Herbert E. Douglass

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Herbert Edgar Douglass, Jr. was born in Springfield, MA in 1927, the oldest of five children (all sons) to Herbert Edgar Douglass Sr (1904-1983) and Mildred Jennie Munson (1908-1988). Douglass is a Seventh-day Adventist theologian, earning his Doctorate in Theology at Pacific School of Religion in 1964.

From 1954-1957 Douglass wrote commentaries for five books for, and served on the staff that edited, The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary. From 1967-1970 he served as president of Atlantic Union College; from 1970-1976 as associate editor of the Review and Herald magazine; from 1979-1985 as associate Book Editor and vice-president for Editorial Development at Pacific Press Publishing Association; from 1985-1992 as president of Weimar Institute, and from 1997-2001 as vice-president for Philanthopy at Adventist Heritage Ministry. From 2003-2005 Douglass was a consultant for Amazing Facts Ministry. As of 2006, he has authored over 20 books and numerous articles.

As of 2006, Douglass resides at Lincoln, CA.

1 Last Generation Theology
2 Great Controversy theme
3 Messenger of the Lord: The Prophetic Ministry of Ellen G. White
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
7 Categories

[edit] Last Generation Theology

Douglass, in connection with other church leaders, was a key figure in the 1970s, recapitulating the Last Generation Theology (LGT) developed in William Miller, Ellen White, and M. L. Andreasen. Through the main denominational journal, his editorials issued forth in advocacy of LGT. A key contribution by Douglass was his articulation of what came to be known as The Harvest Principle. Pointing to Mark 4:26-29, Douglass showed how God is waiting for a ripe harvest, and as soon as that harvest has ripened, He will thrust in His sickle and reap the earth--the Second Coming of Christ will at last come to pass.

[edit] Great Controversy theme

Douglass promotes the Great Controversy theme (GCT) as the conceptual key, the organizing principle that leads to an understanding of humanity’s greatest questions: How did life begin? Why good and evil, and how does one know the difference? What happens after death? Why suffering and death? The Great Controversy Theme provides the background for the development of evil–the story of Lucifer’s (Satan’s) rebellion against the government of God. The thrust of Satan’s argument is that God cannot be trusted, that His law is severe and unfair, and thus the Lawgiver is unfair, severe, and arbitrary.

For Douglass, the Great Controversy Theme (GCT) ties together the plan of redemption, Bible truth, and the peril and triumph of Jesus’ entry into humanity and His death upon the cross. It holds together Christ’s death for us with the application of His power within us. It shows why God purposes to demonstrate through His end-time people the ultimate fruition of what His grace can do, and clarifies how Satan’s charges will be finally negated. At the end of time God has called a people to understand, live out, and present to the universe God’s love through our individual opportunities in the climax of the great controversy.

[edit] Messenger of the Lord: The Prophetic Ministry of Ellen G. White

In 1998 Douglass published Messenger of the Lord: The Prophetic Ministry of Ellen G. White, considered to be the most comprehensive treatment ever produced of Ellen White’s prophetic ministry. It is hailed as the definitive work on how the prophetic gift functioned in her life and ministry.