Desmond Ford (2 February 1929 – 11 March 2019)
was an Australian
theologian
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
who studied
evangelicalism.
Within the
Seventh-day Adventist Church he was a controversial figure. He was
dismissed from ministry in the Adventist church in 1980, following his critique of the church's
investigative judgment
The investigative judgment, or pre-Advent Judgment (or, more accurately the pre-Second Advent Judgment), is a unique Seventh-day Adventist doctrine, which asserts that the divine judgment of professed Christians has been in progress since 1844. It ...
teaching. He had since worked through the non-denominational
evangelical
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual expe ...
ministry Good News Unlimited.
Ford disagreed with some aspects of traditional
Adventist end-time beliefs. However, he still defended a conservative view of scripture, the
Seventh-day Sabbath
The seventh-day Sabbath, observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening, is an important part of the beliefs and practices of seventh-day churches. These churches emphasize biblical references such as the ancient Hebrew practice of beginning a ...
, and a vegetarian lifestyle. He viewed the
writings of
Ellen G. White
Ellen Gould White (née Harmon; November 26, 1827 – July 16, 1915) was an American woman author and co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Along with other Adventist leaders such as Joseph Bates and her husband James White, she wa ...
as useful devotionally, but not at the level of authority held by the Church.
Ford shared the sermon time at the Good News Unlimited congregation, which meets on Saturdays in the
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
suburb of
Milton, and in periodic seminars on the eastern seaboard of Australia.
Biography
Early life and conversion
Desmond Ford was born in
Townsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 180,820 as of June 2018, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland; it is unofficially considered its capital. Estimated resident population, 30 ...
, Australia on 2 February 1929,
[ to Wilfred Ford and Lillian Simpson. He had one brother, Val, who was three and a half years older. The Ford lineage consisted of farmers and cattlemen of ]English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
and Australian descent. The Simpson lineage derived from England, Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
and China. Desmond's parents were nominal Anglican Christians, with his father almost an atheist in practice, and his mother presenting "a religious façade". Wilfred encouraged his son to read, beginning a lifelong obsession for the "unusually gifted" boy.
When Lillian was pregnant with Desmond, an Adventist book salesman shared insights on nutrition
Nutrition is the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life. It provides organisms with nutrients, which can be metabolized to create energy and chemical structures. Failure to obtain sufficient ...
with the family, sparking a chain of events affecting Desmond's life. At an Adventist camp meeting in 1939 Desmond was given a Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...
, which he would complete three years later, around the time he finished primary school. However his parents divorced when he was nine; Wilfred moved to Canberra, and Lillian and the boys later moved to Sydney, New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
(NSW). He passed his Intermediate Certificate in 1943. However, due to the family's poverty and Australia's involvement in World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, Desmond had to drop out of school. He became officially employed with Associated Newspapers
DMG Media (stylised in lowercase) is an intermediate holding company for Associated Newspapers, Northcliffe Media, Harmsworth Printing, Harmsworth Media and other subsidiaries of Daily Mail and General Trust. It is based at Northcliffe House in ...
at the age of 15, although he had started working there months earlier, and was promoted from copy boy
A copy boy is a typically young and junior worker on a newspaper. The job involves taking typed stories from one section of a newspaper to another. According to Bruce Guthrie, the former editor-in-chief of the '' Herald Sun'' who began work ther ...
to an editorial position, because of his published work. Meanwhile, Desmond took night classes for high school. All along, Desmond was being influenced by encounters with Adventists and other Christians, and steadily collected books on Christian theology, and the creation–evolution controversy
Recurring cultural, political, and theological rejection of evolution by religious groups (sometimes termed the creation–evolution controversy, the creation vs. evolution debate or the origins debate) exists regarding the origins of the Eart ...
.[http://www.goodnewsunlimited.org.au/ See the brief biography on the Good News Unlimited website]
Ford was challenged by the strict lifestyle standards presented in Ellen G. White
Ellen Gould White (née Harmon; November 26, 1827 – July 16, 1915) was an American woman author and co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Along with other Adventist leaders such as Joseph Bates and her husband James White, she wa ...
's ''Messages to Young People'', and gave up the cinema and reading fiction. Reading novels had been his main childhood hobby, and became replaced with reading theology. White's book '' The Great Controversy'' was a key influence on his conversion. In winter 1946 he publicly responded to a call for commitment to God's service. Ford was impressed by the Christian character of many of the Adventists who had nurtured him. In September he was officially baptised
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
into the church. This was despite strong opposition from his brother; and his mother was also originally resistant to his conversion, having become disenchanted with the Adventist church herself. Ford resigned from his job, and returned briefly to Townsville with his family. He then left in 1947 for the Australasian Missionary College in the Lake Macquarie region of NSW, to train for the ministry.
Seminary
Ford found his time at Avondale exciting for mental and spiritual growth. He was an active participant in class discussions, and occasionally taught classes to fill in for the lecturers. He was particularly inspired by Dr. William Murdoch, and carried out research for him. Ford gave talks in nearby churches, and published around a dozen articles for church magazines during this time. He also led students in Bible study. He struggled financially, and worked on Avondale's farm and elsewhere, and also selling Adventist books.
He graduated from the Ministerial Course in Avondale in 1950, with high marks.
Early ministry
Ford lived in a caravan ( trailer) with his mother, who insisted on accompanying him, while canvassing (selling Christian books). Ford was sent to help build a new church in the coastal town of Coffs Harbour, NSW. In 1951, still in his first year of service as a pastor, he was sent to Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to:
*Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England
*Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England
*Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...
, NSW, then an industrial city, to assist evangelist George Burnside. While Burnside was a dynamic presenter, Ford's biographer Milton Hook
Milton Raymond Hook (born 1939) is a Seventh-day Adventist religion educator, author and church historian. He is an honorary research fellow at Avondale College, New South Wales, Australia.
Biography
Hook was born in Perth, Western Australia, ...
describes him as a fundamentalist (see: historic Adventism
Historic Adventism is an informal designation for conservative individuals and organizations affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church who seek to preserve certain traditional beliefs and practices of the church. They feel that the church l ...
), and draws an analogy with a rugged, gung-ho cowboy, like a John Wayne character. Ford questioned him on some end-times interpretations, resulting in conflict between the pair – a sign of further things to come. Later he sold books in the Lake Macquarie and nearby Upper Hunter
The Upper Hunter Shire is a local government area in the Upper Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire was formed in May 2004 from the Scone Shire and parts of Murrurundi and Merriwa shires.
The Mayor of the Upper Hunter Shir ...
regions, which he found challenging work.
He worked as a pastor in various churches and as an evangelist for about 7 years in NSW, in Australian[Interview with Desmond Ford](_blank)
by Adrian Zytkoskee in ''Spectrum'' 11:2 (November 1980), 53–61 rural towns.
In 1952 Ford pastor
A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...
ed the Coffs Harbour area, under a supervisor. His mother returned to Queensland. In December he married Gwen Booth, with whom he had shared a budding friendship and romance since their meeting at Avondale, where she studied teaching. Gwen had been raised in humble circumstances in Yass, and was a quiet achiever who cared about others, and had a deep faith in Jesus. The following year they moved to the country town of Quirindi
Quirindi ( or ) is a small town on the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia, in Liverpool Plains Shire.
At the , Quirindi had a population of 3,444. It is the nearest link to Gunnedah to the west and Tamworth to the north. ...
, where Ford pastored the church. From 1954 to mid-1955, Ford pastored in the Gunnedah
Gunnedah is a town in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia and is the seat of the Gunnedah Shire local government area. In the the town recorded a population of 9,726. Gunnedah is situated within the Liverpool Plains, a fertile agricultu ...
area, then moved north to Inverell
Inverell is a large town in northern New South Wales, Australia, situated on the Macintyre River, close to the Queensland border. It is also the centre of Inverell Shire. Inverell is located on the Gwydir Highway on the western slopes of the ...
. There a public debate with Burgin, a Church of Christ minister and a "formidable opponent" of Adventists, brought Ford respect. The topic was the Sabbath, with the specific title "Is the Seventh Day or the First Day Binding on Christians?" Arguably Ford won the debate. He later baptised some of Burgin's church members.
Return to Avondale
The South Pacific Division
The United States Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Division (SPD) is an United States Army, Army organization providing civil works and military water resource services/infrastructure. It also supports economically viable and environmenta ...
called him back to Avondale, to complete his ministry
Ministry may refer to:
Government
* Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister
* Ministry (government department), a department of a government
Religion
* Christian ...
course. He completed a BA in 1958, and went on to complete a Master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. in systematic theology
Systematic theology, or systematics, is a discipline of Christian theology that formulates an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues such as what the Bible teaches about certain topic ...
at the SDA Washington Seminary in 1959. Ford subsequently received a PhD in the rhetorical analysis of Paul's letters from Michigan State University in 1961. In the same year he returned to Australia and became head of the Religion Department at Avondale College, where he would remain until 1977.[Reflections On Adventism: An Interview With Dr. Desmond Ford](_blank)
by ''Adventist Today'' Forum. Accessed 25 October 2007 At Avondale, Ford taught many classes, including public speaking, homiletics
In religious studies, homiletics ( grc, ὁμιλητικός ''homilētikós'', from ''homilos'', "assembled crowd, throng") is the application of the general principles of rhetoric to the specific art of public preaching. One who practices or ...
, and evangelism. He was a member of the Biblical Research Committee in Australia and the United States.
He completed his second PhD in 1972 from the University of Manchester
, mottoeng = Knowledge, Wisdom, Humanity
, established = 2004 – University of Manchester Predecessor institutions: 1956 – UMIST (as university college; university 1994) 1904 – Victoria University of Manchester 1880 – Victoria Univ ...
, while on leave from teaching at Avondale. His supervisor was the renowned Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
theologian F. F. Bruce
Frederick Fyvie Bruce (12 October 1910 – 11 September 1990), usually cited as F. F. Bruce, was a Scottish biblical scholar who supported the historical reliability of the New Testament. His first book, ''New Testament Documents: Are They ...
. His field was New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...
studies, specifically eschatology
Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of the present age, human history, or of the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that nega ...
(end times). Ford entitled his thesis, ''The Abomination of Desolation in Biblical Eschatology''. His main expertise was biblical apocalyptic literature, such as Daniel and Revelation
In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities.
Background
Inspiration – such as that bestowed by God on the ...
, and eschatology.
Tension over theology
Ford was a primary opponent of the perfectionism within the SDA church, especially its form as taught by fellow Australian Robert Brinsmead, a former classmate of Ford's at Avondale.
Ford believed that victory over the guilt of sin (justification) was provided at the cross, victory over the power of sin (sanctification) is the work of a lifetime and victory over the presence of sin (glorification) occurs at the return of Christ Jesus. Ford disagreed with the belief of sinless perfection, and did not hold to the belief that the saints are sealed at the end time, but held that the final removal of sin occurred when mortality changes to immortality at the return of Jesus Christ. Ford held that victory over the presence of sin does not occur during this lifetime, so sin continues among the saints up to the return of Jesus Christ.
Ford held that justification precedes sanctification, because victory over the guilt of sin, precedes victory over the power of sin. Ford taught that while justification is distinct from sanctification, the two concepts are always found together, in the same manner as two railway lines are distinct but never separate. Adventist belief places an equal emphasis on sanctification compared to justification, while still believing both are necessary for salvation.
Ford disagreed strongly with the belief of "eschatological perfectionism", which is the teaching that a final generation of believers must achieve a state of complete sinlessness (or Christlikeness) in the final period just before the second coming
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messian ...
of Jesus, when the saints are sealed (see Last Generation Theology
Last Generation Theology (LGT) or "final generation" theology is a religious belief regarding moral perfection achieved by sanctified people in the last generation before the Second Coming of Jesus. Although no longer a part of official Seventh-da ...
). Mainstream Adventists consider the life and character of Christ as a perfect example, that all must imitate.
Ford stepped into the debate within Adventism concerning the nature of Jesus Christ, specifically whether Jesus Christ took on a fallen or an unfallen human nature in the Incarnation
Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It refers to the conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or the appearance of a god as a human. If capitalized, it is the union of divinit ...
. This was precipitated by the publication of ''Questions on Doctrine
''Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine'' (generally known by the shortened title ''Questions on Doctrine'', abbreviated ''QOD'') is a book published by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1957 to help explain Adventism to conserva ...
'' in 1957, which some Adventists felt did not agree with what the church held.
The debate revolves around the interpretation of several biblical texts:
:"For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son ''in the likeness of sinful flesh'' and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh." Romans 8:3 (ESV)
:"For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15
:"...concerning his Son (Jesus), who was descended from David ''according to the flesh''..." Romans 1:3 (ESV)
:"Therefore, ''in all things'' He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." Hebrews 2:17 NKJV
and statements made by Ellen White:
:"Notwithstanding that the sins of a guilty world were laid upon Christ, notwithstanding the humiliation of taking upon Himself our fallen nature, the voice from heaven declared Him to be the Son of the Eternal." ''The Desire of Ages'', p. 112.
:"He assumed human nature, with its infirmities, its liabilities, its temptations." ''Manuscript Releases'', Vol. 17, p. 337.
:"But Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God. He took upon Himself human nature, and was tempted in all points as human nature is tempted. He could have sinned; He could have fallen, but not for one moment was there in Him an evil propensity." Letter 8, 1895 in ''Manuscript Releases'', Vol. 13, p. 18.
:"Christ did not possess the same sinful, corrupt, fallen disloyalty we possess, for then He could not be a perfect offering." ''Review & Herald'', 25 April 1893
According to Adventist historian George Knight, most early Adventists (until 1950) believed that Jesus Christ was born with a human nature that was not only physically frail and subject to temptation, but that he also had the fallen predisposition and inclination to sin. Since 1950, the "historic
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
" wing of the church continues to hold this ''fallen'' view of Christ's human nature. Mainstream Adventists hold to the belief taught by Ellen White that He came with the effects of Adam's sin deep within his nature, that Christ took on the fallen nature but not the sinfulness of man.
In contrast to the "historic" view, Ford believed that Ellen White was clear that Christ took our infirmities and with the weaknesses of fallen man, the sinful nature in the sense of that he had a lessened capacity with respect to the fallen physical nature that he inherited from Adam, including physical weaknesses, frailties and mental, and moral degeneracy and deterioration. While Christ was tempted as all other human beings are, Ford noted that the lessened capacity of his human nature did not ever include giving in to temptation or having any evil desires or propensity or predisposition towards sin in his ''spiritual'' nature, a position with which Ellen White taught and mainstream Adventists agree.
Original sin
According to Anglican Geoffrey Paxton, during the 1960s scholars such as Ford and Edward Heppenstall
Edward E. Heppenstall (8 May 1901 in England – 1994) was a leading Bible scholar and theologian of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. A 1985 questionnaire of North American Adventist lecturers revealed Heppenstall was the Adventist write ...
began to try to highlight a shift in the concept of original sin within the SDA church, away from its foundational belief that Seventh-day Adventists do not believe in original sin.[Pain and Progress: The 1960s](_blank)
chapter of
The Shaking of Adventism
' by Geoffrey J. Paxton
Seventh-day Adventists
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and i ...
have historically preached a doctrine of inherited weakness, but not a doctrine of inherited guilt. Ellen White and others such as George Storrs, and Uriah Smith
Uriah Smith (May 3, 1832 – March 6, 1903) was a Seventh-day Adventist author, minister, educator, and theologian who is best known as the longest serving editor of the ''Review and Herald'' (now the '' Adventist Review'') for over 50 years.
U ...
were disposed to de-emphasise the corrupt nature inherited from Adam, instead stressing the importance of actual, personal sins committed by the individual. Adventists traditionally understand sins of commission as the transgression of God's law, either wilfully or in ignorance. They base their belief on texts such as "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4) Progressive Adventists add to this with some form of original sin.
Robert Brinsmead and debate
Ford in turning Brinsmead from his belief in sinless perfection, urged Brinsmead to study the Reformers. As a result, Brinsmead ultimately rejected perfectionism. Around 1970, there was a major controversy amongst Australian Adventists over whether "righteousness by faith" included both justification and sanctification. This had been sparked by Brinsmead, and Ford became caught up in it. Tensions over Ford and the theology teaching at Avondale more generally, led to a meeting of Australian church leaders on 3–4 February 1976 to hear accusations by a group of " Concerned Brethren". Ford's understanding of righteousness by faith was the main issue,[Advance and Retreat: The 1970s]
chapter in ''The Shaking of Adventism'' while the report mentions "the Sanctuary
A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a sa ...
, the Age of the Earth and Inspiration."[Church Growth Experiments in Secular Australia]
by E. Bruce Price in ''Here We Stand: Evaluating New Trends in the Church'' edited by Samuel Koranteng-Pipim. Berrien Springs
Berrien Springs is a village in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,800 at the time of the 2010 census. The village is located within Oronoko Charter Township.
History
Berrien Springs, like Berrien County, is na ...
, Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
: '' Adventists Affirm'', 2005.
publisher's page
). Chapter republished in Samuele Bacchiocchi Samuele is the Italian spelling of Samuel.
Samuele may also refer to:
* Asteroid 11622 Samuele, named after Italian amateur astronomer Samuele Marconi
* ''Samuele'' (Mayr), oratorio
{{Disambiguation
Italian masculine given names ...
's ''Endime Issues Newsletter'' No. 130. The quote is from the official report, as reprinted in Price's chapter In April a group of church leaders and theologians, including Ford met in Palmdale
Palmdale is a city in northern Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. The city lies in the Antelope Valley region of Southern California. The San Gabriel Mountains separate Palmdale from the Los Angeles Basin to the south.
On Aug ...
, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, to discuss the meaning of righteousness by faith. Ford was the "center of attention". The resulting document was titled the "Palmdale Statement".[Adventists: Heirs of the Reformation](_blank)
chapter 1 of
' by Geoffrey J. Paxton
Move to United States
In response to criticisms of his theology, in 1977 the church moved him to the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, where he taught religion at Pacific Union College
Pacific Union College (PUC) is a private liberal arts college in Angwin, California. It is the only four-year college in Napa County. It is a coeducational residential college with an almost exclusively undergraduate student body.
PUC is accre ...
for three years. The classes he taught included the life and teachings of Christ, the Pauline epistles, Christian apologetics
Christian apologetics ( grc, ἀπολογία, "verbal defense, speech in defense") is a branch of Christian theology that defends Christianity.
Christian apologetics has taken many forms over the centuries, starting with Paul the Apostle in ...
, Daniel and Revelation, the major and minor prophet
The Minor Prophets or Twelve Prophets ( he, שנים עשר, ''Shneim Asar''; arc, תרי עשר, ''Trei Asar'', "Twelve") ( grc, δωδεκαπρόφητον, "the Twelve Prophets"), occasionally Book of the Twelve, is a collection of propheti ...
s of the Old Testament, introduction to theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
, and biblical theology.
Increasing tensions with church leadership
In October 1979 Ford was invited to address a chapter meeting of the Association of Adventist Forums (now Adventist Forums) held at the college, on the topic of Hebrews
The terms ''Hebrews'' (Hebrew: / , Modern: ' / ', Tiberian: ' / '; ISO 259-3: ' / ') and ''Hebrew people'' are mostly considered synonymous with the Semitic-speaking Israelites, especially in the pre-monarchic period when they were still ...
br>9
and its implications for the Adventist investigative judgment
The investigative judgment, or pre-Advent Judgment (or, more accurately the pre-Second Advent Judgment), is a unique Seventh-day Adventist doctrine, which asserts that the divine judgment of professed Christians has been in progress since 1844. It ...
teaching. The talk was titled,
The Investigative Judgment: Theological Milestone or Historical Necessity?
The talk criticised aspects of the traditional understanding and Ford instead suggested an "apotelesmatic" understanding, arguing that Ellen White had such an understanding. Already a controversial figure, Ford's talk appeared to many to be an attack upon fundamental church beliefs. Ford was summoned to the General Conference headquarters in Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
He was given six months to write up his views. Late in 1979, he stopped lecturing and moved to Takoma Park
Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, and part of the Washington metropolitan area. Founded in 1883 and incorporated in 1890, Takoma Park, informally called " Azalea City", is a Tree ...
, Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
to research and produce the 991-page manuscript,
Daniel 8:14, the Day of Atonement, and the Investigative Judgment
'.
While Ford was in basic agreement with the position of the Adventist Church and the majority of Christendom on the atonement
Atonement (also atoning, to atone) is the concept of a person taking action to correct previous wrongdoing on their part, either through direct action to undo the consequences of that act, equivalent action to do good for others, or some other ...
, which declares Christ's "sacrifice in behalf of man was full and complete" and "On the cross the penalty for human sin was fully paid" and with other Adventists as seeing Christ's work in the heavenly sanctuary as the application of the benefits of His already completed work on the cross, Ford directly challenged traditional Adventist views of how to interpret prophecy and how to view the fulfillment of the Day of Atonement
Yom Kippur (; he, יוֹם כִּפּוּר, , , ) is the holiest day in Judaism and Samaritanism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Primarily centered on atonement and repentance, the day's o ...
by Christ in a way that appeared to completely undermine the denomination's historical reason for existence. Nevertheless, Ford insisted at the start of his manuscript "The present writer has as his intent the defense of the church."
Expulsion from teaching and ministry
In August 1980, a group of Adventist theologians and administrators convened at Glacier View Ranch in Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
to examine Ford's views. According to ''Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
'' magazine, he "made the case that White's 'sanctuary
A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a sa ...
' explication of 1844 no longer stood up, and that 'investigative judgment' undercut the belief in salvation by God's grace apart from good works." The culmination of this event was Ford losing his employment with the denomination as a minister and theology professor. After counsel from the General Conference, the Australasian Division withdrew "Ford's ministerial credentials".
Ford's mentor, Edward Heppenstall
Edward E. Heppenstall (8 May 1901 in England – 1994) was a leading Bible scholar and theologian of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. A 1985 questionnaire of North American Adventist lecturers revealed Heppenstall was the Adventist write ...
, saw him as moving in some theological areas that his mentor could not agree with. Heppenstall was disappointed when he failed to dissuade Ford from his position at Glacier View, subsequently writing to him that he "was shocked at how far" he "had swung to the left Biblically and doctrinally".
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Glacier View, the Sydney Adventist Forum held a pretend courtroom trial to assess the accuracy of Ford's claim that the Consensus Document has been largely in agreement with him. They concluded, "Ford was found to be substantially correct in claiming that the 114-member Sanctuary Review Committee (SRC) Consensus Document was in agreement with his twelve propositions—while ''Ministry'' was judged to have considerably over-stated its case." It concluded, "In retrospect, it is clear that the SRC made—in five days—more progress in understanding this biblical doctrine than the church has typically made in any fifty years of its history."
Reaction to dismissal
In 1980, following Ford's dismissal from the Adventist ministry and professorship, a group of Pacific Union College
Pacific Union College (PUC) is a private liberal arts college in Angwin, California. It is the only four-year college in Napa County. It is a coeducational residential college with an almost exclusively undergraduate student body.
PUC is accre ...
students along with others at Andrews University
Andrews University is a private Seventh-day Adventist university in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Founded in 1874 as Battle Creek College, it was the first higher education facility started by Seventh-day Adventists and is the flagship universi ...
founded a sympathetic unofficial journal, entitled '' Evangelica'', in 1980. A group of professors at the college also expressed their displeasure with the General Conference and its then president, Neal C. Wilson, by writing parodies of certain Adventist hymns, an event which became notorious in conservative Adventist circles as the "singing incident". All participants in the unofficial journal ''Evangelica'' were fired.
After being dismissed from the ministry, Desmond Ford chose to remain a member of the Seventh-day Adventist church. He founded an interdenominational Christian ministry named Good News Unlimited, which gave him a platform to continue preaching. In 2000, he retired and moved back to Australia from America; in retirement, he continued his association with both Good News Unlimited and the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Personal life
Ford married Gwen Booth, with whom he had three children – Elènne Gwen Ford (born 29 October 1955),[Chapter of a recent Ford book. Reprinted from notes from a presentation made by Desmond Ford to the Sydney Adventist Forum meeting at the Castle Hill Adventist Church]
website
) in 1997 Paul Wesley Ford (born 20 December 1957), and Luke Carey Ford (born 28 May 1966). Gwen died of breast cancer in April 1970. Ford married Gillian ("Gill") Wastell in November of that year.
Desmond Ford died on 11 March 2019 in Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
Publications
Ford has written around 30 books and numerous articles.
* ''Unlocking God's Treasury'', 1964
* ''Discovering God's Treasures'', 1972. Same book as ''Unlocking God's Treasury''.
* ''Answers on the Way: Scriptural Answers to Your Questions'', (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1976)
* ''Daniel'', (Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing Association, 1978) Anvil Biblical Studies series. . Scholarly commentary on Daniel with foreword by F. F. Bruce
Frederick Fyvie Bruce (12 October 1910 – 11 September 1990), usually cited as F. F. Bruce, was a Scottish biblical scholar who supported the historical reliability of the New Testament. His first book, ''New Testament Documents: Are They ...
.
* ''The Abomination of Desolation in Biblical Eschatology'' (published version of second doctoral dissertation), (Washington, DC: University Press of America, 1979) .
* ''Daniel 8:14, The Day of Atonement, and the Investigative Judgment'', (Casselberry, FL: Euangelion Press, 1980) . Also known as the "Glacier View Manuscript".
* ''Physicians of the Soul, God's Prophets Through the Ages'', (Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing Association, 1980) . Includes Ford's views on Ellen G. White as a prophetess. It also traces Ford's childhood encounters with Adventists and the influence of Ellen G. White's books on helping him find Christ and becoming an Adventist.
* ''The Forgotten Day'', 1981, about the seventh-day Sabbath
* ''Crisis'', 2 vols., 1982. A commentary on Revelation
In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities.
Background
Inspiration – such as that bestowed by God on the ...
.
* ''The Adventist Crisis of Spiritual Identity'', 1982
* ''Coping Successfully with Stress'', 1984
* ''Will there be a Nuclear World Holocaust?'' 1984
* ''How to Survive Personal Tragedy'', 1984
* ''A Kaleidoscope of Diamonds: The Jewelled Glories of the Cross Revealed'', 2 vols, 1986
* ''Worth More Than a Million'', 1987
* ''Daniel and the Coming King'', 1996
* ''Right With God Right Now: How God Saves People as Shown in the Bible's Book of Romans'', 1998
* ''The End of Terrorism'', 2004
* ''Eating Right for Type 2 Diabetes'', 2004
* ''God's Odds'', 2006
* ''For the Sake of the Gospel: Throw Out the Bathwater, But Keep the Baby'', 2008
* ''Jesus Only'', 2008
* ''The Time is at Hand'', 2009
* ''The Coming Worldwide Calvary'', 2009
* ''The Final Roller-Coaster'', 2010
* ''How Long, O Lord'', 2010
* ''Jesus Only'' (abridged), 2013. Abridged by Ritchie Way.
* For more publications see Hook, p. 394, 395
Also:
* ''Inside Story'' (written by Gillian Ford)
* ''Why Believe? Source Book''
References
References
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* Reprinted as
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Further reading
* Araújo, Glauber S. (2007). Desmond ford e a doutrina do santuário: análise comparativa de duas fases distintas. Kerygma, 3(1), 53-53.
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* Pagán de Jesus, Samuel. (2020). Christology of Access: Desmond Ford and FF Bruce on the Book of Hebrews a Comparative Study.
* Pfandl, Gerhard. (2016). Desmond Ford and the Righteousness by Faith Controversy. Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 27(1), 14.
* Ramírez Molina, H., Rodríguez Jiménez, E. J., Rodríguez Jiménez, D., Londoño, C., Valencia, J., & Carrascal, L. (2014). Apología sistematizada a la interpretación de Desmond Ford en Daniel 8: 14 (Doctoral dissertation).
* Spangler, J. R. (1980). Statement on Desmond Ford document.
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External links
* https://web.archive.org/web/20110205113113/http://www.goodnewsunlimited.org.au/ This is a 2011 archive of the website for Ford's ministry, Good News Unlimited.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ford, Desmond
1929 births
2019 deaths
20th-century Protestant theologians
Andrews University alumni
Australian Christian theologians
Australian Seventh-day Adventists
Michigan State University alumni
Pacific Union College faculty
People from Takoma Park, Maryland
People from Townsville
Seventh-day Adventist theologians