EGW and the Historians

[Gregory Matthews]

EGW and the Historians:  Thirty years ago, (in 1974), Dr. Donald McAdams published what is now the book:  Ellen White and the Historians: A Neglected Problem and Forgotten Answer, in which he posited that the historical material in the writings of EGW came from the historians that she had read, and did not come from any supernatural visions.  For many years, that work was only known to a minority of SDAs and it was generally not available to those who knew about it.  It has (2022) been printed by Oak & Acorn, which is an official publisher of the Pacific Union Conference of SDAs.   It is available on Amazon, at the link below.

On a personal basis, I think that the 1974 book may need some updating.  Today some scholars suggest that EGW may not have personally read some of the historical writings that seem to be the source for her written works.  It is suggested that in some cases, SDA leaders who had read those historical works were the actual source for Ellen White.

In any case, the monumental work by Dr. Veltman on this subject is available and an analysis of his work has also been published by Oak and Acorn.

Today, we are much better informed on the subject of the writings of Ellen White.

  https://www.amazon.com/sk=Ellenl+White+and+the+Histsorians&crid=UBTWFOEZFMKH&sprefix=ellenl+white+and+the+histsorians%2Caps%2C166&ref=nb_sb_noss

NOTE:  The current issue of Spectrum, (Vol. 51, Issue 3-4) has a 9-page article on this subject.

NOTE:  To clear up any possible confusion:  The work by Dr. Veltman is a separate and different work from that of Dr. McAdams.

In addition, to clear up some possible misunderstandings in the above, please read the additional material that I have written about the 2022 book, and entered in a comment below.

[Kevin H]

While the information is useful to be aware of; we need to add to this study a differentiation between a topic Mrs. White wanted to spend time on and draw applications to what she wanted us to know, and what was just used as filler to form an ongoing narrative to the next section that she wanted to spend time on. Then for the passages that she wanted to draw lessons from, we need to remember that she was reading these ideas from the perspective of her role as a prophet. Due to the strangle hold that Fundamentalism has on us, we loose sight of this. 

There is a difference in the way we read, each of us has our own subjective experience that we carry to the text. Many here know how I may have a different perspective on hell fire, as well as in what I understand the Bible to teach about what happened in Joshua 10. These would be different from someone who either does not know about this application of the fire texts, or disagrees with me on the nature of hell fire,  nor the two options on how to understand Joshua 10 (much less the geographical and historical context.) There is a difference in reading an article on say Genesis 3:16 if the article was written from a member of Folcrum7 or by someone such as Jacques Doukhan. The difference between say a seminar on Galatians given by Desmond Ford, or by Dean Davis or James Valentine.  We can't say " the Folcrum7 people and Jacques Doukahn simply just read Genesis 3 and Ford, Davis or Valentine just happened to read some historians about the book of Galatians and each is merely just passing off what they read as some sort of deeper insight or application to our lives. Yes, they read historians and commentaries on the text, but their background gives different weight to what they say. 

We need to hold in tension that Mrs. White (nor the Bible) fits the Fundamentalist ideal. That Mrs. White was not an exegete but wanted to point out lessons for us to apply to our ministry, and that there is a difference between the different ways she used the other writers, and that those she spent time with to illustrate her message rather than mere filler material, and that she read them from the perspective of being a prophet.   

[Gregory Matthews]

The 2022 book published by Oak and Acorn contains much more than the 1974 work that I cited.

* It contains additional material by Dr. McAdams that was not in the 1974 material.

*  It contains background material by Dr. Benjamin McArthur. 
 

* It contains material written by Dr. Ronald Graybill that responds to criticisms of Dr. McAdams work.

* In the closing section, Dr. Eric Anderson reflects on how this new understanding of EGW has impacted on the SDA denomination.

 

 

[Gregory Matthews]

It should be evident that I am in the process of reading the 2022 book.  The more that I read of this book, the more convinced I am that It is an extremely important book for the SDA public today.  While I had some awareness of the issues, this book has given me much more information.

[Gregory Matthews]

I consider the 2022 book on EGW and the Historians to be one of the most important books in recent times to be printed.  I consider it to be critical to the SDA membership, to understanding, in part, the role of EGW in SDA life.  [NOTE:  I do not think it addresses certain aspects of the role that EGW should have in SDA life.]  From this perspective, in this post I will list the chapter contents of the book and give a brief statement as to what that chapter is about. 

Chapter                                                                                                                                           Page

1       EGW & The Protestant Historians.    Donald R. McAdams,                                                    1

This is an exhaustive presentation of the comparison of the historical writings with that of Ellen White.  It will be of most interest to the scholars, but others may be interested in looking at selected passages.

2        Shifting views of Inspiration,       Donald R. McAdams,                                                    169

This chapter was first published in March of 1980 , in Spectrum magazine.  It explores the issue as to what might be proper as to understanding EGW as an inspired writer.  In this process, it clearly points out that EGW borrowed major amounts of material from secular writers.

3       Point of the Spear,       Bengamin McArthur,                                                                         191

This chapter was first published in 2008, in Spectrum magazine.  It examines the work of others, such as Ronald Numbers and Walter Rea, who also wrote on the use of borrowed material by EGW from other authors.  In addition, it comments on the efforts of the SDA denomination to respond to such other writers.

4       Toward a Factual Concept of Inspiration,  Donald R. McAdams                                                  209

This chapter reports on material published by the EGW Estate, and the General Conference in response to the developing proof of how material attributed to EGW were actually written and how others influenced that writing.

5       Of Visions,  Dreams and Errors,    Ronald D. Graybill,                                                                        231

This chapter examines charges of errors in the writings of EGW.  In this discussion, it brings up other issues.  From this perspective, it looks and other material written by EGW.  
 

6       The Strange Death of the "New Orthodoxy,"  Eric Anderson                                                         247

This chapter points out that for almost 50 years it has been known that the general SDA membership has not understood important/critical issues related to the writings of EGW.  It examines how this failure of denominational leaders to foster increased understanding of the role and ministry of Ellen White took place.

Acknowledgements                                                                                                                                                   257

This section is simply a listing of important people who have assisted in the production of this book.

 

NOTE:  I consider this 2022 book to be of critical value to our SDA membership.  Some sections may be of interest largely to scholars.  But the common SDA member will gain much from most of the book.  As to our critics: This book will serve as an accurate source of information related to critical issues such as the role and ministry of EGW.  So, from this perspective, i recommend it to both SDA critics, denominational leaders and clergy, and our common SDA members.

NOTE: Permission is granted to the public at large to publish and circulate this comment on this book as long as it is published/circulated in its entirety and not in part.

[Gustave]

Very interesting. 

Has anything been discussed within the denomination on the issue of Mrs. White making use of the deuterocanonical Books and stating that those same Books constitute the word of God? I've seen some videos where Matthew Korpman and other SDA scholars concede that Mrs. White's Great Controversy was essentially a paraphrase of John Milton's Paradise Lost. 

 

[Gregory Matthews]

There has been some discussion of EGWs position on the deuterocanonical books.  This discussion springs up from time to time, to include the present.  However, in my opinion, it has never become a major discussion.  In addition, I do not see an agreement on this subject as to what her position actually was on those books.

I am aware that some see a similar connection between the writings of EGW and Paradise Lost.  I do not see major agreement as to that being a source.  I do not think it would be anything more than a point of interest if it should be decided to have been a source for some of her writings.

I consider the major contributions that the 2022 book on EGW and the Historians has made to our understandings of the role and ministry of EGW to the SDA denomination is now available to the average member and is not restricted to scholars, include:

*  An understanding that much of EGWs writings were not based upon visions that she had received.

* An understanding that EGW used editorial assistants that had a much greater role in the production of her writings than had previously been understood by the common SDA member.

*  A greater understanding of her writings having a basis in secular authors.

*  Publication of how denominational leaders on various levels responded, both pro and con, to the unfolding revelation of this material.  As examples, I include in this Robert Olson, whom I knew very well, and Arthur White, whom I knew less well.  NOTE, both have died.

[Gregory Matthews]

As a possible point of interest, I will give my personal position on the so-called deuterocanonical books.

*  I do not consider any to be canonical, but I consider there to be of some value, in some of them.

* First Maccabees is the best history that we have of that period of time.

* Second Maccabees has some value as history, but not as much as the First.

*  Third and Forth Maccabees are rightfully excluded from consideration.

* The Book of Judith is an example of a nice devotional work, even if it is not accurate historically.

*  The Gospel of Thomas, exists in so-many versions that it can be considered to be no more than an interesting work of fiction.

* The additions to the book of Daniel are interesting but cannot be considered to be canonical.

* Tobit is interesting, but cannot be considered to be doctrinally accurate.

NOTE: In my listing above, I have included some works that from a strict sense may not be considered to be deuterocanonical.  In addition, I have not commented on every such book.