Ronald Lawson was born into a devout Seventh-day Adventist family in Australia, and is still an active Adventist (or SDA). Trained in both history and sociology, he became eager to understand the dynamics of his church. In 1984 he launched an ambitious study of global Adventism. Over the next more than two decades, he travelled to 60 countries in all divisions of the world church, and completed long searching interviews with over 4,000 Adventists. These interviewees …