THE GREAT CONTROVERSY in Baltimore, Maryland

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This evening National Public Radio carried a lengthy news item about Baltimore having been inundated with hundreds of thousands of copies of a book titled "THE GREAT CONTROVERSY". It seems that the book was mailed to every address in Baltimore.

As many of us here at CF know, "THE GREAT CONTROVERSY" was authored by Ellen White, the prophetess, and chief founder of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. This thread is primarily directed toward members of that denomination. I have a number of questions as follow:

1. Why? Why deluge a large city with your denomination's key text, if in actual fact, you really believe that the Bible alone is the basis of all of your beliefs, as many of our SDA friends here at CF assert.
2. Why Baltimore (and Philadelphia, I understand)? Why not Denver or San Diego or Moscow or Nairobi?
3. Why go to the very significant expense when, in fact, there are many more less expensive and probably more cost-effective methods of member recruitment?

 

[Freth]

This evening National Public Radio carried a lengthy news item about Baltimore having been inundated with hundreds of thousands of copies of a book titled "THE GREAT CONTROVERSY". It seems that the book was mailed to every address in Baltimore.

As many of us here at CF know, "THE GREAT CONTROVERSY" was authored by Ellen White, the prophetess, and chief founder of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. This thread is primarily directed toward members of that denomination. I have a number of questions as follow:

1. Why? Why deluge a large city with your denomination's key text, if in actual fact, you really believe that the Bible alone is the basis of all of your beliefs, as many of our SDA friends here at CF assert.
2. Why Baltimore (and Philadelphia, I understand)? Why not Denver or San Diego or Moscow or Nairobi?
3. Why go to the very significant expense when, in fact, there are many more less expensive and probably more cost-effective methods of member recruitment?

Most churches give out tracts and books, to spread the gospel.

The Great Controversy not only covers the Biblical story, but church history, and the events leading up to the second coming. I asked Google AI for a synopsis:

The Great Controversy by Ellen G. White is a theological book that details the ongoing cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan, tracing it from Lucifer's rebellion in heaven, through church history with its persecutions and reforms, and into the final events leading to Christ's return and the new earth. The book argues that Satan's goal is to misrepresent God's character, while Christ's death and resurrection are the ultimate demonstration of God's love and justice. It emphasizes the importance of the Bible as a guide through the conflict and encourages spiritual preparation for the impending future events.​

Why The Great Controversy and not the Bible? People tend to avoid the Bible, but they are more likely to read a book. A physical book tends to stay in the home where it may be read at some point. The goal is to bring people to Christ.

The local churches order copies of the book and give them out as part of their outreach efforts.

 

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Most churches give out tracts and books, to spread the gospel.

The Great Controversy not only covers the Biblical story, but church history, and the events leading up to the second coming. I asked Google AI for a synopsis:

The Great Controversy by Ellen G. White is a theological book that details the ongoing cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan, tracing it from Lucifer's rebellion in heaven, through church history with its persecutions and reforms, and into the final events leading to Christ's return and the new earth. The book argues that Satan's goal is to misrepresent God's character, while Christ's death and resurrection are the ultimate demonstration of God's love and justice. It emphasizes the importance of the Bible as a guide through the conflict and encourages spiritual preparation for the impending future events.​

Why The Great Controversy and not the Bible? People tend to avoid the Bible, but they are more likely to read a book.

The local churches order copies of the book and give them out as part of their outreach efforts.

A physical book tends to stay in the home where it may be read at some point. The goal is to bring people to Christ.

Thank you for your clear and concise answers.

Most churches today rarely, if ever, give out tracts and/or books. In fact, the vast majority of Christian denominations have never done either of these things.

Your point about having a book in the house leading it more likely to be read is quite true. All things considered, I would rather that the book was the Bible than a theological treatise. Apparently, according to statistical research there are, on average, 4.7 Bibles per household in the United States. That does not include electronic access to the Bible nor, might I add, does it include any of the Gideon Bibles in hotels, etc.. I confess that my personal Bible ownership far exceeds 4.7. Having engaged in Bible distribution personally, the only people I encountered without a Bible were virtually all international students in universities.

Assuming that every American has at least one Bible or, at the very least, ready access to a Bible, the question comes to mind as to why biblical illiteracy is so widespread.

In my own experience, I was raised in a Christian family which was biblically illiterate simply because Bible reading was strongly discouraged in church (and at home and every other place, for that matter). If we received a 400+ page theological treatise in the mail from an unknown denomination we would have pitched it.

 

[The Liturgist]

Why The Great Controversy and not the Bible? People tend to avoid the Bible, but they are more likely to read a book. A physical book tends to stay in the home where it may be read at some point. The goal is to bring people to Christ.

The problem with that answer is that The Great Controversy is highly oriented towards SDA-specific theology. Surely if the goal was to bring people to Christ it would make more sense to present a book which represents the views of all denominations, such as Mere Christianity by CS Lewis, or a book describing the Nicene Creed, rather than one which is extremely specific to the SDA church.

Also, I would note I’m unable to get an output resembling yours when asking Google Ai for a synopsis. All texts Google AI generates for me are much longer, and mention the Adventist aspects and Sabbatarian orientation of the book, and required the use of the keyword “generate”; if asked to provide a synopsis, it provided search result to existing synopses.

I would also note that quoting an AI in a debate as a neutral reporter of truth has been discredited, given that in a debate a few months back I provided a screenshot showing an industry-leading AI providing a history of the canonization of Ellen G. White by the Roman Catholic Church.

Lastly I’m surprised to see an Adventist advocating for the use of a text other than the Bible for purposes of evangelization given the nuda scriptura approach that is advocated whenever a Patristic approach is mentioned. The difference between a great many Patristic writings and The Great Controversy, as my fellow liturgical Christians @prodromos @jas3 @MarkRohfrietsch @Ain't Zwinglian @ViaCrucis @Jipsah @Xeno.of.athens and @chevyontheriver can confirm, is who agrees with it, and for how long its doctrines have been a part of the Church.

Also, the argument distributing books is superior to distributing Bibles would be vigorously disputed by many hoteliers - there is a reason why most hotels still allow the Gideons to place Bibles in their rooms, and also both the Gideons and the American Bible Society have impressive track records of helping people through their ministries of Bible distribution. My only regret is that the Bibles they distributed tend to be incomplete versions of the King James Version, which lack those books included in the initial translation which Anglicans, Orthodox and Roman Catholic Christians regard as important. On the other hand, this issue does not effect the distribution of the New Testament with the Psalter; I have suck a book in my extensive library which I think was issued by the American Bible Society, dating from WWII - it also features several relevant prayers including a prayer for victory of the United States.

 

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The problem with that answer is that The Great Controversy is highly oriented towards SDA-specific theology. Surely if the goal was to bring people to Christ it would make more sense to present a book which represents the views of all denominations, such as Mere Christianity by CS Lewis, or a book describing the Nicene Creed, rather than one which is extremely specific to the SDA church.

Also, I would note I’m unable to get an output resembling yours when asking Google Ai for a synopsis. All texts Google AI generates for me are much longer, and mention the Adventist aspects and Sabbatarian orientation of the book, and required the use of the keyword “generate”; if asked to provide a synopsis, it provided search result to existing synopses.

I would also note that quoting an AI in a debate as a neutral reporter of truth has been discredited, given that in a debate a few months back I provided a screenshot showing an industry-leading AI providing a history of the canonization of Ellen G. White by the Roman Catholic Church.

Lastly I’m surprised to see an Adventist advocating for the use of a text other than the Bible for purposes of evangelization given the nuda scriptura approach that is advocated whenever a Patristic approach is mentioned. The difference between a great many Patristic writings and The Great Controversy, as my fellow liturgical Christians @prodromos @jas3 @MarkRohfrietsch @Ain't Zwinglian @ViaCrucis @Jipsah @Xeno.of.athens and @chevyontheriver can confirm, is who agrees with it, and for how long its doctrines have been a part of the Church.

Also, the argument distributing books is superior to distributing Bibles would be vigorously disputed by many hoteliers - there is a reason why most hotels still allow the Gideons to place Bibles in their rooms, and also both the Gideons and the American Bible Society have impressive track records of helping people through their ministries of Bible distribution. My only regret is that the Bibles they distributed tend to be incomplete versions of the King James Version, which lack those books included in the initial translation which Anglicans, Orthodox and Roman Catholic Christians regard as important. On the other hand, this issue does not effect the distribution of the New Testament with the Psalter; I have suck a book in my extensive library which I think was issued by the American Bible Society, dating from WWII - it also features several relevant prayers including a prayer for victory of the United States.

As always I greatly appreciate your response. I chuckled at the thought of an AI-generated canonization of Ellen White by the Roman Catholic Church. Sadly, the internet is being overwhelmed by such garbage which has led to extreme polarization in our society resulting in horrific acts of hatred and violence.

Although I have my disagreements with the usage of patristic writings, as you know, I would gladly include them in my library rather than anything on the order of THE GREAT CONTROVERSY or The Book of Mormon or the Q'ran, although I have read the latter two books.

 

[Freth]

The words I entered in the search bar were "Great Controversy synopsis". I only quoted the first paragraph, the overview, but just so it's fair, I'll post the whole text this time. This is fresh, from a new search.

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The Great Controversy by Ellen White describes the ongoing cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan, starting with Lucifer's rebellion in heaven and continuing through the persecution of Christians, the Protestant Reformation, and culminating in the final judgment and Jesus' return to restore Earth. The book explores Satan's attempts to misrepresent God's character and law of love, highlighting how God's actions, particularly Jesus' death and resurrection, demonstrate His love and justice. It serves as a final warning to the world, emphasizing the importance of the Bible and the need to stand for truth in the face of spiritual challenges.

Origin of the Conflict

• Lucifer's Rebellion:
  The conflict begins in heaven when a high-ranking angel, Lucifer, rebels against God, charging Him with unfairness and initiating a spiritual battle that introduces sin into the universe.
• Satan's Aim:
  Satan's core strategy is to distort God's true character of love, portraying God's law as selfish rather than loving.

Historical Progression

• Destruction of Jerusalem and Roman Persecutions:
  The book traces the history of the conflict, beginning with the destruction of Jerusalem and continuing with the persecution of early Christians under the Roman Empire.
• The Reformation:
  It highlights the Protestant Reformation and the "shining light" of God's truth being rediscovered.
• The Great Disappointment:
  The story includes the William Miller movement and the experience of early Adventists after the great disappointment of October 22, 1844, leading to the understanding of Christ's ministry in the heavenly sanctuary.

The Climax and Conclusion

• The Cross:
  The death and resurrection of Jesus are presented as the central event where God's love triumphs over evil.
• Investigative Judgment:
  The book explains the concept of an investigative judgment in the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ acts as the High Priest.
• Jesus' Second Coming:
  The Great Controversy looks forward to the end of Earth's history, culminating in Jesus' return to establish a new Earth and end the conflict.

Key Themes and Messages

• God's Character:
  The central theme is the misrepresentation of God's character by Satan and God's demonstration of His love and justice through Jesus Christ.
• The Bible:
  The book emphasizes the Bible as a crucial safeguard against deception in the final conflict.
• Personal Preparation:
  It encourages readers to stand firmly for God's truth by developing a personal relationship with Him through prayer and Bible study

---

Google AI does a much better job of summarizing the book than I ever could. I'm not in the habit of using AI, but I was tired and besides, it knocked it out of the park.

Regarding the Bible and The Great Controversy, let the book speak for itself.

Chapter 37 - The Scriptures a Safeguard​

​

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20. The people of God are directed to the Scriptures as their safeguard against the influence of false teachers and the delusive power of spirits of darkness. Satan employs every possible device to prevent men from obtaining a knowledge of the Bible; for its plain utterances reveal his deceptions. At every revival of God’s work the prince of evil is aroused to more intense activity; he is now putting forth his utmost efforts for a final struggle against Christ and His followers. The last great delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested. { GC 593.1}​

​

...​

​

The apostle Paul declared, looking down to the last days: “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:3. That time has fully come. The multitudes do not want Bible truth, because it interferes with the desires of the sinful, world-loving heart; and Satan supplies the deceptions which they love. { GC 594.2} ​

​

But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority—not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain “Thus saith the Lord” in its support. { GC 595.1} ​

These are her words, not mine. If that isn't clear enough there is nothing that I can say that will make it any clearer. You can agree to disagree. I'm fine with that.

 

[bbbbbbb]

The words I entered in the search bar were "Great Controversy synopsis". I only quoted the first paragraph, the overview, but just so it's fair, I'll post the whole text this time. This is fresh, from a new search.

---

The Great Controversy by Ellen White describes the ongoing cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan, starting with Lucifer's rebellion in heaven and continuing through the persecution of Christians, the Protestant Reformation, and culminating in the final judgment and Jesus' return to restore Earth. The book explores Satan's attempts to misrepresent God's character and law of love, highlighting how God's actions, particularly Jesus' death and resurrection, demonstrate His love and justice. It serves as a final warning to the world, emphasizing the importance of the Bible and the need to stand for truth in the face of spiritual challenges.

Origin of the Conflict

• Lucifer's Rebellion:
  The conflict begins in heaven when a high-ranking angel, Lucifer, rebels against God, charging Him with unfairness and initiating a spiritual battle that introduces sin into the universe.
• Satan's Aim:
  Satan's core strategy is to distort God's true character of love, portraying God's law as selfish rather than loving.

Historical Progression

• Destruction of Jerusalem and Roman Persecutions:
  The book traces the history of the conflict, beginning with the destruction of Jerusalem and continuing with the persecution of early Christians under the Roman Empire.
• The Reformation:
  It highlights the Protestant Reformation and the "shining light" of God's truth being rediscovered.
• The Great Disappointment:
  The story includes the William Miller movement and the experience of early Adventists after the great disappointment of October 22, 1844, leading to the understanding of Christ's ministry in the heavenly sanctuary.

The Climax and Conclusion

• The Cross:
  The death and resurrection of Jesus are presented as the central event where God's love triumphs over evil.
• Investigative Judgment:
  The book explains the concept of an investigative judgment in the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ acts as the High Priest.
• Jesus' Second Coming:
  The Great Controversy looks forward to the end of Earth's history, culminating in Jesus' return to establish a new Earth and end the conflict.

Key Themes and Messages

• God's Character:
  The central theme is the misrepresentation of God's character by Satan and God's demonstration of His love and justice through Jesus Christ.
• The Bible:
  The book emphasizes the Bible as a crucial safeguard against deception in the final conflict.
• Personal Preparation:
  It encourages readers to stand firmly for God's truth by developing a personal relationship with Him through prayer and Bible study

---

Google AI does a much better job of summarizing the book than I ever could. I'm not in the habit of using AI, but I was tired and besides, it knocked it out of the park.

Regarding the Bible and The Great Controversy, let the book speak for itself.

Chapter 37 - The Scriptures a Safeguard​

​

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20. The people of God are directed to the Scriptures as their safeguard against the influence of false teachers and the delusive power of spirits of darkness. Satan employs every possible device to prevent men from obtaining a knowledge of the Bible; for its plain utterances reveal his deceptions. At every revival of God’s work the prince of evil is aroused to more intense activity; he is now putting forth his utmost efforts for a final struggle against Christ and His followers. The last great delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested. { GC 593.1}​

​

...​

​

The apostle Paul declared, looking down to the last days: “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:3. That time has fully come. The multitudes do not want Bible truth, because it interferes with the desires of the sinful, world-loving heart; and Satan supplies the deceptions which they love. { GC 594.2} ​

​

But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority—not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain “Thus saith the Lord” in its support. { GC 595.1} ​

These are her words, not mine. If that isn't clear enough there is nothing that I can say that will make it any clearer. You can agree to disagree. I'm fine with that.

Thank you again for your pertinent reply. Am I correct in understanding that the primary purpose for inundating Baltimore and Philadelphia with this particular book was membership recruitment for the SDA?

 

[Freth]

Also, the argument distributing books is superior to distributing Bibles would be vigorously disputed by many hoteliers

Here is a direct quote from my first post, so there is no confusion.

"People tend to avoid the Bible, but they are more likely to read a book."​

​

OP asked a question. I gave a personal opinion as to why it is valid to distribute books. I did not say distributing books is superior to distributing Bibles.

1. We distribute Bibles.
2. The Great Controversy points to the Bible (as shown in my second post).

Either way → Bible

 

[Freth]

Thank you again for your pertinent reply. Am I correct in understanding that the primary purpose for inundating Baltimore and Philadelphia with this particular book was membership recruitment for the SDA?

The only thing in the book that even comes close to recruitment is the chapter on William Miller, which is a natural progression from the history of the Reformers to the Millerite movement. Chapter 18 is about William, titled The American Reformer. The book continues on from there for 24 more chapters.

If the goal was to lead the reader to Miller, the book should have stopped there and made its pitch, but it doesn't. Instead, it continues with the story of the controversy between Christ and Satan. Miller's chapter is just another chapter in the book on the history of the Reformers.

William Miller was first a Baptist, then an Adventist. Google defines an Adventist as, "a member of any of various Christian sects emphasizing belief in the imminent second coming of Christ." By that definition any church that believes the same is an Adventist church.

Miller was not a member of the Seventh-day Adventist church. He went a separate path in Adventism.

As far as I know (I've read the book cover to cover), the only thing pointing to the Seventh-day Adventist church is the author's name and the publisher (we do our own publishing), and of course, by association, the chapter on William Miller.

I don't think Miller's chapter is a recruitment ad for our denomination. Being in the church and having heard and read testimonies, generally the reader finishes the book and seeks out our denomination on their own.