Historic Adventist

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“Historic Adventist” is a self-designation used by some within the Seventh-day Adventist church who regard themselves as upholding the traditional theological positions of the church. They are also known as “traditional Adventists”. They constitute a vocal minority within the church.^{[citation needed]}

As a general rule, historic Adventists feel that the church leadership has departed from key doctrinal "pillars" ever since the second half of the 20th century. Specifically, they point to the publication in 1957 of a book entitled Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine; this book is considered to undermine historic Adventist theology in favour of theology more compatible with evangelicalism.

Prominent figures in historic Adventism include M. L. Andreasen, Herbert Douglass, Dennis Priebe, and Russell and Colin Standish. Hope International[1] and the “Concerned Brethren” are expressions of historic Adventism. "Last Generation Theology" shares some elements with Historic Adventism, yet considers itself to have "expanded" the beliefs of Historic Adventism to their logical conclusion.^[1]

While historic Adventists have generally not broken away from the Adventist denomination to form their own church, believing that the Adventist church is still God’s chosen instrument, many historic Adventists feel that the wider church has apostatized and some even argue that the denominational leadership is presently in apostasy. There is thus a tendency for historic Adventists to promote their message through independent ministries, which may have a strained relationship with the official church.

Historic Adventists lie at the opposite end of the Adventist theological spectrum to progressive Adventists.

1 Theology
2 Publications
3 Criticism
- 3.1 Anti-Catholicism
- 3.2 Responses to criticism
4 Official church reaction
5 Notable historic Adventists
- 5.1 Former
  - 5.1.1 Transition to non-Adventist
  - 5.1.2 Transition to mainstream Adventist
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Theology

Tract distributed by a Historic Adventist group. The Sabbath commandment is highlighted and marked "The seal of the living God". Elsewhere it says that Christians who worship on Sunday are part of "Babylon".^{[citation needed]}

Historic Adventists tend to place more emphasis on sanctification than justification, believing that both are necessary for salvation. They define the atonement in terms of God’s work to cleanse our character from sin as well as payment of the penalty for sin. The work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary is regarded as a continuation of the work of atonement begun on the cross, rather than the application of the benefits of an already completed atonement.

Sin is typically defined as acts which break the commandments, rather than an inherent corruption of the human nature. The traditional Protestant concept of original sin is thus rejected. Jesus Christ is believed to have possessed a fallen nature in common with all the children of Adam.

"Eschatological perfectionism" is the teaching that a final generation of believers must achieve a state of complete sinlessness (or Christlikeness) in the final period just before the second coming of Jesus. Historic Adventists appeal to all believers to consider the life and character of Christ as a perfect example that all must imitate. Accordingly, the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, or investigative judgment, is thought to also involve the cleansing of the lives of believers on earth.

Historic Adventists generally place more emphasis on the writings of Ellen G. White as a doctrinal authority compared to other Adventists, often considering her writings as infallible and having near-equivalent status to the Bible.

A unique perspective on the 1888 Minneapolis General Conference is usually promoted. Historic Adventists argue that Ellen White supported the perfectionistic theology of Jones and Waggoner.^[2]

Many historic Adventists are advocates of the "King James Only" movement.

[edit] Publications

Land Marks[2] is a monthly magazine produced by Steps to Life, an independent organisation committed to historic Adventism.

Our Firm Foundation[3] is a monthly magazine produced by Hope International, another independent organisation committed to historic Adventism.

[edit] Criticism

Mainstream and progressive Adventists have criticised the use of the term "historic". It is observed that numerous doctrinal positions that were common among the Adventist pioneers are generally not held by those who profess to be "historic Adventists", such as semi-Arianism, which time of day the Sabbath should begin, certain understandings of Systematic Benevolence, the "shut door", and the personhood of the Holy Spirit.^[2] It is argued that the over-valuing of "historic" beliefs leads to an unhelpful neglect of "new light".

Walter Martin labeled most of the historic Adventists he encountered as "legalists," "worshippers of Ellen White" and the "lunatic fringe."^[3]

Historic Adventist roadside billboard. Text reads, "SATURDAY the True Lord's Day Changed by Antichrist Dan. 7:25

[edit] Anti-Catholicism

Historic Adventists have spent large amounts of money for special literature and billboard and newspaper advertising around the country, with a message declaring that the pope is the antichrist.^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10] This has caused embarrassment for the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.^[11]^[12]

[edit] Responses to criticism

In response, some historic Adventists have claimed that they are loving in their evangelism and deny that the charge of fanaticism applies to them. They quote statements by Ellen White to support their view. For instance:

"Men will misrepresent the doctrines we believe and teach as Bible truth, and it is necessary that wise plans should be laid to secure the privilege of inserting articles into the secular papers; for this will be a means of awakening souls to see the truth. God will raise up men who will be qualified to sow beside all waters. God has given great light upon important truths, and it must come to the world."^[13]

"We must take every justifiable means of bringing the light before the people. Let the press be utilized, and let every advertising agency be employed that will call attention to the work. This should not be regarded as nonessential. On every street corner you may see placards and notices calling attention to various things that are going on, some of them of the most objectionable character; and shall those who have the light of life be satisfied with feeble efforts to call the attention of the masses to the truth?"^[14]

[edit] Official church reaction

The Seventh-day Adventist church has officially reacted to certain organisations which espouse "historic Adventist" theology. In 1998, the General Conference established a committee to evaluate the beliefs and activities of Hope International, the Hartland Institute (USA) and Remnant Ministries (Australia). The committee produced a report expressing "serious concerns with respect to the nature and purpose of Hope International and associates."^[15]

The conclusion of the report stated that "by rejecting the authority of the world church in session when their interpretation of Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy differs from that of the church, [Hope International and associates] have set their authority above that of the world church and operate in a manner that is consistent with offshoot movements." The report also contained a significant threat: "If Hope International and associates cannot bring themselves into harmony with the body of the world church, clearly evidenced within 12 months, the Seventh-day Adventist Church may need to consider whether there exists a “persistent refusal to recognize properly constituted church authority or to submit to the order and discipline of the church” (Church Manual, p. 169)."^[15]

The church has officially reacted to certain organisations which espouse "historic Adventist" theology by filing law suits against them for their use of the church name.^{[citation needed]}

In 2003, the Adventist church republished an annotated version of Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine, the book which originally drew heavy criticism from historic Adventist groups and was taken out of print as a result.

[edit] Notable historic Adventists

M. L. Andreasen — author of The Sanctuary Service (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1947), and credited with developing Last Generation Theology.
Herbert E. Douglass
Dennis Priebe
Colin Standish — founder of the Hartland Institute.
Russell Standish

[edit] Former

[edit] Transition to non-Adventist

Dirk Anderson, founder of the website The Ellen White Research Project, ellenwhite.org, which is critical of Ellen White's prophetic gift. Initially a mainstream Adventist, he became an historic Adventist and is now a member of the Church of God (Seventh-Day).^[16]
Jeff Barron, assistant editor of the above website, was a historic Adventist at one stage of his journey.^[17]

[edit] Transition to mainstream Adventist

Woodrow W. Whidden II, who has described himself as "a self-confessed former post-Fall perfectionist".^[18] See his interview by Julius Nam,^[19] in which he describes historic Adventists and his relationship with them.