Glacier View controversy
Encyclopedia
In the Seventh-day Adventist Church
, the Sanctuary Review Committee was a group of biblical scholars and administrators which met to decide the church's response to theologian Desmond Ford
, who had challenged details of the church's "investigative judgment
" teaching. The meeting was held from 11–15 August 1980, at the Glacier View Ranch
, a church-owned spiritual retreat and conference centre in Colorado
, United States
. The event is referred to informally as "Glacier View". The outcome was Ford losing his job.
It was also the largest investment of money and time of church workers ever given to a doctrinal issue in Adventist history
. At the time, one scholar stated it was the most significant Adventist meeting of its type since the 1888 Minneapolis General Conference
Session. Ford's firing was a controversial and emotionally charged issue, and the church experienced the largest exit of teachers and ministers in its history. One modern commentator describes 'Glacier View' as "Adventist shorthand for pain, dissension and division".
doctrine has been criticized, in part or whole, by key figures in Adventism since the late nineteenth century. These figures include D. M. Canright
, A. F. Ballenger, W. W. Fletcher, W. W. Prescott
, Louis R. Conradi, L. E. Froom and Raymond Cottrell
. Many of these individuals ultimately left the Adventist church. Issues with the traditional Adventist interpretation of Daniel 8:14 were acknowledged by a number of North American theologians in the 1950s, with the result that a special committee was formed to discuss "problems in the book of Daniel".
In the 1970s, dissident Australia
n church member Robert Brinsmead
attempted to convince leading Adventist theologians Desmond Ford
and Edward Heppenstall
to write a refutation of it. Brinsmead said he hesitated "blasting this theology because I thought someone from within Adventism should do it." After Ford and Heppenstall declined his request, Brinsmead returned to Australia and wrote the critical work 1844 Re-Examined.
Desmond Ford, described by Time magazine as "a prominent Australian theologian", had been lecturing in theology at Avondale College
in Australia. However due to criticisms of his theology the church moved him to the United States
in 1977, where he began lecturing at Pacific Union College
.
On 27 October 1979 Ford delivered an address to the Association of Adventist Forums (now Adventist Forums
), held at Pacific Union College
, in which he outlined the major problems that he perceived with the doctrine. The speech was entitled, The Investigative Judgment: Theological Milestone or Historical Necessity?. Ford claims that he had been granted immunity to speak his views publicly at this conference. Even so, the church’s leadership responded by summoning Ford to a meeting of 111 theologians and church administrators to evaluate his views. Before the meeting, he was given 6 months of paid leave during which time he prepared a 991-page document entitled Daniel 8:14, the Day of Atonement, and the Investigative Judgment (which he later summarised in an article for Spectrum
). It is also known as the "Glacier View manuscript".
in Colorado from 11–15 August 1980. Ford presented his views to the Glacier View attendees as presented in his document. According to Time
, he "made the case that Ellen G. White
's 'sanctuary
' explication of 1844 no longer stood up in the light of the Bible, and that 'investigative judgment' undercut the whole basis of Protestantism: belief in salvation by God's grace apart from good works." His criticisms included,
The Glacier View meeting ultimately produced two consensus statements, entitled “Christ in the Heavenly Sanctuary” and “The Role of Ellen G. White in Doctrinal Matters.” In addition, a ten-point summary was formulated by six of the attendees, outlining the main points of difference between Ford’s positions and traditional Adventist teaching. One month after Glacier View, Ford's employment with the Adventist church was terminated, and his ministerial credentials revoked
. After counsel from the General Conference, the Australasian Division
withdrew "Ford's ministerial credentials, noting that this does not annul his ordination..."
Ford has claimed that Glacier View initially "produced a consensus statement that moved towards Dr. Ford's conclusions in seven out of ten of his major positions", but that by the conclusion of the meeting the church "reverted to their former traditional positions". Others have claimed that although theologians present at Glacier View sympathised with Ford's position, they were "intimidated into silence by ecclesiological pressure"; the Adventist church has denied this to be the case.
These events were well documented by the liberal/progressive Adventist journal Spectrum
in its November 1980 issue.
Ford has suggested that allegations of collusion with fellow controversial Australian figure Robert Brinsmead
were a part of the proceedings. According to one report, towards the end of the meetings "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." According to the report, "intense pressure brought to bear on Parmenter by a group of ultra-conservative members in Australia" added to the eventual dismissal of Ford from ministry. Ford would not denounce Brinsmead, who had "converted" from his perfectionist views. According to Ford, "John Brinsmead, brother of Robert, had evidently spun [then Australasian Division
president Keith] Parmenter the allegation that Ford and Robert Brinsmead were in cahoots and determined to bring the SDA church down." According to Ford, Parmenter had apparently accepted this "allegation without verification".
, which was based in Napa
, California
.
The Adventist church formed a committee called the "Daniel and Revelation Study Committee" in order to restudy the investigative judgment. This committee has produced a seven volume series, which is available from the Bookshop of the General Conference
's Biblical Research Institute
. The main contributing authors are William H. Shea and Frank B. Holbrook.
In June 1981 a group of Adventist theologians wrote a protest, "The Atlanta Affirmation".
According to Time in a 1982 article, the church soon obtained the resignation of 120 clergy and teachers who refused to support SDA teachings. This was presumably for their support of Ford's theology. Peter Ballis, professor of sociology at Monash University
and an ex-pastor himself, wrote the definitive study on the subject, Leaving the Adventist Ministry, which grew out of his doctoral studies. He found that 180 pastors left the Adventist ministry in Australia
and New Zealand
over the succeeding 8 years and calls it "the most rapid and massive exit of Adventist pastors in the movement’s 150-year history" (although he cautions that the fallout may have involved more than one factor). He claims the primary reason for exiting was not theology or personal reasons, but treatment by administrators. It is further speculated by Ford that a number of current ministers privately agree with Ford but refrain from speaking publicly on the issue for fear of losing their employment. Some in the Adventist church feel that the events of 1980 represent a major milestone in the theological development of the church, and that the effects of this controversy continue to be felt today.
The church news magazine Adventist Review received "many very angry letters" during the 1980s.
Ford opined in 2002 that when Edward Heppenstall
received the Glacier View manuscript, "he declared, 'The church will never be able to answer this,' and the last 22 years have proved him right."
In 2005, the Sydney
Adventist Forum held a seminar to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Glacier View meeting. Approximately 250 people attended. Two presentations were given by Desmond Ford, as well as a paper delivered by Arthur Patrick
, and a paper by Norm Young
was read (although he was not present).
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...
, the Sanctuary Review Committee was a group of biblical scholars and administrators which met to decide the church's response to theologian Desmond Ford
Desmond Ford
Desmond "Des" Ford is an evangelical Christian and an Australian theologian. He is the father of pornography gossip columnist Luke Ford....
, who had challenged details of the church's "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...
" teaching. The meeting was held from 11–15 August 1980, at the Glacier View Ranch
Glacier View Ranch
Glacier View Ranch is an alpine Christian retreat and conference centre located near Boulder, Colorado in the United States. During the summer holidays, it runs summer camps for children and teenagers in the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists...
, a church-owned spiritual retreat and conference centre in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The event is referred to informally as "Glacier View". The outcome was Ford losing his job.
It was also the largest investment of money and time of church workers ever given to a doctrinal issue in Adventist history
History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church had its roots in the Millerite movement of the 1830s and 1840s, during the period of the Second Great Awakening, and was officially founded in 1863. Prominent figures in the early church included Hiram Edson, James Springer White and his wife Ellen G. White, Joseph...
. At the time, one scholar stated it was the most significant Adventist meeting of its type since the 1888 Minneapolis General Conference
1888 Minneapolis General Conference
The 1888 Minneapolis General Conference Session was a meeting of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists held in Minneapolis, Minnesota in October of 1888. It is regarded as a landmark event in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Key participants were Alonzo T. Jones, Ellet J....
Session. Ford's firing was a controversial and emotionally charged issue, and the church experienced the largest exit of teachers and ministers in its history. One modern commentator describes 'Glacier View' as "Adventist shorthand for pain, dissension and division".
Background
The investigative judgmentInvestigative 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...
doctrine has been criticized, in part or whole, by key figures in Adventism since the late nineteenth century. These figures include D. M. Canright
D. M. Canright
Dudley Marvin Canright was a pastor in the Seventh-day Adventist Church for 22 years, who later left the church and became one of its severest critics...
, A. F. Ballenger, W. W. Fletcher, W. W. Prescott
W. W. Prescott
William Warren Prescott was an influential administrator, educator, and scholar in the early Seventh-day Adventist Church.- Biography :Prescott's parents were part of the Millerite movement.W. W...
, Louis R. Conradi, L. E. Froom and Raymond Cottrell
Raymond Cottrell
Raymond Forrest Cottrell was a respected Adventist theologian, missionary, teacher, writer and editor. He was an associate editor of both the Adventist Review and the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary...
. Many of these individuals ultimately left the Adventist church. Issues with the traditional Adventist interpretation of Daniel 8:14 were acknowledged by a number of North American theologians in the 1950s, with the result that a special committee was formed to discuss "problems in the book of Daniel".
In the 1970s, dissident Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n church member Robert Brinsmead
Robert Brinsmead
Robert Daniel "Bob" Brinsmead is a formerly controversial figure within the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the 1960s and 1970s, known for his diverse theological journey....
attempted to convince leading Adventist theologians Desmond Ford
Desmond Ford
Desmond "Des" Ford is an evangelical Christian and an Australian theologian. He is the father of pornography gossip columnist Luke Ford....
and Edward Heppenstall
Edward Heppenstall
Edward E. Heppenstall was a leading Bible scholar and theologian of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. A 1985 questionnaire of North American Adventist lecturers revealed Heppenstall was the Adventist writer who had most influenced them.- Biography :Heppenstall was born in 1901 at Rotherham,...
to write a refutation of it. Brinsmead said he hesitated "blasting this theology because I thought someone from within Adventism should do it." After Ford and Heppenstall declined his request, Brinsmead returned to Australia and wrote the critical work 1844 Re-Examined.
Desmond Ford, described by Time magazine as "a prominent Australian theologian", had been lecturing in theology at Avondale College
Avondale College
Avondale College of Higher Education is an Australian tertiary education provider affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Avondale College has two campuses, Lake Macquarie being the primary campus situated in Cooranbong, New South Wales...
in Australia. However due to criticisms of his theology the church moved him to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1977, where he began lecturing at Pacific Union College
Pacific Union College
Pacific Union College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Angwin, California, United States. It is the only four-year college in Napa County, California....
.
On 27 October 1979 Ford delivered an address to the Association of Adventist Forums (now Adventist Forums
Adventist Forums
Adventist Forums is an international non-profit organization of Seventh-day Adventists. It publishes Spectrum magazine. Its stated aim is to create community through open conversation. Local groups of the association are known as local forum chapters...
), held at Pacific Union College
Pacific Union College
Pacific Union College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Angwin, California, United States. It is the only four-year college in Napa County, California....
, in which he outlined the major problems that he perceived with the doctrine. The speech was entitled, The Investigative Judgment: Theological Milestone or Historical Necessity?. Ford claims that he had been granted immunity to speak his views publicly at this conference. Even so, the church’s leadership responded by summoning Ford to a meeting of 111 theologians and church administrators to evaluate his views. Before the meeting, he was given 6 months of paid leave during which time he prepared a 991-page document entitled Daniel 8:14, the Day of Atonement, and the Investigative Judgment (which he later summarised in an article for Spectrum
Spectrum (magazine)
Spectrum is the official publication of Adventist Forums, published four times a year. It was established "to encourage Seventh-day Adventist participation in the discussion of contemporary issues from a Christian viewpoint, to look without prejudice at all sides of a subject, to evaluate the...
). It is also known as the "Glacier View manuscript".
The Glacier View meeting
The "Sanctuary Review Committee" met at Glacier View Ranch near DenverDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
in Colorado from 11–15 August 1980. Ford presented his views to the Glacier View attendees as presented in his document. According to Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, he "made the case that Ellen G. White
Ellen G. White
Ellen Gould White was a prolific author and an American Christian pioneer. She, along with other Sabbatarian Adventist leaders, such as Joseph Bates and her husband James White, would form what is now known as the Seventh-day Adventist Church.Ellen White reported to her fellow believers her...
's '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...
' explication of 1844 no longer stood up in the light of the Bible, and that 'investigative judgment' undercut the whole basis of Protestantism: belief in salvation by God's grace apart from good works." His criticisms included,
- The "year-for-a-day" principleDay-year principleThe day-year principle, year-day principle or year-for-a-day principle is a method of interpretation of Bible prophecy in which the word day in apocalyptic prophecy is symbolic for a year of actual time. It is used principally by the historicist school of prophetic interpretation...
is an incorrect method for interpreting prophecy. (The 1844 date for the commencement of the judgment is thus invalidated.) - The prophecy of DanielBook of DanielThe Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...
chapter 8 is primarily concerned with events in the 2nd century BC (namely, the persecution of the Jews by the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes), and there is no contextual or linguistic support for linking it to the heavenly sanctuary. The "cleansing" in Daniel 8:14 relates to the removal of the desecration caused by the "little horn" (i.e. Antiochus Epiphanes); it has nothing to do with the sins of Christians. In fact, the Hebrew word translated "cleansed" in the KJV (sadaq) is different from the word used for "cleansing" (taher) in the book of LeviticusLeviticusThe Book of Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, and the third of five books of the Torah ....
in connection with the sanctuary; it is more accurately translated "vindicated" or "restored", as in most modern Bible versions. - The epistle to the HebrewsEpistle to the HebrewsThe Epistle to the Hebrews is one of the books in the New Testament. Its author is not known.The primary purpose of the Letter to the Hebrews is to exhort Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. The central thought of the entire Epistle is the doctrine of the Person of Christ and his...
teaches that the Day of Atonement was fulfilled by the death of Jesus on the cross. In particular, Hebrews 6:19, 9:12 and 10:19-20 teach that Jesus entered into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary immediately after his ascension, not 1800 years later. Hebrews thus contradicts the traditional Adventist idea of a two-stage heavenly ministry of Christ.
The Glacier View meeting ultimately produced two consensus statements, entitled “Christ in the Heavenly Sanctuary” and “The Role of Ellen G. White in Doctrinal Matters.” In addition, a ten-point summary was formulated by six of the attendees, outlining the main points of difference between Ford’s positions and traditional Adventist teaching. One month after Glacier View, Ford's employment with the Adventist church was terminated, and his ministerial credentials revoked
Defrocking
To defrock, unfrock, or laicize ministers or priests is to remove their rights to exercise the functions of the ordained ministry. This may be due to criminal convictions, disciplinary matters, or disagreements over doctrine or dogma...
. After counsel from the General Conference, the Australasian Division
South Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific, , is formally organised as the South Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists , also abbreviated as the South Pacific Division or simply "the Division". It is one of 13 world divisions of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in...
withdrew "Ford's ministerial credentials, noting that this does not annul his ordination..."
Ford has claimed that Glacier View initially "produced a consensus statement that moved towards Dr. Ford's conclusions in seven out of ten of his major positions", but that by the conclusion of the meeting the church "reverted to their former traditional positions". Others have claimed that although theologians present at Glacier View sympathised with Ford's position, they were "intimidated into silence by ecclesiological pressure"; the Adventist church has denied this to be the case.
These events were well documented by the liberal/progressive Adventist journal Spectrum
Spectrum (magazine)
Spectrum is the official publication of Adventist Forums, published four times a year. It was established "to encourage Seventh-day Adventist participation in the discussion of contemporary issues from a Christian viewpoint, to look without prejudice at all sides of a subject, to evaluate the...
in its November 1980 issue.
- "Ford [later] recalled the moment Raymond CottrellRaymond CottrellRaymond Forrest Cottrell was a respected Adventist theologian, missionary, teacher, writer and editor. He was an associate editor of both the Adventist Review and the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary...
came to him at Glacier View and with some foreboding said, 'Des, the administrators have not read your manuscript.' Cottrell may have overstated the case but it was a disturbing observation."
Ford has suggested that allegations of collusion with fellow controversial Australian figure Robert Brinsmead
Robert Brinsmead
Robert Daniel "Bob" Brinsmead is a formerly controversial figure within the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the 1960s and 1970s, known for his diverse theological journey....
were a part of the proceedings. According to one report, towards the end of the meetings "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." According to the report, "intense pressure brought to bear on Parmenter by a group of ultra-conservative members in Australia" added to the eventual dismissal of Ford from ministry. Ford would not denounce Brinsmead, who had "converted" from his perfectionist views. According to Ford, "John Brinsmead, brother of Robert, had evidently spun [then Australasian Division
South Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific, , is formally organised as the South Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists , also abbreviated as the South Pacific Division or simply "the Division". It is one of 13 world divisions of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in...
president Keith] Parmenter the allegation that Ford and Robert Brinsmead were in cahoots and determined to bring the SDA church down." According to Ford, Parmenter had apparently accepted this "allegation without verification".
Consultation I
A number of delegates and others met on the evening of August 15, a meeting which came to be known as "Consultation I".Consultation II
From September 30 to October 3, scholars met with church leaders in Washington, D.C. for "Consultation II".Aftermath and legacy
Following Glacier View, Ford ultimately formed his own ministry Good News Unlimited. It also led to the founding of the "dissident bimonthly" EvangelicaEvangelica
Evangelica was a magazine started in 1980 following the controversial dismissal of Seventh-day Adventist theologian Desmond Ford. It was published until 1987, and had an "Evangelical Adventist" perspective.It has .- History :...
, which was based in Napa
Napa, California
-History:The name Napa was probably derived from the name given to a southern Nappan village whose people shared the area with elk, deer, grizzlies and cougars for many centuries, according to Napa historian Kami Santiago. At the time of the first recorded exploration into Napa Valley in 1823, the...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
The Adventist church formed a committee called the "Daniel and Revelation Study Committee" in order to restudy the investigative judgment. This committee has produced a seven volume series, which is available from the Bookshop of the General Conference
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is the governing organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is located in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, where it moved in 1989...
's Biblical Research Institute
Biblical Research Institute
The Biblical Research Institute is a service department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with the three stated functions of research, apologetics , and service to the church. It serves as a theological consultant to the General Conference...
. The main contributing authors are William H. Shea and Frank B. Holbrook.
In June 1981 a group of Adventist theologians wrote a protest, "The Atlanta Affirmation".
According to Time in a 1982 article, the church soon obtained the resignation of 120 clergy and teachers who refused to support SDA teachings. This was presumably for their support of Ford's theology. Peter Ballis, professor of sociology at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
and an ex-pastor himself, wrote the definitive study on the subject, Leaving the Adventist Ministry, which grew out of his doctoral studies. He found that 180 pastors left the Adventist ministry in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
over the succeeding 8 years and calls it "the most rapid and massive exit of Adventist pastors in the movement’s 150-year history" (although he cautions that the fallout may have involved more than one factor). He claims the primary reason for exiting was not theology or personal reasons, but treatment by administrators. It is further speculated by Ford that a number of current ministers privately agree with Ford but refrain from speaking publicly on the issue for fear of losing their employment. Some in the Adventist church feel that the events of 1980 represent a major milestone in the theological development of the church, and that the effects of this controversy continue to be felt today.
The church news magazine Adventist Review received "many very angry letters" during the 1980s.
Ford opined in 2002 that when Edward Heppenstall
Edward Heppenstall
Edward E. Heppenstall was a leading Bible scholar and theologian of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. A 1985 questionnaire of North American Adventist lecturers revealed Heppenstall was the Adventist writer who had most influenced them.- Biography :Heppenstall was born in 1901 at Rotherham,...
received the Glacier View manuscript, "he declared, 'The church will never be able to answer this,' and the last 22 years have proved him right."
In 2005, the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
Adventist Forum held a seminar to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Glacier View meeting. Approximately 250 people attended. Two presentations were given by Desmond Ford, as well as a paper delivered by Arthur Patrick
Arthur Patrick
Arthur Nelson Patrick is a Seventh-day Adventist theologian and historian. He is an honorary senior research fellow at Avondale College in New South Wales, Australia...
, and a paper by Norm Young
Norm Young
Norman Hugh Young is a Seventh-day AdventistChristian theologian and New Testament scholar. He recently retired as senior lecturer at Avondale College in Australia.- Biography :...
was read (although he was not present).