Matthew Quartey,
As always, you raise pertinent, provocative, and penetrating questions.
It is truly astonishing, yea appalling , that well into the twenty first century,
in the most democratic, egalitarian country on the planet, seven of the nine SDA Union Conferences, the majority, are mired in miserable medieval misogyny.
My church membership is in the PACIFIC UNION CONFERENCE, which proudly, has been the ethical standard bearer for the advancement of our women pastors.
I also own a home in downtown Portland Oregon, just two blocks from
a public square that is the forum for almost daily protests and demonstrations — all for progressive, liberal causes —- The Pacific Northwest has to be one of the more liberal, progressive, egalitarian regions in the entire country.
How amazing that the North Pacific Union is laggardly and lame in promoting egalitarian treatment of its women pastors!
So out of touch with its progressive general population!
Until more of our NAD Union Conferences stop straddling the fence, and take a forthright, fervent position in support of women pastors, the NAD is impotent in demanding recognition from the GC in favor of Women’s Ordination.
The various European Adventist entities have taken a much bolder stand.
They put us to shame.
With our multiple colleges and universities, an upwardly mobile and hugely professional church membership, we should be in the forefront of egalitarian, ethical, even handed treatment of ALL members, more particularly our women, who demographically occupy the majority of our pews on a Sabbath morning.