Jonathan Butler earned a BA in religion at La Sierra College (1967) and an M.Div.
He worked as an associate professor of church history at Loma Linda University in California, and also taught at Union College in Nebraska.
The authors of Seeking a Sanctuary describe: He authored an article in 1979 claiming Ellen White's endtime scenario was culturally conditioned to the point of being more at place in her time than now.
[3] Walter Rea describes it as "a brilliant piece," which "sent shock waves through the church".
[4] Yet like numerous other authors, the church found his writings on White and other history challenging and difficult to cope with officially.