Edward E. Heppenstall (8 May 1901 in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
– 1994) was a leading Bible scholar and
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 ...
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church. A 1985 questionnaire of
North American Adventist lecturers revealed Heppenstall was the Adventist writer who had most influenced them.
Biography
Heppenstall was born in 1901 at Rotherham, Yorkshire, England to Arthur and Georgina Heppenstall. He had one sister, Margaret. Early in their lives, about 1915, their father died. Arthur and Georgina had been married only ten years.
[Emmerson, W. L. Obituary for ''Cooke.'' British Advent Messenger, 9 December 1966, pp. 7,8] In 1915, Georgina and her two children joined the Adventist church.
The Rotherham Adventist church met at the Heppenstall home. During middle to late 1920s, Ted Heppenstall worked as a student
colporteur in various locations in the British Isles. In 1929, he served on the staff of Stanborough College as Preceptor (Men's Dean) and English teacher. The British Adventist media referred to him as E. A. Heppenstall. He moved 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 ...
in 1931. He earned a BA degree at Emmanuel Missionary College, majoring in English literature and also doing work in science and theology. Then he got a master's degree from the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
in History and Semitics. While teaching at La Sierra College he earned a PhD degree in the field of Religious Education from the University of Southern California in 1951. He pastored several churches, and also served as youth director for the Michigan Conference.
He served as a professor of theology at La Sierra College, now
La Sierra University
La Sierra University (La Sierra or LSU) is a private, Seventh-day Adventist university in Riverside, California. Founded in 1922 as La Sierra Academy, it later became La Sierra College, a liberal arts college, and then was merged into Loma Lin ...
, from 1940 to 1955. He taught and was also the chairman of the
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 ...
department at the
Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary 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 ...
(1955–1966). He was also professor of theology at
Loma Linda University (1966–1970). The commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians for the
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary was written by him.
He had two children, both doctors – Malcolm Heppenstall, MD; and
Astrid Heppenstall Heger
Astrid Heppenstall Heger is a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the USC Keck School of Medicine and the founder and Executive Director of the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in East Los Angeles.
Heger ...
, MD.
Theology
His presentations on the
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
and covenants at the
1952 Bible Conference
The 1952 Bible Conference was a Seventh-day Adventist conference in the Sligo Church in Takoma Park, Maryland from September 1–13, 1952. There were 498 people listed as attending this meeting with worldwide representation (with at least 3 peopl ...
were highly influential upon the
theology of the church. Heppenstall was responsible for a fuller understanding 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.
Heppenstall was one of the most influential scholars to come out against
M. L. Andreasen's final generation theology. While upholding the
"pillar" doctrines of the Adventist pioneers, he moved forward on the understanding on such issues as the human nature of Christ and the atonement. He emphasized, as did
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 ...
, the atonement on the cross with a continuing ministry in heaven in the antitypical Day of Atonement. Beyond these issues, he stressed such teachings as the helplessness of human beings to do good of their own selves, justification by faith in relation to the entire plan of salvation, the impossibility of humanly achieving what some people think of as sinless perfection, the fact that Jesus was not just like other children of fallen Adam and the new covenant experience.
Heppenstall's theology was seen by some as more cross-centered, Christ-centered, evangelical form of theology which in some ways differed from the then popular SDA understanding of salvation. This plainly shows up in Heppenstall's ideas on character perfection, the teaching that through the efforts of Christ people must overcome sin, he argued that nowhere does the Bible equate perfection with sinlessness when speaking of the child of God. He also said that salvation by grace means being shaken loose from what he considered to be the folly of implanting our ego at the center of the plan of salvation with the belief that we must arrive at sinless perfection to be sure of salvation. Focusing on the fact that sin is deeper than actions, that it is a part of human nature, Heppenstall said that sin does not reign in the true Christian's life, but it does remain in the sense that human nature, with its inherent limitations, cannot even faultlessly discern the complete will of God. He argued from the Bible that it is essentially spiritual maturity and walking with God in love. "Thus perfection, he pointed out while citing Ellen White's thoughts on the topic, is relative." SDA Historian
George Knight argues that Ellen's view was not the same one held by Andreasen. He notes how White describes that Jesus, as a child, unlike other children, had an inclination to right rather than having sinful tendencies. Andreasen ideas on this issue, agreed with that of Jones, Waggoner, and Prescott, but not with Ellen White's understanding of the exact content and disposition of the "sinful" nature of Christ.
[White, Ellen, 1898, ''Youth Instructor'', 8 September. quote: "''It is not correct to say, as many writers have said, that Christ was like all children. He was not like all children.'' Many children are misguided and mismanaged. But Joseph, and especially Mary, kept before them the remembrance of their child's divine Fatherhood. Jesus was instructed in accordance with the sacred character of His mission. ''His inclination to right'' was a constant gratification to His parents."] White's understanding on the subject however is still very much under dispute. With his conclusions, Heppenstall returned to a basic Wesleyan concept of perfection as love in dynamic growth.
While Heppenstall's writings were influential, his teaching career was much more so. He influenced a generation of preachers and religion teachers through his college and seminary lectures. Themes highlighted by Heppenstall would echo in other classrooms through such teachers as
Hans LaRondelle
Hans Karl LaRondelle (born April 18, 1929 – March 7, 2011) was a respected Seventh-day Adventist Church, Seventh-day Adventist theologian; a strong proponent of the gospel and salvation by faith alone. In a 1985 questionnaire of North America ...
and
Raoul Dederen, and in the pulpit through
Morris Venden
Morris L. Venden (April 5, 1932 – February 10, 2013) was a prominent Seventh-day Adventist preacher, teacher, and author, who was also a member of the '' Voice of Prophecy'' team as an associate speaker.
Biography
Venden was born to Mel ...
, throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
One Heppenstall protégé would eventually attain special visibility in the church. Heppenstall recognized the talents of
Desmond Ford in the mid-1950s. In the early 1960s they both fought against what they believed to be the excesses and distortions of the Andreasen/
Robert Brinsmead (in his early stage) perfectionist theology. But Ford would eventually move beyond Heppenstall 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". Desmond Ford was later dismissed from the ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist church for his theological views.
Earlier Adventism tended to view the judgment in stern tones, with God ''keeping out'' those who hadn't been faithful. More recent times have witnessed an emphasis on the belief that God is for people, that He is on their side and wants them to be in the kingdom. Heppenstall said God's judgment will be in favor of believers. God's people have nothing to fear from the judgment with Christ as their advocate. The saint of the last days can also find confidence and security in facing the judgment when their names are confessed before the Father and the angelic host.
Publications
* 1972
* 1974
* 1975 (A daily devotional)
* 1977
See also
*
Seventh-day Adventist Church
*
Seventh-day Adventist theology
The theology of the Seventh-day Adventist Church resembles that of Protestant Christianity, combining elements from Lutheran, Wesleyan-Arminian, and Anabaptist branches of Protestantism. Adventists believe in the infallibility of Scripture and t ...
*
Seventh-day Adventist eschatology
The Seventh-day Adventist Church holds a unique system of eschatological (or end-times) beliefs. Adventist eschatology, which is based on a historicist interpretation of prophecy, is characterised principally by the premillennial Second Coming ...
*
History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church had its roots in the Millerite movement of the 1830s to the 1840s, during the period of the Second Great Awakening, and was officially founded in 1863. Prominent figures in the early church included Hiram Edson, ...
*
28 Fundamental Beliefs
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 ...
*
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 ...
*
Biblical Research Institute
The General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists is the governing organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Its headquarters is located in Silver Spring, Maryland and oversees the church in directing its various divisions and ...
*
Teachings of Ellen G. White
*
Inspiration of Ellen G. White
Most Seventh-day Adventists believe church co-founder Ellen G. White (1827–1915) was inspired by God as a prophet, today understood as a manifestation of the New Testament " gift of prophecy," as described in the official beliefs of the church ...
*
Prophecy in the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventists believe that Ellen G. White, one of the church's co-founders, was a prophetess, understood today as an expression of the New Testament spiritual gift of prophecy.
Seventh-day Adventist believe that White had the spiritual g ...
*
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 ...
*
Pillars of Adventism
*
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 ...
*
Conditional Immortality
In Christian theology, conditionalism or conditional immortality is a concept in which the gift of immortality is attached to (conditional upon) belief in Jesus Christ. This doctrine is based in part upon another biblical argument, that the human ...
*
Historicism
Historicism is an approach to explaining the existence of phenomena, especially social and cultural practices (including ideas and beliefs), by studying their history, that is, by studying the process by which they came about. The term is widely ...
*
Three Angels' Messages
The "three angels' messages" is an interpretation of the messages given by three angels in Revelation . The Seventh-day Adventist church teaches that these messages are given to prepare the world for the second coming of Jesus Christ, and sees the ...
*
Sabbath in Seventh-day Adventism
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 ...
*
Ellen G. White
*
Adventist Review
The General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists is the governing organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Its headquarters is located in Silver Spring, Maryland and oversees the church in directing its various divisions an ...
*
Adventist
Adventism is a branch of Protestant Christianity that believes in the imminent Second Coming (or the "Second Advent") of Jesus Christ. It originated in the 1830s in the United States during the Second Great Awakening when Baptist preacher Wil ...
*
Seventh-day Adventist Church Pioneers
The Seventh-day Adventist Church pioneers were members of Seventh-day Adventist Church, part of the group of Millerites, who came together after the Great Disappointment across the United States and formed the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In 1 ...
*
Seventh-day Adventist worship
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 ...
*
Adventism
Adventism is a branch of Protestant Christianity that believes in the imminent Second Coming (or the "Second Advent") of Jesus Christ. It originated in the 1830s in the United States during the Second Great Awakening when Baptist preacher W ...
Notes
References
;Books
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;Journals
*
External links
* Reprinted with permission by
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 ...
Press.
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 ...
,
MI (February 1992)
Register of the Edward Heppenstall Papersfrom the Adventist Heritage Center at Andrews University (includes a brief biography)
Articles by Heppenstallas cataloged in the Seventh-day Adventist Periodical Index (SDAPI)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heppenstall, Edward
History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist religious workers
Seventh-day Adventist theologians
20th-century Protestant theologians
1901 births
1994 deaths
English Seventh-day Adventists
Andrews University faculty
Loma Linda University faculty
University of Michigan alumni
Seventh-day Adventist biblical scholars