Origins

Seventh-day Adventist leaders
In the summer of 1980 one hundred and fifteen scholars, administrators and pastors of the Seventh-day-Adventist Church, gathered from around the world at Glacier View Ranch in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Not since 1888 had there been such a mustering.

Purpose of the meeting
The reason for the assembly was serious. Dr Desmond Ford, Chairman of the Department of Theology at Avondale College (SDA school near Newcastle Australia), had publicly questioned a doctrinal distinctive of the Adventist Church. ‘The Investigative judgement’ – as this teaching was called in Adventism, was based on an interpretation of the 2300 days in Daniel 8:14. This prophecy was believed to have been fulfilled in October 1844 AD. It was taught that Christ entered then, for the first time, into the holiest place of the heavenly Sanctuary, there to commence the work of investigating his people to determine their fitness for heaven.

Christ’s ministry in heaven prior to 1844 was thought to have been prefigured by the priestly ministrations in the first room of the Jewish Temple. The activity of the High Priest on the once yearly Day of Atonement was seen as foreshadowing Christ’s investigative ministry, which would begin in 1844.

Emergence of Seventh-day Adventism
The emergence of Seventh-day Adventism in the mid-nineteenth century was believed to be part of the fulfilment of Daniel 8:14 as well. Adventists had a special responsibility to warn the world that ‘The hour of God’s judgement had come’.

Dr Ford a controversial figure
For ten years prior to the Glacier View Conference, Dr Ford had been at the centre of mounting tensions in the SDA church in Australia and North America. It was almost impossible to be an Adventist Christian and not be exposed to Ford’s preaching and teaching. He was relentless in his insistence on the objective nature of believer’s righteousness. Righteousness by faith was never, for him, an ethical standard practised by believers. It was instead a relationship of privilege with God, which God conferred on them. ‘Justification by faith is the righteousness required at the last judgement but gifted to all penitent sinners the moment they believe’, was a familiar refrain, often heard from Dr Ford’s lips.

Hearing the Good News
SDA church members on both sides of the Pacific heard the Good News eagerly. It was for many, water on parched ground. Some, for the first time in their lives, were sure of heaven. Others were less enthusiastic. They saw in Ford’s passionate appeal to a righteousness consisting of Christ’s merits exclusively (without the works of the law), a threat to the whole superstructure of the Adventist Church. They were right!

Research period
In the course of time Ford was invited by the church to spend six months at church headquarters in Washington DC, researching his ideas and developing an explanation for his conclusions. During those six months Ford documented the church’s refusal-over 75 years to address its inadequate defence of doctrinal positions, aberrant to the historic Reformed faith.

The saving work of Christ
Among other things, early Adventists believed that the door of God’s mercy had closed on all except Adventists; that since Christ entered the Holiest place in the Heavenly sanctuary for the first time in 1844, the atonement could not have been completed at Calvary; that only commandment-keepers could be saved; that Sunday observance was the Mark of the Beast.

These ideas effectively downgraded the saving work of Christ. By default the Advent movement itself became the all-important subject of bible prophecy instead of Messiah. The sacred history of Jesus was discounted in favour of denominational history. John the Baptist’s formula (”He must increase, I must decrease”), was reversed.

Dr Ford dismissed
At the Glacier View Conference, Dr Ford’s views were discussed over five days. In that time it became clear that a majority of scholars shared his concerns. A consensus paper was produced admitting the lack of a sound exegetical base for some key Adventist teachings. Ford was pleased with the progress evidenced in the consensus statement and declared his willingness to continue as a loyal employee of the church. It was not to be, however. Concerned administrators endeavoured to procure from Ford a pledge of loyalty which violated the spirit of the consensus statement. When he could not in good conscience comply, he was fired.

New preaching and teaching ministry
After his dismissal Ford located in Northern California, where he was encouraged by friends to begin a preaching and teaching ministry. It became known as Good News Unlimited. There were public meetings, a monthly magazine and tape ministry, as well as ministry through radio and television. An associated office was opened in Australia.

Good News Unlimited now
Good News Unlimited continues to provide strong teaching material in explanation of the nature of the Christian Gospel. It continues to provide spiritual succour to many who have experienced religious dislocation.