UCG Denies Secret Plan to Change Doctrine

Ancient Laodicea

Last night the United Church of God released a paper, titled Are some on the Council of Elders secretly planning to change United’s doctrines?, where it denies that its Council members have a secret plan to change doctrine. The report also claims that UCG is not intending to change the Sabbath and the Holy Days (though it has already may some changes related to the Holy Days). However, apparently in order to reduce exposure of the matter, UCG posted its denial in a format that cannot be copied. So, in that respect the denial of the “secret plan” is somewhat secretive.

At COGwriter, I have never written that the UCG Council members have a “secret plan” to change doctrine.

Now, in its denial, UCG essentially states that its Council members cannot change doctrine. Well that is the officially written policy, but the reality is not quite that way as editorial policy seems to have allowed many doctrines to be modified/changed and normally without the vote of the entire UCG eldership. And since the Council could intervene in such matters, and normally has not, I have tended to consider that they have been complicit with the changes in UCG.

But instead of me claiming some secret plan based on rumor, I have documented UCG’s doctrinal changes and shifting of priorities. But that was not alluded to in UCG’s denial paper.

In the article titled Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God I list the following:

1. Broadcast Media and Doing a Work
2. Handling Income Surpluses in 2001
3. Size: Elders, Churches, and Feast Sites
4. Gospel
5. Third Tithe
6. Church Eras
7. Laodicea
8. Philadelphia
9. Petra
10. Who Will Be Protected?
11. Iran: Possible King of the South
12. Herbert W. Armstrong–Elijah
13. Birthdays
14. Born Again
15. Disasters
16. Miracles
17. Voting
18. Jury Duty
19. 18 Truths
20. Last Great Day
21. Unleavened Bread
22. Holidays
23. Catholic or Moslem Europe?
24. Doctrinal Changes
25. Approaches to Prophecy: When is the End? Should it be a major concern?
26. Collapse of US Dollar
27. Governance
28. Mission/Why Are They There
29. Brief Financial Comparison of US Income

And my sources for the differences primarily come from official publications and leaders of the two groups. And while not all the differences between those two groups are changes, many are changes from what the old WCG taught–which is where the top leadership of both groups came from.

Now, I should perhaps add that I have never felt that UCG intended to do away with the Sabbath or the Holy Days (which may be something that some rumored that UCG would do according to UCG’s denial of the “secret plan”). I have felt that most of those in UCG were amongst those who would tend not to end up in a place of protection, but would still “who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17). And I believe that the doctrinal and priority shifts that already happened within UCG suggests that this is so.

The fact that UCG seems to be trying to tell its membership that doctrinal changes, etc. have no basis in fact, but are only inaccurate assertions on the Internet is simply not the full story. I have, for many years, documented from mainly official UCG sources, doctrinal and other changes at UCG. The reality is that the “safeguards” that UCG has in place simply do allow for changes of certain types, and always has.

For documented proof, simply check out the article Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God.

So while there may not be a “secret plan” amongst UCG’s current Council to change certain doctrine, the truth is that UCG has changed some doctrine in that past and has not always followed its supposedly official processes to do so. To deny this, UCG must deny the reality of its own history.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, and Roderick C. Meredith on Church Government What form of governance did the early church have? Was it hierarchical? Which form of governance would one expect to have in the Philadelphia remnant? The people decide and/or committee forms, odd dictatorships, or the same type that the Philadelphia era itself had?
Unity: Which COG for You? Why so many groups? Why is there lack of unity in the Churches of God? Has it always been this way? What can/should be done about it?
Laodicean Warning for God’s People Is there really a place of safety? Do God’s people need to be warned? Warned for what?
Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God This article provides quotes information from the two largest groups which had their origins in WCG as well as commentary.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG/GCI members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.