Recently a pastor called seeking advice about an issue causing controversy in his congregation. The obviously sensible solution also seemed fully compatible with Biblical principles. Then somebody found an obscure statement from Ellen White that appeared to point in another direction. What should be done when Ellen White’s writings apparently conflict with the Bible?

Let’s start with common ground. Adventists everywhere teach that the Bible is the foundation of all spiritual gifts, including the gift of prophecy. We also agree that Ellen White’s writings are not an addition to Scripture. This ought to settle the matter—but it doesn’t. Many Adventists use her writings as a referee over the Bible, thus making her the lord of God’s Word. They would be horrified to realize it, but this is what they actually do.

Think about it. If Sister White comments on anything, they take it as God’s final word. Woe to anyone who wants to “search the scriptures continually to see whether those things are so” (Acts 17:11). But is the gift of prophecy intended to make us lazy Bible students?

To clarify: I believe that Ellen White was a prophetic messenger to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and that her writings are a continuing and an authoritative source of inspiration. And yet the Bible stands alone as the supreme authority and sole determiner of truth. Ellen White herself said: “God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines, and the basis of all reforms” (The Great Controversy, p. 595 [emphasis supplied]).

So all doctrine—and all attempts at reformation—must be founded and focused upon Scripture. This would include the current “Revival and Reformation” initiative within Seventh-day Adventism. Church leaders are calling for renewed focus on the writings of Ellen White—this is a good idea if it does not divert us from searching the Scriptures. And it doesn't need to.

One Sabbath, after some intensive Bible study (using Logos 4 software, my favorite), I turned to Ellen White's Testimonies. I read “The Death of My Husband” (vol. 1, p. 105-11), which is her testimony of undying determination, despite deep bereavement, to carry on with her ministry until the coming of Jesus. So moved was I by her devotion to advancing the cause of “present truth” that I found myself sobbing (so much that the cat on my lap actually became alarmed).

Like Ellen White, I want to be faithful unto death in advancing the Adventist mission and message, for the sake of the Gospel. This includes carrying forward the torch of present truth—in our own context, which is quite different from Ellen White’s culture. She was profoundly relevant within her 19th century context, which was Protestant and primarily agrarian. Is she also relevant to our post-Christian, metropolitan society?

Yes, but not in the same way. For example, her book Great Controversy teaches the timeless truth of Christ’s coming in the context of Protestant America—a place that no longer exists. Great Controversy also heralds the 1755 Lisbon earthquake as a compelling fulfillment of last day prophecy. Well, it was indeed for Ellen White’s world—but not for ours. To connect with people today we must point to contemporary fulfillments beyond what we read in Great Controversy.

Thus our scenario of final events in the 21st century will be different than what Ellen White envisioned a century ago. Will there be a Sunday law? Certainly. (See a proposed scenario on this website by clicking the tab "Issues" and then "Final Events."  

Will Rome still have a key role? Yes, according to Bible prophecy and also by acknowledging the fact that the pope is the premier representative of Christianity in the world. But any credible end-time today scenario must include the mortal clash of civilizations between America with its Western allies against radical Islam in league with leftover Communism.

I've observed that some of us seem afraid to learn anything new about Bible prophecy that Ellen White didn’t know a century ago. Did the Holy Spirit stop communicating to God's people when she died in 1915?

Yet some Adventists seem enslaved to a 19th century perspective. They are even tied to the methods of yesteryear. More on this later.

Martin Weber, DMin