Noted Pastor William Loveless is Dead
By Adventist Today News Team
Monday morning (September 15) Dr. William A. Loveless passed away in Loma Linda, California. He was a noted, progressive leader in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination serving as senior pastor of two of the largest Adventist congregations; the 7,000-member University Church in Loma Linda and the 3,000-member Sligo Church on the campus of Washington Adventist University (WAU) in Takoma Park, Maryland.
Everywhere he went, Loveless initiated creative, new approaches for the Adventist movement. He started the Student Missionary program in 1959, one of the first inner city ministries (in Washington DC) in the 1960s, the first support groups for pastors while conference president in Pennsylvania in the 1970s and the first program for non-traditional students at an Adventist college in the 1980s. He was gifted at relating the Bible to contemporary life and co-hosted a television ministry in the capital of the United States for a number of years and more recently was part of the team that started the Loma Linda Broadcasting Network (LLBN).
Loveless believed that social justice was a fundamental part of the Adventist message and mission. In 1957 he challenged the church board at Sligo to end a policy refusing membership to people of color. In 1973 he was the first Adventist pastor to ordain a woman as local elder. In the last decade he was among the first to preside over the ordination of a woman as an Adventist pastor.
At the same time, reports Westwind, the alumni journal of Walla Walla University, where Loveless graduated with a degree in theology, there are many things that have been attributed to him which he did not do. “It is not true that Loveless once rode a motorcycle down the center aisle of a church service [and] it is not true that Loveless once levitated during a church workers’ meeting.”
“He did encourage and challenge an entire generation of progressive, creative leaders among Adventist ministers in North America,” stated Monte Sahlin, executive director of the Adventist Today Foundation. “I have lost count of the number of phone calls and Emails that I have received in the past 40 hours from men and women who tell me that Bill, as they know him, made a big difference in their lives, kept them dedicated to the Adventist mission and church.” Loveless is remembered for one particular rule that has warmed the hearts of many progressive Adventist leaders: “It is far easier to ask forgiveness than get permission.”
“Loveless was an extraordinary influence on this university,” Dr. Weymouth Spence, current president of WAU, told the Columbia Union Visitor. “Under his leadership, this university was among the first in the nation to launch an evening program designed to meet the needs of working adults. That program today is our School of Graduate and Professional Studies.”
Loveless led small congregations in the American northwest as a young man and then served as senior pastor of Sligo Church from 1957 to 1970, with many of the denomination’s top officials among the members. He was senior pastor of the University Church in Loma Linda from 1970 to 1976 and returned to serve another term from 1990 to 2000, a rare occurance in the Adventist denomination. He was president of the Pennsylvania Conference in 1976-78 and president of WAU in 1978-1990. After retiring in Loma Linda he continued on the faculty of the School of Religion and the School of Dentistry, and conducted a practice as a licensed marriage and family counselor.
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Edna Maye Loveless, a professor of English at La Sierra University, and their two daughters. Marti Olsen is a pastor’s wife and Marilynn Loveless is assistant professor of communications at WWU.
A memorial service will be held at the Loma Linda University Church on Sunday, September 28, at 2 p.m. It will be carried live on LLBN. The family has request that no one send flowers. Those who wish should make a contribution to one of Loveless’s three favorite ministries: Calexico Mission School, the School of Dentistry at LLU or LLBN.
A video documentary tribute to Loveless can be seen at www.llbn.tv.
My bad. The in-roads of spiritualism into the SDA church is the ‘omega apostasy’, not the Alpha.
About 21 years ago when starting the Spiritual Renaissance Retreat at the Hyatt in Monterey for “movers and shakers” Bill Loveless was tops on my list to get as a presenter. Thanks to the encouragement of Edna Maye they came and kept coming for 10 years. They either presented together or Bill alone. One year I convinced Bill to present on the topic,”Bill Loveless and How He Got That Way!” Twice he brought his “Loma Linda Musical Arts Ensemble” (jazz band) for Saturday night entertainment. He was always a hit and Joan and I became close friends with them and looked forward to our New Year’s in Monterey.
Why didn’t you publish my previous post that he was caught on tape teaching spiritualism at CUC?
The bible says we should ernstly contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints. However for the progressives, there is no absolute truth, no standard answers. The truth is progressing. There is nothing new or creative in the spiritual encounter that Bill taught. Mystercism has been practiced in the east for thousands of years.
DavidL, I find it sad that not even the death of a person and the grief of family and friends can stop you in distributing old accusations and slanders against Bill Loveless. He probably would have graciously smiled at your attack and doesn’t need to be defended (he certainly no longer can defend himself). However, for your sake I believe it is important to respond.
I wonder,
– whether you ever met him personally and discussed your concerns with him.
– what you might understand by a Christlike character (Rev. 12:10)
– last but not least … your understanding of spiritualism, as you seem to feel threatened even by the dead Bill Loveless…
No accusation or slander. Only the simple truth. The fact is that I have a video of Bill teaching spiritualism in CUC. The fact is that I have a written testimony of a former CUC student testifying that Bill trained her in spiritual encounter and she continues to struggle with demon possession.
I’ll be happy to provide these facts (video and written testimony) to anyone who is honestly curious. When you hear Bill’s voice telling the students to put away the bible, the great controversy, the desire of ages and to use the techniques from the spiritual exercise of Ignatius of Loyola and telling the students to empty their minds, relax their muscles, imagine the spirit pouring over from the top of the heads, any honest person would be sure to know what kind of spiritualism Bill had been teaching.
My first post was not published. I wrote I hope he repented his evil deeds. Will death absolve evil? Will God not judge the dead of his life time of sin and deception that led many to destruction?
“Spiritualism is a belief that spirits of the dead have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living.” (Wikipedia)
Dear Sir, you are suggesting Bill Loveless taught students to communicate with the dead. This IS, in fact, a quite outrageous accusation, as is the implied suggestion that Bill caused demon possession. You give him far too much power.
As to relaxation exercises, I am aware that there are differences of opinion. However, “Ignatian exercises” is something quite different.
“Will God not judge the dead of his life time of sin and deception that led many to destruction?” …. Well, I guess you and I are sinners. So was Bill. My understanding of the gospel is that we all are saved by grace alone.
Wishing you peace – and perhaps, if you can’t find peace over this issue, a good Christian counselor you trust.
Bill Loveless at one time was my pastor, and a man of God. DavidL is obviously something else.
The dead don’t communicate. It’s the spirits that communicate. As I stated previously I have on record of Bill teaching classic art of encountering with the spirits. I will fulfill the requests on these records.
Do some research of the spiritual formation. What’s the origin, what’s the typical practice…even Ted Wilson addressed it in his inaugural speech. Deceive not yourselves willingly.
“Stay away from non-biblical spiritual disciplines or methods of spiritual formation that are rooted in mysticism such as contemplative prayer, centering prayer, and the emerging church movement in which they are promoted.” —Ted Wilson
“Be not deceived; many will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. We have now before us the alpha of this danger. The omega will be of a most startling nature.” {1SM 197.4}