Donny Chrissutianto, PhD Candidate, AIIAS

While the role of Ellen G. White in development of Adventist doctrine and lifestyle has been widely studied, her role in the doctrinal controversy in the Seventh-day Adventist Church since its establishment in 1863 is rarely discussed. This paper attempts to look the prophet’s role when the church faced some doctrinal disagreements from 1888 to 1907.

There are several doctrinal controversies that will be taken as the examples of the issue in observing her role. They are the righteousness by faith (1888), the Holy Flesh Movement (1900), doctrine of sanctuary crises (a challenge from A. F. Ballenger in 1905) and Pantheism (1903-1907). The purpose of this study is to find out the role of the prophet and how she used her writings at those critical situations.