How Seventh-Day Adventism Became Trinitarian

gillespie9669

Who is Telling
The WHOLE TRUTH
About God in Adventism?
Part 1- (May 2003 Article)

INTRODUCTION:
1877
D.M. Canright (before leaving Adventism) in an article which was officially published in the Review and Herald, as early as April 12, 1877, said:

“Do we not all agree that in the providence of God, special light is now being given upon the subjects of the second advent near, the kingdom, the new earth, the sleep of the dead, the destruction of the wicked, the doctrine of the Trinity, the law of God, God's holy Sabbath, etc.? All Seventh day Adventists will agree in these things.” [notice, all in the above list eventually became Adventist doctrines]

1898
“[The] union between the Father and the Son, does not detract from either, but strengthens both. Through it [this union], IN CONNNECTION WITH [and not excluding] THE HOLY SPIRIT, we have ALL OF DEITY”.
Uriah Smith, Looking Unto Jesus, Review and Herald, 1898, pg. 17

1900
“[The Holy Spirit] is one with and sent by the Father, and the Son… He [the Holy Spirit] would make us know His personality, but ever IN LIVING CONNECTION with Christ… Let Him [the Spirit] make you know, beloved, how surprisingly beautiful are the BLENDED PERSONALITIES of our *TRIUNE GOD (!!) manifested by the personal presence of the Holy Ghost.”
“Blended Personalities”, Review and Herald, Vol. 77, April 3, 1900, pg. 210

1904
“The existence of A [singular] PERSONAL GOD, [which is] the UNITY of Christ with His Father [in connection with the Holy Spirit], lies at the foundation of all true science”.
Ellen G. White, Manuscript 30, October 29, 1904

1913
“Seventh-day Adventists [not just myself] believe [now] in ... the Divine *TRINITY. This Trinity consists of the Eternal Father… the Lord Jesus Christ…[and] the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead”
F. M. Wilcox (editor of Review and Herald), *Review and Herald, October 9, 1913
NOTE TO READER: The Review and Herald paper was the official publishing voice, and arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. All articles here quoted were published by it.
A careful look at the date of publishing of ALL of the foregoing quotes reveal some astonishing yet much denied truths (in some quarters of Adventism), about the Adventist Church’s eventual acceptance of a version of the Trinity doctrine. These undeniable truths include the fact that:

1. Trinitarianism was officially published, by Adventist pioneers, for over twenty years before, and leading up to 1915 in Adventism (1915 being the year when Adventism’s leading pioneer, Mrs. White died)

2. Between 1890 and 1915 (starting as early as the 1892 “Spear’s” Trinity article), “all of Deity” [all of divinity], or who “our personal God” is was GRADUALLY seen as the “unity” of the Father and Son “in connection with the Holy Spirit”, “the third Person of the Godhead” [of a “Heavenly Trio of three living personalities”, Mrs. White had said in 1905]

3. Review and Herald (without organizational censorship) published, between 1900 and 1915, revolutionary articles indicating a growing (but not unanimous) acceptance of the terms “triune God”, and “trinity”, as acceptable terms explaining “all of Deity” (thus advancing beyond Uriah Smith’s 1898 ‘homoean’ or semi-Arian position of not accepting Jesus as existing “from all eternity” as “a distinct person”, not accepting Him as being part of a trinity [trio] of the Godhead, and not accepting the Holy Spirit as being “as much a Person”, “Divine Person”, “as [just like] God is a Person”). What is critical to note, is that during those years, Mrs. White did not even once oppose those officially published trinity articles, but was instead prophesying of a coming future heresy, which she could not yet name, but intimated that it would be Godhead related. The significance of this reality will be looked at later in this presentation.

4. In the mix of written presentations, and official Adventist publications, declaring that “our personal God”, or the Deity (“all of Deity”) was a “unity” of more than one Divine Person, and NOT JUST THE FATHER (as a single unit), was Mrs. Ellen G. White, the leading pioneer of Adventism!!

This astonishing scenario answers effectively those on the fringes of mainstream Adventism, claiming to be telling the truth about God, but start by telling the *first two lies, that (1) Trinitarianism was introduced to Adventism after Mrs. White died (and that she herself had earlier prophesied that this phenomenon would be a coming “omega of deadly heresies” after her death), and that (2) “God is ONLY the Father”.
The introductory quotes are sufficient to totally obliterate their faulty chronology concerning who introduced trinitarianism into Adventism, and when. But comments are in order (in this introduction) to address the claim that “God is ONLY the Father”. If this were true, this would be similar to saying “man is ONLY the male of the specie” or “man was ONLY Adam” (see Gen. 5:1-2), or “man, as a ‘he’ or ‘him’, can only be seen, grammatically, as one person” (see Ps. 8: 3-8).
It does not take long to see the fallacy in such claims. “But…” they might protest, “Isn’t the Father the Supreme Being over all, even Christ?”- All the while forgetting that Jesus is equal with this supremacy (sovereignty) as the natural Son of God, despite His voluntary subjection to the Father, as part of the “mystery of godliness”. That was why the Jews correctly saw Jesus’ claim to divine “Sonship” as an equating of Himself with God, or a making of Himself God (in divine nature and supremacy), not a making of Himself the Father in person. John 20:28, 29, and 1 Corinthians 8: 6 (with 2 Thess. 2:4) is enough to prove that *God, or "the Deity" is NOT ONLY the Father, but instead, God is PRIMARILY the Father, in a Godhead unity of distinct Persons!!
It is becoming common knowledge that early Adventism (1844-1892) was predominantly anti-Trinitarian. So how is it that after 1892 and before 1915 a pro-Trinitarian shift, or support for the Trinity (if even in revised form) was evident?
This presentation seeks not just to be “telling the truth about God”, as taught by Adventism, but telling the *WHOLE truth (historical, and doctrinal), since some overzealous “accusers of the brethren” endeavor to ignore, downplay, and distort certain portions of the full picture, in order to lead away disciples unto themselves.
In order to make this presentation ‘reader friendly’ a question and answer format will be followed. The subheadings will help you to zero in on those aspects, which may interest you first. I PRAY THAT TRUTH MAY BE THE WINNER in this matter, and not just opinion. Let God be true and every man be proved a liar!!

1. Was “Our Personal God”, Or “All Of Deity” Always Seen As A
Multi-Personal “Unity” By Adventism?

The simple, and truthful answer is, NO!! Even the idea of the Godhead of three personalities was not taught before the 1890s, much more the “triune God” [the *singular “threefold Power” or “Eternal Godhead”, with a “threefold name”, as later worded by Mrs. White]. The fact that the word “Godhead” was never defined by the Bible to ever comprise three personalities, but was historically an original Trinitarian application, it is therefore easy to see why the early pioneers, who opposed the Roman Catholic Trinity, opposed the term “Godhead” being used in this context. If nothing else, historic Trinitarians emphasized a oneness of *power, and sovereignty, among the Persons of the threefold Godhead, and any use of such *terms, in this context, by anyone, would clearly indicate their Trinitarian intent!! This is clearly seen in the following Adventist pioneering anti-Trinitarian expressions of the earlier years:

“What a contradiction of *terms is found in [not just the teaching, but even] the [very] *language of the Trinitarian creed: ‘In the unity of the Godhead are three persons of one substance, one power and one eternity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost’. There are many things that are mysteries, written in the word of God, but we may safely presume the Lord never calls upon us to believe impossibilities.”
A.J. Dennis, Signs of the Times, May 22, 1879

“It is not very consonant with common sense to talk of three [or even two] being one, and one being three. Or as some express it, calling God the ‘Triune God’…If the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are each God, it would be three Gods…There is a sense in which they are one, but not one person, as claimed by Trinitarians”.
J.N. Loughborough, Review and Herald, Vol. 18, pg. 184

“…An idea that puzzles me; by many a learned sage [teacher] ‘tis said that three are in one Godhead… this is the creed of Christendom folks. Who style themselves true orthodox, all which [is] against plain common sense…”
-Review and Herald, Vol. 9., No. 19, March 12, 1857, pg.146

So it is clear that the pioneers equated the terms “three [Persons] in one Godhead” (with their oneness of power and substance), and the “Triune God”[or the singular threefold Power] with trinitarianism!! Even the very language, expressions, or terms (and their equivalents) of Trinitarianism were seen as unacceptable, offensive, and not being in the realm of “common sense”. Thus only the truly dishonest, or deluded would think that they can now accept (in the words of Mrs. White) “three LIVING Personalities” united in the “Eternal Godhead” or the “Great THREEFOLD POWER”, and not be called Trinitarians (as some seek to do)!! All these expressions were not used in the first fifty years of Adventism, but were later added by the pioneers themselves. So how can one accept these terms, but decry trinitarianism? That is simply ridiculous!! It is like one believing in Christ, and following his teachings, but insist on not being called a Christian!! It is also dishonesty to propagate the mistake of the early Adventist pioneers in stating that Trinitarians teach that the three Godhead personalities are seen as one Person (i.e. Sabellian ‘modalism’).
The following quotes from historic, pre-Papal Trinitarians produce conclusive proof that most Trinitarians rejected this heretical teaching:

“See, brethren, what a rash and audacious dogma they [Sabellian ‘modalists’] have introduced, when they say without shame, the Father is Himself Christ, Himself the Son, Himself was born… But this is not so. The Scriptures speak what is right; but Noetus [a ‘modalist’ heretic] is of a different mind from them [the Scriptures]… For who will not say that there is one God? Yet he will not on that account deny the economy (i.e. the number and disposition of [three] persons in the *TRINITY [‘triavdo’- Greek]”
- Hippolytus, Against the Heresy of One Noetus, *200 A.D.

“Some treat the Holy Trinity in an awful manner, when they confidently assert that there are not three persons… and introduce a [single] person devoid of subsistence. Wherefore we clear ourselves of Sabellius [founder of ‘Jesus-only’ modalism], who says that the Father And the Son are the same [Person]… we believe that three persons- namely, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- are declared to possess one Godhead [divinity]…[and this] establishes oneness [likeness] of nature… But if they say, ‘how can there be three Persons, and one Divinity?’ we shall make this reply: That there are indeed three persons, in as much as there is one person of God the Father, and one of the Lord Jesus Christ, and one of the Holy Spirit, and yet there is only one divinity”
– Gregory the Wonder-worker, Sectional Confession of Faith, *262 A.D.

This “confession of faith” came from Trinitarians long before there was ever the Papacy in existence, or even before Constantine (312 A.D) turned the Church into Christendom, bringing in pagan errors. Early Christians declared One Divinity”, but “three Persons”!
Comparing earth’s single humanity, existing as billions of persons on the planet, illustrates Gregory “the Wonderworker’s” point very effectively, at least in basic terms! Yes, it is true that the Papacy later mixed truth with error in the Trinity doctrine, which it enforced with Creeds, but it cannot be overemphasized that:
Trinitarians have always rejected modalism, and Trinitarianism was the common faith of most Christians even before the third and fourth centuries came around, or there ever was a Papacy!! It is a lie to claim otherwise!! The writings of most Church Fathers existing long before the Papacy prove that this was so!!
See the writings of Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Theophilus of Antioch, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Hippolytus, Tertullian, Novatian, Dionysius, and Gregory the Wonderworker, to name a few, on the website *[url]bible. ca[/url]. All these writings came before there was Constantine, and the Papacy (which rose in the 5th and 6th centuries after pagan Rome collapsed in 476A.D.), and more importantly, were written when pagan Rome was still persecuting and killing Christians for their beliefs. Martyred Christians worshipped the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as divine Persons, even if they differed in some points on an explanation about the Godhead. THAT IS BASIC TRINITARIANISM!!
It is obvious, from the records, that the Adventist pioneers only later came to accept the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as God, that is, EACH OF THEM being God (divine) in nature, and that each are distinct personalities “worthy of veneration” (Review and Herald, June 9, 1896, pg. 362), but always continued (and rightly so) to maintain that they are not “three Gods”. God is primarily the Father, united with His Son, and present everywhere through the Holy Spirit, the “Third Person”, yes, “Divine Person” of the Godhead!! The divine unity is inseparable!!

2. Why Was The Trinity Rejected By The Early Adventist Pioneers?
Because primarily it was felt that trinitarianism nonsensically taught that the three persons in the Godhead are seen as one person, Jesus was seen as the Father Himself, and that this doctrine was the invention of the Papacy, and Christendom.
By now it is evident that this was not so from just the few quotes presented under Question 1. It is interesting that the pioneers did not all see a trinity defined as one person or individual being, but all still felt that Trinitarianism taught that this is so!
What they, just like J.H. Waggoner (quoted below), were opposed to, probably without realizing it, was the fourth century Papal additions made to the common pre-Papal Christian doctrine. The Athanasian Creed (for example) stated that the Godhead is “one substance INDIVISIBLE”. It was this “indivisible” clause, which created the problem. But second and third century Trinitarians did not commonly teach this (notice I said “not commonly”), but rather taught a Trio of distinct individuals in the Godhead.

“Is Christ the Father in the Trinity? If so, how is he the Son? Or if He is both Father and Son, how can there be a trinity? For a trinity is [by definition] three persons [a trio]. To recognize a trinity [by true definition], the distinction between the Father and Son must be preserved.”
-J.H. Waggoner, The Atonement, Review and Herald, 1884
Notice the recurring pioneering Adventist mistake of stating that Trinitarians teach that three persons comprises one person! Waggoner was however spot-on with the *true dictionary definition of a trinity being three distinct persons, that is, a trio. The Trio of distinct personalities in the Godhead was the teaching of the earliest Christians, a fundamental teaching coming from Jesus Himself (Matt. 28:19), but was missing in Adventist literature in the early years. Early Adventists rejected the Holy Spirit’s personality, and taught that He was just a power, force (“afflatus”), and influence!

*MRS. WHITE REVOLUTIONIZES ADVENTIST GODHEAD THEOLOGY

However Mrs. White later led the way, and came to teach the “ Trio” in the “Eternal Godhead”, and that the Father and His “begotten” Son, yes, *His Heavenly “BEGOTTEN” Son are “one”, in the sense of their being “of one [similar] substance” (Signs of the Times, May 30, 1895, and Signs of the Times, Vol.20, Nov. 27, 1893, pg. 54), and that they are “of one power and authority” (Great Controversy, Review and Herald, 1888, pg. 494) but she never accepted this “indivisible” substance teaching (which was also rejected by the teaching of most of the Trinitarian Church Fathers and Christian Apologists before the Papacy). Many do not know this difference! Do you?
And of course it is obvious that if “God is Spirit”, or “ the Spirit” (see John 4:24 and 2 Cor. 3:17,18), and the Holy Spirit is the representative presence of God, then the Holy Spirit must actually be “of one [spirit] substance” with the Father, and is all that the Father is, in power, rank, authority, etc! But of course (in the words of Mrs. White) the Holy Spirit “is as much a person as God is a Person”, an “Eternal Heavenly Dignitary” (Manuscript 66, 1899, and S.D.A Bible Commentary, Vol. 6, pg. 1075)).
This flatly rejected S.D.A. pioneer Uriah Smith’s earlier teaching (for instance), that the Holy Spirit “cannot be a person like the Father and the Son” (Review and Herald, Oct. 28, 1890). That is why Mrs. White later spoke of Three “Highest Powers” or “Highest Authorities in Heaven” comprising the “Eternal Godhead- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost”, who are united as the “Great Threefold *Power”[notice the singular noun used]. See the S.D.A Bible Commentary, Vol. 6, pg. 1102 (taken from Manuscript 11) on the “Great threefold *Power”, and compare this teaching to that of the Trinitarian Church Father, Athenagoras (in 177 A.D.), the first Church Father to speak clearly on the trinity even before Theophilus of Antioch, who is first recorded to have used the word in 180 A.D. Remember all of this was written when pagan Rome was still martyring Christians, nearly 150 years before Constantine, and the PAPACY, which CAME EVEN MUCH LATER. And remember they were closest to Apostles in time.

“Who, then, would not be astonished to hear [Christian] men who speak of God the Father, and of God the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and who declare both their * POWER in union and their DISTINCTION in order, called atheists? Nor is our teaching in what relates to the divine nature confined to these points…”
-Athenagoras, Plea for the Christians, *177 A.D., Chapter 10, entitled, *The Christians Worship Father, Son and Holy Ghost [Justin Martyr admitted this teaching too in 150 A.D.].

“[Christian] men who reckon the present life of very small worth indeed… are conducted to the future life by this one thing alone, that they know God and His Logos [Son], what is the oneness of the Son with the Father, what the communion of the Father with the Son, what is the Spirit, what is the unity of these three, the Spirit, the Son, the Father, and their distinction in unity” -Athenagoras, Plea for the Christians, Chapter 12 [*“Athenagoras … produced the first rational explanation for God’s simultaneous unity and *TRINITY”-- "Athenagoras," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 99. © 1993-1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.]
Written By Derrick Gillespie
_________________
Derrick Gillespie (Mr)