Dr Desmond Ford [1929-] (PhD, Michigan State USA) (PhD, Manchester, England), is the author of over 20 books on subjects ranging from theology to health and lifestyle. His work has been quoted and referred to by scholars such as F. F. Bruce, G. R. Beasley-Murray and in reference works such as The New Unger's Bible Dictionary and Baker's Encyclopedia of the Bible. Des was a well-known scholar in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He taught at Avondale College and was the head of the religion department there for fifteen years. In 1977, he was invited to teach at Pacific Union College in Angwin, California. Besides a heavy teaching load, Ford spoke throughout the USA during this tenure there, including meetings at the denomination's senior teaching institutions. In October 1979, at age 50, Ford made a presentation to the Adventist Association of Forum chapter at Pacific Union College. Asked to make the presentation, Ford challenged the denomination's traditional view on an Investigative Judgment that began in 1844. The tape of the talk was sent to the General Conference and resulted in Ford's being called out of class and sent to Washington, D.C. Housed there with his family from late 1979, he spent several months writing the manuscript contained in this current book. In August 1980, a large group of administrators and scholars of the Seventh-day Adventist Church met in Glacier View, Colorado for a week to discuss Ford's presentation. As a result, Ford was fired from ministry and teaching. Administration merely compared Des's manuscript with the church's traditional position on the sanctuary doctrine, stated in the Fundamental Statement of faith, written up three months before at the Dallas General Conference (March/April 1980). The findings of the attendees (the two consensus statements) were not considered in determining the outcome, even though they went towards Ford's position in seven key areas. Ford spent the last two decades in the United States of America as the CEO of a non profit, non denominational Christian organisation, called Good News Unlimited. He gave many seminars throughout the USA and internationally in over a dozen countries, as well as hosting television and radio programmes on Christian and life-style themes in the USA and Canada. He visited Australia every year under the auspices of Good News Unlimited there until 2000, and then retired to live in Australia where he continues to preach.