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"Miller Jones requests that you direct all commentary on this piece to him and that you leave his father alone."
The Church of God International and Herbert W Armstrong’s Legacy
The late Ian Boyne once wrote: “I am happy for the CGI, to which I belong, which retains the finest teachings of Herbert Armstrong without the dross and the excesses. I am NOT saying it is the only true church! For all GTA’s moral weaknesses and reprehensible personal behavior, he reformed a system without throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Ron Dart’s work in the CGI has also been invaluable in preserving an intellectually respectable brand of Armstrongism.”
This sentiment (that CGI has gotten rid of all of Herbie’s errors and kept the good stuff) is/was NOT peculiar to Ian Boyne. Indeed, similar comments have been posted here in relation to many of the things which I’ve posted over the years relative to that group. In fact, some commentators have even suggested that my refusal to acknowledge this “fact” is proof that I was never actually affiliated with the group (never mind the numerous articles written by me for The International News over the years). Hence, I thought that it would be instructive to take another look at this claim and see how it measures up to the reality on the ground.
First, I have always been willing to acknowledge that CGI made significant changes to Herbie’s teachings about church government. CGI should be applauded for its more enlightened views on the meaning of servant leadership, but it should also be noted that the group still occasionally practices censorship and disfellowshipping within its ranks. And, while folks like Ian Boyne rejected Anglo-Israelism, Pastor Bill Watson continues to incorporate it into his messages and insist that it is an integral part of the church’s teachings. Also, to be fair, CGI has abandoned some of Herbie’s bizarre notions about things like divorce, make-up, healing, and personal finances.
Nevertheless, I must dispute in the strongest terms available to me that CGI has retained “the finest teachings of Herbert Armstrong.” For instance, the group continues to maintain that Christians are obligated to keep many of the tenets of the Old Covenant (Sabbath, Holy Days, Tithing, Clean/Unclean Meats). Likewise, they have retained many of Herbie’s twisted notions about prophecy, the “incredible human potential,” the “world tomorrow,” angels, Binitarianism, the meaning of Holy Day symbolism, the “truth” as the marker of a real Christian, the “true” gospel and the rejection of all things “pagan.”
I can hear it now, “Well, what’s wrong with those things?” Unfortunately, the plain truth is that the Church of God International has retained MOST of the core doctrines/teachings of Herbert W Armstrong. Yes, a search of their website may not turn up any mention of the man, but his fingerprints are all over the teachings and traditions of the Church of God International – whether or not they’re willing to acknowledge it!
--Miller Jones
