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Ellen Gould White (née Harmon) (November 26, 1827 – July 16, 1915) was co-founder of Seventh-day Adventism. Most of her life she lived and worked in the United States, except for a period of 1890-1900 in Australia and some short visitations to Europe.

Ellen White was a prolific writer. She is said to be the most translated female writer in the history of literature and the most translated American author of either gender. Her writings covered topics of theology, evangelism, Christian lifestyle, education and health (she also advocated vegetarianism). She was a leader who emphasized education and health and promoted establishment of schools and medical centers.

During her lifetime she wrote more than 5,000 periodical articles and 40 books; but today, including compilations from her 50,000 pages of manuscript, more than 100 titles are available in English. Among her works is the popular Christian book, Steps to Christ.

Believed by Seventh-day Adventists to be inspired by God, her books have influenced many. Considered by some to be the prophetess for the end-times, through the Holy Spirit, she sought to draw more to study the Word of God and to prepare the world for the Second Advent, or second coming of Christ. However, Mrs. White did not encourage the use of "prophet", not feeling comfortable with the label in reference to herself, rather, she preferred "messenger".

The Seventh-Day Adventist Church states in its 28 Fundamental Beliefs:

"#18. The Gift of Prophecy: One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen. G. White . As the Lord's messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. (Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10.)" (see http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/)

Her last home, Elmshaven in Saint Helena, California, is a National Historic Landmark.

Contents [hide] 1 Early Life 1.1 Visions 2 Criticisms 3 External links 3.1 Apologists 3.2 Critics 3.3 Writings Online

Early Life

On her way home from school at the age of 9 years, Ellen Harmon was struck in the face with a rock thrown by another school girl. The trauma put her in a coma for three weeks, and gave her health problems she never fully recovered from. In her weakened state, she was unable to return to school, and never completed any further formal education.

In 1840, at age 12, her family became involved with the Millerite movement, a movement that created emotional turbulence for her. Through attending William Miller lectures, she felt that she was a guilty sinner and was filled with terror about being eternally lost. She describes herself as spending nights in tears and prayer, and being in this condition for several months. She also describes moments of pure bliss while having positive religious experiences. Eventually, the association with the Millerites caused her Methodist church to disfellowship her and her family.

Visions

It was shortly after experiencing the Great Disappointment of 1844 that Ellen started having her first visions. At random times, often when in church or prayer meetings, Ellen would be taken into vision. The visions would last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

She described the vision experience as being surrounded in bright light. In these visions she would be in the presence of Jesus or angels, who would show her events (historical and future), show her places (on earth, in heaven, other planets), or tell her information. When the vision was over she described returning to the darkness of the earth.

The first vision was a depiction of the Adventist people following Jesus, marching to the city (heaven). This vision was taken by those around her as an encouraging sign considering the devastation of the Great Disappointment. She was encouraged both in visions and by fellow church members to more broadly share her visions, which she did by a mix of public speaking, magazine articles, and books.

The writings of her visions are generally either reproof or encouragement to individual people or the Adventist church collectively, theology, and prophecy. Her series of books "Testimonies for the Church" contain a large amount of this material. The speaking and writings of her visions were the more significant part she played in establishing and shaping the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Her visions were used, and are still used, in decision making, in forming policy and doctrine, as well as for devotional material.

Criticisms

One of the first and most prominent critics of Ellen White was D.M. Canright. The criticisms he makes in his 1919 book, "Life of Mrs. E.G. White Seventh-day Adventist Prophet Her False Claims Refuted" are largely the same as those pointed out by modern Ellen White critics. These include:

• plagiarism
• failed prophecy
• suppression of damaging writings
• progression of maturity in vision as she ages
• basing supposed visions on rumors
• visions incongruent with later scientific knowledge
• contradictions
• biblical contradictions
• hypocrisy

Many of her critics attribute her visions to her head injury, arguing that her symptoms match disorders such as temporal lobe epilepsy or mercury poisoning.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh-day_Adventist_Church

Origins

According to historians of the movement, this group gained its more recent name from the teaching that the expected return of Jesus on October 22, 1844 had been fulfilled in a way that had not previously been understood. This was termed "the Great Disappointment." Further Bible study led to the belief that Jesus in that year had entered into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary, and began an "investigative judgment" of the world: a process through which there is an examination of the heavenly records to "determine who, through repentance of sin and faith in Christ, are entitled to the benefits of His atonement"¹ after which Jesus will return to earth. According to the church's teaching, the return of Christ may occur very soon, though nobody knows the exact date of that event (Matthew 24:36).

For about 20 years, the Adventist movement was a rather unorganized group of people who held to this message. Among its greatest supporters were James White, Ellen G. White and Joseph Bates. Later, a formally organized church called the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists was established in Battle Creek, Michigan, in May 1863, with a membership of 3,500. Through the evangelism and inspiration of Ellen G. White, the church quickly grew and established a presence beyond North America during the later part of the 1800s. In 1903, the denominational headquarters were moved from Battle Creek to Washington D.C. (and the immediately neighboring community of Takoma Park, Maryland). In 1989, the headquarters was moved again, this time to Silver Spring, Maryland.

Doctrine

Seventh-day Adventist doctrine is based on the Anabaptist protestant tradition. Adventist doctrine resembles mainstream orthodox trinitarian Protestant theology, with the exception of several areas.

• Saturday as Sabbath. Seventh-day Adventists observe a 24-hour sunset-to-sunset Sabbath commencing Friday evening. Justification for this belief is garnered from the creation account in Genesis in which God rested on the seventh-day, an approach later immortalised in the Ten Commandments. Seventh-day Adventists maintain that there is no biblical mandate for the change from the "true Sabbath" to Sunday observance, which is to say that Sunday-keeping is merely a "tradition of men."
• State of the Dead. Seventh-day Adventists believe that death is a sleep during which the "dead know nothing" (Ecclesiastes 9:5). This view maintains that the person has no conscious form of existence until the resurrection, either at the second coming of Jesus (in the case of the righteous) or after the millennium of Revelation 20 (in the case of the wicked). Because of this view, Seventh-day Adventists do not believe hell currently exists and believe further that the wicked will be destroyed at the end of time.
• Baptism. Seventh-day Adventists practice adult baptism by full immersion in a similar manner to the Baptists. Infants are dedicated rather than baptized, as it is argued that baptism requires knowing consent and moral responsibility.
• Belief in an imminent, pre-millennial, universally visible second advent, preceded by a time of trouble when the righteous will be persecuted and a false second coming where Satan impersonates the Messiah.
• Teaching that the "Spirit of Prophecy," an identifying mark of the remnant church, was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White, whom Adventists recognize as the Lord's messenger. Her "writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction" (28 Fundamental Beliefs).
• Avoidance of unclean meat such as pork.

Seventh-day Adventists oppose the formulation of credal statements. Seventh-day Adventists prefer to view the fundamental beliefs as descriptors rather than prescriptors. However divergence from the published position is frowned upon. Missionary outreach of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is aimed on both unbelievers and other Christian Churches.

Seventh-day Adventist religious practices

Seventh-day Adventist religious practise consists primarily of weekly Sabbath school and church. Church follows an evangelical format, with emphasis placed on the sermon. During the week prayer meetings may be conducted.

Seventh-day Adventists practise communion four times a year, reflecting their Methodist roots. The communion is an open service (available to members and non-members) and includes a foot-washing ceremony and consumption of the Lord's Supper.

Seventh-day Adventists have three levels of ordination: deacons, elders, and pastors. Only men are currently eligible for ordination as ministers and are allowed to marry and have families.

Many Seventh-day Adventists avoid meat for health reasons though Vegetarianism is not a requirement. Adventists do avoid unclean meat as identified in the book of Leviticus.

Structure and Polity

• The global church is called the General Conference.
• The General Conference is made up of divisions.
• Divisions are comprised of union conferences.
• Union conferences consist of local conferences.
• Local conferences include local church districts. These are generally ministered to by one pastor each.
• Local districts can contain one to many local churches (congregations). In the United States, these numbers tend to be smaller (2-4 churches per district, perhaps), while in most of the worldwide church, the numbers tend to be larger (5+ per district and per pastor, sometimes as many as 15 or more).

Adventist Church polity (governance), is a mixture of hierarchical (or episcopal) and presbyterian elements. Each of these local churches has its own elected governing body and office. Almost everything is decided by either elected committees, through vote of members, or representatives from the local churches. Each organization holds a general session at certain intervals. This is usually when general decisions get voted on. The president of the General Conference, for instance, is elected at the General Conference Session every five years. Churches are governed by a church board formed by members of that church, with the pastor of that congregation. Church property is owned by the conference corporation though, and so this differs from congregational polity. Ministers are ordained by ministers as are lay elders and lay deacons (which is presbyterian rather than congregational or episcopal).

The church has a number of extra-church organisations associated, these come under the umbrella of independent ministries.

Number of members

• 1961: 1 million
• 1970: 2 million
• 1980: 3.5 million
• 1990: Almost 7 million
• 2000: About 11 million
• 2003: About 12 million
• 2004: About 14 million
• 2005: 12,894,005 baptised members, close to 25 million worship in churches every Saturday world wide.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is one of the world's fastest-growing organizations, primarily due to increases in Third World membership. It operates in 203 out of 228 countries recognised by the United Nations

The current head of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is General Conference President Jan Paulsen from Norway.

Media ministries

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has many affiliated broadcast ministries that are seen every day on radio and television.

The Hope Channel is the church's official TV channel. It started to operate in 2003 and can be watched via satellite on every inhabited continent.

Three Angels Broadcasting Network was founded in 1984 by Danny Shelton who built a satellite television station that today broadcasts on seven satellites covering every inhabited continet. It is also the second largest Christian television network in the United States.

The Voice Of Prophecy was founded in 1929 by H.M.S. Richards, Sr. on a single radio station in Los Angeles, but has since spread to stations throughout the nation and has recently begun television and video production. Richards' son, H.M.S. Richards, Jr., succeeded him in the late 1970s, and today is hosted by Pastor Lonnie Meleshenko and Connie Jeffery (daughter of It Is Written founder George Vandeman).

The Quiet Hour was founded in 1937 by J.L. Tucker as a radio program. Succeeding members of the Tucker family have run the ministry since then, and it too has expanded into television.

It Is Written was founded in 1956 by George Vandeman and was the first religious program to air in color, and the first to take advantage of satellite technology. Mark Finley succeeded Vandeman in 1992. He left the show in 2004 and was replaced by Shawn Boonstra.

Amazing Facts was founded in 1965 by Joe Crews in Baltimore, Maryland. Inspired by the success of the Voice Of Prophecy, Crews' original objective was to reach out to both Christian and non-Christian listeners via daily 15-minute programs by opening with a catchy historic fact, and how it applies to the overall Biblical messages. Later, the program offered accompanying home Bible study courses, as well as books written by Crews himself. In 1987, Amazing Facts initiated a television ministry. In 1993, after Joe Crews' passing, Doug Batchelor assumed the position as Director/Speaker, and has held that position ever since. Today, Amazing Facts broadcasts mainly out of Sacramento, California.

Breath Of Life is one of the most recent Adventist broadcast ministries to hit the airwaves. Although its main audience is African American, the message is similar to the other broadcast ministries.

Daniel Lubega is a Omaha Nebraska SDA pastor with radio show on KCRO and a tv show on Omaha Cox Channel 23

All the main Adventist broadcast ministries have engaged in worldwide outreach via numerous crusades and rallies. Worldwide outreach is also conducted by Adventist World Radio mostly via shortwave radio transmissions, but also via AM, FM, satellite, Internet, and direct-to-home satellite radio transmissions. Broadcasting is currently done from 10 transmitter sites in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Health

Seventh-day Adventists present a health message that recommends vegetarianism and condones abstinence from pork, shellfish, and other foods proscribed as "unclean" in Leviticus as well as from alcohol and tobacco.

The Sanitarium Health Food Company, owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is one of Australia's leading manufacturers of health and vegetarian-related products.

Seventh-day Adventists run a large number of hospitals. Their predominate school of medicine in North America is located in Loma Linda, California.

Education

Seventh-day Adventists have had a long interest in education. The Adventist church runs one of the largest education systems in the world. They operate some 5,700 pre-schools, primary and secondary schools, as well as colleges, universities, seminaries and medical schools in about 145 countries worldwide. This education system involves some 66,000 teachers and 1,257,000 students. The Adventist educational program is comprehensive encompassing "mental, physical, social, and spiritual health" with "intellectual growth and service to humanity" its goal.

Pathfinders

The Youth Department of the Seventh-day Adventist church runs an organisation for 10-16 year old boys and girls called Pathfinders. For younger children, Adventurer, Eager Beaver, and Little Lambs clubs are available that feed into the Pathfinder program.

Pathfinders is similar to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), except that membership is open to both boys and girls.

Institutions

• list of Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities
• list of Seventh-day Adventist hospitals

Other Activities

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has been active for over 100 years advocating for freedom of religion. In 1893 its leaders founded the International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA). They also have been formally active in humanitarian aid for over 50 years (ADRA).

Off-shoots and Schismatics

Most notoriously, the Branch Davidians and David Koresh of the Waco, Texas conflagration are a schismatic off-shoot of the Seventh-day Adventist religious movement, and hold very little in common with the rest of Adventism.

There is also a Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement. Another famous example is Dr Desmond Ford and his ministry Good News Unlimited.

Outsider Criticisms of Seventh-day Adventism

There are disputes among Evangelical counter-cult authors over whether Seventh-day Adventism is a cult, in the sense in which they use this term to refer to groups which deviate from their own particular views on biblical orthodoxy. For example, in the late 1950s, Walter Martin and Donald Barnhouse classified Adventists as non-cultic, although for Martin this was a reversal of his classification of Adventists early in 1955 as a cult. Many evangelicals followed this advice, and continue to do so today, and accept Adventism as an orthodox Christian denomination, even if it holds a few doctrines which are different from mainline Christian churches. This can be viewed as an increasing acceptance of the Adventist church into the Christian fold, since many of these other Christian groups were previously very much opposed to Adventist teaching. Others, however, have rejected this view, including, for example, John Whitcomb, Jr. Adventist insularism and warnings about mixing with non-Christians and even non-Adventists, and the importance placed on Adventist education for children add to allegations of cult-like behaviour.

Some critics argue that Seventh-day Adventists' focus on the Sabbath places a focus on works rather than grace. Critics of Adventist doctrine argue that the Adventist church, in accepting Ellen G. White as a prophet and her writings as inspired, is putting forward another source of authority in addition to the Bible. This they view as contrary to the traditional Protestant sola scriptura view of the Bible as the sole inspired source of authority, and the rejection of any claims to latter-day prophets.

They also criticise the Christology taught by Ellen G. White as inaccurate and heterodox. For example, White taught that "Christ took upon His sinless nature our sinful nature ... Christ took human nature and bore the infirmities and degeneracy of the race. He took our nature and its deteriorating condition" (Questions on Doctrine, pp. 654-656). By contrast, the traditional teaching of Christianity (both Protestant and Catholic) is that Christ's human nature was sinless. However, Ellen White also affirms that Christ was completely sinless. Thus many Adventists argue that Christ's taking of human nature related to sickness, disease, the feeling of hunger, etc., and not to any moral propensity to sin.

Critics also view the Adventist belief in annihilationism as unbiblical. They point to various biblical passages which contradict annihilationism, for example Luke 16:19-31, which they argue clearly indicates that the dead are presently conscious in Heaven or Hell, not in some kind of soul sleep. Compare this with the description of Lazarus as asleep given by Jesus in John 11:12-14. Also consider the view of Luke 16:19-31 from the perspective of those believing in annihilationism, which is that those verses are a parable taught by Jesus, not actual events.

Critics allege that Ellen G. White taught that belief in the doctrine of "investigative judgement" was necessary for salvation. For example, she writes in her book The Great Controversy (p. 488):

The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgement should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs for them to fill.

It has been noted by several other Christian groups that in recent years the Adventist leadership has de-emphasised several of the uniquely Adventist doctrines, in favour of an emphasis on the basic Christian beliefs they share with other Christians, which renders the Adventist church less problematic on the whole from the perspective of other Christians. Some groups of traditionalist Seventh-day Adventists, however, are rather cross at the Adventist Church leadership for doing this, and a few have left the Adventist church to form splinter groups as a result.