Did Roderick C. Meredith Really Make 26 Doctrinal Changes?

by COGwriter

Similar to Herbert W. Armstrong, there is so much misinformation floating about concerning Roderick C. Meredith (RCM), it is no doubt that it has prevented some from seeing the truth about him and the Living Church of God (LCG). This article is intended to tell the truth about an article on the internet titled, "A CRITIQUE OF DR MEREDITH’S DOCTRINAL CHANGES AS PER THE LIST GIVEN BY DAVID PACK by Roger Waite" (all CAPs in this article are his, other than my abbreviations) which was done several years ago.

One will note that he claims this list came from David Pack (I do not know if that is true, but suspect it is based upon other claims from RCG) and that he actually does not know if they occurred. He also said the reader needs to see if they are true. Now the list and article itself are rather old, but was is still on-line (at a UCG member's website until early 2006).

So, my article will deal with each one of them. And will contain the truth about each one of them. All of the alleged 26 changes which David Pack supposedly charged RC Meredith with making are bolded as was found in R. Waite's assessment of them (note: Roger Waite is not a supporter of LCG).

Alleged Change 1) MR ARMSTRONG WAS NOT THE ELIJAH TO COME.

Herbert W. Armstrong did an Elijah-like work" (Meredith, Roderick C. Special Announcements. Videotape 30. May 8, 1999).

From a biblical point of view, the Elijah question is not a major issue...I am not that Elijah...It will probably be a younger, better looking, man...Herbert Armstrong died over fifteen years ago...Malachi 4 teaches...vs. 5, 'Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD'... Mr. Armstrong himself went back and forth on this issue...Elijah may be one of the two witnesses. He (Herbert Armstrong) told Dibar Apartian that he (Mr. Armstrong) was not the Elijah...He (Mr. Armstrong) did not change any major doctrines, such as the Sabbath...but did change positions on other matters...Our policy and practice in the Living Church of God is to honor Herbert W. Armstrong as a teacher, minister, and as an Apostle...,raising up an era of the Church...The greatest minister, perhaps, in the past 1800 years...Mr. Armstrong certainly did do the greatest work in radio, television, and all that...We feel he did an Elijah-like work...We are to follow him as he followed Christ...I feel that the Living Church of God is carrying on the teachings and practices, that is religious not personal practices, of Herbert Armstrong more than any other group on earth...He could have been the Elijah to come, but I don't think we should be dogmatic and appoint him...They (the two witnesses) have power to shut up heaven, like the original Elijah did...These two men are a definite type of Elijah and Moses. And one of them may be the end-time Elijah (Meredith, Roderick C. The Elijah Question. VTE 131, May 19, 2001).

Here is an interesting quote from Herbert Armstrong on this subject,

Also Malachi 4:5-6 pictures the Elijah to come at the very end of the Church age (Mystery of the Ages. 1985, p. 349).

All should understand that since the Church age has not ended, that HWA's own writings are completely consistent with RCM's position on this matter. It also should be understood that HWA admitted to Aaron Dean that there could be a future Elijah to come after HWA died (this and more information is in the article The Elijah Heresies).

Roger Waite correctly wrote,

In sermons and articles Dr Meredith has clearly shown that he doesn’t believe in the trinity doctrine and that the God Family presently only composes two members – God the Father and Jesus Christ and that the Holy Spirit is the power and mind of God.

Specifically, LCG's Official Statement of Fundamental Beliefs says,

Scripture shows that God is a divine Family which began with two, God the Father and the Word (Genesis 1:26; Ephesians 2:19; 3:15; Hebrews 2:10–11)...THE HOLY SPIRIT God is Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the very essence, the mind, life and power of God. It is not a Being. The Spirit is inherent in the Father and the Son, and emanates from Them throughout the entire universe (1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 139:7; Jeremiah 23:24). It was through the Spirit that God created all things (Genesis 1:1–2; Revelation 4:11). It is the power by which Christ maintains the universe (Hebrews 1:2–3). It is given to all who repent of their sins and are baptized (Acts 2:38–39) and is the power (Acts 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:6–7) by which all believers may be “overcomers” (Romans 8:37, KJV; Revelation 2:26–27) and will be led to eternal life." (Statement, March 2004).

This is partially correct, but not quite. What RCM teaches is that the Key of David in Revelation 3:7 includes the knowledge of the identity of Ephraim and Mannaseh and is also related to government.

This latter statement is consistent with Isaiah 22:21-22,

And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

Since the matter of government is so hotly debated in COG circles these days, perhaps this would be a good time to quote LCG's Official Statement of Fundamental Beliefs in its entirety on this matter,

GOD’S FORM OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT The Father is supreme in authority, and His Son Jesus Christ is under Him in rank and authority (John 14:28). The “head [leader] of Christ is God [the Father]” (1 Corinthians 11:3), and “Christ is the Head of the Church” (Ephesians 5:23). God governs with love, and continues this pattern throughout His Church. Under the Father and under His Son, Jesus Christ, are “[1] apostles, [2] prophets, [3] evangelists, [4] pastors and [5] teachers” (Ephesians 4:11). God’s way of governing has always been government from the top down (Exodus 18:21–26). Jesus taught “Servant Leadership” by His Word and example (Matthew 20:25–28). He said, “You know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (KJV) (Statement, March 2004).

Roger Waite correctly writes,

We are dealing in pure semantics here as all of us, including Dr Meredith, are in agreement as to what those resurrection stages are.

Roger Waite correctly wrote,

Dr Meredith shared his belief on this point with us on page 17 of the original Church Government and Church Unity booklet....Mr Armstrong on pages 215 and 216 of Mystery of the Ages stated that God’s church is called Jerusalem above "which is the mother of us all" and that the church nourishes the begotten but as yet unborn children (by teaching from the Bible by the ministry) in its spiritual womb and protecting it from being "tossed and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine".

Here is what RCM has written on that matter,

While I did write the two booklets you referred to, they were edited and to some degree did not convey what I intended. My intent was not to state that in no sense was the Church our Spiritual mother, it was to explain to those then affiliated with the Worldwide Church of God why I felt that the Worldwide Church of God was not our Spiritual mother (Email to ABerkey, April 2003).

Also notice two statements that RCM publicly preached:

...God's Church, which is the mother of us all (Meredith RC. A Welcoming Church. LCG Sermon, Charlotte, NC, July 2006).

The Church is the mother of us all (Meredith RC. Fasting a Powerful Tool. LCG Sermon, Charlotte, NC, July 7, 2007).

Hence, I do not believe that this can at all be considered a change.

Alleged Change 6) CHRIST IS THE TERMINATION OF THE LAW.

Roger Waite correctly writes about RCM,

He has clearly taught that we are required to still keep the law and so this is statement from his Romans 10 sermon is probably a semantic slip-up.

Again from LCG's Official Statement of Fundamental Beliefs,

THE LAW OF GOD God’s basic spiritual law is summed up in the “Ten Commandments” (Exodus 20:1–17; Deuteronomy 4:13; 10:4). In the “Sermon on the Mount” and elsewhere, Jesus magnified God’s law (Matthew chapters 5–7; Isaiah 42:21), showing His followers that they must obey both the letter and the “spirit.” “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12). It is practicing this way of life—through Christ living in us (Galatians 2:20)—that makes one a true “saint” (Revelation 14:12) (Statement, March 2004).

Roger Waite correctly wrote,

In a 1995 sermon entitled "What is Jesus Christ Doing Now?" Dr Meredith stated that though our main prayers should be directed to the Father there are times when we can pray directly to Jesus Christ citing Stephen’s prayer before he was stoned as proof when Steven said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit…Lord, do not charge them with this sin"(Acts 7:59-60).

Furthermore, this was HWA's position. In a sermon, HWA made the statement,

"You can pray directly to Jesus Christ"

The soundclip is on the net, and if I relocate it (I listened to it several years ago when this so-called change was making the rounds), I will attempt to link it here.

Also, in the May 1960 Good News article titled "Should We Pray To God, Or Only To Christ?" On page 8 HWA states,

"WE DO, WE MAY, WE SHOULD, ALSO PRAY TO JESUS CHRIST!"

Thus this is not a change.

Alleged Change 8) OPEN DOOR POLICY.

Roger Waite correctly states,

I used to have a photocopy from a Ministerial Journal that stated that Global’s official policy here was that anyone was allowed to come to services as long as they came to worship peacefully. Only if they began to cause mischief would a minister become involved to sort out any problems or ask them not to attend, if need be...1 Corinthians 14:23-24 says, "If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all." I would gather from those two verses that the early church there at Corinth did have an open-door policy and dealt with problems as they occurred.

Alleged Change 9) CHURCH GROUPS ARE BRANCHES OF THE CHURCH.

Roger Waite writes,

A possible implication from using the term branches is that they are all a part of the church since they are connected as branches and that God...That is only an implication of the term, not necessarily the intent of it. Biblically speaking, Christ is "the vine" and we are "the branches"(John 15:5) – individual members not church organizations.

While what I have quoted from Roger Waite is to some degree true, it is also true that different organizations could also be described as branches (presuming that they are truly part of God's Church). David Pack, who allegedly came up with this list calls the various groups 'splinters' which, though less kind perhaps, is making the same point--there are different COG groups at this time. Thus, I do not see a doctrinal change here.

Roger Waite writes,

Under Mr Armstrong we forbade men wearing earrings under the principle of men not wearing anything that pertains to a woman(Deut.22:5) and because it was a cultural sign of rebellion. It has now become culturally acceptable for men to wear earrings.

Roger Waite writes,

According to Mr Pack, Dr Meredith has said this periodically in sermons.

LCG's Official Statement of Fundamental Beliefs states,

GOD’S SABBATH: The Word of God reveals that “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord” (Exodus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5:14). It is to be observed from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. It is God’s “sign” between Him and His faithful people—picturing God’s “rest” and reminding us that He is the Creator. It also pictures the Millennium—the coming one thousand- year “rest” when Christ returns as King of kings (Hebrews 4:1-4; Revelation 20:4-6). Jesus Christ, the Apostles, and the early Church always observed God’s commanded Sabbath, (Luke 4:16; Acts 17:2), and it will be observed by “all flesh” during Christ’s coming millennial rule over the earth (Isaiah 66:23). SIN—AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: “Sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4).

Roger Waite writes,

Paul plainly says that it is a shame for a man to have long hair (1 Cor.11:14) and that a woman’s head should be covered and not shorn(1 Cor.11:6). "A woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels"(1 Cor.11:10).

That is RCM and LCG's position, thus there is no change here either. The only issue that David Pack MIGHT be referring to is that in LCG we do not believe that the first few times someone from outside our fellowship visits with us that we need to make an issue of items such as hair length. But again, that is consistent with the practices and the teachings of HWA's WCG.

Perhaps the following passage may better explain why LCG acts as it does, while RCG apparently condemns us:

But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless (Matthew 12:7).

Roger Waite writes,

1 Corinthians 7:14 says that all of our children, even those with one converted parent, are holy – they are set apart for God. If they are set apart for God then surely they are at least called to that partial understanding. It is up to them to respond and if they do then God can choose them and work with them towards baptism and being a part of His family.

I have never heard RCM make the statement attributed to him as 13 above, and he told me he does agree with with I Cornithians 7:14 and that children in the church as set apart and called by God.

Roger Waite correctly writes,

In the October 28, 1996 "In Transition" Dr Meredith was quoted as saying, "we discourage interracial dating and marriage NOT as a capital sin, but as something that brings a great deal of trouble, frustration, unhappiness and sorrow". He says interracial marriage is not a sin...There is no specific command that says "thou shalt not marry someone of a different race" in the Bible. You can look from Genesis to Revelation and you will not find one. There are many scriptures where God forbade Israel from marrying Gentiles but those commands are primarily religious in nature to prevent them from straying from God’s ways.

Roger Waite writes,

Someone who teaches high morals but blatantly does not practice what he preaches by living like a hypocrite is essentially a heretic even if he is doing the Work and his verbal teaching is spot on. We teach by our example and if our example is hypocrisy then we are teaching heresy. The reader can seek the facts and make his or her own judgment on whether Dr Meredith is guilty of this type of heresy.

Notice that he never once makes a specific accusation. If Roger Waite (or David Pack who apparently came up with this list) believes that RCM is guilty of something, he should state of what. This type of beating around the bush is simply consistent with being an accuser of the brethren. I am unaware of any negative lifestyle change that RCM had period. Furthermore, this would need to be a change between after David Pack first came to Global and occured no later than around the time of his departure--there simply is nothing to point to here as a change.

There have been general articles written by women in the church magazines.

Roger Waite correctly writes,

Dr Meredith kept his wife on the Board up until September 1998 and she only came off the Board after much persuasion by the other board members.

That is not LCG's position. Actually, here is LCG's position on Passover service attendance and footwashing,

Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread Undoubtedly everyone is now fully engaged in preparation for the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread. With that in mind, I thought it would be helpful to cover a few Passover matters discussed at past Council of Elders conferences. It was reiterated, and all agreed, that only baptized members should participate in the Passover service, including the foot-washing. The foot-washing, the bread and the wine all go together and are all connected to the deep meaning of the Passover. Therefore, only baptized members of the Church, who have examined themselves and are prepared, should take part. The question of unbaptized members attending the Passover, just to observe, was discussed as well. The conclusion was that this should not be done except for the rare exception. In such cases, it is left up to the Church pastor's discretion to make that decision, keeping in mind the quietness and privacy of this most important occasion (Bryce C. World Ahead Weekly Update, March 11, 2004).

There is no change in position between LCG and the old WCG on this subject. Someone asked RCM once about new moons and why we do not observe them and I believe he indicated that the person may have had a point, but once he looked into it, decided that the traditional COG position on this did not need to change.

The fact that RCM may have wanted to look into the subject, does not make that a doctrinal change. I have also looked into it and concur with the old WCG's and the current LCG's position.

Roger Waite reports,

Mr Pack tells us that ALL doctrine must come through an apostle.

I do not think that is an entirely accurate statement of David Pack's original position, but that is not the point. The Bible teaches,

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (II Timothy 3:16).

Alleged Change 23) BIRTHDAYS CELEBRATIONS ARE ALLOWABLE.

This is not RCM's position:

You don't observe Christ's birth. You're not supposed to have some big birthday party either to observe personal birthdays...Some people have accused me of observing birthdays...I do not observe birthdays and I have never had a birthday party for myself or any of my six children nor my wife or anyone else for over 51 years (Meredith, Roderick C. Faith for Healing. AUE 123, 3/31/01).

Originally the idea [of birthday greetings and wishes for happiness] was rooted in magic. The working of spells for good and evil is the chief usage of witchcraft. One is especially susceptible to such spells on his birthday, as one’s personal spirits are about at that time. Dreams dreamed on the birthday eve should be remembered, for they are predictions of the future brought by the guardian spirits which hover over one’s bed on the birthday eve. Birthday greetings have power for good or ill because one is closer to the spirit world on this day. Good wishes bring good fortune, but the reverse is also true, so one should avoid enemies on one’s birthday and be surrounded only by well-wishers. ‘Happy birthday’ and ‘Many happy returns of the day’ are the traditional greetings” (The Lore of Birthdays, Linton, p. 20). “Birthdays are the times when good and evil spirits have the opportunity to attack the celebrants who at these times are in peril.” What is done to counter these malevolent spirits? “The presence of friends and the expression of good wishes help to protect the celebrant against the unknown pervasive peril” (Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend, p. 144). The giving of birthday gifts is a custom associated with the offering of sacrifices to pagan gods on their birthdays. Certainly the custom was linked with the same superstitions that formed the background for birthday greetings. “The exchange of presents… is associated with the importance of ingratiating good and evil fairies… on their or our birthdays” (ibid.). The traditional birthday cake and candles also have their origin in ancient pagan idol worship. The ancients believed that the fire of candles had magical properties. They offered prayers and made wishes to be carried to the gods on the flames of the candles. Thus we still have the widely practiced birthday custom of making a wish, then blowing out the candles. The Greeks celebrated the birthday of their moon goddess, Artemis, with cakes adorned each month and day is sacred; and found out from the day of a man’s birth, what he will meet with in the course of his life, and how he will end his days, and what sort of man he will be” (Herodotus, Persian Wars, Book II, ch. 82). Since it was believed that the positions of the stars at the time of birth influenced a child’s future, astrological horoscopes came into being, purporting to foretell the future, based on the time of birth. “Birthdays are intimately linked with the stars, since without the calendar, no one could tell when to celebrate his birthday. They are also indebted to the stars in another way, for in early days the chief importance of birthday records was to enable the astrologers to chart horoscopes” (The Lore of Birthdays, p. 53). Rawlinson’s translation of Herodotus includes the following footnote: “Horoscopes were of very early use in Egypt… and Cicero speaks of the Egyptians and Chaldees predicting… a man’s destiny at his birth"...When we examine the principles of God’s law closely, as they relate to birthday celebrations, we can understand why neither Christ, nor His Apostles, nor their true followers, observed their birthdays. As noted earlier, the practice has its origin in idolatry and the worship of the sun, moon and stars...Some may view birthday customs as purely secular, lacking any religious significance. Yet we need to be aware of the broader perspective of their origins, and the religious significance they have had—and still have—for vast multitudes of people. (Reynolds, Rod. Should Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Living Church News, May-June 2002. pp.16-18).

An article of related interest may be Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays?

Alleged Change 24) THIRD TITHE TO BE DONE AWAY.

Roger Waite writes,

According to Mr Pack, Dr Meredith made the comment in one council of elders that maybe Global should do away with third tithe like United.

"And at the end of every third year you shall bring out a tithe of your produce of that year and store it within your gates" Deuteronomy 14:28)...the third tithe year traditionally begins and ends after the Feast of Tabernacles in the third and sixth year of a seven-year time cycle. "When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year--the year of tithing--and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled, then shall you say before the LORD your God: 'I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which you have commanded me: I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them'"(Deuteronomy 26:12-13). Notice that God calls this tithe a "holy tithe"...God places great importance on this tithe because He sets it apart for sacred use (Ehman, Gary F. The Blessings of Third Tithe. Living Church News. Nov-Dec 1999; p. 10).

Roger Waite writes,

Dr Meredith stated in his initial crisis letter: "Increasingly, our meetings have become more like a ‘debating society.’ Each ‘side’ has to divide up their constituents and propagandize them before a ‘vote’ is taken on key issues. That is worldly...We will NEVER learn to faithfully practice God's form of Government if this continues! Frankly, brethren, since I was ‘out voted’ anyway, I tried for a while to cooperate and go along with this system for the sake of UNITY in God's Church. Now I see that I was WRONG. I should NOT have gone along with this ‘democratic’ approach even for the sake of unity. "This ‘political’ approach to government is NEVER advocated in the Bible. It is NOT working because it is not God's way, and it breeds chaos and confusion. I have not wanted to fight. But now, I am being forced to fight for the Truth-for God's form of Church Government and for us to have the zeal to finish the Work! Some of these men on the Board want to ‘politicize’ this Church and make it like the human governments of this world. Brethren, these carnal practices must cease within the body of Christ!" What is plain from this quote is that if Dr Meredith sets up a council of elders in the new organization he sets up, they will ONLY advise him but have no power to decide the matters brought before the council. They will advise Dr Meredith but will not vote on matters.

It is not, it is simply a criticism from Roger Waite. And presuming this is one of the 26 charges David Pack listed against RCM, it seems silly as David Pack runs RCG under a one man rule government.

Leviticus 23:6 states, "seven days you must eat unleavened bread." Among other things, the unleavened bread symbolizes Jesus Christ. In John 6:33-35 we are instructed to feed on Christ, which we should do every day, including the seven days of Unleavened Bread, not just when we decide to eat the bread. Our focus should be on becoming more like Christ. Eating unleavened bread every day and focusing on the meaning of that unleavened bread is what is really important. Therefore, during the Days of Unleavened Bread all members of the Church are instructed by Scripture to eat at least one piece of unleavened bread per day. (Bryce, Charles. The World Ahead (Weekly Update) 3/11/04).

Roger Waite concludes with,

Those are the 26 doctrinal changes that Dr Meredith has made or tried to bring in according to Mr Pack. It will be interesting to see how many are taught/allowed in the Living Church of God and whether there will be more of these kind of minor changes in doctrine. Time will tell.

Anyway, if David Pack made those statements, I believe he should retract them as the facts prove that RCM has not made 26 changes nor really any that the Roger Waite article alleges. It is sad that certain people who claim to be part of the Church of God are not really interested in the truth.

On a related note, I probably should conclude by mentioning that David Pack has more recently come up with at least two such lists against RCM/LCG since the message that Roger Waite referred to. Maybe some day I will bother and go through all the alleged changes in David Pack's latest lists, but since they contains some of the same false claims as Roger Waite mentioned, plus many others just as false, there probably will be no point (although some of them are discussed in the article Why Not the Restored Church of God?).

The charge that R.C. Meredith made these 26 doctrinal "changes" is simply not true.

There are people who are interested in the truth and others who are not.

B. Thiel, 2004/2006/2007 0912