Robert Brinsmead

Robert Daniel Brinsmead (born Australia, 12 August 1934) is a formerly controversial figure within the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the 1960s and 1970s, known for his diverse theological journey. He had a major impact on the church, despite the fact he was never employed by the church in an official capacity, such as a minister. Issues surrounding him were highly emotive at the time.

During the 1960s he advocated a form of perfectionism which he described as the "[Sanctuary] Awakening" message, aligning with historic Adventism. During the 1970s he abandoned this position and strongly emphasized the 16th century Protestant principle of justification by faith alone. His representation of justification by grace through faith alone was derived substantially from the writings and thinking of Martin Luther. He founded the magazine Present Truth, which was later changed to Verdict.

In the 1980s his theology resembled liberal Christianity, and he rejected the Adventist belief of the Sabbath. Later he rejected many orthodox Christian teachings, seeing God's interaction with mankind not limited to just the history of the Bible, but an ongoing continuing interaction with humanity towards a positive future. In the 1990s he was silent theologically, turning his attention to politics and his tropical fruit theme park. Brinsmead rejects the teachings of an apocalyptic world-destroying God, which he believes to be the polar opposite to the very definitions all religions give to the Creator. He also has environmental and political interests, and argues for a human centered approach to ecology.

Brinsmead and church tension

There was much tension within the church surrounding Brinsmead's message and influence. Sometimes he triggered persistent emotional reactivity, and Brinsmead was also antagonistic at times. His legacy within the Seventh-day Adventist community involved substantial theological challenges. But beyond theology, there is also substantial evidence of a deep pattern of emotional reactivity among thought leaders in the church to his teaching and influence.

Richard Schwarz wrote in 1979, "Although there had been dissident groups in the church from its start, none was more troublesome to Adventist leaders than [Brinsmead's]". (Up to that time. The controversy surrounding Desmond Ford, which peaked at his 1980 dismissal, resulted in the greatest loss of ministers to the Adventist church in its history.)

According to Larry Pahl, "The name of Robert D. Brinsmead was once capable of evoking strong emotion and division in the Adventist circles brave and informed enough to discuss his controversial ideas." According to the Standish brothers, "In the 1980s it is difficult to believe the emotive reaction which the name Brinsmead conjured up in the minds of the majority of Seventh-day Adventists in Australia two decades earlier. To have the name Brinsmead associated with a church member was akin to being termed 'pink' in the McCarthy era in the United States" (in other words, akin to being termed pseudo-"Communist" in an era of Communist paranoia)! His influence was described as "The Brinsmead Agitation" by the Biblical Research Committee, a precursor to the Biblical Research Institute.

In South New Zealand in 1961, a minister who integrated a man known to have a connection with Brinsmead into his church was asked to affirm the statement, "Robert Brinsmead is of the devil," to demonstrate his loyalty. When he refused to do so, he was given 10 months leave-of-absence.

Claims of collusion with Brinsmead could have devastating impact, according to testimony of Desmond Ford. According to one report, towards the close of the Glacier View meeting, "a small group of church executives" confronted Ford with ultimatums such as "Publicly denounce Robert Brinsmead as a troublemaker and heretic or hand in your credentials." Ford would not do so, as Brinsmead had converted from his perfectionist views. According to a reported view of Ford, "John Brinsmead, brother of Robert, had evidently spun Parmenter the allegation that Ford and Robert Brinsmead were in cahoots and determined to bring the SDA church down." Apparently he accepted this "allegation without verification."

One source describes him as "intense and driven."

In 1999 Raymond Cottrell, a church thought leader through the late 20th century, observed: "Robert Brinsmead’s repeated and mutually contradictory positions over the years, together with his dogmatic public insistence on each of them successively, is clear evidence of immaturity. One cannot help but wonder if the present one is final, or if it is—like the others—ephemeral and will be followed by others." His language is less a commentary on Brinsmead's thinking than it is a reflection of the intensity and duration of persisting reactivity.

Interest in Brinsmead's writings and lectures became increasingly widespread among some lay and professional audiences throughout the 1960s and 1970s. But for some leaders, as evidenced by the above, his influence had a more visceral impact than what one might associate with mere theological challenge. To whatever extent his theology influenced lay or ministerial thought leaders within the SDA church, he and those who followed his thinking had an obvious impact on opponents—with some, as noted above, on deeply emotional levels. Australian Parmenter's deep reaction to an allegation noted above was perhaps predicated (at least in part) on his own willingness to entertain the unlikely idea that Ford and Brinsmead actually had it in their power to "bring the SDA church down."

Reactivity, by definition, inhibits thoughtful reflection. Reactive voices were clearly evident among thought leaders (as well as some supporters) in the 1960s through the early 1980s. It remains to be seen the extent to which the lessons associated with that reactivity have influenced the lives of those who lived thorough those events, as well as those whose lives have been subsequently influenced into the next generation.

Biography

Childhood

Brinsmead was born in 1934 in Australia, the youngest of eight children. He grew up in the Tweed area. During his early childhood his parents were a part of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement, a German splinter group that broke away from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the World War I era over military service and conscription. They rejoined the mainstream church when he was 10. According to Schwarz, this background gave him a disposition skeptical towards church leadership. According to friends of Brinsmead, he received high marks from Murwillumbah high school. As a youth he ran a large family banana plantation (near the location of what would become the tropical fruit theme park), and later sugar cane and banana plantations deep in the Queensland jungle. He spent his personal time doing study and research into theology.

Avondale College (late 1950s)

Brinsmead enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts in theology at Avondale College in 1955 when he was in his mid-twenties. One of his older brothers, John, also enrolled at the college in this year. Robert developed a form of perfectionism after reading the writings of A. T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner (of 1888 Minneapolis General Conference Session fame). In his final year, Brinsmead studied under Dr. Burns, then head of theology, and according to friends of Brinsmead, he was leading a great interest in spiritual things among his fellow students. The college was in full revival mode with room meetings until midnight on many nights. There was such a ground swell among students the church leadership began to take notice of Brinsmead.

According to friends of Brinsmead, in his final months of school he wrote a book which a relative published against his wishes and knowledge. The book ended by quoting a Bible prophecy that the abomination would enter the Holy Land. Adventist church leadership took this to mean that Bob was teaching that "the abomination that maketh desolate" was in the church. According to friends of Brinsmead, this book was influential in his dismissal from Avondale: that he was denied graduation from Avondale, although he did receive his BA in theology.

While still a student, Brismead was disfellowshipped from the church in 1961 for his writings on "perfectionism", which would be his theme for the 1960s. However he would remain closely involved with the church for another two decades. John was also disfellowshipped, and together they formed the "Sanctuary Awakening Fellowship". While it was based in the United States, it also influenced Africa and Asia.

Perfectionist era (1960s)

Brinsmead's early views were an expression of "historic Adventism". His primary opponents were Desmond Ford, for sixteen years head of the Department of Religion at Avondale College, Hans LaRondelle of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University, and Edward Heppenstall, who all strongly emphasized salvation by faith alone. In the 1960s he advocated a form of perfectionism which he described as the "Sanctuary Awakening" or "Awakening" message. He claimed he was led to this position by the pre-advent judgment in Seventh-day Adventist eschatology. He also claimed it was a thoroughly evangelical concept of justification – "I taught sanctification by atonement, not by attainment."

He visited the United States throughout the 1960s, holding retreats and seminars to teach his message. The "sanctuary" element referred to the distinctive Seventh-day Adventist theological understanding of events believed to have begun in the year 1844 in a heavenly sanctuary, of which the earthly sanctuary in the Old Testament was understood to be a figure and "type". Like other "historic Adventists", Brinsmead and his colleagues were convinced that they were recovering the original core message of the founders of 19th-century Seventh-day Adventism.

The church in North America became aware of Brinsmead during the early spring of 1961, when he submitted several documents to the General Conference. Raymond Cottrell was asked to evaluate them, presenting critiques of each document about three weeks later, later writing he gave each one "careful consideration" with a desire to be completely objective. A few weeks later Robert and John came to the General Conference offices and requested a hearing, and a committee which included Cottrell met the brothers. The meeting had a "cordial atmosphere", spent mainly listening to the Brinsmeads express their views, and the groups "parted as friends."

Evangelical era (1970s)

In the early 1970s, he abandoned this position, turning to a view more in line with the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther and Luther's understanding of the New Testament gospel message of Paul the Apostle. Adventist eschatology was relegated to the background. By late 1971 Brinsmead had reversed his ideas on the nature of Christ and perfection. He believed "righteousness by faith" is entirely justification by faith. Largely due to the impact of Desmond Ford, Robert embraced righteousness by faith in the mid 1970s, rejecting perfectionism. He began to target Present Truth at Adventists and also other Christians, with a more evangelical message, and a central focus on the Protestant principle of justification by faith alone. A survey of Present Truth throughout the 1970s indicated that he studied a wide range of 16th century Protestant Reformation scholars, including John Calvin, Philipp Melanchthon, and Martin Chemnitz.

He was a prolific writer and public speaker in the United States (and occasionally Europe) throughout the 1970s, engaging a variety of interested lay and professional audiences.

Robert Brinsmead first published the magazine Present Truth in April 1972.

Brinsmead wrote, A Review of the Awakening Message (Part I first published May 1972, and Part II first published April 1973), which was his own assessment of his earlier "historic" views.

In 1972, Brinsmead and his wife Valorie (who was originally from Cootamundra) purchased the property which they developed into "Tropical Fruit World" in northern New South Wales.

A debate raged between Kenneth Wood and Herbert Douglass, the United States editors of the Review and Herald (now known as the Adventist Review) on the one hand, and Australians Ford and Brinsmead on the other. The magazine produced a special issue named, "Righteousness by Faith" on 16 May 1974, which argued that "righteousness by faith" included both justification and sanctification. Brinsmead later claimed, "we won that argument hands down." Brinsmead and Ford led what would become an evangelical Adventism, focusing on justification by faith and not the uniqueness of Adventism.

Throughout the 1960s Brinsmead's support base was almost exclusively Seventh-day Adventists. A survey of Present Truth from it's inception through the mid- and late-1970s, however, reflected his expanding theological vision as well as a widening audience. The journal's early years focused on expositions of the Protestant Reformation doctrine of justification by faith through grace alone, challenging both the Roman Catholic understanding of grace as well as dominant themes of the then-emerging charismatic movement within and alongside evangelical Protestantism. As he carried his Seventh-day Adventist readers and supporters into theological territory new to many, he also gradually drew readers from other evangelical Protestant communities. Brinsmead was clearly the dominant essay contributor throughout the 1970s. But beginning around 1976 and continuing through the end of the decade, the works of noted historical or contemporary Evangelical authors were either reprinted from existing works or commissioned for publication. This helps to explain why readership expanded remarkably from 1972 levels. In 1976 Brinsmead claimed that his magazine, Present Truth had a readership of 100,000. Typically, 45,000 to 70,000 copies were printed for circulation. The issue dedicated to Righteousness by Faith realized a circulation of over one million copies.

In the early 1970s Brinsmead contacted Neal C. Wilson and other General Conference leaders seeking theological rapprochement, to no avail. He then focused on renewing interest in righteousness by faith amongst traditional Protestant circles. In 1977 he was joined by Australian Anglican Geoffrey Paxton, who later wrote The Shaking of Adventism (1978) regarding Brinsmead and the struggle over righteousness by faith within the Adventist church. Present Truth's name was changed to Verdict in 1978. According to the website of the former title, it is now produced by "an association of evangelical Seventh-day Adventists".

After "extensive study and thinking", Brinsmead began to question the 1844 investigative judgment, although he claimed he hesitated "blasting this theology because I thought someone from within Adventism should do it". When in the United States, he attempted to convince Edward Heppenstall and Desmond Ford to write a refutation of the traditional understanding. When they refused, Brinsmead returned to Australia and published a monograph, 1844 Re-Examined in which he criticised the investigative judgment, heavenly sanctuary doctrine, and the shut-door theology of early Adventists. These three ideas recursively influenced one another in early Adventist thinking, and the year 1844 was thereby understood to have unique importance. In critiquing this body of doctrine, Brinsmead challenged (what is now) one of the 28 fundamentals of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a doctrine considered by the church's 19th century founders (and regarded by some Adventists in the 1970s and even today) as the very theological foundation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's claim to possessing a unique message for the world. Brinsmead's interests and the journal's emphasis had already expanded into areas of theology and biblical study that reached beyond the areas of theological interest of the Seventh-day Adventist Church at the time..

Brinsmead rejected the heavenly sanctuary, Sabbath and the inspiration of Ellen White. He changed the name of Present Truth to Verdict in 1978. In 1980, Brinsmead published Judged by the Gospel, a criticism of the Adventist church.

Years after their 1961 meeting, Raymond Cottrell listened to a talk by Brinsmead, and commented,

"he had made progress from his former legalistic perfectionism, but that his view of salvation still fell short of that presented by the Apostle Paul."

Liberal era (1980s)

In the 1980s, Brinsmead's theology resembled liberal Christianity. He left his Reformational view of the Bible, and rejected the Adventist belief of the Sabbath. He came to believe that two churches existed simultaneously in early Christianity, Jewish Christianity and Gentile Christianity (see Pauline Christianity). He examined the argument over the Jewish law, concluding the Jewish Christians (whose writings appear in the New Testament apocrypha), the "primitive Paul" and the apostles did not accept the Trinity or the Virgin Birth. He believed Paul tried unsuccessfully to unite the two groups (Romans 14:5–7). This historical approach led him to reject the Sabbath. He published Sabbatarianism Re-examined in 1981 attacking the Sabbath. This led to a response by Desmond Ford,, and then further dialogue between the pair in Spectrum magazine. Brinsmead also wrote related articles such as Myths about the Ten Commandments (1982). He challenged traditional ideas of law and atonement in "The Scandal of God's Justice" (parts one, two and three, in 1983).

Ford explained that Brinsmead's writings against the Sabbath motivated him to research the matter and subsequently write The Forgotten Day (1981), arguing in support of Sabbath observance. It was ironic that Ford, who had himself recently been removed from church employment, would defend the Adventist position. The Worldwide Church of God sent copies of "Sabbatarianism Re-examined" to all its clergy, and later rejected the Sabbath in 1995. A leader cited this document as one of three major contributors to the church's decision.

In 1980, Brinsmead wrote a plea to the judge in the murder case of Lindy Chamberlain. Chamberlain, an Australian Adventist, lost her baby to a wild dingo in the Australian outback. Because of media bias, and false rumors spread by those ignorant (or intolerant) of Adventist teachings, she was convicted of murdering her baby in 1980. False rumors were spread by media outlets that Adventists sacrificed children. Her murder case and appeal was the most publicized trial ever in Australia.. Brinsmead argued in support of Lindy and why he believed she was innocent. He argued that her case should not be judged based on misinterpretations and misrepresentations of Adventist belief and lingo but rather on the facts of the case itself.

Theological silence (1990s)

Around the 1990s Brinsmead did not write any theology for almost ten years. He donated 3,000 books from his personal library to Avondale College, saying he would never read them again. His last major publication before a decade long hiatus, was an article titled "A Christian Atheist Manifesto", in which he said he declared himself an atheist to human created concepts of God that made a monster of the Deity. He once said in defense of atheists "people are often atheist not because they take the concept of a God so lightly, but rather because they take it so seriously". According to Brinsmead, atheists often ask the questions the pious are afraid to ask.

Brinsmead later wrote, of the late 1980s and early 1990s, "I found myself in the trenches on my long spiritual journey, I had questions for which I had no answers, so I stopped writing until I had answers." During this period of reflection on the meaning of the crucifixion and resurrection event, Bob thought it more honest to wait for answers than presume he had them, and returned to horticulture.

During this decade he entered politics and was elected as a Councillor for the Tweed Shire Council.

He later became well versed in John Dominic Crossan and Robert W. Funk, co-founders of the Jesus Seminar; as well as Karen Armstrong, Bart D. Ehrman, and other modern biblical scholars. His search of texts for truth led him to the writings of Michael Morwood, a former Australian Catholic priest whose own spiritual journey mirrors Brinsmead rough and tumble experience in Adventism. Morwood and Brinsmead remain close friends. Robert is also a fan of secular writers Howard Bloom and Michael Crichton, the later of which posits that environmentalism is the new religion - because it is no longer tolerates science. Brinsmead is a prolific writer and public speaker.

He again published Verdict in 1998.

Raymond Cottrell wrote in 1999 that Brinsmead "seems to be immune to further rational dialogue", and that he "felt constrained to let him go his own way and do his own thing".

Brinsmead developed a sort of humanist emphasis. According to Larry Pahl, "Brinsmead's journey has led him back, full circle, to raw perfectionism. The new Brinsmead requires that we become 'forgiving, caring and compassionate, doing the right thing', certainly the marks of a perfect man."

Recent views (2000s)

Brinsmead retains belief in theism.

In 2006, Brinsmead became a Hall of Fame Winner of the Tweed Business Excellence Award.

On August 7th, 2007, Robert Brinsmead's wife Valorie died at age 68.

See also

• Historic Adventist
• Progressive Adventist
• Seventh-day Adventist theology
• History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
• Desmond Ford
• Avondale College

External links

• Present Truth Magazine, started by Brinsmead. As of August 2007, Bill Diehl is publishing editor. According to its charter, "This web site and the material contained herein are produced and sponsored by the 'Gospel Friends Christian Fellowship', an association of evangelical Seventh-day Adventists... These views do not necessarily reflect the current views of Robert Brinsmead."
  • The Shaking of Adventism by Anglican Geoffrey J. Paxton, in which Brinsmead features prominently in 5. Off to an Auspicious Start: The 1950's, 6. Pain and Progress: The 1960's, 7. Advance and Retreat: The 1970's, and the Conclusion: The Shaking of Adventism
• Quango Networks, which contains articles by Brinsmead, including Verdict articles
• Outlook by Worldview Publications, publishing editor, Norman Jarnes, a former editor of Present Truth/Verdict.
• May/June 1999 issue of Adventist Today, containing articles about Brinsmead:
  • Where is Robert Brinsmead? by Larry Pahl
  • Whither, Robert D. Brinsmead? by Raymond F. Cottrell
• The Awakening, "materials pertaining to the awakening message of the 1960's" (historic Adventist point-of-view?)
  • The Timing of Revelation 18 & The Perfecting of the Saints: An Answer to Dr. Desmond Ford & Pastor L. C. Naden by Brinsmead
  • Errors of the Brinsmead Teachings. "This letter is almost a word for word reproduction of R. F. Cottrell's original [1961] report, with the added endorsement of the officers of the General Conference ."
• Return of the Prodigal Pastor, a personal testimony by Dennis Sellers in the Adventist Review, 1995. Sellers followed Brinsmead's teachings for a while and left Adventism, before returning to the Adventist church

Offline resources

• Defense Literature Committee (precursor to the Biblical Research Institute), The History and Teaching of Robert Brinsmead, 1961
• Biblical Research Committee (also a precursor to the Biblical Research Institute), The Brinsmead Agitation, 1969
• Richard Schwarz, Light Bearers to the Remnant, p. 456–61
• Brinsmead, Judged by the Gospel: A Review of Adventism. Fallbrook, California: Verdict Publications, 1980. (Review, "Evangelical Essentials And Adventist Distinctives" by Richard Rice appeared in Spectrum 13:1 (September 1982), 55–57)