Church Authority

[Gregory Matthews]

In 2017, spectrum published an article on Denominational Authority, written by Dr. George Knight.  It is long, but instructive for issues that we face today.

https://spectrummagazine.org/views/catholic-or-adventist-ongoing-struggle-over-authority-95-theses/

 

 

[Joe Knapp]

Quote

As a result, I have divided my presentation into three parts: Adventism’s approach to biblical authority, Ellen White’s thoughts on authority, and the development of authoritative structures in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Wow, this is very good. Thank you for posting this. 

[Joe Knapp]

John Loughborough took the lead in the discussion and laid out five progressive points that nicely express the attitude of most of his audience.

• “The first step of apostasy,” he noted, “is to get up a creed, telling us what we shall believe.
• “The second is, to make that creed a test of fellowship.
• “The third is to try members by that creed.
• “The fourth to denounce as heretics those who do not believe that creed.
• “And, fifth, to commence persecution against such. ”²⁹

Very well said.

[Joe Knapp]

The only significant development in Adventist church structure since 1901/1903 took place in 1918 with the creation of world divisions of the General Conference. But it should be noted that the divisions are not conferences with their own constituencies but parts of the General Conference administration that represent the central body in various parts of the world.⁵⁶

 

^{I never knew that. Very interesting.}

[Joe Knapp]

Very, very interesting. It explains allot.