God’s Messenger: Ellen G. White

Abstract

This chapter will explicate the life and major religious contributions of the founder of the largest new religion to emerge from the Americas. Seventh-day Adventism has surpassed Mormonism in number of adherents worldwide, but Ellen Harmon White is understudied by scholars and is almost unknown outside of Seventh-day Adventism. Specifically the chapter will trace White’s life by exploring both: (1) important formative events prior to and early in her prophetic career (especially her early religious seekership, personal conversion experience, attachment to the Millerite Millennial movement, participation in the Methodist “shout” tradition and subsequent expulsion from her congregation, early visionary experiences, and role in organizing the Seventh-day Adventist church); and (2) the evolution of Ellen White’s leadership—from competing with other visionaries (including other female visionaries) seeking to influence former Millerites, to a fledgling leader of a small new religion who played a primary role in settling disputes among male religious leaders, to a confident messenger of God who incorporated gender innovations in her messages. The chapter will consider her insistence that women participate fully in religious work in a variety of capacities, including in ministry, and as professionals and administrators in Adventist institutions, as well as her calls for men to participate more fully in the domestic realm. Ellen White’s voluminous writings continue to play a critical role in the movement today, and the chapter will conclude by considering the legacy of her thinking and writing about gender in the contemporary movement, including in the current debate about women’s ordination.