Category Archives: Church of God

White Paper: The Theology of Authority and the Continuing Lessons of the UCG–COGWA Division

Posted on October 20, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The separation between the United Church of God (UCG) and the Church of God, a Worldwide Association (COGWA) in 2010 was not primarily a doctrinal dispute over Sabbath observance, holy days, or the gospel—it was a conflict over … Continue reading →

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White Paper: A Typology of Issues That Threaten the Unity of Churches

Posted on October 17, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Church unity has long been a central theme in Christian theology and ecclesiology, rooted in Christ’s prayer “that they may be one” (John 17:21). Yet, churches across history and denominations face recurring threats to their internal and external … Continue reading →

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White Paper: A Typology of Factors Distinguishing Zero-Sum and Win-Win Endeavors

Posted on October 16, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary This paper develops a typology of structural, moral, and systemic factors that allow observers, policymakers, and organizations to distinguish between zero-sum and win-win endeavors. Whereas zero-sum frameworks assume that one party’s gain necessitates another’s loss, win-win systems seek … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Importance of Teaching What the Bible Says from the Pulpit and Avoiding Personal Speculation as an Abuse of the Power of the Pulpit

Posted on October 14, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The pulpit occupies a sacred trust within the community of faith. It is not a platform for personal speculation or philosophical display, but a solemn charge to communicate the Word of God faithfully. This white paper examines the … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Typology of Inherited Trauma in the Successor Churches of the Worldwide Church of God

Posted on October 13, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The breakup of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) following Herbert W. Armstrong’s death in 1986 represents one of the most profound institutional and psychological crises in modern religious history. The massive doctrinal, organizational, and emotional dislocations that … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Receivership Crisis of the 1970s and the Worldwide Church of God: A Study in Religious Governance, Civil Authority, and Institutional Autonomy

Posted on October 13, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The receivership crisis that engulfed the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) in the late 1970s stands as one of the most consequential church-state confrontations in modern American religious history. Sparked by allegations of financial impropriety and institutional mismanagement, … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Designing a Justice System for a Church or Community Based on Exodus 18 and 1 Corinthians 6

Posted on October 12, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary This white paper proposes a biblically grounded framework for a church or faith-based community justice system modeled on Exodus 18—where Moses appoints capable men to judge smaller matters—and 1 Corinthians 6, where Paul commands believers to resolve disputes … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Uriah the Prophet—A Biblical Case Study in Faithful Witness and Its Contemporary Parallels

Posted on October 12, 2025 by nathanalbright

I. Introduction The figure of Uriah son of Shemaiah emerges briefly but powerfully in the Book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:20–23). Though his role occupies only a few verses, his life and death mirror those of Jeremiah himself—revealing a profound theological … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Pacifism and the Law of the Thief: A Biblicist Contrast

Posted on October 12, 2025 by nathanalbright

Abstract This white paper examines the contrast between Christian pacifism and the biblical principle that “the thief has no blood” (Exodus 22:2), which permits lethal defense of life and property under certain circumstances. From a biblicist perspective—one seeking direct correspondence … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Dynamics and Policy Implications of Locked Religious Councils

Posted on October 11, 2025 by nathanalbright

Abstract This paper examines the practice—found across history and faith traditions—of religious councils being sequestered or “locked in” until a unanimous or majority consensus is reached on doctrinal or disciplinary matters. Such procedures, whether literal or symbolic, aim to ensure … Continue reading →

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