Glacier View controversy

The Glacier View controversy was a major event in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church when church leaders (the Sanctuary Review Committee) met at Glacier View Ranch in Colorado, United States in 1980 to discuss scholar Desmond Ford's criticisms of the church's investigative judgment teaching. It was a highly emotive issue at the time, resulting in the defrocking of Desmond Ford and the exit of some teachers and ministers from the church, the largest in its history. One modern commentator calls Glacier View "Adventist shorthand for pain, dissension and division". [" [http://www.atoday.com/magazine/2005/11/twenty-five-years-after-glacier-view Twenty-Five Years After Glacier View] " by Arthur Patrick. "Adventist Today" 13:6] It was the largest investment of money and time of church workers ever given to a doctrinal issue by the Adventist church. [Hammill, 1992:197; as quoted in Ballis, "Leaving the Adventist Ministry"]

Background

The investigative judgment doctrine has been criticized, in part or whole, by key figures in Adventism since the late nineteenth century. These figures include D. M. Canright, A. F. Ballenger, W. W. Fletcher, W. W. Prescott, Louis R. Conradi, L. E. Froom and Raymond Cottrell. [Des Ford, "Daniel 8:14, The Day of Atonement and the Investigative Judgment"] [cite web|title=The Sanctuary Doctrine -- Asset or Liability? Part 3|author=Raymond Cottrell|url=http://www.atoday.com/series/1844-lesson-commentaries/part-3/sanctuary-doctrine-asset-or-liability-part-3|publisher=Adventist today|accessdate=2008-01-02] Many of these individuals ultimately left the Adventist church. Issues with the traditional Adventist interpretation of Daniel 8:14 were acknowledged by a number of North American theologians in the 1950s, with the result that a special committee was formed to discuss "problems in the book of Daniel". [cite web|title=The Sanctuary Doctrine -- Asset or Liability? Part 6|author=Raymond Cottrell|url=http://www.atoday.com/series/1844-lesson-commentaries/part-6/sanctuary-doctrine-asset-or-liability-part-6|publisher=Adventist today|accessdate=2008-01-02]

In the 1970s, dissident Australian church member Robert Brinsmead attempted to convince leading Adventist theologians Desmond Ford and Edward Heppenstall to write a refutation of it. [http://www.atoday.com/magazine/1999/05/where-robert-brinsmead Where is Robert Brinsmead?] by Larry Pahl; "Adventist Today" [http://www.atoday.com/magazine/1999/05 7:3 (May/June 1999)] ] Brinsmead said he hesitated "blasting this theology because I thought someone from within Adventism should do it." After Ford and Heppenstall declined his request, Brinsmead returned to Australia and wrote the critical work " [http://www.presenttruthmag.com/7dayadventist/1844/index.html 1844 Re-Examined] ".

Desmond Ford, described by "Time magazine" as "a prominent Australian theologian" had been lecturing in theology at Avondale College in Australia. However due to criticisms of his theology the church moved him to the United States in 1977, where he began lecturing at Pacific Union College. [L. R. Tarling, "The Edges of Seventh-day Adventism" (Bermagui South: Galilee, 1981), 215-16; D. Ford, "The Historical Background of the Crisis," in D. & G. Ford, "The Adventist Crisis of Spiritual Identity" (Newcastle, Cal.: Desmond Ford Publications, 1982), 23.]

On 27 October 1979 Ford delivered an address to the Association of Adventist Forums (now Adventist Forums), held at Pacific Union College, in which he outlined the major problems that he perceived with the doctrine. The speech was entitled, [http://www.goodnewsunlimited.org/library/1979forum/index.cfm The Investigative Judgment: Theological Milestone or Historical Necessity?] . [Desmond Ford, [http://www.goodnewsunlimited.org/library/1979forum/index.cfm The Investigative Judgment: Theological Milestone or Historical Necessity?] ] Ford claims that he had been granted immunity to speak his views publicly at this conference. [cite web|title=Desmond Ford, biography|publisher=Good News Unlimited (website)|url=http://www.goodnewsunlimited.org/bioford.cfm|accessdate=2007-10-27] Even so, the church’s leadership responded by summoning Ford to a meeting of 111 theologians and church administrators to evaluate his views. Before the meeting, he was given 6 months of paid leave during which time he prepared a 991-page document entitled " [http://goodnewsforadventists.com/home/skyview.php?keyid=262 Daniel 8:14, the Day of Atonement, and the Investigative Judgment] " (which he later summarised in an article for "Spectrum" [cite journal
last = Ford
first = Desmond
authorlink = Desmond Ford
title = Daniel 8:14 and the Day of Atonement
journal = Spectrum
volume = 11
issue = 2
pages = 30–36
publisher = Adventist Forums
location = Roseville, California
issn = 0890-0264
date = November 1980
url =
format =
doi =
id =
accessdate = ] ). It is also known as the "Glacier View manuscript". [https://www.atoday.com/magazine/2002/09/dr-desmond-fords-reply-dr-richard-davidson Dr. Desmond Ford's reply to Dr. Richard Davidson] by Desmond Ford]

The Glacier View meeting

The "Sanctuary Review Committee" met at Glacier View Ranch near Denver in Colorado from 11-15 August 1980. Ford presented his views to the Glacier View attendees as presented in his document. According to "Time", he "made the case that Ellen G. White's 'sanctuary' explication of 1844 no longer stood up in the light of the Bible, and that 'investigative judgment' undercut the whole basis of Protestantism: belief in salvation by God's grace apart from good works."cite journal
last = Ostling
first = Richard N.
authorlink = Richard Ostling
coauthors = Jim Castelli, Dick Thompson
title = The Church of Liberal Borrowings
journal = "Time"
volume =
issue =
pages =
publisher = Time Inc.
location =
date=1982-08-02
url = http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,925600,00.html
doi =
issn = 0040-781X
accessdate = 2007-10-22] His criticisms included,

* The "year-for-a-day" principle is an incorrect method for interpreting prophecy. (The 1844 date for the commencement of the judgment is thus invalidated.)
* The prophecy of Daniel chapter 8 is primarily concerned with events in the 2nd century BC (namely, the persecution of the Jews by the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes), and there is no contextual or linguistic support for linking it to the heavenly sanctuary. The "cleansing" in Daniel 8:14 relates to the removal of the desecration caused by the "little horn" (i.e. Antiochus Epiphanes); it has nothing to do with the sins of Christians. In fact, the Hebrew word translated "cleansed" in the KJV ("sadaq") is different from the word used for "cleansing" ("taher") in the book of Leviticus in connection with the sanctuary; it is more accurately translated "vindicated" or "restored", as in most modern Bible versions.
* The epistle to the Hebrews teaches that the Day of Atonement was fulfilled by the death of Jesus on the cross. In particular, Hebrews 6:19, 9:12 and 10:19-20 teach that Jesus entered into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary immediately after his ascension, not 1800 years later. Hebrews thus contradicts the traditional Adventist idea of a two-stage heavenly ministry of Christ.

The Glacier View meeting ultimately produced two consensus statements, entitled “Christ in the Heavenly Sanctuary” and “The Role of Ellen G. White in Doctrinal Matters.” In addition, a ten-point summary was formulated by six of the attendees, outlining the main points of difference between Ford’s positions and traditional Adventist teaching."Spectrum" volume 11, no. 2 (Nov 1980)] One month after Glacier View, Ford's employment with the Adventist church was terminated, and his ministerial credentials revoked.cite web
author = Arthur Patrick
url = http://www.atoday.com/news/twenty-five-years-after-glacier-view
title = "Twenty-five years after Glacier View"
date=October 22, 2005 This paper was presented to the Sydney Adventist Forum in 2005] After counsel from the General Conference, the Australasian Division withdrew "Ford's ministerial credentials, noting that this does not annul his ordination..."

Ford has stated that Glacier View initially "produced a consensus statement that moved towards Dr. Ford's conclusions in seven out of ten of his major positions", but that by the conclusion of the meeting the church "reverted to their former traditional positions". [See [http://www.goodnewsunlimited.org/bioford.cfm biography of Des Ford] , from the Good News Unlimited website.] Others have claimed that although theologians present at Glacier View sympathised with Ford's position, they were "intimidated into silence by ecclesiological pressure"; the Adventist church has denied this to be the case. [W. H. Johns, [http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/desmondfordtheology.htm The ABCs of Dr. Desmond Ford's Theology] , Copyright © 2006 Biblical Research Institute, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists]

These events were well documented by the liberal/progressive Adventist journal "Spectrum" in its November 1980 issue.

:"Ford [later] recalled the moment Raymond Cottrell came to him at Glacier View and with some foreboding said, 'Des, the administrators have not read your manuscript.' Cottrell may have overstated the case but it was a disturbing observation."" [http://www.atoday.com/news/atnewsbreak/2006/01/16 Report: Sydney Australia Adventist Forum Remembers Glacier View Twenty-Five Years Later] " by Dr. Milton Hook, former president of Sydney Adventist Forum, January 16, 2006]

Ford has suggested that allegations of collusion with fellow controversial Australian figure Robert Brinsmead were a part of the proceedings. According to one report, towards the end of the meetings "a small group of church executives" confronted Ford with ultimatums such as "Publicly denounce Robert Brinsmead as a troublemaker and heretic or hand in your credentials."" [http://www.atoday.com/news/atnewsbreak/2006/01/16 Report: Sydney Australia Adventist Forum Remembers Glacier View Twenty-Five Years Later] " by Dr. Milton Hook, former president of Sydney Adventist Forum, January 16, 2006] According to the report, "intense pressure brought to bear on Parmenter by a group of ultra-conservative members in Australia" added to the eventual dismissal of Ford from ministry. Ford would not denounce Brinsmead, who had "converted" from his perfectionist views. According to Ford, "John Brinsmead, brother of Robert, had evidently spun [then Australasian Division president Keith] Parmenter the allegation that Ford and Robert Brinsmead were in cahoots and determined to bring the SDA church down." According to Ford, Parmenter had apparently accepted this "allegation without verification".

Consultation I

A number of delegates and others met on the evening of August 15, a meeting which came to be known as "Consultation I". [" [http://www.atoday.com/magazine/2005/11/twenty-five-years-after-glacier-view Twenty-Five Years After Glacier View] " by Arthur Patrick. "Adventist Today" 13:6]

Consultation II

From September 30 to October 3, scholars met with church leaders in Washington, D.C. for "Consultation II". [" [http://spectrummagazine.org/files/archive/archive11-15/12-2thompson.pdf Theological Consultation II] " by Alden Thompson. "Spectrum" 15:2]

Aftermath and legacy

Following Glacier View, Ford ultimately formed his own ministry Good News Unlimited. It also led to the founding of the "dissident bimonthly" "Evangelica", which was based in Napa, California.

The Adventist church formed a committee called the "Daniel and Revelation Study Committee" in order to restudy the investigative judgment. This committee has produced a seven volume series, which is available from the [http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/bookshop.htm Bookshop] of the General Conference's Biblical Research Institute. The main contributing authors are William H. Shea and Frank B. Holbrook.

In June 1981 a group of Adventist theologians wrote "The Atlanta Affirmation".

According to "Time" in a 1982 article, the church soon obtained the resignation of 120 clergy and teachers who refused to support SDA teachings. This was presumably for their support of Ford's theology. Peter Ballis, professor of sociology at Monash University and an ex-pastor himself, wrote the definitive study on the subject, "Leaving the Adventist Ministry", [cite book
author = Peter H. Ballis
title = Leaving the Adventist Ministry: A Study of the Process of Exiting
location = Westport, Connecticut
publisher = Praeger
date = 1999
ISBN = 0275962296 [http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/AUSS/AUSS20000401-V38-01__B/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=134 One review] (DjVu) of the book is George R. Knight, "Andrews University Seminary Studies" 38:1 (Spring 2000), 132–33] which grew out of his doctoral studies. He found that 180 pastors left the Adventist ministry in Australia and New Zealand over the succeeding 8 years and calls it "the most rapid and massive exit of Adventist pastors in the movement’s 150-year history" (although he cautions that the fallout may have involved more than one factor). [Ballis, as quoted by Arthur Patrick in "Twenty-five years after Glacier View"] He claims the primary reason for exiting was not theology or personal reasons, but treatment by administrators. [According to the review by Knight] It is further speculated by Ford that a number of current ministers privately agree with Ford but refrain from speaking publicly on the issue for fear of losing their employment. [cite web
title = Reflections On Adventism: an interview with Dr. Desmond Ford (response to Question #5)
url = http://www.goodnewsunlimited.org/library/atodayinterview/part1.cfm
author = Adventist Today forum
publisher = Good News Unlimited
date=1999] Some in the Adventist church feel that the events of 1980 represent a major milestone in the theological development of the church, and that the effects of this controversy continue to be felt today.

The church news magazine "Adventist Review" received "many very angry letters" during the 1980s. [ [https://www.atoday.com/magazine/2002/11/his-own-words-interview-william-johnsson-editor-adventist-review In His Own Words: An Interview with William Johnsson, Editor of the Adventist Review] from "Adventist Today"]

Ford opined in 2002 that when Edward Heppenstall received the Glacier View manuscript, "he declared, 'The church will never be able to answer this,' and the last 22 years have proved him right."

In 2005, the Sydney Adventist Forum held a seminar to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Glacier View meeting. Approximately 250 people attended. Two presentations were given by Desmond Ford, as well as a paper delivered by Arthur Patrick, and a paper by Norm Young was read (although he was not present).

See also

* Desmond Ford
* Investigative judgment
* History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

References

* cite book
last = Tarling
first = Lowell R.
authorlink =
title = The Edges of Seventh-day Adventism: A Study of Separatist Groups Emerging from the Seventh-day Adventist Church (1844–1980)
publisher = Galilee Publications
date = 1981
location = Barragga Bay, Bermagui South, NSW
isbn = 0 9593457 0 1
chapter = [The Controversy over] Righteousness by Faith in Australia 1972–1979
pages = 203–21

External links

* [http://www.spectrummagazine.org/spectrum/archive11-15/index11-2.html November 1980 issue] of "Spectrum", containing a comprehensive coverage of the event
* " [http://goodnewsforadventists.com/home/skyview.php?keyid=262 Daniel 8:14, The Day of Atonement, and the Investigative Judgement] "
* [http://www.goodnewsunlimited.org/library/exegesisofdaniel/index.cfm Exegesis of Daniel (chapters 22 and 23 about Ford and Glacier View)] , of the unpublished manuscript by Raymond Cottrell
* [http://www.atoday.com/news/atnewsbreak/2006/01/16 Report: Sydney Australia Adventist Forum Remembers Glacier View Twenty-Five Years Later] by Dr. Milton Hook, past president of Sydney Adventist Forum
** "A reluctant participant looks back at Glacier View" by Norm Young. "Adventist Today" 2006, v14, Nov-Dec, p8-9,7 (online soon)
** " [http://www.atoday.com/news/twenty-five-years-after-glacier-view Twenty-Five Years After Glacier View: Using the Lantern of History, Anticipating a Brighter Future] " by Arthur Patrick. ( [http://www.atoday.com/magazine/2005/11/twenty-five-years-after-glacier-view Summary] published in "Adventist Today" 13:6, p.11–17)
* Arthur Patrick, "Glacier View and the Australasian ministers". "Spectrum" v34 (Spring 2006), p68–71

Critical of Ford's theology:
* [http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/desmondfordtheology.htm The ABCs of Dr. Desmond Ford's Theology] by W. H. Johns, from the Biblical Research Institute website