Pragmatic Way to Resolve an Urgent Churdr Problem: It is allegedby some thatwith the currently fairly-low level of acceptanceof EGW as a prophet in someparts of the world church, that if we no longer make belief in her a test ofmembership, our pastors, evangelists, and Bible teachers will eventuallydiscontinue ary referenceto the prophetic gift within our midst.a. And they argue that we need belief in her now to be taught officially as amembershipdefining dochine in order to shore.up the everdeterioratingplace of EGW within the church at large!II. Those Who OpposeMaking It a Test of Fellowship.4,.Spokespersonsfor the Opposition1, Janes S. White: co'founder (with EGW and Joseph Bates) of the SDA Church, thriceGC President an aggregate of 10 years, and founder of four periodicab: PresentTruth, the Rniap and HeraV, the Youth's lndructor, and the Sigttsof the Times:a. It is well known that we havebeendrarged with testingall men by thevisions, and of making them lhe rule of our faith. This is a bolduntruth, of whidr thosewho uttered it were not ignoranL ThisI have dmied, and dmy it still.-RH, Feb.14,1856,p. 158;for thefirll text, seeAppendix A-
Belief in Elln G. WhiE a Test of Fellttttship?-Page 5"tob. Some15 yearslater, he added that Adventists believedthat God called herdo a specialwork at this time, among this PeoPIe.They do not, however,makeLelief in this work a test of Christ'ranfellowship" (ibkl'.Jur:.e73' 7877'p. D5; cited in @D 97).2. Ellen G. White herself was explicit on this point:a. Speakingin 1852of those who did not fully understand th" Fft, she wrote:(1) Suchshouldnot bedeprivedof thebenefitsandprivilegesofthedrurdu if their Christiancourseis otherwis correct,and they haveformeda good Christiancharacter.-l7seeespeciallypp. 328'329'328O(for a fuller statement,and-in 1863-'WrongUseof the Visions,"pp' 382{4).RH, and3. John Nevins An&ews: schol,arof Hebrew and Greek,theologian,editor of ropemissionarytothe firstfather:"a. We thereforedo not testtheworld in any marmerby thesegifts. Nordo we in our intercourse with other religious bodies who arestriving to wdk in the fear of God, in any way make these a testof Christian draracter.-RH, Feb. 15, 1870; cited in QOD 97.4. Uriah Smittu five times RH editor (for an aggregate of 41 yrs.), five times GCSecretary, author, poet, Battle Creek College Bible teadter:a, But I havenot believed,as past volumesof the Rarrcarwill testify, thatthese,or any other rnanifestationof sPiritualgifts, stoodon a levelwith the Scriptures, or that they should be made a test offellowship. I seeas yet no occasionto changemy views in anyof theserespects,-RHSupplemmt, Aug. 14,1883;for full text, seeAppendtx A5. George I. Butlen twice GC President 0877-74;1880-88):a. Our enemiestry very hard to makeit aPPearthat we makethe visionsa test of fellowship, . . . Our leading men have never done this,and the visiors themselvesteadr that it should not be done. . . .No; we do not make the visions a test and nev rhave. But wedo daim the right b believethern,to talk about them freely, andto read them in private and in Public,and shall no doubt continueto exercisethat ri8ht, regardlessof the spiteof thosewho hateus.-'"TheVisions: How Are They Held Among S.D.Adventists,"RHSupplement,Aug. 14,1883;for more completetext, seeAppendixA.6. George A. Irwin: GC President 0897-1907)' church administrator'"no," in his correspondence with Emily H. Humphrey,a. Irwin gives a qualifiedwho in 1897 inquird as to the churc.h's Position.7. Francis M. Wilcor author, an RH editor 35 years, appointed by EGW (in her last willand testament) as one of the first five Trustees of the White Estate:
Belief in Ellat G, White e Test of Fellmoship?-Page6a. In the practiceof ttrechurdr it hasnot beencustomaryto disfellowshipone becausehe did not recognizethe doctrine of sPiritual gifts. . . A mernber of the churdr should not be exduded frommer ership becauseof his inability to recognize dearly thedoctrine of spiritual gifts and its applicationb the secondadventmovement.-TheTatimony of lans [RH, 1944],pP. 141-43,takenfrom Chapter lZ 'Relation to Church Fellowship," pp.73643.8. Selected SDA Church Leaders in 1957:a. "A Representative Group of Seventh-day Adventist Leaders, Bible Teachers, andNaentkts Answa Questionson Dodine lRIl'.Editors" compil&Snmth4ay(QOD)Section Itr dealt with "Questioru on the Relation of Ellen G.1952Whitds Writings to the Bible," pp.87-98.B. ReasonsFor Their Opposition1. ChurchPioneers'Historic Position: As notedabove,this was thepositionof the earlySDA pioneers,including JW and EGW.a. J. N. Andrews reportedly held that there should be two tests of fellowship inthe context of EGW's prophetic gift:(1) Belief in the doctrine of spiritual grfts (as more fully explicated byPaul, chiefly in Rom. 12,1 Cor. 12,and Eph. 4), which indudes thegift of prophecy.(2) A willingness on the candidatefor membershipto becomeacquaintedwith EGW's life and ministry.2. Ellen G. White, per se, is not a iloctine-she is a person!a. T\ere are,of coursg two Biblical dochines dosely associatedwith her gift andminishy, which, themselv6, are today generally concded to be tests offellowship:(1) Pdul s dockine of spirihral gifts (induding prophecy).(2)A "remnantchurdr," appearingin the end-time,which possesseswithinits midst the prophetic gift.3. The 'tsaptismal Vord' in the SD,,l ChutchMawal and Mitristets' Manual:a. On Dec. n,7930, the GC Cormittee voted that a statementof SDA beliefs beprepared by a conmittee of four (induding GC presidmt and RH editor).(1) This first appearedin print in the 1931SDAYurbook, and the 1932SDAChurdt Manual.e) At the 1946GC Sessionit was votd that no revisions, in either the'Statement of FundamentalBeliefs,"or any other portion of theChur& Manual, could be made except at a world sessionof thechurch.(a) This position was reaffimed at the 1990GC Sessionon July 10(GC BulletinNo. 6, July 72,7990,p. 17).(3) This non-creedalstatementconsistedof 22 sections(of whidr No. 19dealt 'ith the Spirit of Prophecy) with minor revisions, for somefive decades(seeabove)
Belief .in EIIen G. White e Test ol Fellozoship?-Page7(4) At the 1980 GC Session,the delegatesincreased the enumeratedstatemenbof beli ef.ftom?2 to 27;and revisedthe statementon theSpirit of Prophecy,moving it flom ib former position as No. 19,toa new No. 17 (seeabove).b. With regard to a designated"Baptismal Vor.r/',to be takm by candidatespriorto receiving baptism:(1) A purely 'SuggestiveOutline for Exarrination" appeared in the firstedition of the Churdt Manunl rn 1932 (pp. 75-78),suggesting21enumeratedquestioru to be asked,Section18 of which reads:(a) "Do you believe the Bible doctrine of "spiritual gifts" in thechurdr, and do you believe in the gift of the Spirit ofprophecywhich hasbeenrnanifestedin the remnantchurchthrough the ministry and wdtings of Mrs. E. G. White?" (p.7 .(b) This reconrrrendedstatement,further appearedunchangedinthe second(19t10)edition of the CM.(2) The fust fornnllydesignated "Baptisrnl Vow" appearedinitially in theCM's thLd edition in 19 .(a) The earlier 21 intorogatories wete now reduced to a mere 11.(b) Interestingly, however, no referencewlratever now aPPearsanywhereconcerningthe doctrine of spiritual gifts or EllenWhite! Just total silence!(c) The 1lth (and final) sectionof this new vow simply inquired:"Do you believe that the Seventhday Adventist Churchconstitutesthe remnant church, and do you desire to beacceptedinto its membership?"(p. 87).(3) A changewas madein the CM's 4th edition (1951):(a) The interrogatorieswere increasedfrom 11 to 13."Do you acceptthe doctrineO) And a new section8 now inquires:of spiritual gifts, and do you believe that the Spirit ofprophecy is one of the identifying marks of the renmantchurdr? (Seepp. 3a,54)"lp.5n.(c) This 1951version now rerrained unchangedfor three decadesin succeedingeditions of the CM until the revision of 1980.(4) The GeneralConferenceSessionof 1980rnde only a cosmeticrevision:(a) "8. Do you acceptthe Biblical teachingof spiritual gifts, and do you believethat the gift of prophecyin the remnant churchis one of the identifying unrls of the remnant church?"(GCBulbtin #9, May 1, 1980,p. 28)(5) The most recent revision of the vow (1990)was only minor:(a) "8. 'Do you acceptthe biblical teaching of spiritual gifts andbelieve that the gift of prophecy is one of the identifyingmarksof that church?"(GCBulIAin#7,July17,199Op. 15).(6) Ttre SDA Manual For Ministers (whidu until 1992, induded the'bapfrsunl vov/') reflected the 1951Church Manual rendering inits 1954edition (p. 86),and in its'1977edition (p. 97). (However,the currmt 119921SDA Minbtels Manual, fails to prescribe anybaptisrral vow, tending to downplay a prerite Public examination
Belid in EIln G, Whitea Testof Felluutship?-PageIof the candidatesin favor of 'a lesspublic appraisal"by "the churchboard, elders,or someother small group designatedby the church,"in the declaredinterest of "putting the candidateat ease"-p. 190.)(7) In view of the fact that no "official' versionof the'tsaptismal Vow"everrequiredcandidatesfor baptismto declarepublic belief in EllenWhite, there seemsto be no documentaryevidencethat belief inher propheticgift was everintendedto be madea test of fellowship.(d And the 195 edition of the ChurchManual pointdly remindsits readers that no minister ot church is at liberty toprescribea test of fellowship not formally containedin this'tonstitution" of the SDA Church (p. 170).III. Evidence of a ContemporaryStateof Flux Vis-a-Vis Belief in EGW1, Thereis somedocumentaryevidenceof a fairly recenttwo-way movementwith regardto the position of whetheror not belief in EllenWhite should be made a test ofchurch fellowship.A. The Change in the "Statement of Fundanental Beliefs"-A Step "Forward"?1. As already noted abovg in 1980the 'Statementof FundamentalBelief' concerningtheSpirit of Prophecywas slightly amendedto make referenceto Mrs. White,s nameearlier in the statement,and thus more prominent and more explicit.a. However, as also noted above,the referenceto Mrs. White in the "suggestive""BaptismalVow"appearedonly from 1932to 1942.Since1951,candidatesfor baptism have been asked only to declarepublidy their belief in twodochines: " spirihral gifts," and an end-time remnant church whichpossessesa gift of prophetic utterance.B. Revision of the i'Statement of Present Understandingt' - A Slep "Backward"?1. A further developmmt in mid-1982 and early 1983,which nuy or may not havesignificance,will now be noted:a. 'A Statement of Present Understanding" concerning 'The Inspiration and.Authority of the Ellen G. White Writings" (asrevised Iune 14 1982)waspublished in the July 75, 7982edition of the AdoentistRezz'ar,and in theMinistry of August, 1982.(1) It contained ten "Affi::rrations" and ten "Denials"concerningwhat theframers felt to be the churdr's position on the unique nature of theEGW writings.(2) It was originally prepared by an otherwise unidenti.fied ad ftoccommittee of church leadersappointed by GC leadership.(3) It was thm given to the Biblical ReseardrCommittee to "fine.tune.,,b. The revised draft was subsequendypubtished tn the Adaentist Rniew of.December?3, 7982,and in the Mrnrsfryrof February, 1983.
Belief in Ellert G, White a Test of Fellottship?-page 9(1) A comparison of the two drafts revealed that most revisions werepurely cosmetic.(2) Indeed, the only change of some significance was in the 9th"Affimntion"'(a) In the first published draft the text read:9.Webelievethattheacceptanceof thepropheticgift of Ellm rffhtte, while not a rEubementofcotttinuingdur& nnnbership,is impdrtantto tfrinurtureandunity of ) In the reviseddraft, the dause italicized above(for purposesof- emphasis)in the original draft, was deleted.c. Does this changesignal a 'leverse," a "drawing-back" for those who wouldmake belief in Ellen White a test of fellowship? Somemight perhaps beindined to reasonthus.IV. The Meaning and Content of a Test of Fellowship,4,-The Quintessential Essencel. A "test of fellowship" is aoJthe "sraximum" requirement by meansof which to gainadmittance to a drurch; it is, rather, the "minimum" condition to be met bv onedesirous of drurdr membership.a' In oncesenseit rruy properly be viewed as a 'license to grow within a clearlydefined rdigious community"-growth both in spiritiality ana in cognitiveunderstanding.2. It is a.serious-So h, unforfunately, common-mistake for one to equate a "test offellowship" with a "test of eternal life'-a distinction cogenfly d"d" by1u-",White in his 1856RH statement.a. churdr membershipis not now-and never has been-an instant ,passport,'tothe courts of glory above!B. A'Teaching"of the Churdr vs. a'Test" of the Church1. In the october, 1951edition of rhe Minktry (pp. rz, rs), an extremely helpful articre-BranionpubEhed by thm4eneral confermce piesident wirriarn Henry("whatAre Our Testsof Fellowship?,'). In it he drew a most significa;t distinction:a. Thereare "teatlings" of the &ur& whidr, nnerthclas, ari not "tests"of the dturcl(for te: t,seeAppendix B).b. And Dr' calvin B. Rock,in writing in the Nov. 2g 1991edition of th e AdomtistReziar ("Dochines,Teachings,and policies,,,p. 20) rnkes much the samepoint as doesBranson(for text, seeAppendix C).
Belief in Ellrrt G. White a Test of Eellotoship?-Page 70"standards."2 These"teachings"are gmerally in the areaof behavioral-orientedchurcha. Few loyal memberswould seriouslyarguetlnt theseshould not continue to betaughtbY the dturclub. But thesenoirtest teachings" of the drurch should not, however, be nforcdupon the membersNP."teadrings" that are not "tests:"3. Examplesofa. The Doctrine of.TitheaaYing.(1) Belief in the Biblical iloctrine tJut Christians should pay an honesttithe on their "inaease" is a test of fellowship.(2) But, as noted above,the act of payingone'stithe is not, in and of itself,a test of fellowship, for fwo obvious reasons:(a) If it were, only gainfully-employed individuals could becomeand remain-members of the church.O) And only God Himself knows whether the a:nount paid is anhonesttithe or not!b. Membership in a Trade Union:(1) Ellen White rePeatedlyaffirmed Utat SDAs should not join any laborunion that existedin her day, or which might comeinto existencein the future (Lt 201, 1902;cited in 2SM 144-see entire section,pp.14144);and this is still "presenttruth"-official SDA teaching(though, admittedly, it is sometimesgiven rather short shrift bysome SDA pastols and teachers).(2) But we don't disfellowship SDA memberswho may join a union.c. Membership in SecretSocieties/Lodges:(1) EGW also taught that SDAscould not conscientiouslybelong to seqetsocietiesor lodges,such as the Masonic Order, etc. (2SM 12040)'(2) But we don't discipline SDA merrbers who do join them.d. Marriage of an SDA Member With a Non'SDA:(1) Both Paul (2 Cor. 6:14) and EGW have warned Christiaru againstthe practice of contractingmarriage with an unbeliever in Christ.(a)Indeed,the very nature of suchallianceis, ilherently, "unequal"!(2)But if a churchmembermarriesa nonSDA,his,/her churchmembershipis in no way jeopardized.(a) Now the drurdr doesrule that a "mixed marriage"csremonymayaot be perforrred in an SDA drurdr sanctuary,and that anSDA minister may not so officiate.(b) But when evm theseteachingsare not followed, the offendingminister, or member,is seldom disciptined.e. Sending SDA Children to SDA Schools:(1) It is a teaching of the church that SDA children and youth belong inSDA educationalcenters,wheneverpossible;and, indeed,the entirechurch is called upon to urake this financially possible.(d EGW clearly instructs that the provision of affordableChristianeducation is the resporsibility of the entire church, notmerely that of iust the parentsof school-agechildren at anyparticular point in time!
Beliel ln Ellrllt G. White e Test ol Felloarhip?-Page 77(2) But neither Parentsnor drildren are disciplined if they still choosetoigaore this counsel"Discouraging"the Wearing of a Wedding Band (in North America):f.(1) It is ;il officiat North American Dvision policy to "discourage"thewearing of a wedding band by SDAs within North America.(2) But the Chur& Manual prescribesno disciplinary penalties for thegrowing number of members who deliberately choose to dootherwise.(d And it dedares, fi.uther, that conferencesor local churchcongregatioru who apply any discipline by way of"out of harmony" with thediscriminatory Policiesaretotallychurdr as a whole!(b) In this, the church at large follows the o ampleof the prophet,EGW, who left this matter solely at the door of individualpersonalconscimce,by not rraking it a rntter of legislation.(SeeRogerW. Coort'sGSEM534Seminary lecture outline:'The Wedding Band, Ellen G. White and the SeventhdayAdventist Church,"rev. Dec.7O,7987,?2pp.' availablefromthe White Estate.)(3) Indeed, all questionsrelated to dressare excludedfrom being tests offellowship (Ev 215).g. Vegetarianism:(1) Vegetarianismhas long beena teachingof the church, world-wide; butthose who-for whatever reason-thoose a flesh diet are notdisciplined.(? Someare surprised to learn that tlrreentingof stttine'sfleshis t ot a testof fellowship!(a) Wrote EGW in 1889:". . . You must understand from Scripturethat swine'sfleshwasprohibited by JesusChrist [during theExodusfrom Egyptll. . . . [Yetl this is not a test question'(Ms 15,1889;seeAppendix D for the publishedtext).(b) To Elder and Mrs. S.N. Haskel (who were making the eatingof pork a test of fellowship in new York City in 1858),shewrote: 'I saw that your views concerning swine's fleshwould prove no iniury to yourselves;but in your iudgmentand oPinion you have [wrongly] made this question a test" '(7T206,mn.(3) Acttrally. the eating of any Ilesh food-whether l,evitically "clean" or'lndean"-cannot be a test of fellowship, according to EGW:(a) 'We are not to rrake the use of flesh food a test of fellowship"(9T1s9)". we do not ruke the useof meata test. ' ;' (Lt 48 '7902;O)citd in CD 4O7,#71il.andCaffeinated Beverages:h. Animal Products(1) The church continuesto teachand urge that certain animal products(e.g., milk, butter, chee-se,eggs, etc., and caffeinated beverages(sudr as tea, coffee,cola drinks, etc.) not be used by members.
Belief .in Ellellt G. White a Test of Fellmoship?-Page72(2) But it has not made such abstention a test of fellowship.(a) The question whether we shall eat butEr, meat, orcheese,is not b be presentedto anyoneasa test,but we are to educateand to show the evils of thethings that arc obiectionable.Thosewho gathert3,*;HT#1ffi"J:t"H,:';Sff;i. FamersRaisingllo}yff:xj:l;t'r*,,u,(1) \4lhile the use of tobacco and alcohol were declared to be tests offellowship by EGW, she neverthelessheld that farurers who raisehops-[an agriculturat ingredient essentialto the brewing of beer],or tobacco,or swine cannot be disciplined for this cause.(2) Whilestronglyrecommend.ingthat SDAs not growlraise theseproducts,sheheld that "we should not urge this opinion upon any;,,aad to critics of such hrsrers shedeclaredthat ,,theyhavi no rightj. Beriefi,' "(1) And while EGW never disdai'ned for herseUthe prophetic role (asrlisfinqf frsnr tl;.etitle), and while the church since her death hasfomrally to reaffirm belief in her prophetic gift at every1olF"dGC Session,yet she herself declatedthat such belief was not to bemaintained as a test of fellowship:'d.ivine(a) Those not convinced of theorigin of her special gift"should not be deprivedof the benefit and privileges of thechurchif their Christiancourseis otherwiseiorrect, and theyhave formed a good Christian character',(1T 328, g2g).(b) "If persoru are not settled in regard to the visions, they shouldnot be crowdedoff'(1T 383,384).C- The Churdt Manual and Official Grounds for Church Discipline1. The 1995SD.'{ChurchManualldmtifies 11basicreasonsas zuitable grounds for churchdiscipline (censureand/or removal of membership):Reasonsfor Which Merrbers Shall be DisciplinedAmongthegrievoussinsfor whidr membersshallbesubiectto churchdiscipline are the followingi1. Denial of faith in the fundamentalsof the gospeland in the cardinaldoctrines of the churdr or Eaching doctrines contra.y to the same.2, Violation of the law of God, such as worship of-idols, murder,stealing profanity, gambling Sabbathbreakingand willful and habitualfalsehood.3. Violation of the seventhcomrnandmentof the law of God asit relatesto the rnarriageinstitutio& the Chdstian home, and biblical standardsofmoral conducL4. Such violations as fornication, Fomiscuity, incest, hornosexualpractice, and other gross sexualperversions,and the remarriageof adivorced person,exceptof the 'lnnocent party" in a divorce foi adultery
Belief in Ellen G, White a Test of Eellotoship?-Pege 73or for groessexualperversiors.5. Fraud or willful misrepresentationin business.6, Disorderly conduct whidr brings reproachupon the cause.7, Adhering b or taking part in a divisive or disloyal movement ororganization (Seep. 164,'Self-appointedOrganizations.)8. Persistentrefusal to recognizeproperly constitutedchuch authorityor to submit to the order and discipline of the drurdr.9, The use, manufacture,or sale of alcoholicbeverages.10. The use, manufacture,or sale of tobaccoin any of its forms forhuman consumption11. The misuse of, or tsafficking I
a. Belief in her as a prophet a-and shoulil be-a test of fellowship. b. Belief in her as a prophet is-brtt Ehould not be-a test of fe[o;,ship. c. Belief in her as a prophet risn'f-bu t it shoulit De-a test of fellowshi'p. d. Belief in her as a prophet
