My Journey to Life, Step 21—The Gift of Prophecy

10. What is the relationship between Ellen White’s writings and the Bible?

The Holy Scriptures are the standard by which all prophetic claims must be evaluated. White’s writings are not a substitute for the Bible; neither can they be placed on the same level. The Word of God is the supreme authority. (See Appendix B) JTL21 11.1

At the same time, Seventh-day Adventists reject the idea that there are degrees of inspiration. The same Spirit that inspired the biblical prophets also inspired White.* Because what she wrote was inspired by God, her words carry authority, just as the non-canonical prophets carried authority for their time. White’s prophetic gift functions much as it functioned in the days of the apostles. Its thrust is to uphold the Bible as the basis of faith and practice, to explain its teachings, and to apply its principles to daily life. JTL21 11.2

*For further reading, see the affirmations and denials issued by the Seventh-day Adventist Biblical Research Institute which summarize the relationship between the writings of Ellen G. White and the Bible: https://whiteestate.org/legacy/issues-scripsda-html/ JTL21 11.3