Understanding Ellen White

Chapter Eight — Ellen White and the Development of Seventh-day Adventist Doctrines

Denis Fortin

Seventh-day Adventists believe that God bestows upon all members of His church, in every age, spiritual gifts that are to be employed in ministry for the common good of the church and humanity. These gifts are apportioned by the Holy Spirit to each believer and provide abilities and ministries needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained mission and functions. ¹ Adventists believe these gifts are to function for the perfecting of the saints and for the edification of the body of Christ until His return. Just as they were needed in the early church to confirm the work of the apostles and to provide guidance in the young congregations, these gifts are also needed today. While Adventists recognize the unique position of the Bible as the sole criterion by which all claims to spiritual gifts must be evaluated, the Bible itself points to a continuing manifestation of spiritual gifts in the Christian church until the return of Christ and particularly in the time of the end. On the basis of Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 19:10, Adventists hold that the gift of prophecy is an identifying mark of the people of God in the last days. This gift they believe was manifested in the life and ministry of Ellen G. White. UEGW 107.1

Adventists have argued that while Ellen White’s ministry and writings are valued as a genuine gift of the Spirit, her authority is considered subject to the Bible. Adventists see a similarity between the ministry of noncanonical prophets and that of Ellen White. The Bible describes the work of many prophets who did not write any portion of Scripture. Enoch, Gad, Nathan, Huldah, and even John the Baptist are such noncanonical prophets. Although true prophets are empowered by the Holy Spirit to minister to God’s people during a particular period of time, these prophets did not write any section of the Bible. Yet their ministry is considered genuine, valid, and authoritative. Adventists perceive the role and ministry of Ellen White in a similar way. Her ministry is believed to be a spiritual gift to the church in the last days to provide guidance to Adventists in the fulfillment of their mission and to help prepare God’s people for the second advent of Christ. UEGW 107.2

Historically, Adventists have opposed the use of creeds and other formal statements of doctrinal beliefs that presumably could never be altered; instead they have claimed the Bible as their only creed. This position stems from their understanding of the role of spiritual gifts in the church and that the Holy Spirit continues to lead Christians in the discovery and understanding of biblical truths. UEGW 108.1

The Seventh-day Adventist Church arose as a movement of Christian believers who together rediscovered some teachings of Scripture that had been forgotten or neglected through time. Starting with the biblical teaching on the imminent second advent of Christ preached during the Millerite movement, early Adventists went on to rediscover and to incorporate into their beliefs other neglected teachings, such as the seventh-day Sabbath, the conditional immortality of the soul, the heavenly ministry of Christ and pre-Advent judgment, the health message, and many others. It would have been almost impossible for early Adventists to rediscover these truths if they had been bound either by one of the ancient ecumenical creeds or by one of the Protestant confessions of faith. Creeds and confessions of faith have had the tendency to reduce Christianity to a few beliefs to the exclusion of other important doctrines. For that reason, the Adventist Statement of Fundamental Beliefs begins with a preamble that this statement can be amended as the church sees the need under the leading of the Holy Spirit. ² UEGW 108.2

When it comes to the writings of Ellen White, the main question in the minds of many Adventists and some others pertains to the relationship of Ellen White’s writings to the Bible and their role in the shaping of Seventh-day Adventist beliefs. This chapter builds on the understanding of Ellen White and Scripture detailed in chapter 3. It will (1) examine her role in the development of distinctive Adventist doctrines, and (2) reflect on the continuing theological value of her writings. UEGW 108.3