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aggressively affirm and support the "Spirit of Prophecy through the ministry of Ellen White" (Adventist
Today, [online: July 2000]).
Ellen G. White plays a central role in the SDA Church. One of the "27 Fundamental Beliefs" of the SDA
Church is that Ellen White manifested the gift of prophecy and her writings are "authoritative" for the
Adventist Church:
"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)."
Adventists have two "inspired" sources of truth: The Bible and the writings of Ellen G. White, which
they refer to as the Spirit of Prophecy. Adventists say that the Bible is their primary source of guidance.
It is called the "greater light". As recently as 2005, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
reaffirmed in a statement entitled "Resolution on the Spirit of Prophecy" that Mrs. White's writings
contain "divine counsel" and are a source of "guidance, instruction, correction" for the Seventh-day
Adventist Church. Mrs. White's writings, although much more voluminous than the Bible writings, are
referred to as the "lesser light".
The SDA Church believes Revelation 12:17 provides two identifying marks of the true remnant church
in the last days:
1. They keep the "Commandments of God", including the fourth commandment to keep
the Sabbath holy.
2. They have the "faith of Jesus" which Revelation 19:10 identifies as the "Spirit of Prophecy".
The Spirit of Prophecy was manifested in the life and writings of Ellen G. White. Therefore, the SDA
Church is the only church that has the identifying marks of the remnant church of Revelation.
"The Bible assures us that the gift of prophecy will be active in the last days of this earth's history. It says
the church will possess all the spiritual gifts, including the “testimony of Jesus, “which is the “spirit of
prophecy,” or the gift of prophecy (1 Cor. 1:4-47; Rev. 12:17; 19:10)
SDAs believe that the gift of prophecy was manifested in the life and work of Ellen G. White, one of the
early leaders of the church."
2
Baptismal candidates in the SDA Church must pledge allegiance to the belief that the "gift of prophecy"
is an identifying mark of the remnant church:
According to Adventist leaders, the writings of Ellen G. White are "inspired" by the Holy Spirit in the
same way as the Biblical authors were inspired. Here are a few examples:
ADVENTIST REVIEW: "As Samuel was a prophet to Israel in his day, as Jeremiah was a prophet to Israel
in the day of captivity, as John the Baptist came as a special messenger of the Lord to prepare the way
of Christ's appearing, so we believe that Mrs. White was a prophet to the church of Christ today. And
the same as the messages of the prophets were received in old days, so her messages should be
received at present times.
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