In response to the General Conference document, “A Study of Church Governance and Unity,” the Loma Linda University School of Religion faculty today voted their unanimous support to the statement released by the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary on September 30, 2016.
High time for church leaders in high places to listen.
Not really a surprise…Loma Linda is in Pacific Union, after all. But they both have the clout to stand up, good for them. I see this polarizing even more than it already has, causing many hard feelings and costing lots of tithe money before it’s over. Should be a lot to talk about on Spectrum, though!
What does the GC think, that people will just automatically say “OK, we will believe you”? Anyone who has a Bible knows the verses:
In Matthew 23:3 Jesus advises that the people should follow the verbal direction of the Pharisees:
So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
In Matthew 15:14 Jesus states that they should be left altogether, as “blind guides”.
Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.
The Brethren in Washington demanding “Unity” reminds me of when I was a kid my Mom taking me shopping and demanding that I have “Fun”! That didn’t work either.
Talk about “Unity,” it now appears just how successful TW has been in uniting the church. Even he himself probably is surprised beyond surprise.
I love my church!
So glad to read this!
These top heavy unloving decisions are so disheartening. Glad the seminaries are stepping up!
Well, I know you love your church, of course, Elmer!
But…thinking ahead for when you Adventists…maybe…start your new church…
When you do baby dedications, maybe you could all pledge as a church family to respect and support each child’s development and calling, because all have a calling, and who is to say what it is?
Really, it could be such a wonderful family if you guys ended up having to start over.
So many wonderful Adventist values could be brought forward, so many things that no longer served the Body left behind! Poof!
And so many Adventists with so many gifts would have so much more energy if they didn’t always have to censor themselves and watch their backs. A lot more creativity could flow!
And, just think, it could be a haven for all the
desperate people as it dawned on them how toxic the witch’s brew of Adventism and headship doctrine really is when the social experiment is played out on a large scale.
There will be casualties, and they will need a port in a storm!
And, at the same time, those people who want to try out that social experiment would be wished Godspeed to follow the God of their heart in the way they felt convicted and called.
There are so many resources on the West Coast to put this together, if it comes to that.
There could be separation, but still a family feeling, a wish for the mutual best.
Jesus said if they want your coat, give them your cloak also.
Maybe you’re being pushed out of the nest because you’ve fledged, and can fly!
SPIRITUAL LESSONS FROM THE EAGLE’S NEST
TEXT: Deuteronomy 32:11-12
Deuteronomy 32:11 12 – As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.
l. THE STIRRING OF THE NEST
From The Message – Eugene Peterson – Job 39:27-28 – Did you command the eagle’s flight, and teach her to build her nest in the heights, Perfectly at home on the high cliff face, invulnerable on pinnacle and crag?
A. The Construction of the Nest
-The nest of the eagle is built high upon the mountain ranges of Israel. They will at times decide on a location that can reach altitudes of 10,000 feet. The nesting eagles with build a nest that can reach a weight of up to two tons and stretch to as much as eight feet across.
-The wearisome task of carrying limbs up to four inches in diameter are brought to the nesting area. The nest can be as deep as two feet. The core of the nest is supported by the huge limbs and the outer edges of the nest are then lined with soft leaves and vines that are actually woven together by the eagles before the laying of the eggs.
-The leaves cover the rough sticks that would puncture the soft fur of the eaglets. In addition to the soft bed of leaves, shortly before the eggs hatch the mother eagle begans to pull the soft downey fur from her own body to shelter and warm her young.
-As the small birds are attempting to free themselves from the trappings of the egg shells, the mother never assists them in this struggle for to do so would hamper their own survival (more about this later on in the message).
B. The Stirring of the Nest
-After about six to seven months, the mother eagle swoops in one day and begans to stir or basically wreck the brooding area of the nest. She pulls out the soft leaves, tosses the rabbit fur to the winds, and removes the long vines that once provided comfort to them.
-It then becomes a task for the eaglets to stand and balance themselves in the nest that has been stirred. But the alternative is not an option, for to lie down would cause lacerations to arise from the limbs in the nest.
-He must learn to balance himself and also become acclimated to the use of the small stubby talons that are beginning to grow. The balance will help him later with flight and the talons will assist him in the catching of prey for hunting at a later time.
-God does similiar things to us. He disturbs our nest and causes us to reach toward him. Thank God for the stirrings that He sends our way.
Every Apostle had his nest stirred.
Every great reformer and revivalist had his nest stirred.
Every man who has ever longed to accomplish the purpose of the Kingdom had his nest stirred.
-He had to emigrate toward a new calling. He had to leave the familiar for the unfamiliar.
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
–James 3
Seems Ted has created unity between Europe and the North Americam Divisions. southern Union excepted most likely. AtZ
It’s ironic for sure. I actually think that this saga could go a long way towards unifying a LOT of SDA members against institutionally condoned discrimination.
Let’s hope so.
Norway is Scandinavia, and the Norwegian Union is a relatively small and much loved player in much larger Europe. The Norwegian Union (membership 4,600) is the only entity in the European side of the world that has responded robustly to the church governance paper, so far. It is part of the Trans European Division (membership 86,000 and 22 countries). The other European Divisions are Inter Europe Division (179,000) and Euro-Asia Division (114,000) - total for all three divisions is: 380,000 membership. The Norwegian Union - home of our former GC President, Dr Jan Paulsen - can hardly be representative of European Adventism. Simllarly, two GC NA seminaries don’t speak for all the the hundreds of thousands of NAD constituents, therefore it can hardly be said that they represent North American Adventistm. All three entities however, are very much entitled to have their voices and concerns heard. No doubt about that. Let’s just get our facts and perspectives right. To claim that Ted has created unity between Europe and the NAD is to misunderstand how the church is governed and ignore the fact that, as a world wide democratic-representative church, we are all united, in Christ, irrespective of our differing viewpoints on any given topic. Unity in diversity as opposed to blind, oppressive and controlling conformity. Contrary to what is sometimes advocated there is only one Papal system and Adventism is not it.
I think Danny Shelton had it right when he said at the GC that unity is not uniformity.
Wouldn’t it be heartening if each of the SDA schools of religion sent expressions of support for the seminary’s and the Norway Union’s statements?
My friend. There is a bigger picture than our finite opinions.
God will paint the story of what is and what is not in His Church.
As a matter of fact He has already done so.
But our secular minds has been to a great degree merged to the secular world.
Spiritual things are spiritual seen with a spiritual eye.
The idea of discrimination on this issue is a false on. There are other issues where there is discrimination but not this one.
Claude, you don’t cease to amaze me. I really wish you would read what you wrote. Compared to the rest of your statements for me there is some cognitive dissonance.
As to your use of statistics… Let’s apply that line of argument to Christianity vs. Adventists. The Roman Church alone has more than 1.2 billion members (and we haven’t counted the orthodox and protestant churches). Ergo: the Adventist Church - even though moving towards 20 million, is about as irrelevant to Christianity as is Scandinavian Adventism to the rest of the SDA church. Somehow, dear friend, I doubt that you would agree. In other words: numbers will not decide what is right and wrong - and thus cannot rule conscience.
And incidentally - both TED and EUD both gave unanimous statements in favour of WO … and that included ALL regions of Europe (except Russia). Let’s not be too forgetful here.
Perhaps we need to move to the lounge… 