Dr. Maxwell began his career as pastor in California, then taught on the religion faculty at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, for nine years. He joined the Andrews University faculty in 1968 and occasionally taught church history classes in the Theological Seminary at Andrews University after his retirement. Maxwell, who published extensively held a bachelors degree from Pacific Union College in Angwin, California, a master's degree from the SDA Theological Seminary and a doctoral degree from the University of Chicago. Dr. Maxwell succumbed to an extended illness on July 21, 1999, at the age of 74.