When Kenneth Wood was appointed editor after the sudden death of F. D. Nichol, things in the office continued as usual. Wood embraced his editorship, making changes slowly as he became more settled into the job.
There were the usual changes that had happened in years past. The number of pages decreased from 32 to 24 as a cost-saving measure. There was experimentation with paper, with one reader noting the paper seemed duller than usual. Wood’s response to the sharp-eyed reader was that, indeed, they were looking for a whiter coated stock and experimenting with what worked best.
Wood added a column featuring older Adventists. When flooded with photos and biographies, editors limited it to only centenarians. This reflected a longtime goal of the Review that Wood continued to support—“to hold our senior citizens while at the same time adding thousands and thousands of younger families who each year join the church.”1
Letters to the editor remained a prominent feature, serving not only as a forum for members but helping to make them feel connected. “Sometimes we tend to think like Elijah: ‘I, even I only, am left . . .’ ” one reader wrote. “But in reading the letters from our fellow believers, we realize that God still has His thousands who have not bowed the knee to Baal and that others are also concerned about problems within the church and have the desire and determination to be ready when Jesus comes.”2
Stanborough Press in England merged with the Review and Herald Publishing Association (RHPA), prompting the idea to create a monthly world Review for countries with primarily English-speaking populations. Started in 1971, this new publication was edited by the Review editors but printed in England.3
The Review was used in other creative ways as well. In 1974 Robert H. Pierson, General Conference (GC) president, made an appeal for financial donations to build churches in southern India.4 The response was overwhelming, as demonstrated by a headline on the back page several weeks later in large bold type: “Don’t Send Any More, Thanks!” More than $200,000 was received in less than 50 days.5
A “Friendship Issue” to share with neighbors and non-Adventist friends was published in 1971 and again in 1978. A “Gift Issue,” with similar intent, was published in 1979. Intended as a Christmas gift, it had a specially commissioned cover by artist Elfred Lee of Mary with the infant Jesus. The entire issue was Christmas-themed, although published in October so subscribers could order more in advance of the upcoming holiday.6
A bigger change came in 1978. At a meeting of the World Council of Churches Kenneth Wood was given a name tag with his affiliation: Review and Herald. This apparently confused attendees thinking he represented two publications: the Review and the Herald. He then discovered that the Review in South America was titled Revista Adventista; in French, it was Revue Adventiste—in both cases, translated as Adventist Review. It made sense to Wood as well as to the board to change the name to Adventist Review, which it has remained to this day.7
With so many voices attacking our historical beliefs, the Review has taken upon itself the task of contending for the faith once delivered to the saints.
Growing Pains
As the Adventist Church entered the 1970s, church growth shifted the membership away from its North American roots. While the North American membership still carried most of the financial support (69 percent), they represented only 20 percent of the membership in 1978.8 American culture reflected a restless society that increasingly challenged authority, called for social justice and equal rights, and demonstrated individuality through self-expression. Some of these trends began to find expression in the church.
One response to the changing youth culture was to replace the Youth’s Instructor, the venerable 118-year-old Adventist publication, with Insight magazine, with young editors who will “tell it like it is and also as it should be!” When the new publication first arrived in Sabbath Schools with its modern layout and edgy topics, it surprised traditional Adventists.9
The Review, however, continued its black-and-white look, with some exceptions. While color had appeared occasionally, it was primarily advertising that showed the biggest difference. With the innovation of meat substitutes as a protein source, health food ads in color began to appear. Ads showed happy Adventist families dining on their “meat-flavored” food with descriptions of “smoked beef,” “fried chicken,” and “smoked turkey.” This terminology jarred many subscribers. Letters of complaint began to arrive in the editor’s office commenting on the food names, wording in the ads—one even expressing that a woman pictured wore too much lipstick. Editor Wood showed his sense of humor when he replied that perhaps she’d eaten her vegemeat with too much catsup.10 The editor offered to look at wording, but otherwise was not moved to make any changes. The advertising sales helped to fund occasional color covers, and the editor felt this benefit outweighed the previous policy of ads promoting only book sales. He did, however, receive a letter from GC president Pierson, who must have experienced one too many members commenting on the advertising. Pierson’s suggestion? Wood might put something in the Review asking members not to read the ads on Sabbath.11
Insight wasn’t the only magazine exploring hot topics. A subtle but important decision occurred that initially didn’t seem related to Review history. More young Adventists were opting to attend non-Adventist university graduate programs. Several met with church leaders about establishing an Adventist Student Association on a national level to allow for fellowship and to exchange academic thoughts and opinions from a Christian viewpoint. An exploratory committee chaired by Neal C. Wilson, then vice president of the North American Division, agreed to the creation of the Association of Adventist Forums.12 In 1969 the Association of Adventist Forums began publishing a quarterly journal, Spectrum. Though it may not have seemed significant at the time, it was for many members the first time they could read an alternate source of information about the church. The publication was independent and apart from the church, with freedom to publish viewpoints that may or may not have agreed with church leadership or mainstream Adventism. This development eventually resulted in more expressions of nonstandard perspectives than church leaders had imagined when they initially gave their blessing to the creation of the Association of Adventist Forums. Spectrum offered highly different, often critical views of church leaders and initiatives while the Review continued to speak authoritatively for the church.
Waves of Controversy
The late 1970s continued to pose challenges not only to church leaders but to the Review editor as well. The tension is palpable in editorial correspondence. Hot topics included: Black unions (the recommendation to place Black regional conferences under their own union structure); equal rights for women; the Adventist medical work (particularly as it related to building big business and the change from the denominational wage scale to a more competitive one); and a number of theological controversies, including righteousness by faith, Ellen G. White and her writings, the sanctuary, and the investigative judgment.
Readers began sending their concerns and inquiries to the Review editor. One close friend sent a letter her pastor had circulated around her local church. After detailing to her what he believed was at the center of much of the debate, Wood wrote, “The people who hold the same views as does your pastor consider that the Review is the spokesman for the opposite point of view.” He went on to write, “I want to keep my profile as low as possible in the present controversy.”13 This was not because he felt cowardly, uncommitted, or unable to respond to the debate, but because of the volley of opinions ranging from thoughtful to critical.
Wood reassured another member: “It confirms the impression that we have here, that is, that many of our people in the field would be somewhat discouraged were it not for the fact that the Review continues to adhere to well-established Adventist doctrine. By God’s grace we shall not be moved. . . . Please pray that we may have the wisdom we need in these bewildering, challenging times.”14
Letters to the editor had been up until this point answered directly by Wood himself. But more and more letters were now being answered by Eugene Durand, assistant to the editor, or his administrative assistant, Corinne Russ. Yet while they did the formatting, the core response was still from Wood. He read every letter and wrote responses in the margin. One response read like this: “We would like to plead innocent to the charge of toning down the message of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, for we feel that we are among the most faithful in the church in upholding this message. With so many voices attacking our historical beliefs, the Review has taken upon itself the task of contending for the faith once delivered to the saints.”15
One member had ongoing correspondence with Wood, with each letter increasing her disapproval of how the editor was handling the recent debate. She eventually wrote that she and her husband were canceling their subscription. “It is a black mystery why the hierarchy of the church opposes [names] and others who are giving the Good News of what Jesus did for us on the cross.” Wood’s responses were kind and direct and done personally. “The Review staff does not take its responsibilities lightly. It tries to be faithful to the Advent message and to be sensitive to the leadings of the Holy Spirit. It examines carefully every teaching that is being presented by various people throughout the church and is open to ‘new light.’ Our prayers are united with yours that the Review may continue to be the kind of blessing to the church that it has been throughout its 128-year history.”16
By July 1978 one can sense Wood growing weary as well as somewhat wary. In a long letter to GC president Pierson prior to yet another conference on the righteousness by faith issue, Kenneth Wood wrote of his deep concern over the current controversy. He requested that Pierson think about recording the upcoming conference to quell the false reports that would typically circulate afterward. Pierson responded: “I know the heavy burden that you carry and the concern that is yours, and I want to assure you that I carry a similar burden on my heart. I am anxious to have the Lord have His way in this discussion, and I believe that He is going to help us out.”17
Wood continued to maintain a high editorial standard. “The Review cannot stop publishing our special truths just because someone is challenging them,” he said in an interview with Insight. “In times of controversy we don’t give away the field and let people think that the church has no answer. The Review has a responsibility as the general church paper to provide our people with the kind of material they really need.”18 Later in his retirement he reported no regret. “I felt we were in a fierce battle between truth and error.” “I considered we were under siege, as it were—we were sort of keeping our finger in the dike, a defender of the faith. But I believe the church came through that period stronger than it was before.”19
1 To Ernest Lloyd, June 30, 1967.
2 From Mrs. Joe D. Griffin, Review and Herald, Dec. 24, 1970, p. 13.
3 Review and Herald, Nov. 26, 1970, p. 23.
4 Review and Herald, Jan. 9, 1975, p. 2.
5 Review and Herald, Mar. 20, 1975, p. 24.
6 Adventist Review, Sept. 13, 1979; Oct. 18, 1979.
7 Adventist Review, Jan. 5, 1978.
8 116th Statistical Report, General Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists, 1978, pp. 2, 3.
9 Review and Herald, May 14, 1970, pp. 31, 32.
10 Kenneth H. Wood to Mrs. F. E. Ingle, May 19, 1967.
11 Robert H. Pierson to Kenneth H. Wood, Feb. 6, 1967.
12 Review and Herald, Jan. 11, 1968, p. 21.
13 Kenneth H. Wood to Hazel Hines, Nov. 7, 1977.
14 Kenneth H. Wood to Mable H. Towery, Dec. 19, 1977.
15 Eugene Durand to Clarence T. Gegan, Mar. 15, 1978.
16 Kenneth H. Wood to Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Paulson, Nov. 30, 1978.
17 R. H. Pierson to K. H. Wood, Aug. 3, 1978.
18 “Interview With Kenneth H. Wood,” Insight, June 9, 1981, p. 5.
19 Sandra Blackmer, “The Life and Times of Kenneth H. Wood,” Adventist Review, Jan. 24, 2008, p. 8.