Sanctuary Review Committee

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See also: Investigative judgment and Desmond Ford

In the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Sanctuary Review Committee was a group of biblical
scholars and administrators which met to decide the church's response to theologian Desmond
Ford, who had challenged details of the church's "investigative judgment" teaching. The meeting
was held from 11–15 August 1980, at the Glacier View Ranch, a church-owned spiritual retreat
and conference centre in Colorado, United States. The event is referred to informally as "Glacier
View". The outcome was Ford losing his job.

It was also the largest investment of money and time of church workers ever given to a doctrinal
issue in Adventist history.[1] At the time, one scholar stated it was the most significant Adventist
meeting of its type since the 1888 Minneapolis General Conference Session. Ford's firing was a
controversial and emotionally charged issue, and the church experienced the largest exit of
teachers and ministers in its history. One modern commentator describes 'Glacier View' as
"Adventist shorthand for pain, dissension and division".[2]

Contents
[hide]
 1 Background
 2 The Glacier View meeting
o 2.1 Consultation I

o 2.2 Consultation II

 3 Aftermath and legacy

 4 See also

 5 References

[edit] Background
The investigative judgment doctrine has been criticized, in part or whole, by key figures in
Adventism since the late nineteenth century. These figures include D. M. Canright, A. F.
Ballenger, W. W. Fletcher, W. W. Prescott, Louis R. Conradi, L. E. Froom and Raymond Cottrell.
[3][4]
Many of these individuals ultimately left the Adventist church. Issues with the traditional
Adventist interpretation of Daniel 8:14 were acknowledged by a number of North American
theologians in the 1950s, with the result that a special committee was formed to discuss
"problems in the book of Daniel".[5]

In the 1970s, dissident Australian church member Robert Brinsmead attempted to convince
leading Adventist theologians Desmond Ford and Edward Heppenstall to write a refutation of it.
[6]
Brinsmead said he hesitated "blasting this theology because I thought someone from within
Adventism should do it."[6] After Ford and Heppenstall declined his request, Brinsmead returned
to Australia and wrote the critical work 1844 Re-Examined.[6]

Desmond Ford, described by Time magazine as "a prominent Australian theologian",[7] had been
lecturing in theology at Avondale College in Australia. However due to criticisms of his theology
the church moved him to the United States in 1977, where he began lecturing at Pacific Union
College.[8]

On 27 October 1979 Ford delivered an address to the Association of Adventist Forums (now
Adventist Forums), held at Pacific Union College, in which he outlined the major problems that
he perceived with the doctrine. The speech was entitled, The Investigative Judgment:
Theological Milestone or Historical Necessity?.[9] Ford claims that he had been granted immunity
to speak his views publicly at this conference.[10] Even so, the church’s leadership responded by
summoning Ford to a meeting of 111 theologians and church administrators to evaluate his
views. Before the meeting, he was given 6 months of paid leave during which time he prepared a
991-page document entitled Daniel 8:14, the Day of Atonement, and the Investigative Judgment
(which he later summarised in an article for Spectrum[11]). It is also known as the "Glacier View
manuscript".[12]

[edit] The Glacier View meeting

The "Sanctuary Review Committee" met at Glacier View Ranch near Denver in Colorado from
11–15 August 1980. Ford presented his views to the Glacier View attendees as presented in his
document. According to Time, he "made the case that Ellen G. White's 'sanctuary' explication of
1844 no longer stood up in the light of the Bible, and that 'investigative judgment' undercut the
whole basis of Protestantism: belief in salvation by God's grace apart from good works."[7] His
criticisms included,

 The "year-for-a-day" principle is an incorrect method for interpreting prophecy. (The

1844 date for the commencement of the judgment is thus invalidated.)
 The prophecy of Daniel chapter 8 is primarily concerned with events in the 2nd century
BC (namely, the persecution of the Jews by the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes), and
there is no contextual or linguistic support for linking it to the heavenly sanctuary. The
"cleansing" in Daniel 8:14 relates to the removal of the desecration caused by the "little
horn" (i.e. Antiochus Epiphanes); it has nothing to do with the sins of Christians. In fact,
the Hebrew word translated "cleansed" in the KJV (sadaq) is different from the word
used for "cleansing" (taher) in the book of Leviticus in connection with the sanctuary; it
is more accurately translated "vindicated" or "restored", as in most modern Bible
versions.
  The epistle to the Hebrews teaches that the Day of Atonement was fulfilled by the death
of Jesus on the cross. In particular, Hebrews 6:19, 9:12 and 10:19-20 teach that Jesus
entered into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary immediately after his
ascension, not 1800 years later. Hebrews thus contradicts the traditional Adventist idea of
a two-stage heavenly ministry of Christ.

The Glacier View meeting ultimately produced two consensus statements, entitled “Christ in the
Heavenly Sanctuary” and “The Role of Ellen G. White in Doctrinal Matters.” In addition, a ten-
point summary was formulated by six of the attendees, outlining the main points of difference
between Ford’s positions and traditional Adventist teaching.[13] One month after Glacier View,
Ford's employment with the Adventist church was terminated, and his ministerial credentials
revoked.[7][14] After counsel from the General Conference, the Australasian Division withdrew
"Ford's ministerial credentials, noting that this does not annul his ordination..."[13]

Ford has claimed that Glacier View initially "produced a consensus statement that moved
towards Dr. Ford's conclusions in seven out of ten of his major positions", but that by the
conclusion of the meeting the church "reverted to their former traditional positions".[15] Others
have claimed that although theologians present at Glacier View sympathised with Ford's
position, they were "intimidated into silence by ecclesiological pressure"; the Adventist church
has denied this to be the case.[16]

These events were well documented by the liberal/progressive Adventist journal Spectrum in its
November 1980 issue.

"Ford [later] recalled the moment Raymond Cottrell came to him at Glacier View and
with some foreboding said, 'Des, the administrators have not read your manuscript.'
Cottrell may have overstated the case but it was a disturbing observation."[17]

Ford has suggested that allegations of collusion with fellow controversial Australian figure
Robert Brinsmead were a part of the proceedings. According to one report, towards the end of
the meetings "a small group of church executives" confronted Ford with ultimatums such as
"Publicly denounce Robert Brinsmead as a troublemaker and heretic or hand in your
credentials."[17] According to the report, "intense pressure brought to bear on Parmenter by a
group of ultra-conservative members in Australia" added to the eventual dismissal of Ford from
ministry.[17] Ford would not denounce Brinsmead, who had "converted" from his perfectionist
views.[17] According to Ford, "John Brinsmead, brother of Robert, had evidently spun [then
Australasian Division president Keith] Parmenter the allegation that Ford and Robert Brinsmead
were in cahoots and determined to bring the SDA church down."[17] According to Ford,
Parmenter had apparently accepted this "allegation without verification".[17]

[edit] Consultation I

A number of delegates and others met on the evening of August 15, a meeting which came to be
known as "Consultation I".[18]

[edit] Consultation II
From September 30 to October 3, scholars met with church leaders in Washington, D.C. for
"Consultation II".[19]

[edit] Aftermath and legacy

Following Glacier View, Ford ultimately formed his own ministry Good News Unlimited. It also
led to the founding of the "dissident bimonthly" Evangelica, which was based in Napa,
California.[7]

The Adventist church formed a committee called the "Daniel and Revelation Study Committee"
in order to restudy the investigative judgment. This committee has produced a seven volume
series, which is available from the Bookshop of the General Conference's Biblical Research
Institute. The main contributing authors are William H. Shea and Frank B. Holbrook.

In June 1981 a group of Adventist theologians wrote a protest, "The Atlanta Affirmation".

According to Time in a 1982 article, the church soon obtained the resignation of 120 clergy and
teachers who refused to support SDA teachings.[7] This was presumably for their support of
Ford's theology. Peter Ballis, professor of sociology at Monash University and an ex-pastor
himself, wrote the definitive study on the subject, Leaving the Adventist Ministry,[20] which grew
out of his doctoral studies. He found that 180 pastors left the Adventist ministry in Australia and
New Zealand over the succeeding 8 years and calls it "the most rapid and massive exit of
Adventist pastors in the movement’s 150-year history" (although he cautions that the fallout may
have involved more than one factor).[21] He claims the primary reason for exiting was not
theology or personal reasons, but treatment by administrators.[22] It is further speculated by Ford
that a number of current ministers privately agree with Ford but refrain from speaking publicly
on the issue for fear of losing their employment.[23] Some in the Adventist church feel that the
events of 1980 represent a major milestone in the theological development of the church, and
that the effects of this controversy continue to be felt today.[14]

The church news magazine Adventist Review received "many very angry letters" during the
1980s.[24]

Ford opined in 2002 that when Edward Heppenstall received the Glacier View manuscript, "he
declared, 'The church will never be able to answer this,' and the last 22 years have proved him
right."[12]

In 2005, the Sydney Adventist Forum held a seminar to commemorate the 25th anniversary of
the Glacier View meeting.[17] Approximately 250 people attended.[17] Two presentations were
given by Desmond Ford, as well as a paper delivered by Arthur Patrick, and a paper by Norm
Young was read (although he was not present).[17]

[edit] See also

 History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
[edit] References
1. ^ Hammill, 1992:197; as quoted in Ballis, Leaving the Adventist Ministry
2. ^ "Twenty-Five Years After Glacier View" by Arthur Patrick. Adventist Today 13:6

3. ^ Des Ford, Daniel 8:14, The Day of Atonement and the Investigative Judgment

4. ^ Raymond Cottrell. "The Sanctuary Doctrine -- Asset or Liability? Part 3". Adventist today.
http://www.atoday.com/series/1844-lesson-commentaries/part-3/sanctuary-doctrine-asset-or-liability-part-3.
Retrieved 2008-01-02.[dead link]

5. ^ Raymond Cottrell. "The Sanctuary Doctrine -- Asset or Liability? Part 6". Adventist today.
http://www.atoday.com/series/1844-lesson-commentaries/part-6/sanctuary-doctrine-asset-or-liability-part-6.
Retrieved 2008-01-02.

6. ^ a b c Where is Robert Brinsmead? by Larry Pahl; Adventist Today 7:3 (May/June 1999)

7. ^ a b c d e Ostling, Richard N.; Jim Castelli, Dick Thompson (1982-08-02). "The Church of Liberal
Borrowings". Time (Time Inc.). ISSN 0040-781X.
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,925600,00.html. Retrieved 2007-10-22.

8. ^ L. R. Tarling, The Edges of Seventh-day Adventism (Bermagui South: Galilee, 1981), 215-16; D.
Ford, "The Historical Background of the Crisis," in D. & G. Ford, The Adventist Crisis of Spiritual Identity
(Newcastle, Cal.: Desmond Ford Publications, 1982), 23.

9. ^ Desmond Ford, The Investigative Judgment: Theological Milestone or Historical Necessity?

10. ^ "Desmond Ford, biography". Good News Unlimited (website).

http://www.goodnewsunlimited.org/bioford.cfm. Retrieved 2007-10-27.

11. ^ Ford, Desmond (November 1980). "Daniel 8:14 and the Day of Atonement". Spectrum
(Roseville, California: Adventist Forums) 11 (2): 30–36. ISSN 0890-0264.

12. ^ a b Dr. Desmond Ford's reply to Dr. Richard Davidson by Desmond Ford. Richard M. Davidson's
article was, "Desmond Ford and Church Reconciliation", Adventist Today

13. ^ a b Spectrum volume 11, no. 2 (Nov 1980)

14. ^ a b Arthur Patrick (October 22, 2005). "Twenty-five years after Glacier View".
http://www.atoday.com/news/twenty-five-years-after-glacier-view. This paper was presented to the Sydney
Adventist Forum in 2005

15. ^ See biography of Des Ford, from the Good News Unlimited website.

16. ^ W. H. Johns, The ABCs of Dr. Desmond Ford's Theology, Copyright © 2006 Biblical Research
Institute, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

17. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Report: Sydney Australia Adventist Forum Remembers Glacier View Twenty-Five
Years Later" by Dr. Milton Hook, former president of Sydney Adventist Forum, January 16, 2006

18. ^ Warren C. Trenchard, "In the Shadow of the Sanctuary". Spectrum 11:2 ( 1980), pp.26–29

19. ^ "Theological Consultation II" by Alden Thompson. Spectrum 12:2 ( 1981), pp.40–52

20. ^ Peter H. Ballis (1999). Leaving the Adventist Ministry: A Study of the Process of Exiting.
Westport, Connecticut: Praeger. ISBN 0-275-96229-6. One review (DjVu) of the book is George R. Knight,
Andrews University Seminary Studies 38:1 (Spring 2000), 132–33
21. ^ Ballis, as quoted by Arthur Patrick in "Twenty-five years after Glacier View"

22. ^ According to the review by Knight

23. ^ Adventist Today forum (1999). "Reflections On Adventism: an interview with Dr. Desmond
Ford (response to Question #5)". Good News Unlimited.
http://www.goodnewsunlimited.org/library/atodayinterview/part1.cfm.

24. ^ In His Own Words: An Interview with William Johnsson, Editor of the Adventist Review from
Adventist Today

 Evangelica magazine, October 1980 edition

 Tarling, Lowell R. (1981). "[The Controversy over] Righteousness by Faith in Australia
1972–1979". The Edges of Seventh-day Adventism: A Study of Separatist Groups
Emerging from the Seventh-day Adventist Church (1844–1980). Barragga Bay, Bermagui
South, NSW: Galilee Publications. pp. 203–21. ISBN 0-9593457-0-1.