The Adventist church is being yanked into the late 20th century—a time of confusing contrasts. For example, across the country and in Adventism both theological sophistication and religious fundamentalism are simultaneously blossoming. The cover story of this issue of Adventist Today is the Orlando billboard evangelistic campaign, a signal manifestation of Adventist fundamentalism.

“Fundamentalism” is named after a Protestant movement in the early 20th century that emphasized the literal interpretation of the Bible as fundamental for Christian life. Although fundamentalism is often seen as a derogatory term, it can be merely descriptive; David Mould, the lay evangelist behind the Orlando campaign, in emphasizing a literal interpretation of The Great Controversy, is an unabashed Adventist fundamentalist (see Mould interview, p. 7).

Why are the official church and the large Florida (Adventist) Hospital doing their best to distance themselves from the Mould campaign? It appears that there is no articulated, substantive difference with Mould among national church leaders (see Dale interview, p. 9). Yet few Adventist pastors—or administrators—preach sermons which quote Ellen White’s pointed statements on the Catholic Church’s end-time activity. Most members are aware of this fact and many are gratified that this is the case; others are deeply troubled by the silence.

So what is the church to make of David Mould and his assertive campaign based on a literal reading of The Great Controversy?

The institutional church, even more conscious of its image after Waco, is embarrassed by the Orlando phenomenon, and it is apprehensive about Mould’s promised national campaign. The church’s thinkers are of two minds. Clifford Goldstein, a relatively recent convert who is a gifted writer for Liberty Magazine, appears to share Mould’s basic interpretative principles (see p. 10). On the other hand, Frank Knittel, a life-long Adventist who is now a professor and pastor, believes that The Great Controversy must be viewed as a dated, 19th century work (see p. 11).

Readers will decide the appropriateness of the Orlando campaign for themselves. The main story is written by journalist-pastor Jim Coffin, a Florida Conference minister in Orlando, who interviewed Mould at length. Concluding this special section, Paul Landa, a professor of church history at La Sierra University, lays out the extent of 19th century anti-Catholic sentiment (p. 12).

The second section in this issue of Adventist Today features litigation between the Arizona Conference and Adventist Health System/West (AHS/W) over ownership of proceeds from the sale of the Tempe Community Hospital. Editor Ray Cottrell has worked closely with President Frank Dupper’s office at AHS/W and with President Herman Bauman in Arizona to bring together this small cluster of articles. Each president has read the other’s essay.

In a shorter section, Larry Christoffel, associate pastor at the Campus Hill Church in Loma Linda, outlines recent developments concerning women’s ordination in the Southeastern California Conference. Gary Patterson, assistant to the president for the North American Division, responds to Pastor Christoffel’s article.

We are gratified with readers’ responses to the first issue of Adventist Today. At the printing of this second issue we have over 1200 subscribers. We have received over 60 letters to the editor on topics ranging from abortion to David Koresh to the introduction of Adventist Today—the latter topic getting the largest number of comments (90% favorable and 10% unfavorable). Some of these are included in this issue (p. 21, 22).

Keep the letters coming!