Herb Douglass was the youngest member of the editorial team that produced the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (1953-1957). As such, he was an eyewitness of the drama surrounding the publication of "Questions on Doctrine" in 1957 and the controversy that followed in the 1960s. Having reflected on these events and issues for fifty years, Douglass, now an elder statesman in Adventism, shares his personal experiences and insights into the history of QOD and the ongoing quest for an adequate theology of the humanity of the Savior. No study of the QOD story is complete without Douglass's perspective.
—Jerry Moon, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Church History, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University
It started as a worthy project to answer a church critic who was writing a book on cults and intended to include Adventists. It ended up as a very extensive treatise on church doctrine. Unfortunately, some of the concepts published in book form were never considered mainstream Adventist theology before that time. In fact, some believe that Question on Doctrine broke new ground and introduced concepts foreign to the message and mission of Seventh-day Adventists. It may even contain heretical concepts, they say. In any case, this book has divided our theological understanding as have few others. It may have in fact sowed the seeds for a diluted proclamation seen so often today in our churches. It is important that we hear from someone in the middle of the debate at the time, and no one is more qualified to share that perspective than Herb Douglass. This book is a must read for anyone who has an interest in understanding the competing concepts at work in Adventism.
—Thomas J. Mostert, President, Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
My deceased father and mother, Ralph and Heanne Larson, publicly objected to "Question on Doctrine" because they believed that portions of it are 1) historically inaccurate and 2) theologically inept. My mentors at Loma Linda University—Paul Heubach, A. Graham Maxwell, Jack Provonsha, and Dalton Baldwin—treated it with quiet disdain for the same reasons though their doctrinal reservations varied. It is now clear that they were all correct on the historical issues. The jury is now on the theological ones, and it may never be possible to render a unanimous verdict. But I anticipate that eventually, most will conclude that they were all right about this too. In this long-needed volume, Herbert Douglass, who was there at the time, recounts what happened. We all should ponder his informative and fascinating report!
David Larson, D.Min., Professor of religion and Ethical Studies, School of Religion, Loma Linda University
In this volume Dr. Douglass has set forth solid facts dealing with Seventh-day Adventist Church history in the 1950's. He was there when the events happened. He interacted with the church leaders who were involved with the events as they happened. Because of this, his detailed account has special value. It has the authority that goes with being "eyewitness." And I was there too, so I can attest to the accuracy of this account.
Some facts that Dr. Douglass reports are sad, for they suggest that much of the theological division of the past fifty years might have been avoided. If the church's leading theologian had been invited to participate in the dialogue with the evangelicals, if the writers of "Question on Doctrine" had understood better how strong was the Calvinist influence on the theology of the evangelicals, if quotations from Ellen White had been presented fairly in the Appendix of QOD, ... but why speculate? Today we live with the results, and it is important that we learn whatever lessons may be gleaned from what happened half a century ago.
One thing is certain. Facts are stubborn. Like seeds dropped into fertile soil, they may be out of sight for a while, but in time they will germinate and rise to the surface. Some generation will deal honestly and courageously with the facts set forth in this book. May God impress someone who reads this book to do just that, and thus contribute to answering Christ's prayer "that they all may be one" (John 17:21).
—Kenneth H. Wood, retired editor of the Adventist Review and presently chairman of the Ellen G. White Estate