26 August 2024 |

Dear Aunt Sevvy,

I have read The desire of all times. Although the book is inspiring, I wondered how the author could elaborate on such specific details about the life of Christ when the Bible authors provided only broad outlines.

Such questions affect my appreciation of the book and other books by the same author.

Signed, Avid reader

Dear reader,

Ellen White was important to Adventists in many ways. But you have raised a problem: Ellen White added things that are not in the Bible. One scholar has described thatHe Conflict of the Ages Series as “religious fiction”.

Is it wrong to embellish and expand on Bible stories? Not necessarily. Preachers and writers have always done that. But they do not claim that these details were given to them by special inspiration. Ellen White said her writings came directly from God through angels. Consequently, our church expects readers to choose their interpretation over the words of the Bible.

However, we can prove that a significant portion of Ellen White’s commentaries on Bible stories were copied, sometimes word for word, from other authors. If she did see these things in visions, then the angels were also plagiarists. We also know that she had secretaries who did most of the actual writing for her.

Does copying other authors’ texts count as “inspired” writing? That’s up to you to decide.

Aunt is happy about new insights in The life of Jesus and other books by Ellen White, but she takes them for what they are: the edifying writings of an Adventist pioneer, not a supplement to the Bible.

Aunt Sevvy

Aunt Sevvy has compiled her answers in a book! You can order it from Amazon by clicking here.

You can write to Aunt Sevvy at [email protected]. Your true identity will never be revealed.