Do Seventh-day Adventists consider Ellen White to be an infallible interpreter of the Bible?
This question is of critical importance. As the SDA Church consists of members who hold a wide range of belief, one might be able to find people who would answer this question in a wide range of beliefs. Some would likely give an "yes" answer to this question. But a correct response to this question should not be based upon what an individual member might say. So, I am going to address my question in a different manner. NOTE: When I give a page reference to a book it will be to the book that I have listed below, written by W. G. Johnsson.
* To begin, I will simply say that Ellen White, taught that she and her writings were to be subject to the Bible. She clearly rejected the idea that she was an infallible interpreter of the Bible. This is so well established that I am not going to, in this post, cite her actual words on this issue.
* On page 145, Johnsson simply says: "We do not believe that Ellen White was an infallible interpreter of Scripture."
NOTE: Johnsson has served the SDA denomination. He spent 20 years in the classroom (page 98), which included five years at the SDA Seminary and that of Associate Dean of the SDA Seminary. He served for many years as a missionary in India. For 24 years (unnumbered page) he served on the staff of the Review, serving as Associate Editor and Editor. He served in the General Conference in high positions including that of advisor to GC Presidents. He authored some 26 books and more than 1,000 articles (page 99).
* R. W. Olson did not believe that Ellen white was an infallible interpreter of the Bible (page 145).
NOTE: In college, I studied under R.W. Olson, who was a New Testament scholar. He clearly believed that EGW was a gift from God to this developing denomination. But, he also clearly believed that Scripture, the Bible, took priority over EGW and her writings. In his thinking, she was not infallible. After he left college teaching, he became the head of the Ellen G. White Estate.
* The original "27 Fundamental Beliefs" of the SDA Church, simply said: " . . . the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested."
Folks, The official teaching of the SDA denomination is that the Bible is the sole standard by which all teachings must be tested. The Bible, which SDAs understand to be the 66 books of the Protestant Bible, has authority over all teachings as to God and God's interaction with human life, to include salvation. IOW, Ellen white was NOT an infallible interpreter of the Bible, She was subject to error in her understanding of what the Bible taught, as are all of us.
William G. Johnsson. Embrace the Impossible. Review & Herald. 2008, 240 pages.