Thread by @AWWritesStories

I'm on my lunch break and back for Part 2 of the Seventh-day Adventist connection to/endorsement of Bill Gothard's teachings, brought to you by my weekend viewing of #ShinyHappyPeople. If you haven't read Part 1 of my findings, that is here 1/13:

So, as I mentioned in Part 1, by 1974 Gothard's popularity within Adventism was enough that the Review & Herald editors wrote a two-part series addressing his teachings. Their analysis listed both pros and cons to his message. 2/13

The articles are lengthy so I'll just pull some highlights from each one. In Part 1, the editors state they have never attended a Gothard seminar themselves nor have they met him, but they've talked with Adventists who have and they've read some reports about the seminars. 3/13

Based on that, the R&H editors state, "It seems clear that any program as successful as Gothard's must be meeting a real need." 4/13 documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH…

In part 2, the editors state, "Does Gothard have something to offer Seventh-day Adventists? Perhaps, but not necessarily. In our opinion, the Bible and the writings of Ellen G. White contain every true principle that Gothard sets forth, and more." 5/13 documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH…

They continue, saying basically that Adventists are attracted to Gothard's message because Adventist churches don't currently offer this type of structured program that provides community-building and also, essentially, Adventists are lazy in their Bible and EGW studies. 6/13

The editors listed 2 overarching objections to Gothard's teachings, specifically his simplistic view of Scripture and his "chain of command" (that infamous "umbrella of protection" mentioned in #ShinyHappyPeople). But no, the R&H editors don't object to wifely subservience. 7/13

The editors didn't like that Gothard instructed a young Christian woman to obey her non-Christian parents who forbid she marry a Christian. They wrote "...we cannot see how the judgment of a non-Christian should be accepted over that of two consecrated, of-age young people." 8/13

But, the editors conclude that Gothard's seminars are not "sinister," and their biggest lament seems to be that Adventists are giving Gothard their money instead of the Adventist Church, the true "fount of living water." They encourage pastors to create better programming. 9/13

In 1975, It is Written began Revelation Seminars following "the popular approach also used by...the recent Gothard Basic Youth Conflicts series." This same announcement appeared numerous times in several official Adventist Church publications. 10/13 documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/CU…

In 1977 Ministry Magazine promoted "a spinoff of Gothard's Institute of Basic Youth Conflicts, using much of his basic concepts." They add "The basic stance is conservative, fundamentally Protestant, with woman in an active but male-submissive role." 11/13 documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/MI…

In the March 1981 issue of These Times, concern was expressed about Gothard's belief in the sacredness of Sunday and that this could lead to national Sunday laws. 12/13 documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/WM…

Despite the Sunday law concern, Adventism embraced and promoted Gothard's teachings, as we can see from the above examples. My lunch break is over so after work, I'll do a Part 3 where I discuss the connection between Gothard, Adventism, and homeschooling. 13/13

Part 3 is here!