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THE TIP OF AN ICEBERG

Biblical Authority, Biblical Interpretation,

and the Ordination of Women in Ministry

A Synopsis of the Book by C. Raymond Holmes *

[Dr. Holmes has recently authored the most insightful and convincing book opposing the ordination of women to the gospel ministry that has come to our attention. The Tip of an Iceberg recognizes the fact that differences of opinion regarding ordination are the automatic result of different principles of biblical interpretation, and he correctly points out that these differences affect other doctrinal matters as well and have the potential of leading to the possibility of schism in the Seventh-day Adventist Church as they did in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod eighteen years ago. The editors of Adventist Today believe that readers will appreciate an abstract of the book in the author's own words. These excerpts are taken from throughout the book and rearranged in a way the editors believe faithfully represents his point of view. He has approved this rearrangement.--Eds.]

"The question concerning the proper role of women in ministry is just

the tip of an iceberg, beneath which lurks the far more serious issue of the

inspiration of Scripture." "Does such an iceberg threaten the Seventh-day

Adventist church today?" "It is crucial because what the church finally decides

will reveal a great deal about the nature of its commitment to biblical

authority and its approach to the interpretation of Scripture." This is the

"fault line along which any possible schism could occur within Adventism."

"The Seventh-day Adventist church has reached another major crossroad in its

doctrinal history. Which way will it go? Will it go the way of full or lim

ited biblical authority?." "The price paid would be the end of historic

Adventism." "That ... is what this book is all about."

"The issue of biblical authority [is] the most crucial issue of all."

"For me the Bible [is a] revelation from God in all its parts." "It seems that

we are more interested in defending the human side of the Bible today than the

divine side." "Since Paul's counsel is part of God's revelation, it would be

dangerous and irresponsible to ignore his prohibition of women as overseers,

rejecting his counsel on the supposed basis that it was culturally condi-

tioned." "Is this a way of saying that the Bible is not the Word of God but

simply contains the Word of God?" "Seventh-day Adventists need to be careful

that with nonacceptance of dictation/verbal inspiration they do not also

reject the infallibility of the Bible."

Center for Adventist Fier-nlict - Andrews University

Berrien Springs Michigan

Digitized by the Center for Adventist Research

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Tip of the Iceberg -- 2

"Interpreters of the Bible are guided in their interpretation by what

they believe about the Bible itself. Presuppositions concerning the nature

and authority of the Bible are keys to interpretation and understanding."

"That which shatters unity of spirit and core beliefs is change in the pre-

suppositions concerning the nature of the Bible." "Have our presuppositions

been changing, even without our knowing it?"

"Aspects of the historical-critical method or its conclusions, and cul-

tural conditioning, are used by some proponents of women's ordination in the

Seventh-day Adventist church, there are other proponents who do not employ

them." "The Seventh-day Adventist church has adopted the historical-grammat-

ical method of Bible interpretation." This, "the position I represent is the

majority view in North America as well as throughout the world church."

"Theological pluralism ... is essential if the interpretation of the Bible

allowing for the ordination of women is to be accepted by the church." "Her-

meneutical unity and pluralism cannot exist side-by-side; they are divergent

tracks moving off in different directions." "Theological pluralism means the

acceptance of a plurality of views, a diversity of Bible interpretation, ...

it means that divergent views on an issue involving Bible interpretation can

exist side by side in the church without threatening its unity of doctrine

and mission." "Pluralistic hermeneutics would result in radically reconcep-

tualizing Adventist identity. Seventh-day Adventist believers might well

disappear into the grayness of contemporary society."

"There are already advocates of women's ordination proposing that world

Divisions of the church, or even local conferences, be permitted to go their

own way in this matter. This, of course, would shatter the historic unity of

Adventism as a world church, contributing to fragmentation into national or

regional churches."

"Those who oppose the ordination of women in the Seventh-day Adventist

church on biblical grounds must not allow proponents to control the terms

of the debate." "The ordination issue is not a peripheral matter that can be

resolved regionally. By affecting principles of Bible interpretation, it can

be expected to impact other fundamental doctrines of Adventism, and it would

strongly influence how the church responds to other issues that may appear on

the horizon. Thus the Seventh-day Adventist church may very well be facing

one of the most critical periods in its history.



"As painful as it may be, perhaps we should be grateful that the women's

ordination question has served to call our attention to the foundational

issues of biblical authority and interpretation."

"The terms 'watershed' and 'crossroads' are appropriate, because in

order for the Seventh-day Adventist church to ordain women in ministry, a

departure from full biblical authority would be necessary. Such a departure

would have serious consequences for the future of Adventism."

"Seventh-day Adventist theology and doctrine are at a crossroads over

the role of women question." (Quoting the late Gerhard F. Hasel.)

*Adventists Affirm and POINTER Publications, 1994, 196 pp.


the Tip of an Iceberg Biblical Authority, Biblical Interpretation, and the Ordination of Women in Ministry C. Raymond Holmes 611 Niemela Road, Wake-field, MI 49968 Adventists Affirm & POINTER Publications 1994 196 pp.

Introduction

TITLE: EGW 1SM 205-6 JHK Living Temple: "Iceberg just ahead!" "Meet it!"

11.5: "Does such as iceberg threaten the Seventh-day Adventist church today?"

11.9: "How is it possible for students of the same Bible to arrive at dia-metrically opposite conclusions? This book is an attempt to uncover some of the reasons why such radically divergent conclusions are reached. In the process, we may discover an iceberg lurking in the theological waters, with its submerged elements the most dangerous."

12.3: The SDAc cosntinues to face the crucial issue of whether or not to ordain women in ministry. It is crucial because what the church finally decides will reveal a great deal about the nature of itS commitment to biblical authority and its approach to the interpretation of Scripture."

13.6: "That ... is what this book is all about."

13.8: "It is designed to alert thinking constituents of the SDAc to the crucial issue of biblical authority and interpretation that underlies the question of the role of women in ministry. 1f The primary issue always confronting the church at large, and the SDAc in particular, is that of biblical authority and interpretation."

14.4: This is the "real issue," the submerged and most dangerous part of an iceberg."

14.7: "... the position I represent is the majority view in North America as well as throughout the world church."

15.5: "I wish, however, to make it absolutely clsear that while aspects of the historical-critical method or its conclusions, and cultural conditioning, are used by some proponents of women's ordination in the SDAc, there are other proponents who do not employ them."

1: Sola Scriptura: A Personal Pilgrimage

17.6: "My conservatism has roots that go back much farther than my transition from the Lutheran to the Adventist faith and ministry. It was because I was already a theological conservative, ... that I was able finally to become a SDA."

18.6: "There is no question but that the new convert to the Christian faith tends to read the Bible in a literal and trusting way. That was certainly my experience. ... How eager I was to read the Bible! How excited by its message. ... For me the Bible was then, and still is, revelation from God in all its parts. I have never considered myself so clever or astute as to be able to distinguish with my finite mind what in the Bible is revelation, what is inspired, and what is not."


Iceberg -- 2

21.2: "I began seminary training with a high view of the Bible that was hammered out on the anvil of skepticism and derision."

23.7: "It was Luther's principle of sola scriptura, the Bible alone, and the belief that the Bible is to be interpreted literally unless the context indicates otherwise."

26.4: "I must have Biblical justification that is able to withstand the skepticism of human reason."

27.7: "Some are of the opinion that the women's ordination issue as it was presented and debated at the 1990 General Conference session exposed the fault line along which any possible schism could occur within Adventism. Such a schism would be absolutely catastrophic for the church claiming to be the Biblical remnant. There are already advocates of women's ordination proposing that world Divisions of the church, or even local conferences, be permitted to go their own way in this matter. This, of course, would shatter the historic unity of Adventism as a world church, contributing to fragmentation into national or regional churches."

28.5: Left -GEGI:Er- LCA in 1971 to become an SDA.

28.8: "... defended the full authority of the Bible for more than three decades."

29.5: Episc "lost their battle for the full authority of the Bible, the LCMS and the SBC are winning theirs.

2: Two Divergent Methods of Interpretation 31.7: "Ellen White's thinking regarding the inspiration, infallibility, and accuracIfof the Bible is, to borrow a feminist phrase, "in the direction of" full bilflical authority. 1 While the Bible is written by human hands and manifests the characteristics of its writers, God is its Author. The believer accepts its divinity by faith."

32.2: "While not subscribing to a dictation model of verbal inspiration, the fact that the SDAc believes the Bible is the inspired revelation of God, infallibly and unerringly revealing His will ... certainly puts it more in line with the historical-grammatical than with the historical-critical approach to the Bible."

32.4: "The 1974 Bible Conferences sponsored by the North American Division of SDAs may rank in importance, historically, with the 1888 Minneapolis General Conference. ... I perceived that a major motivation for the 1974 Bible Conferences was to expose the dangers to the Adventist faith inherent in the historical-critical method of Bible interpretation, and to hold the line regarding a more literal interpretation."

32:7: "Although Adventists have rejected the dictation/verbal inspiration concept, the Conferences did not avoid the terms "inerrant" and "infallible" with respect to the message and historicity of the Bible"


Iceberg -- 3

"Importance of Presuppositions"

33.3" "Adventists have come to the Bible presupposing that it is a unified whole, believing that when all the parts of the Bible are carefully studied it is possible to arrive at a unified system of truth, ... On the other hand, allowing for multiple systems of interpretation (hermeneutical pluralism) presupposes that ther is no underlying unity unity or harmony in the Bible and that it can be interpreted in many different yet equally truthful. ways."

33.5: "Interpreters of the Bible are guided in their interpretation by what they believe about the Bible itself. Presuppositions concerning the nature and authority of the Bible are keys to interpretation and understanding."

35.1: "Change in basic presuppositions results in far more than pluralism of ideas on non-central biblical teachings. ... That which shatters unity of spirit and core beliefs is change in the presuppositions concerning the nature of the Bible, giving rise to pluralism of views. ... Hermeneutical unity and pluralism cannot exist side-by-side; they are divergent tracks moving off in different directions.

35.7: "The presuppositions of the historical-critical method are based on a rationalism in which the Bible is treated like any other product of the human mind."

37.3: "Methods of Bible Study Committee Report" AC GC 10-12-1986.

38.2: "The historical-grammatical method of interpretation allows the Bible to have full authority relative to faith and life for all time."

38.8: "The historical-critical method of interpretation limits the authority of the Bible for faith and life, making it merely a human, historical book. ... The first is a faith approach, the second a secular approach. The historical-grammatical method posits that the history recorded in the Bible is factual and reliable because the account is divinely inspired.

39.8: "The SDAc has adopted the historical grammatical method of Bible interpretation."

42.6: "It is not enough to confess faith in the authority of Scripture. What kind of authority is it permitted to have? Will we allow it to have full authority or limited authority? But the issue is not just biblical authority; it is how the Bible is read, interpreted, preached and taught ..."

42.9: "SDAs need to be careful that with the nonacceptance of dictation/ verbal inspiration they do not also reject the infallibility of the Bible."

43.4: "While Adventists do not accept the dictation/verbal concept of inspiration, they believe the Bible to be infallible, to have perfect unity, to be self-consistent and factually true. They believe the Bible, not just believe things about the Bible."


Iceberg -- 4

44.1: "If the humanity of Scripture is emphasized to the denigration of its divinity, a logical progression of thought will lead to an emphasis on the humanity of Jesus to the denigration of His divinity."

44.5: "It seems that we are more interested in defending the human side of the Bible today than the divine side."

44.8: "Pluralistic hermeneutics would result in radically reconceptualizing Adventist identity. SDA believers might well disappear into the grayness of contemporary pagan society."

45.1: "Only by employing consistent principles of interpretation can the SDAc avoid the fragmentation that would destroy the unity of the last-day church and reduce its message and mission to incredibility."

45.6: "... the 1974 Bible Conferences provide a major answer to hermeneutical pluralism in the SDAc, asserting ... that "historical biblical criticism is bankrupt." 5 Has the SDAc been silently slipping away from the biblical position of the 1974 Bible Conferences? Have we begun to accept a principle of Bible interpretation not mentioned at that Conference, and thought not even necessary to mention by those who participated?"

45.9: "Adventist thinkers would probably agree that the SDAc has reached another major crossroad in its doctrinal history. Which way will it go? Will it go the way of full or limited biblical authority? Will it please God or please man?"

Ellen G. White and the Bible

52.9: Quoting Eta Linnemann: "It is ... not permissible, and also not possi-ble, to sort out the time-conditioned human word from the eternally valid divine Word. In a mixture of iron filings and sawdust, one can use a magnet to draw out the iron. God's Word, however, is not a mixture of valid Word of God and time-conditioned word of man which can be separated from each other."

53.8: EGW GC vii: "The Holy Scriptures are to be accepted as an authoritat-ive, infallible revelation of His [God's] will."

61.8: "On the basis of what EGW believed and said about the Bible, she is close to the fuundamentalist view than many of us would like to admit."

Full Authority of the Bible

63.4: "The major challenge facing the Christian church near the end of the twentieth and the start of the twenty-first centure is the authority of the written Word of God. Our understanding of the authority of the Bible is at the very heart of the faith. ... Therefore, the authority of the Bible is not a peripheral matter."

63.9: nwir cannot escape the issue of biblical authority, the most crucial issue ofall.


Iceberg -- 5

65.2: "Only true authority has the right to insist on obedience. And only the Word of God is true authority.

66.7: "The issue we face is far greater than an argument among friends over the role of women in ministry. ... Beneath the campaign to ordain women in can be found a method of Bible interpretation that hold that the counsel of the apostle Paul prohibiting women from serving in a position of ecclesiastical authority over men has been culturally conditioned and simply reflects rabbinic teaching which were decidedly male dominated and chauvinistic. Therefore, this view holds, the Bible must be deculturized in the same manner in which Rudolph Bultmann sought to demoythologize it." (67.1)

67.7: "The question concerning the proper role of women in ministry is just the tip of an ikberg, beneath which lurks the far more serious issue of the inspiration of Scripture, the apostolic authority of Paul, and whether the church will listen to the voice of revelation in its interpretation of Scripture or to the voice of secular culture."

69.7: "Without the full authority of the Bible, the SDAc would go the way of many mainline denominations. Accepting principles of interpretation that would limit the Bible's authority would be extremely grave, rending the fabric of the SDAc."

70.4: "Have our presuppositions been changing, even without our knowing it?"

70.7: "Confessing adherence to the authority of the Bible is one thing; believing what it teaches is another. ... For any SDA willingly to compromise on the full authority of Scripture on any issue affecting faith, morals, and lifestyle is shocking."

The Tip of the Iceberg: Its Ideological Foundation

75.7: "Those who oppose the ordination of women in the SDAc on biblical grounds must not allow proponents to control the terms of the debate."

77.9: "Neither the culture of Bible times, nor that of our own times, can be appealed to as supporting the ordination of women in ministry."

84.5: "God has blessed the SDAc, through the counsel of EGW1, with another alternative--that of training and appointing qualified women for specific ministerial responsibilities and publicly recognizing such appointment by a special dedicatory service."

The Tip of the Iceberg: Its Feminist Ideology

87.5: "The feminist movement in general is divided into two camps, radical secular feminism and Christian feminism. Christian feminism itself can be divided into two distinct groups: (1) Those who reject the Bible as normative, and (2) those who subscribe to the authority of the Bible. Most proponents of women's ordination in the SDAc are in this latter groups, which we might call biblical feminists in that they subscribe to biblical authority, though in many instances they interpret the Bible in such a way as


Iceberg -- 6

to limit its authority. Opponents of women's ordination, on the other hand, are concerned that the Bible be interpreted in such a way that it is allowed full authority."

91.7 The error of both demythologisation and deculturization is that human reason sits in judgment upon Scripture.

93.5: "If Adventists were to accept the feminist interpretation, it would have to be applied to all our doctrines. The price paid would be the end of historic Adventism."

93.8: "The feminist approach to Bible interpretation can be summarized in the following manner: because the Bible was written in a patriarchal culture, it is prejudicited against women's rights; the Bible is filled with human error, contradicts itself, and is limited in authority. Therefore, the task of interpretation is to discover just how ancient culture influences the intermix of revelation and human counsel so as to discern what is truth for our time.

7: The Tip of the Iceberg: A Critique 105.3: "Many of the arguments used in support of women's ordination in the SDAc are either based on feminist presuppositions and/or use a method of Bible interpretation that would be as destructive of Adventism as it has been of other denominations."

107.3: "Shall we use the Bible's cultural content to deny its authority?"

111.3: "Is this a way of saying that the Bible is not the Word of God but simply contains the Word of God?"

113.9: "Traditionally, Adventist Bible interpretation has held that the Bible does not contradict itself, and that clear passages assist in understanding obscure passages."

II?

115.5: "The pro-ordinatio, argument introduces tension between biblical literalism and sensitOiV to culture in such a way that there is no right or wrong--only tension. ut is it true that we must learn to live with such tension?"

120.9: "Theological pluralism means the acceptance of a plurality of views, a diversity of Bible interpretation, not only in North America but around the world. It means that divergent views on an issue involving Bible interpreta-tion can exist side by side in the church without threatening its unity of the doctrine and mission.

121.3: "Theological pluralism ... is essential if the interpretation of the Bible allowing for the ordination of women is to be accepted by the church.

121.6: "Theological pluralism is evidence of the breakdown of theological consensus. Has Adventism reached that point in its history, especially when it stands on the threshold of its greatest opportunity for evangelism and


iIceberg -- 7

growth? ... While the ordination of women is a secondary issue, and certainly not a test of fellowship, both proponents and opponents see the issue in relation to the understanding and interpretation of the Bible, an issue of fundamental importance. For this reason the SDAc does stand at a theological crossroads. The critical question facing the SDAc is whether it is prepared, at this stage of its history, to adopt a method of Bible interpretation conditioned by contemporary culture.

Pertinent Bible Passages Galatians 3:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:3-10; 14:33-38; Ephesians 5:22-24; 1 Timothy 2:11-14; 3:1-4.

151.4: "Since Paul's counsel is part of God's revelation, it would be danger-ous and irresponsible to ignore his prohibition of women as overseers," rejecting his counsel on the supposed basis that it was culturally condi-tioned."

The Iceberg in Other Waters Anglican; Lutheran; Southern Baptist.

6: Adventism at a Crossroads 177.9: "SDAist theology and doctrine are at a crossroads over the role of women question." (Quoting Gerhard F. Hasel, "Biblical Authority and Feminist interpretation," Adventists Affirm 3/2 (Fall 1989, p. 22.)

178.1: "The terms "watershed" and "crossroads" are appropriate, because in order for the SDAc to ordain women in ministry, a departure from full biblical authority would be necessary. Such a departure would have serious implications for the future of Adventism."

178.7: "The ordination issue is not a peripheral matter that can be resolved regionally. By affecting principles of Bible interpretation, it can be expected to impact other fundamental doctrines of Adventism, and it would strongly influence how the church responds to other issues that may appear on the horizon. Thus the SDAc may very well be facing one of the most critical periods in its history. If As painful as it may be, perhaps we should be grateful that the women's ordination question has served to call our attention to the foundational issues of biblical authority and interpretation."

The expressions "biblical authority," "full biblical authority," "limited authority," "authority of Scripture," and similar expressions including the word "authority" occur 178 times. This is the key word of the book.

References to the Bible being infallible and/or inerrant occur 24 times.

Center tnr Adventist Research And rows University

Berrien Springs Michigan


Iceberg -- 8

INDEX

Iceberg: 1 11.9 14.4 67.7 Threat: 11.5 2.3 13.8 14.4 27.7 35.1 44.8 45.1 45.6 45.9 66.7 69.7

70.7 93.5 105.3 121.6 177.9 178.1 178.7 Purpose: 11.9 13.6 13.8 Majority view: 14.7 Some SDA not H-C: 15.5

Personal experience Ray Holmes: 17.6 18.6 In all its parts: 18.6 Divine-human: 18.6 44.1 44.5 52.9 77.9 151.4 High view: 21.2 Reason 26.4 91.7

SDA world divisions: 27.7 Authority: 28.8 38.2 38.8 42.6 45.9 63.4 63.9 65.2 69.7 70.7 87.5

93.8 107.3 Other churches: 29.5 Infallible-inerrant: 32.2 43.4 61.8 Verbal-dictation: 32.2 32.7 42.9 43.4

1974 Bible Conference: 32.4 45.6 Presuppositions: 33.3 33.5 35.1 70.4 Pluralism: 33.3 35.1 44.8 120.9 121.3 121.6 Faith: 38.8 SDAadopted HCM: 39.8

Culturally conditioned: 66.7 Intransigence: 75.7 Contains Word of God: 111.3 Clear Passages: 113.9

Literalism: 115.5


THE TIP OF AN ICEBERG

Biblical Authority, Biblical Interpretation,

and the Ordination of Women in Ministry

A Synopsis of the Book by C. Raymond Holmes *

"The question concerning the proper role of women in ministry is just the

tip of an iceberg, beneath which lurks the far more serious issue of the

inspiration of Scripture" (page 67). "Does such an iceberg threaten the

Seventh-day Adventist church today?" (11) "It is crucial because what the

church finally decides will reveal a great deal about the nature of its

commitment to biblical authority and its approach to the interpretation of

Scripture" (12). This is the "fault line along which any possible schism

could occur within Adventism" (27). "The Seventh-day Adventist church has

reached another major crossroad in its doctrinal history. Which way will it

go? Will it go the way of full or limited biblical authority?" (45). "The

price paid would be the end of historic Adventism" (93). "That ... is what

this book is all about" (13).

"The issue of biblical authority [is] the most crucial issue of all"

(63). "For me the Bible [is a] revelation from God in all its parts" (18).

"It seems that we are more interested in defending the human side of the

Bible today than the divine side" (44). "Since Paul's counsel is part of

God's revelation, it would be dangerous and irresponsible to ignore his pro-

hibition of women as overseers, rejecting his counsel on the supposed basis

that it was culturally conditioned" (151). "Is this a way of saying that the

Bible is not the Word of God but simply contains the Word of God?" (111).

"Seventh-day Adventists need to be careful that with nonacceptance of dicta-

tion/verbal inspiration they do not also reject the infallibility of the

Bible" (42).

"Interpreters of the Bible are guided in their interpretation by what

they believe about the Bible itself. Presuppositions concerning the nature

and authority of the Bible are keys to interpretation and understanding"

(33). "That which shatters unity of spirit and core beliefs is change in the

presuppositions concerning the nature of the Bible" (35). "Have our pre-

suppositions been changing, even without our knowing it?" (70).

"Aspects of the historical-critical method or its conclusions, and cul-

tural conditioning, are used by some proponents of women's ordination in the



Seventh-day Adventist church, there are other proponents who do not employ

them" (15). "The Seventh-day Adventist church has adopted the historical

grammatical method of Bible interpretation" (39). This, "the position I

represent is the majority view in North America as well as throughout the

world church" (14).

"Theological pluralism ... is essential if the interpretation of the

Bible allowing for the ordination of women is to be accepted by the church"

(121). "Hermeneutical unity and pluralism cannot exist side-by-side; they

are divergent tracks moving off in different directions" (35) "Theological

pluralism means the acceptance of a plurality of views, a diversity of Bible

interpretation, ... it means that divergent views on an issue involving Bible

interpretation can exist side by side in the church without threatening its

unity of doctrine and mission" (120) "Pluralistic hermeneutics would result

in radically reconceptualizing Adventist identity. Seventh-day Adventist

believers might well disappear into the grayness of contemporary society"

44 )

"There are already advocates of women's ordination proposing that world

Divisions of the church, or even local conferences, be permitted to go their

own way in this matter. This, of course, would shatter the historic unity of

Adventism as a world church, contributing to fragmentation into national or

regional churches" (27).

"Those who oppose the ordination of women in the Seventh-day Adventist

church on biblical grounds must not allow proponents to control the terms

of the debate" (75). "The ordination issue is not a peripheral matter that

can be resolved regionally. By affecting principles of Bible interpretation,

it can be expected to impact other fundamental doctrines of Adventism, and it

would strongly influence how the church responds to other issues that may

appear on the horizon. Thus the Seventh-day Adventist church may very well

be facing one of the most critical periods in its history.

"As painful as it may be, perhaps we should be grateful that the women's

ordination question has served to call our attention to the foundational

issues of biblical authority and interpretation" (178)

*Adventists Affirm and POINTER PUblications, 1994, 196 pp.


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