Last Generation Theology
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Last Generation Theology (LGT) is the designation given to a line of theological emphasis forming a subculture within the Seventh-day Adventist Church, teaching that Jesus Christ was not only Substitute but Example, insisting that Christians must cease from sin before the Second Coming, and confessing that the close of the age has been delayed by unconsecration in Christians but can be accelerated through their living of holy lives.[citation needed] Although exceptions exist, most official Seventh-day Adventist Church resources published since the late 1970s have opposed the concepts identified as LGT.
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[edit] Personalities
[edit] M. L. Andreasen
By the middle of the 20th century, Seventh-day Adventism had been in existence for a hundred years. Although many in Christendom had turned to a similar view to Miller's (with reference to a literal Second Coming before the Millennium, not necessarily other aspects), some in Adventism began to seek acceptance by other faith groups, and the result was the publishing by the church in 1957 of the book Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine[1] (QOD). This book, while in many respects unexceptional and non-problematic, presented very substantial changes in the church's doctrinal position primarily in the areas of Christology and the Atonement. In the understanding of some, the changes were destructive to the concept that a last generation could, by the power of the gospel, be made holy, could stop sinning.
M. L. Andreasen[2] (1876 - 1962), served as president of the Greater New York Conference (1909 - 1910), president of Hutchinson Theological Seminary (1910 - 1918), dean of Atlantic Union College (1918 - 1922), dean of Washington Missionary (now Columbia Union) College (1922 - 1924), president of the Minnesota Conference (1924 - 1931), president of Union College (1931 - 1938), and field secretary of the General Conference (1941 - 1950). He taught at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary from 1937 - 1949, and was recognized as a leading denominational scholar on the atonement and related topics. As far back as 1937 Andreasen presented the package that took the implications of the Adventist faith to their logical conclusion. In his book, The Sanctuary Service, Andreasen had pulled this all together in the closing chapter, The Final Generation. Andreasen urged that QOD not be published, and for long months labored urgently with church leaders to correct the ideas they eventually placed into print. Eventually QOD was published and Andreasen went public in identifying problematic aspects of the book. In that era, his resistance was viewed almost as treason.
[edit] Robert H. Pierson
Robert H. Pierson (1937 - 1989) served as president of the British West Indies Union (1944 - 1947), president of Southern Asia Division (1950 - 1954), president Kentucky-Tennessee Conference (1954 - 1957), president Texas Conference (1957 - 1958), president Southern Africa Division (1958 - 1962), president Trans-African Division (1962 - 1966), and ultimately, president of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church from (1966 - 1979). In his sermons he often presented LGT concepts (Hear Pierson preach). He was a driving force in the 1973 and 1974 Annual Council Appeals published by the world church for all its members--appeals that have been persistently republished since their first appearance, and which constitute a milepost in official publications by the church in advocacy of LGT concepts. Pierson served longer in the church presidency than all other church presidents except A. G. Daniells. Pierson, like Andreasen, was a prolific writer. His biography (Radiant With Hope, by Geoffrey E. Garne. ISBN 0-912145-19-6) lists him as author of 28 books, many of them translated into multiple languages, as well as hundreds of articles.
[edit] H. E. Douglass
Herbert E. Douglass (1927 - ), has been a prominent advocate of LGT. He served on the staff that edited the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (1954 - 1957), chairman, DepartmentExample: 1 Samuel 3:16-4:18 of Theology, Atlantic Union College (1960 - 1964), academic dean, Atlantic Union College (1964 - 1967), president of Atlantic Union College (1967 - 1970), associate editor of the Adventist Review (1970 - 1976), associate book editor and then vice-president of editorial development at Pacific Press Publishing Association (1979 - 1985), president Weimar College (1985 - 1992). Douglass, in connection with other church leaders, was a key figure in the 1970s, recapitulating the Last Generation Theology developed in Miller, White, and 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, he 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. Douglass served as associate editor of the Adventist Review and wrote a large number of articles and books, including one of the most significant recent volumes produced by the church, Pacific Press's 1998 Messenger of the Lord: the prophetic ministry of Ellen G. White, ISBN 0-8163-1622-8. 586 pp. However this book does not mention LGT [citation needed].
[edit] Dennis Priebe
As the 1970s closed, a new crisis faced the church in the form of the teachings of Desmond Ford, a Seventh-day Adventist theologian from Australia. Ford was brought to the United States where he became a theology professor at Pacific Union College in California--where Dennis Priebe (see here) (1942 - ) also served among the theology faculty. Ford's teachings presented Adventism with a salvation understanding similar to that earlier advocated in QOD, but Ford came into the open in 1979, stating that he had not believed the doctrine of the investigative judgment for the past 20 years. A denominational battle was played out in which Ford finally was disemployed and had his ordination revoked. The matter led Priebe to a careful exploration of the issues involved. Ultimately, he presented to the church his pivotal book, Face-to-Face With the Real Gospel (1986). Priebe embarked on an itinerant ministry that has continued until the present, presenting his material in churches and meetings. Beside his two decades serving as pastor and theology professor, he has since then presented more than 500 seminar events.
[edit] Larry Kirkpatrick
Priebe, in turn, influenced Larry Kirkpatrick (1962 - ). Certain persistent issues led to the publication by the church of its second (QOD had been the first) authors-not-named publication: Issues: The Seventh-day Adventist Church and Certain Private Ministries. The book provoked Kirkpatrick to study. He concluded that the QOD-echoing theological positions in Issues were wrong; the real gospel was the one advocated by Miller, White, Andreasen, Douglass, and Priebe. Kirkpatrick entered the pastoral ministry in 1994.
By 1997 Kirkpatrick was publishing on the internet. The first item he republished was the 1973 - 1974 Annual Council Appeals that had been presented to the church by the General Conference. In 2002 he lent his support to the then rising revival represented by the Youth Conferences movement in the church.
[edit] Peter Gregory
The primary speakers for the 2002 General Youth Conference (GYC) meeting held at Pine Springs Ranch in Southern California included several advocates of LGT, especially the morning devotional speaker, Peter Gregory (1970 - ). This meeting and the messages proclaimed by Gregory and others marked the beginning of a renewed interest by some youth of the church in Last Generation Theology.
The movement that began in 2002 resulted in the spontaneous rise of several regional youth conferences with similar emphases. Some appreciated speakers were Dennis Priebe and Peter Gregory, persistent advocates of the concepts of LGT.
[edit] Doctrine
The Last Generation Theology understanding is best seen in light of the doctrinal development of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Seventh-day Adventists have had four generally recognized statements of belief, prepared in 1872, 1931, 1980, and 2005. The 1872 and 1931 statements of belief were prepared for use at the informational level, for those outside the movement who desired to understand what Seventh-day Adventists stood for. Adventism is rooted in Reformationism and Restorationism.
In the 1950s, a handful of church leaders published the book Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine (which came to be known simply as "QOD"). This volume, in key areas such as Christology, Atonement, and Soteriology, was felt by many Adventists to have introduced radical changes in Seventh-day Adventist belief. The book is widely acknowledged as the most controversial book in the history of the Adventist church. Many held that it introduced a "New Theology" incompatible with the last generation aspects of Seventh-day Adventist theology. Others insisted that it merely reflected a maturation of the group as it moved from sect to mainline denomination.
The denomination's 1980 statement of belief came into being at the same time the crisis introduced by the teachings of Desmond Ford had peaked. The 2005 statement added a 28th belief not impacting upon LGT aspects.
Various theologians and writers within the Seventh-day Adventist Church regularly published works in which they defined and then opposed the teachings of Last Generation Theology. Since no explicit statement of what the LGT concepts existed, rendering both criticism or promotion of LGT difficult, in 2005 certain ordained, credentialed Seventh-day Adventist workers and proponents of LGT combined their energies through the spring to prepare an LGT Statement of Belief, seven couplets completing 14 points that distinctly mark out an agreed definition for Last Generation Theology.
[edit] Cleanse and Close
Advocates of the concepts of LGT felt that those teachings were often mischaracterized by denominational writers. Kirkpatrick consulted with others and the result was the LGT14, a doctrinal list of 14 points presented as a consensus statement. In 2005 Kirkpatrick's book, Cleanse and Close: Last Generation Theology in 14 Points packaged the concepts that had been developing since the mid 19th century, and identified them as LGT.
The LGT14 represent a consensus statement developed by current and retired ordained denominational workers and other Seventh-day Adventists. According to its advocates, LGT14 is intended as a reinforcement of the church's official 28 Fundamental Beliefs, an emphasis on neglected ideas related to that list, and not as a replacement statement.
[edit] Opposition to Last Generation Theology
Since the mid 1950s, a steady opposition to the concepts of LGT is found in books and articles by notable authors and workers including LeRoy Froom, Norman Gulley, George R. Knight, William Johnsson, Roy Adams, Clifford Goldstein, Roy Naden, Woodrow Whidden III, and others. Different aspects of LGT have drawn opposition from the various individuals. Opponents also believe that a balanced reading of Ellen White does not support LGT.
[edit] Christology and perfectionism
Most persistent has been opposition to the Christology of LGT which teaches that Jesus became incarnate in fallen humanity. The Christological problem rises from the preliminary issue of how one defines sin; depending on this definition, one is either guilty because of his nature or because of his choices. Advocates of LGT are united in teaching that Jesus took the nature of humanity after the Fall and that He never sinned. They highlight Christ's role as both Substitute and Example. Those opposing LGT teach that this is an incorrect teaching and that Christ's humanity was actually that of Adam before the Fall or is a synthesis, that Christ took a kind of humanity that is neither wholly pre- or post-Fall and is thus unique. They emphasize Christ as Substitute for humanity.
This is related to character perfection, which has also been a central point of contention. Whereas advocates of LGT urge that as a result of the gospel men and women will stop sinning before Jesus returns, those opposed to LGT hold that because of the fallen nature, people will continue to sin, at least in nature, until Jesus' Second Coming. It is urged that focus on perfection distracts from Christ. LGT advocates counter that they actually are focused on following Christ as they seek to please Him by ceasing from sin.
[edit] Timing of the Second Coming
Other writers have reserved their attentions mostly for the topic of whether or not God's people have delayed the Second Coming or could, through the way they live their lives, hasten the time of that coming. Writers opposed to LGT say no on both counts, pointing to God's sovereignty. Advocates of LGT counter that since God is sovereign, He is within His rights to include as part of the evidence of His goodness the behavior of those who profess to believe in Him.
[edit] Atonement
Another key concern revolves around the relationship of the atonement to the cross and whether Christ's work in the heavenly sanctuary represents a continuation of the atonement or the application of an already finished atonement. Authors opposing LGT view the atonement as having been completed at the cross and the benefits of that completed atonement being applied to the believer presently. Whereas advocates of LGT urge the importance of God making a demonstration of His power through the last generation of believers, opposers of LGT counter that through His sacrificial death on the cross, Christ achieved all the demonstration necessary.
Some have especially focused their attention at the meaning and relationship of justification and sanctification to obedience. Writers opposing LGT tend to emphasize justification and understand sanctification as a following fruit of the gospel, not part of the salvation equation. Like the previous point about the atonement, these concerns arise from the foundational understanding of whether the gospel is predominantly concerned with salvation for man as a legal matter (the satisfaction view of the atonement), or is best understood as a restoration of man to the divine image, a therapeutic motif (see also the moral influence view of the atonement).
[edit] In relation to the larger church
The existence and significance of a large group of Seventh-day Adventist believers in LGT is attested by the wide range of Adventist scholars, the publishing of books like QOD and Issues which seek to counter their ideas, the counter-publishing of the 1973 and 1974 Appeals, and the persistent historical presence of its advocates in significant church positions (M. L. Andreasen, Robert H. Pierson, C. Mervyn Maxwell, Kenneth Wood, Herbert E. Douglass, Joe Crews, Dennis Priebe, J. R. Zurcher, etc.), and the popularity of the LGT concept in a current youth renewal within one segment of the church, testify to the existence of a persistent, significant train of thought within the larger church.
The beliefs of a church are often defined on the basis of formally voted policy statements. However, this is but one element in the development of a meaningful understanding of the identity of a religious group. The historical-Theological development of a group is also very meaningful in defining the beliefs of a Church.
Last Generation Theology and the discussion surrounding it offers a window to contributory streams of thought that inform the identity of Seventh-day Adventism.
[edit] See also
- Christian perfection
- Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Seventh-day Adventist theology
- Historic Adventists
[edit] Appendices
[edit] References
- The Final Generation, by M. L. Andreasen, 1937
- 1973 and 1974 Annual Council Appeals, by General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
[edit] Bibliography
- The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan, by Ellen G. White, 1911.
- The Sanctuary Service, by M. L. Andreasen, 1937
- The End, by Herbert E. Douglass, 1979
- Face-to-Face With the Real Gospel, by Dennis Priebe, 1988
- Cleanse and Close, by Larry Kirkpatrick, 2005
