Clifford Goldstein
Encyclopedia
Clifford R. Goldstein is an American author and editor. He is a leading figure in the Seventh-day Adventist
denomination and espouses traditional Adventist beliefs.
, New York
in the United States
. He was raised a secular Jew
, but converted to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1980. He studied at Southern College (now Southern Adventist University
) and Wildwood. He received a B.A. from the University of Florida
.
He edited the journal Shabbat Shalom from 1984 till 1992. In the early 90s, Goldstein interpreted the end of the Cold War
as a new sign of the end of the world, with the end of the Soviet Union
as the end of "the most implacable barrier to Adventist eschatology." He was a popular apocalyptic writer in the church at this time.
In 1992 he received a M.A. in Ancient Northwest Semitic languages
from Johns Hopkins University
. He was the editor of Liberty magazine from 1992 till 1997. He became the editor of the Adventist Adult Sabbath School Lesson in 1999. He wrote the 2006 third quarter (July to September) edition, entitled The Gospel, 1844, and Judgment, which upheld the traditional views of the 1844 investigative judgment
and heavenly sanctuary
teachings.
Goldstein and his wife Kimberly have two children.
(ATS). However he has been described as one of the two "effective spokesmen for the ATS perspective", and "the most visible and vocal exponent of the ATS agenda".
He is known to espouse Historic Adventist beliefs, particularly in his claim that one cannot be an Adventist and a Evolutionist, a claim that some disagree with.
Touch Points tracts. http://www.rhpa.org/newproducts/product.pl?type=sku&sku=0828022623 http://www.rhpa.org/newproducts/product.pl?type=sku&sku=0828022607 http://www.rhpa.org/newproducts/product.pl?type=sku&sku=0828022496 http://www.rhpa.org/newproducts/product.pl?type=sku&sku=0828022585 http://www.rhpa.org/newproducts/product.pl?type=sku&sku=0828022615
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
denomination and espouses traditional Adventist beliefs.
Biography
Goldstein was born in AlbanyAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He was raised a secular Jew
Secular Jewish culture
Secular Jewish culture embraces several related phenomena; above all, it is the international culture of secular communities of Jewish people, but it can also include the cultural contributions of individuals who identify as secular Jews...
, but converted to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1980. He studied at Southern College (now Southern Adventist University
Southern Adventist University
Southern Adventist University is a college in Collegedale, Tennessee, owned and operated by the Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. U.S. News & World Report categorizes it as a Southern Regional College, and the magazine has consistently ranked it as one of the top-tier schools in...
) and Wildwood. He received a B.A. from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
.
He edited the journal Shabbat Shalom from 1984 till 1992. In the early 90s, Goldstein interpreted the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
as a new sign of the end of the world, with the end of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as the end of "the most implacable barrier to Adventist eschatology." He was a popular apocalyptic writer in the church at this time.
In 1992 he received a M.A. in Ancient Northwest Semitic languages
Northwest Semitic languages
The Northwest Semitic languages form a medium-level division of the Semitic language family. The languages of this group are spoken by approximately eight million people today. The group is generally divided into three branches: Ugaritic , Canaanite and Aramaic...
from Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
. He was the editor of Liberty magazine from 1992 till 1997. He became the editor of the Adventist Adult Sabbath School Lesson in 1999. He wrote the 2006 third quarter (July to September) edition, entitled The Gospel, 1844, and Judgment, which upheld the traditional views of the 1844 investigative judgment
Investigative judgment
The investigative judgment is a unique Seventh-day Adventist doctrine, which asserts that a divine judgment of professed Christians has been in progress since 1844. It is intimately related to the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and was described by the church's prophet and pioneer...
and heavenly sanctuary
Heavenly sanctuary
In Seventh-day Adventist theology, the heavenly sanctuary teaching asserts that many aspects of the Hebrew tabernacle or sanctuary are representative of heavenly realities. In particular, Jesus is regarded as a High Priest who provides cleansing for human sins by the sacrificial shedding of his...
teachings.
Goldstein and his wife Kimberly have two children.
Beliefs
According to Goldstein he has never been a member of the Adventist Theological SocietyAdventist Theological Society
The Adventist Theological Society is an international nonprofit organization of Seventh-day Adventist scholars and lay-people. The society holds its annual meeting in connection with the Evangelical Theological Society. It describes its theology as "balanced and conservative Adventist theology"...
(ATS). However he has been described as one of the two "effective spokesmen for the ATS perspective", and "the most visible and vocal exponent of the ATS agenda".
He is known to espouse Historic Adventist beliefs, particularly in his claim that one cannot be an Adventist and a Evolutionist, a claim that some disagree with.
Publications
- 1844 Made Simple (1989) (publisher's page)
- Best Seller (1990), republished as The Clifford Goldstein Story (1996) (publisher's page), an autobiography
- How Dare You Judge Us, God (1991)
- False Balances (1992)
- A Pause for Peace: What God's Gift of the Sabbath Can Mean to You (1992)
- The Day of the Dragon (1993) (publisher's page). Excerpt "The Hypocrisy of the Adventist Left" reprinted in Adventist TodayAdventist TodayAdventist Today is a bimonthly Christian magazine representing a progressive Seventh-day Adventist perspective. First published in 1993, it is currently edited by J. David Newman, the former editor of Ministry...
- The Remnant: Biblical Reality or Wishful Thinking? (1994) (publisher's page)
- Between the Lamb and the Lion (1995)
- One Nation Under God? (1996)
- Children of the Promise (1997) (publisher's page)
- Like a Fire in My Bones (1998)
- By His Stripes (1999)
- The Day Evil Dies (1999) (publisher's page)
- The Great Compromise (2001) (publisher's page)
- God, Gödel, and Grace: A Philosophy of Faith (2003) (publisher's page)
- Graffiti in the Holy of Holies (2004) (publisher's page). Chapter 5: "The Gospel and the Judgment" and Chapter 7: "The Gift of Prophecy" reprinted on the Adventist Review website
- The Mules That Angels Ride (2005) (publisher's page)
- Life Without Limits (publisher's pages: normal version, deluxe version)
Touch Points tracts. http://www.rhpa.org/newproducts/product.pl?type=sku&sku=0828022623 http://www.rhpa.org/newproducts/product.pl?type=sku&sku=0828022607 http://www.rhpa.org/newproducts/product.pl?type=sku&sku=0828022496 http://www.rhpa.org/newproducts/product.pl?type=sku&sku=0828022585 http://www.rhpa.org/newproducts/product.pl?type=sku&sku=0828022615
External links
- The Hypocrisy of the Adventist Left
- Articles by Goldstein as cataloged in the Seventh-day Adventist Periodical Index (SDAPI)