Conscience and Ecclesiastical Authority

Shared question

When church policy and an individual's conviction of divine obligation conflict, what authority does the institution possess over the member's conscience?

Standish

Standish makes this a major part of the tithe argument, including whether members should face discipline, disfellowshipping, or exclusion from office over conscientious alternate tithe routing.

Vine

Vine extends the conscience argument into contemporary disputes over mandates, denominational policy, and tithe. His final tithe appeal is conditional on the member believing the Holy Spirit has convicted the conscience.

Rodriguez

Rodriguez gives greater weight to the normative treasury system and to Ellen White statements instructing members not to withhold tithe because of dissatisfaction with administrators.

Key distinction

1. Institutions cannot command what God forbids or forbid what God commands.
2. A member may conscientiously reach a judgment about how a biblical principle applies.
3. That judgment necessarily authorizes alternate tithe routing.

The first proposition has stronger direct biblical support than the third.