Adventism’s first ‘authorized’ statement of beliefs

Abstract

Early Adventism inherited a strong antipathy to creeds from the Christian Connection and Baptist churches from which many of Adventism’s founders came. Officially approved statements of faith were not necessary nor helpful to a community. This anti-creedal ethos has figured largely in explanations as to why in December 1930 when church leaders approved the writing of a new statement of faith the text itself did not need official approval. Nor should it receive approval, according to the anti-creedal rhetoric. Yet four months later in April 1931, the General Conference Officers did officially review and authorize the text of a statement of faith - one authored by W. W. Prescott and G. W. Wells. This paper will explore the context and the role of this long-forgotten and never-widely known summary of Adventist faith. It will also undertake a brief comparative analysis of the summary with the standard statement of beliefs authored earlier in 1931by F. M. Wilcox, which came to be considered “official” by reason of General Conference authorization of its inclusion in the new Church Manual published in 1932.