We are happy to announce that the new book Questions on Doctrine is about ready for release. Several references to this forthcoming publication have already appeared in THE MINISTRY. Of all the books we have ever published, none has had more careful scrutiny than this one. It is a group project, and not the work of one author, and it came into being to meet a definite need.
Some two years ago a group of sincere Christian scholars visited our headquarters to make inquiry about certain phases of our belief. That initial interview was but the beginning of some fifteen subsequent interviews. These were not just for a few hours, but sometimes as much as a whole week was occupied in the close examination of the Word of God. Our beliefs were being subjected to the most careful and exegetical study.
Up until that time these men, like thousands of other sincere Christians, looked upon Seventh-day Adventists as a "cult" holding beliefs that were at striking variance with the fundamentals of historic Christianity. They came expecting to find heretics, but were surprised when they discovered that we rang true on all the great cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith.
This editor's office in the General Conference building proved a hallowed spot where some six earnest men, sometimes more, sat around the table searching the precious Word of God. This editorial room is more than an office, for it is lined with books comprising the major part of the Ministerial Association library. Many of the theological sources for such investigation are here.
This experience seemed to us to be one fulfillment of a statement made by the messenger of the Lord many years ago:
Every position of our faith will be searched into, and if we are not thorough Bible students, established, strengthened, settled, the wisdom of the world's great men will be too much for us.—Ellen G. White letter 65, 1886.
It was natural that on certain points of interpretation we differed, yet in our prayerful penetrating study of the Word of God we shared a wonderful fellowship in Jesus Christ and experienced a new sense of our Saviour's love, His sufferings, and His triumph.
In order to make the work more articulate, these visitors prepared a list of important questions covering the main features of our faith.
They desired clear and comprehensive answers. They began with about twenty questions, which soon grew to thirty-three, and later to approximately sixty. These searching inquiries were not just stock quibbles, but earnest questions that required the deepest study, theologically and historically. Our answers were to be complete and well documented, for they were to constitute a frame of reference for the new book The Truth About Seventh-day Adventists.
While a small group was charged with the definite responsibility of providing these answers, yet every reply was carefully examined by a large group of representative leaders, including the leading General Conference officers.
It was soon realized that if these questions and answers could be published, it would aid greatly in making clear our position on the major phases of our belief. Consequently this book of about five hundred pages has come into being. Some questions have been combined, and this has brought the number down to about fifty.
Time is needed to prepare any worth-while book, but this volume by its very nature demanded the most exacting care, to make sure that not only each subject was fully covered and truly representative of the actual beliefs of the movement, but also all our beliefs were expressed in language that could be clearly understood by all both inside and outside Adventist circles.
The manuscript, after being carefully studied by a large group here, was sent to our leadership in all the world divisions. In addition, it went to the Bible teachers in our senior colleges and the editors of our major journals. Copies were also sent to our union and local conference leaders in North America.
With the initial work completed, a competent editorial committee was given the responsibility of thoroughly checking all the materials, and their work was in turn rechecked. No manuscript has been more carefully prepared, and no book has been awaited with more eager anticipation. Our evangelists, pastors, teachers, and administrators will all be using this book, to say nothing of thousands of students and hundreds of thousands of our laymen all over the world. We think also of the many thousands of those not of our faith who will be eagerly scanning its pages.
Adventist beliefs are being discussed by evangelical Protestantism in all parts of the world today. Our next issue will carry a further announcement of this volume, but we felt that our workers would appreciate knowing that it is now on its way.
R. A. A.
