Dr. Ben Carson offers Obama and guests some bold solutions at National Prayer Breakfast

Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon and Seventh-day Adventist Dr. Benjamin Carson spoke today at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C., sharing his views on health care, national debt, and political correctness. This is his second time as speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast, and perhaps it will be his last, as he offered some bold opinions. You can watch his speech here:

End of Saturday mail delivery good news for Sabbath keepers

U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe announced the end of Saturday mail delivery today, which would save two billion dollars a year. The decision would not affect package delivery. Union leaders were angered, calling for his resignation. The North American Religious Liberty Association thought this was "great news for Adventists and people who keep Sabbath throughout the United States." Read their statement below.

In what Seventh-day Adventist Church Associate Counsel Todd McFarland hailed as "great news for Adventists and people who keep Sabbath throughout the United States," the U.S. Postal Service announced today that it would cease Saturday mail delivery beginning August 1. Saturday package delivery will continue, and post offices will remain open on Saturdays, but with reduced hours.

The move was motivated by tens of billions of dollars in losses in recent years, and should save the agency about $2 billion a year. However the decision has a positive, albeit unintended, consequence as well.

"For decades the USPS has been the single most troublesome employer for those seeking Sabbath workplace accommodation. Halting Saturday delivery will not only prevent many future Sabbath observance conflicts for Adventists employed by the post office, but will help resolve current situations in which mail carrier-church members are experiencing discrimination," said McFarland.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reports that job discrimination complaints continue to grow at an alarming rate in the United States, with charges based on religious discrimination jumping by 9.5 percent in 2011, the largest increase of any category.

Pastors urge NPUC to end its one-sided campaign for women's ordination

A group of 28 pastors in the North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) launched a website called OrdinationTruth.com today, asking the NPUC leadership to "stand down from the proposed special constituency session," which will push women's ordination. On January 30, 2013, the pastors issued a letter to NPUC President Max Torkelsen III, calling out the pro-women's ordination bias of the Gleaner. Nov. 14, 2012, the NPUC Executive committee voted to "inform and educate members of the rationale toward biblical church leadership without regard to gender; 2) engage and encourage constituents in structured conversation and discussion on women in ministry," but since the NPUC has offered only one perspective, the letter goes on to announce that OrdinationTruth.com will be launched to ensure that "alternative views can be shared with NPUC readers." The letter ends with the group's request that the NPUC Executive Committee rescind its action to hold a special constituency meeting.

We respectfully ask that the NPUC Executive Committee rescind its action to hold a special constituency meeting. Let the 2015 General Conference in session respond by official vote to the recommendations to be offered by the 2014 Annual Council's action regarding the Theology of Ordination Study Committee, and let the North Pacific Union Conference leadership and constituents lend that decision of the world church whatever it is its full support.

You can read their news release here:

North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC), North American Division, February 4, 2013: Today the NPUC Supporting Pastors launched the OrdinationTruth.com website. At launch, twenty-eight ministers formally lent their support, choosing to be named and listed as Supporting Pastors. As more pastors learn of this encouragement toward unity, it is anticipated the list will speedily grow.

Those within the Union advocating in favor of Women’s Ordination are preparing for a special constituency meeting of the Union where NPUC could move ahead of the world church. The Supporting Pastors came together to respond to this emergency. They respectfully ask that the NPUC Executive Committee rescind its November 2012 decision and that no special constituency meeting to act on Women’s Ordination be held before the 2015 General Conference session.

In 2012, two of nine North American Division union constituencies voted to act independently of the world Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA). Those two unions moved unilaterally to ordain women as pastors. The SDA Church rejected similar initatives in 1990 and 1995 General Conference sessions. In Adventist polity, an ordained minister carries authority to function across the world field. Union conferences do not have authority to determine whether women shall be ordained within their territories; this decision rests with the combined Church represented by the General Conference. A group within the NPUC also launched a union-wide initiative intended to lead to a special meeting. But such action at this time could align the North Pacific Union with other insubordinate unions.

OrdinationTruth.com is intended as a fresh venue where information can be shared highlighting Christian teachings about unity, order, and gender in the Church. The site also exists to help assure that the conversation about Women’s Ordination in the Union is balanced. The Union paper has carried only one side of the question. Immediately, and in weeks and months to come, OrdinationTruth.com will carry news, articles, and studies addressing questions of unity and Women’s Ordination, especially within the territory of the NPUC. There is also an e-mail list where interested persons can participate as the situation unfolds. For these materials, more detailed positions, and participation options, persons are directed to http://www.OrdinationTruth.com.

Initially published documents include an overview document as well as, “Ordination: God’s Purpose versus Satan’s Designs,” found in the FEATURES section of the site.

The NPUC Supporting Pastors seek to work in harmony with the NPUC and invite prayer for Union leadership and support for the world church in this difficult hour.

# # # The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination of 17 million members operating in 230 nations. The NPUC (North Pacific Union) Supporting Pastors are Seventh-day Adventist ministers called to serve in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Upper Columbia, Idaho, and Montana conferences. In particular, they are led to give voice to the understanding of Seventh-day Adventists who (1) seek to work in harmony with the world church as represented by the General Conference, and/or (2) who cannot conscientiously support as an appropriate practice Women’s Ordination in the present situation. NPUC Supporting Pastors recognize the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church located in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA as the ultimate organizational authority within SDA polity.

ADvindicate celebrates its one-year anniversary as website traffic increases

Time has whirled by, and it’s hard to believe a whole year has passed since ADvindicate launched Feb. 2, 2012. God has blessed beyond expectations. Due to its staff and guest contributors, ADvindicate published 172 articles with a monthly readership average in the last six months of almost 6,000.

News stories have played the most significant role in doubling ADvindicate’s traffic the last six months. It published 54 news stories of which 33 percent were original. Plans are in place to double its journalistic efforts, so be on the lookout for more news.

People from 162 countries/territories visit ADvindicate. While the United States far exceeds any other country/territory for traffic, ADvindicate still receives a significant number of hits from Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, South Africa and the Philippines. Its top five cities are Los Angeles, San Francisco, Loma Linda, New York City and Riverside. The top two referral sites are Facebook and Spectrum Magazine.

The staff at ADvindicate pray its readers have been blessed. ADvindicate started from an idea to see bible-based Seventh Day Adventist views promoted, but it's still relatively small in the world of independent Adventist websites, so thank you to the thousands who continue to share ADvindicate’s content via email, Facebook or word of mouth.

Statistics are based on Google Analytics

La Sierra releases statement on Diaz and bylaw changes

La Sierra University was contacted the day ADvindicate published "La Sierra University hires new evolutionary biologist," but was unavailable for comment until today. Their full statement is posted below:

For Immediate Release Larry Becker Executive Director, University Relations lbecker@lasierra.edu 1-­‐1-­‐1

La Sierra University Responds to False Charges on Independent Websites

Educatetruth.com and ADvindicate.com have focused their efforts on damaging the reputation of Dr. Raul Diaz, who joined the La Sierra University biology faculty at the beginning of January.

Initially one of these sites used an unnamed source to accuse Dr. Diaz of being an atheist. When that was proven false, the site changed its conjecture to Dr. Diaz being agnostic. In fact, Dr. Diaz is a baptized member of the Seventh­‐day Adventist Church. He has attended various Adventist churches throughout the span of his academic career.

Dr. Diaz is also quoted by these sites as saying he is an “evolutionary biologist.” Using this as an attack shows a lack of understanding of contemporary biology. An “evolutionary biologist” does focused analysis of the diversity of life, the genetic variations of living organisms, and how organisms interact with their environment. Through this important work, these scientists make possible advances in human health and medicine, agriculture, and the environment.

Dr. Diaz is a dedicated and talented young scientist who is seeking to discover what causes human facial and hand malformations through his research. His passion for his subject has already shone through to students in the three weeks he has been on campus. He looks forward to using his bio-­‐medical research to develop classes for students with a pre­‐professional health focus. His field and laboratory research efforts will also benefit those students planning to seek graduate biology education.

EducateTruth.com has also been attempting to short­‐circuit the board’s efforts to revise the university’s bylaws in response to WASC’s and AAA’s concerns regarding governance issues. The Bylaws Committee members have worked many hours educating themselves so that they fully understand the issues. Their efforts have resulted in a set of recommended bylaws changes for the university constituents to act on during a special constituency meeting on February 21.

These recommendations are not designed to remove the university from Church control, as claimed by some. The proposals leave that defining relationship strong and unchanged, while addressing WASC’s stated concern about potential conflict of interest at the board leadership level. This is a unique situation, because the Pacific Union Conference is the only union in the North America Division where the union president chairs two college boards—Pacific Union College and La Sierra University.

A key recommendation from the Bylaws Committee is that the board chair be elected and be one of the four Pacific Union officers who serve as ex officio board members, rather than automatically being the union president. This allows the board to select its own chair, while ensuring that the chair will always be a union officer. The only limitation imposed through the proposal is that neither the board chair or vice chair of La Sierra University’s board may concurrently serve as chair or vice chair of another university or college board.

There is no change to the ex officio membership of the board, which will continue to have among its members the Pacific Union Conference president, secretary, treasurer, vice president, director of education, and the presidents of the Arizona, Southeastern California, and Southern California Conferences. The revised bylaws make no change to the constituent membership, and the constituency retains all existing control over lay appointments to the board and any amendments to the bylaws.

The board, according to the proposed bylaws, will continue to focus on setting policies that keep the university closely aligned with the mission, goals, and objectives of the Adventist Church.

#-­‐#-­‐#

Why Johnny won’t read the Bible: postmodernism and the decline of Christian literacy

Associate Professor of English Literature at Southwestern Adventist University Karl G. Wilcox gives a lecture at Andrews University Oct. 2012 on postmodernism and the decline of Christianity. The lecture was part of a symposium put together by the Center for Secular and Postermodern Studies (CSPS), which is a department of the Office of Adventist Mission at the General Conference. If you haven't heard of CSPS, here is its mission and general information:

Mission

To inspire, mentor, and equip Seventh-day Adventist pastors, churches and organizations to successfully lead seculars and postmoderns into a real experience with God.

General Information

CSPS exists to help the Seventh-day Adventist church better understand secular and postmodern people, explore new evangelistic methods and provide practical, relevant tools to make disciples through a real experience with God.

[AUDIO] Persecution good for the church?

Liberty magazine editor Lincoln E. Steed was a guest speaker at the Beaumont Seventh-day Adventist Church in Beaumont, Calif. His theme was perhaps it's not so bad for us to be persecuted after all. Liberty Magazine is freely circulated among legislators and individuals in positions of influence and highly respected and appreciated by people of all persuasions. Only about 10,000 Adventists, out of about one million in the North American Division, subscribe to Liberty, and according to Steed, 185,000 magazines are sent out each year.

[audio http://advindicate.com/audio/religiosliberty.mp3]

(If your current browser does not support HTML5 audio, or Flash Player is not installed, a direct download link will be displayed instead of the player.)

ADvindicate's top five posts for 2012

ADvindicate is nearing its one year anniversary (Feb. 2, 2013), but as the current calendar year comes to a close, we would like to share the five most viewed posts for 2012. 5. Thoughts on the Columbia Union vote August (4,662 pageviews) - While this article came in at number five, it was the most talked about with over 700 comments.

4. La Sierra University professors prohibited from teaching creation April (4,869 pageviews) - Bond document discovered that appears to restrict La Sierra University from using their new science complex for sectarian instruction, devotional activities, religious worship or to be connected with any programs of any school or department of divinity.

3. Seventh-Gay Adventist film gives new meaning to ‘truth and freedom’ September (5,229 pageviews) - Film critique by Wayne Blakely.

2. An empty victory for the PUC majority, a feminine perspective August (9,723 pageviews) - ADvindicate writer reflects on the Pacific Union Conference vote regarding ordination of women to the gospel ministry.

1. Rape allegations surface in the Samuel Pipim kerfuffle June (11,201 pageviews) - The beginning of the end for Samuel Pipim's ministry as news surfaces about his affairs with at least four other young women.

We would like to hear what you enjoyed reading the most from ADvindicate, and what you would like to read more of in 2013.

A Christmas greeting from Ted Wilson

President of the world wide Seventh-day Adventist Church Ted Wilson asks his audience to consider the greatest gift ever given--Jesus Christ. The video begins with a short sermonette from Wilson, then a cello and guitar rendition of "What Child is This," followed by Nancy Wilson walking us through the nativity scene. Ted Wilson picks up again and the feature finally ends with more culture savvy Christmas music.

Ted Wilson // Christmas Greeting (Full) from The Adventist Church (Official) on Vimeo.

UPDATE REPORT: Walter Veith responds to EUD and is banned in German churches by European Adventist leaders

An inquiry is currently underway in Germany concerning Walter Veith and anti-semitism charges. In our previously published report, the circumstances and dialogue that took place in this incident are outlined. On December 4, 2012, the EUD made the decision 45 in favour, 1 opposed, and 4 undecided to ban Walter Veith from speaking in German SDA Churches for the second time. The previous ban took place in 2004 due to his lectures on Bible translations and what was termed as "conspiracy theories" which were highly disapproved of by German leaders. The ban was lifted in 2010, but now has been reinstated.The following letter was sent on December 5, 2012 by Walter Veith to Bruno Vertallier in response to his November 30, 2012, letter of disapproval and request to meet.

Dear Brother Vertallier

Thank you for your letter to which I would like to respond. Firstly, I never received any e-mails from you as you might have sent them to an old address and our telephone lines have been stolen so you would not have been able to reach me on the land line. Secondly, from the tone of your letter it is obvious that you did not accept my explanation of the ‘small yellow cloth’ phrase and I therefore assume that you suppose that it was intentionally derogatory towards the Jews as a people. It seems as though some people are bent on assuming evil intent because that is what they want to hear. The fact of the matter is that my lectures are too close to home for some and therefore every word is placed on the gold scale to find something objectionable and they refuse to accept my explanation that it was an issue of language barrier and nothing else.

Let me spell it out for you: In my home language (Afrikaans) all diminutives are endearing and express empathy and we even have double diminutives and triple diminutives to express feelings. In German diminutives are often deemed derogatory and since German and Afrikaans share phrases it is natural for me to use Afrikaans nuances when speaking German. In fact I got into trouble before in Germany for saying that someone had a ‘small heart’ (kleines Herz) as opposed to ‘large heart’ (groβes Herz). In Afrikaans someone with a small heart (klein hartjie –which by the way is a double diminutive) is kind, full of empathy, gentle, easily hurt, or endearing, but in German it means ‘hard-hearted’ or ‘stingy’. In Afrikaans one would use the phrase ‘small cloth’ to distinguish it from the opposite extreme such as a large cloth like a bed sheet and no one would even think to interpret it otherwise. I therefore reiterate that I did not mean it in a derogatory sense and that I harbor no anti-Semitic sentiments. Moreover, having grown up in Africa and not in Germany, I was never associated with discrimination against the Jews nor did I ever side with or share any sentiments with those who did. On the contrary, discriminatory ideologies are abhorrent to me.

My statements have been wrenched out of all proportions and since the actions of the SDA leadership in German-speaking Europe during the war were not exactly exemplary (as is clear from their apology in the 2005 declaration on anti-Semitism and also the recent reiteration of that declaration) I assume that you overreacted for fear that the past should haunt you. In line with that declaration, I too am against all forms of discrimination on the grounds of race or religion and stand firmly for religious liberty but I draw a clear line of distinction between the theological issues and the racial issues involved. It seems to me that some find it difficult to distinguish between the two because they carry this burden of guilt. The fact that the SDA church in Germany shares this guilt does, however, not give them the right to transfer this baggage onto me and to swing to the opposite extreme of discriminating against the ‘antitypical Jews’ who preach the Three Angels’ Messages. If they do this, then their confession becomes a repentance of King Saul without the change of heart, because they demonstrate by their action that they are just as willing now to repeat their folly as they were then.

As Seventh-day Adventists we have been called to present a particular message – the Three Angels’ Messages - which will end in the clarion call to all who are trapped in Babylon to ‘Come out of her, My people’. The false ideologies must be laid bare and Babylon will be exposed or else no one will know what they are to come out of. The trumpet must give a certain sound so the people can rally under the Lord’s banner. This is the aim of my lectures and this should be the aim of every SDA evangelist as we are admonished ‘not to let anything else occupy our minds’. Modern Babylonian ideologies are closely associated with a literal state of Israel and must therefore be exposed as false and this alone is the aim of my lectures. The preaching of the Three Angels’ Messages is uncomfortable to those within our ranks who wish to be so politically correct that they are willing to sacrifice truth for worldly acceptance.

The German leaders never consulted me before issuing a public statement to the churches and thereby did not follow the Biblical process as outlined in Matthew 18:15-20, thereby aligning themselves with the accusers. Furthermore, the legal procedures that have been initiated against me are also out of harmony with Scripture and since the leadership has not distanced itself from this process, they too are in breach of the Biblical admonition in this regard. Your letter to me clearly shows that the EUD position is no different from the above and therefore I now have no choice other than to place this response and some concerns of my own in the public domain as well.

1. The modern ecumenical tendencies in our midst becloud the presentation of the Three Angels’ Messages and it seems that our representatives in Europe (as published recently in a German SDA journal) cannot even give a reason as to why we believe that the papacy is the antichrist or why we as a church deem it necessary to hand out the ‘Great Controversy’. Are we not admonished against ecumenical associations and will this not be a stumbling block to the propagation of our message?

2. Why is it that not a word of remonstrance is heard when false practices are brought into the church? Most of leadership seems unconcerned when Spiritual Formation comes into our ranks like a flood in spite of the fact that it has its roots in Jesuitical spirituality (as dealt with extensively in my lecture ‘The Jesuits and the Counterreformation’). We go even further and advertise books with these sentiments in official church publications. Why was there no public rebuke when a speaker at one of our institutes in Europe advocated blessings by Wiccan witches and why was this speaker even permitted to speak at other SDA institutes? Were those involved ever given letters of rebuke? I am aware that this is not only a European problem and that other institutes have permitted Jesuits and other such speakers to speak at Adventist forums.

3. Why is it that our youth is led astray at official gatherings with music and performances that have no semblance of heaven? I have watched shocking videos of youth and church leaders in Europe engaging in events that would even make other denominations blush. Are we so bent on apostasy that concerned brethren are driven to cry between the porch and the altar for all the evil that is done in Israel? Even Conference Presidents have expressed their deep sadness with regard to this issue to me personally. Again, I acknowledge that this is a worldwide problem, but that the leadership should lead the way in this apostasy, is indeed astounding.

4. Why is it that we willingly adopt the practices of non-SDA mega churches and emerging church theologies that change our message and our outreach to one of ‘correction of social injustices’ rather than a message of salvation? It seems this is the new wave. Did those who teach these things ever receive letters of rebuke? Is it right that these new methods should be drummed into our students and that we should embrace these practices when we are not only admonished by the Spirit of Prophecy that we should steer clear of such things but are even warned that they would come in like a flood. Do we really want to be part of this fulfillment of prophecy or should we do all in our power to stop it?

5. Why is it that there was no official letter of rebuke from Europe when most of the delegates of that territory voted against the clarification of our position regarding the literal Six-day Creation? Why are evolutionary ideologies not only embraced in our ranks, but the ‘princes of Israel’, who are supposed to lead the flock in the ancient paths align themselves publicly with this apostasy? When the testimonies that were once believed are marginalized and relegated to the ‘trash heap of nineteenth century literature’, then the road to perdition is sure to follow. Why are leading figures allowed to slight and ridicule the testimonies and no action is taken against them? Does the Spirit of Prophecy not form part of our fundamental beliefs?

6. Where does Europe stand when it comes to the ordination issue? Irrespective of where we stand on the issue personally, why are there rumblings of secession from the ranks because pet theories are placed above church unity? Did Christ pray in vain for unity? Is it necessary to print an additional watered-down evangelically-minded Sabbath School lesson book just to avoid the sentiments expressed in the Spirit of Prophecy and hereby cause divisions in the church in Europe and indeed in the world?

The list could go on and on but I will leave it there. There are many voices of concern regarding these issues, not least of which is that of Elder Ted Wilson who stands out like a beacon of hope and I believe that God has placed him there for a time like this. It is shameful how he was and still is treated by some in our ranks. We can no longer remain silent in the face of these things or else we will be found wanting. We will have to meet these challenges head on (“Iceberg ahead – meet it!”) and may God be gracious to us during the shaking which must come.

Regarding the issue of Freemasonry and the Jesuits, these matters are clearly outlined in the Spirit of Prophecy and I feel that further discussions would not be fruitful. If we disregard the Spirit of Prophecy, how will we ever understand our SDA mission? Therefore nothing that I could say would change your perceptions. I have stated my case in the past and up to date have never received any reply regarding these documents and I append them again for your clarification.

I wish to assure you that I love Christ and His truth, as given to our pioneers, with all my heart. I believe that this church will go through to the Kingdom and I will continue to do all in my power to call people into its ranks and it is my prayer that the church will unify on the true Advent message as it was preached from 1842 to 1846 {GCB, April 6, 1903 par. 35; 1 MR 52.2}. I thank God for the pioneers and godly Adventists who as late as 1952 published our first declaration of fundamental beliefs under the official auspices of the General Conference in the book “Principles of Life”. I stand by this Adventism and by the grace of God will not be moved.

I wish to make an appeal to you in the words of the Spirit of prophecy:

Seventh-day Adventists are now to stand forth separate and distinct, a people denominated by the Lord as His own. Until they do this, He cannot be glorified in them. Truth and error cannot stand in copartnership. Let us now place ourselves where God has said that we should stand.... We are to strive for unity but not on the low level of conformity to worldly policy and union with the popular churches.--Lt 113, 1903. {2MCP 559.2}

Your Brother in Christ Walter Veith

Appended Documents: Walter Veith's response to BRI (May 2004) – no response ever received.

"Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying." ~ Martin Luther

Source: Amazing Discoveries

Walter Veith's statements: judge for yourself

Walter Veith has received a lot of attention regarding comments made in a presentation he gave Oct. 20 in Nurnburg, Germany, at the Marienberg Seventh-day Adventist Church. The original presentation was given in German, but we're posting the English version for everyone to watch for themselves. So we invite you to watch the presentation for yourself and judge whether or not his comments were antisemitic. We've also included EANN's article disputing some of Veith's statements below the video.

Veith's dangerous game with the Jewish question--a disturbing fact-check

Walter Veith has done for years with his interpretation of the world a name. His presentations on DVDs and Internet video as widespread. He sees the world in a "war of ideologies". For centuries, the Pope fighting as the biblical Antichrist true Christians. For this, the Jesuits developed profound strategies. The Masons spread the insidious ideology all over the world. Political, business, church and society are penetrated by the Jesuit-Masonic conspiracy. Your goal is to confuse the "biblical ideology" of the true, other Christians.

Veith shares with many other conspiracy theorists, the same enemy: Jesuits, Freemasons, Illuminati. But a group that is at most other No. 1 on the list of dangerous enemies found at Veith been little attention: the Jews.

But that's different now. His latest series of lectures called "storm from the north." The private Missions "Amazing discoveries" recorded lectures onto a Nuremberg community center and transferred it live on the Internet. Later they will be sold as DVDs. In a lecture ("The King of the North, 2"), held on 20 October 2012, Veith is devoted extensively to the Jewish people. He drew extensively from the murky waters of Anti-Semitism. According to the organizer the Internet broadcast to over 700 units is viewed. (Read more)

This article was translated with Google Translator.

Theology of Ordination study committee membership complete, names released

Following the assignment of representatives from the 13 global divisions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the names of the 100-member Theology of Ordination Study Committee were announced November 29, 2012 by committee chairman Artur A. Stele, a general vice president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The 100 individuals – see table for the complete list – span a range of viewpoints and roles within the movement. Membership includes Tara VinCross, an Adventist pastor in Philadelphia, Pa.; former U.S. Ambassador to Malta Kathryn L. Proffitt; Gerard Damsteegt, a professor of church history at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary; Doug Batchelor, senior pastor of Sacramento Central Church in California and president of Amazing Facts; and Lisa M. Beardsley-Hardy, education director for the General Conference. Adventist Review and Adventist World editor and executive publisher Bill Knott is also a member of the committee.

The top three officers of the General Conference are ex-officio members of the committee, but neither Pastors Ted N.C. Wilson, president; G.T. Ng, secretary; nor Robert E. Lemon, treasurer, have a voice or vote on the panel.

“The main reason for releasing the names is to kindly invite every member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to pray for these names,” Stele said in a statement. “We are in need of God’s guidance and leading in this study process.”

The statement also summarized the main tasks confronting the panel:

1. Review the history of the study of ordination in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
2. Develop a Seventh-day Adventist theology of ordination.
3. Study the subject of ordination of women to the gospel ministry.
4. In areas of disagreement, focus on potential solutions that support the message, mission, and unity of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

According to Stele, “The Theology of Ordination Study Committee will prayerfully study the issues presented above trying to reach a consensus on each assignment. In the areas where consensus will not be reached, the TOSC will present several reports and will also work on potential solutions. These steps will ensure that the process will be open, fare, and transparent.”

Stele said the steering committee has already met twice, and “we are suggesting that the first meeting of the TOSC in January 2013 will be totally dedicated to the study of the first step. A group of scholars has been given the assignment to work on the first draft of the Theology of Ordination document.”

He added, “We are planning to present the first draft to the TOSC in January, discuss it, and based on the contributions of the whole committee, to prepare a second draft and send it out to all Division [Biblical Research Committees, or BRC]. We will ask each Division BRC to send in their suggestions, contributions, agreements, and disagreements. Based on the discussions involving all BRCs, a third draft will be prepared and we hope to come to a final draft that could be ‘hopefully’ accepted by the TOSC the first day of our meetings in July, 2013.”

Stele said, “after concluding the study on Theology of Ordination, we will start working on the issue of women’s ordination.”

He concluded, “The TOSC starts its work in total reliance on God’s guidance. Please, pray for the right spirit and openness for God’s leadership.”

Although women have functioned in various ministry roles from the beginnings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, ordination has come up as an issue before church leaders several times in the recent past. At present, the Church does not ordain women to ministry, following votes at General Conference sessions in 1990 and 1995 on the question, where the issue was a major focus of the international deliberations.

By Mark Kellner Source: Adventist Review

THEOLOGY OF ORDINATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Report on antisemitism allegations against Walter Veith

Amazing Discoveries reports on antisemitism allegations made against Walter Veith, an ordained evangelist in South Africa who is one of its main speakers. "It is probable that the people who lodged the complaint are the group from EANN (the German equivalent of SPECTRUM MAGAZINE) because they propagated such action immediately after the lecture," Veith said in a letter dated Nov. 28, 2012, to the Transvaal Conference. While EANN was originally involved in a complaint against Veith to the German Union, it has declined responsibility for the inquiry "lodged at the public prosecutor’s office in Nuremberg to investigate whether Walter Veith in the said presentation had commited [sic] sedition," according to Amazing Discoveries. It is still unknown who made the inquiry.

Below is the beginning of Amazing Discoveries' full report regarding Veith's situation, along with correspondence between Veith and church leaders:

On October 20, 2012, Walter Veith preached the lecture “King of the North (Part 2)” from the new series Repairing the Breach in German [German title Sturm aus dem Norden] in Marienberg SDA Church in Nurnberg, Germany, to an audience of approximately 350 people. The lecture was also live-streamed to approximately 1500 people. Almost immediately after the presentation, Walter Veith received violent opposition by way of an article by EANN about his claims of Freemason/Jesuit involvement in the creation of the State in Israel after WWII and the way he expressed himself in regards to the Jews during Hitler’s regime. Although EANN is run by a few Adventist individuals, it is not an official institution of the SDA church in Germany but a privately funded online news magazine that designates itself as an “Independent Journal for Religion, Church and Society”. Three points specifically were brought up as points of contention:

• The usage of the words “little yellow cloth” [German “gelbes Tüchlein”] in reference to the markings the Jewish people had to wear during the post Napoleonic era and during Hitler’s regime.
• The usage of the word “herded” when referring to the situation of the Jews after the end of the war as a result of Hitler’s persecution and their transference to the newly formed State of Israel, as well as the lack of compassion on the part of many countries, including Canada, the UK, and others who refused entrance to Jews that had escaped the Nazi totalitarian regime.
• The use of quotes from the book Facts are Facts by the Jewish author Benjamin Freedman, as evidence that most Jews aren’t really of Jewish descent, because Freedman is considered an anti-Semitic.

The writer of the EANN article felt these comments were derogatory towards the Jews and as a result raised severe opposition towards Walter Veith, accusing him of anti-Semitism and a “relativization of the holocaust” because Walter connected it to secret plans to create a modern Jewish State in Palestine.

When the SDA leadership of the two German unions was confronted with these allegations, including a personal letter of the EANN author to the two union presidents, it attempted to make contact with Veith without success. Since they felt that the situation was potentially explosive in nature the German Union (including the SDA administrators of Austria and Switzerland) decided to take immediate action by publishing a statement which condemned in very strong terms Veith’s usage of “herding” and “little yellow cloth”, his manner of dealing with other religions as well as his supposed “conspiracy theories” about the involvement of secret societies in history and in general. They requested that local churches not provide a platform for “events like this”. The statement was to be circulated via email to all pastors and elders, via Adventist press agencies, and printed in the monthly church organ “Adventisten Heute”. Furthermore, the document was styled as a reiteration of an official 2005 statement of the German speaking SDA church where it confessed its shortcomings during the time of the Nazi regime thus lending momentous significance to the statement against Walter Veith.

As soon as Walter returned to South Africa, he wrote the following letter to the German brethren explaining that he did not mean anything derogatory in his remarks, and that the expression “little yellow cloth” was due to German being his second language. (Read full report)

Try a non-GMO Thanksgiving

Try something different this year for Thanksgiving--go non-GMO!

NPUC FAQ page on women's ordination issue

The following is taken from NPUC FAQ page: Why is the North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) discussing the topic of women’s ordination?

Our Seventh-day Adventist Church, since the early pioneers and Ellen White’s own ministry, has stood for the priesthood of all believers not restricted to age, ethnicity or gender. Because this issue has been discussed for decades and recently brought to a head by recent decisions of other union conferences, many members and leaders have asked NPUC leadership to address it candidly and objectively. Although our current NPUC bylaws do not preclude the ordination of women, we feel it is important to examine biblical counsel and the good advice of our Northwest believers.

Does this place the NPUC in a position contrary to world church policy?

We do not believe so, and have not currently taken any position that would contradict our church’s official stance. We respect our world church leadership and understand the challenges they face in addressing diverse cultural norms around the world. Yet our church structure, with its geographical divisions, unions and local conferences, is uniquely set up to adapt the outreach of its mission and message to cultural differences. Since union conferences have been tasked with the responsibility of determining ordinations within their territories, the NPUC feels this topic is important and appropriate to address here.

What about the world church study on the theology of ordination? How will that impact any NPUC action?

That world church committee is tasked with bringing a report in 2014. It is possible but not certain that it will be an agenda item at the 2015 General Conference session. Some have actively wondered if perhaps our system of ordination is not even biblical, but rather, based on a tradition far removed from our own Protestant roots. Our NPUC Ad Hoc Committee received its own study on the topic of ordination in a paper by Dr. John McVay, incoming Walla Walla University president. A copy of that document, entitled “Reflections on the Theology and Practice of Ordination in the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” is available online. As the world church studies its theological stance on ordination, we will eagerly join in that discussion. In the meantime, our own discovery process will move forward.

What process has been put in place to pursue a NPUC-wide decision on this issue?

More than a year ago, the NPUC executive committee set up a smaller Ad Hoc Committee on Women in Leadership which met during 2012 and looked at the issue from the perspectives of history, mission, church policy and unity. It presented a recommendation to the November 14 executive committee meeting that favored a decision in favor of the ordination of women. Executive committee members felt that before any firm decision on the issue is finalized an intentional effort should be made to bring as many Northwest members into the discussion as possible. Because of this, the executive committee voted at the Nov. 14 meeting to inform and educate members about the issue of ordination without regard to gender, to invite them to add their voice to the discussion and to allow for a potential future special constituency session to bring any proposed action to a vote.

So no timeline has yet been set up for any firm decisions?

No … however, that will be determined as soon as possible and presented here and on the soon-to-be-created NPUC Women in Leadership website.

Has the NPUC leadership already made up their minds? Is this process just an empty exercise?

Many of our executive committee members and other leaders believe strongly in the value of equal inclusion of women in all facets of Adventist ministry and leadership. Many others are supportive of women in ministry, but very opposed to the idea of ordaining women. No decision has been made, or will be made, without a clear process of conversation, active listening, biblical study and prayer. Some of that has already happened, and now we are expanding the invitation to all Northwest members. Through the process we will also stay in touch with our world church and division leaders.

Will the NPUC share any documents or reports that were developed by the Ad Hoc Committee?

Yes, the paper by Dr. John McVay referred to above, “Reflections on the Theology and Practice of Ordination in the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” is currently online and others will be online and linked here shortly.

How do we share our personal feedback to NPUC leadership on this issue?

As soon as NPUC leadership has determined an active process and timeline for discussion, more information will be added to this FAQ to provide instructions on how and where you may respond in a structured way to this issue. In the meantime, you are welcome to email your response to talk@gleaneronline.org. We plan to set up an NPUC Women in Leadership blog that should be online the week after Thanksgiving, where you can join a more public conversation. We realize there are many strong feelings about this topic on all different sides of the issue. Remember that it’s very possible for good people to have very different perspectives, so keep respect in the center of your comments.

As questions and comments come in, this FAQ page will no doubt adapt and expand. Thanks for being a respectful part of this ongoing process.

NPUC approves motion to call special session to address women's ordination

The North Pacific Union Conference Executive Committee met yesterday for their quarterly meeting, and voted to call a special constituency meeting to address ministerial ordination without regard to gender. They also voted to "inform and educate members of the rationale toward biblical church leadership without regard to gender; 2) engage and encourage constituents in structured conversation and discussion on women in ministry." The date for the special constituency meeting has not been set:

During their regularly-scheduled quarterly meeting held Nov. 14 in Ridgefield, Wash., North Pacific Union Conference executive committee members voted to engage Northwest membership in a discussion on gender-inclusiveness in gospel ministry. They approved a motion to 1) inform and educate Northwest members of the rationale toward biblical church leadership without regard to gender; 2) engage and encourage constituents in structured conversation and discussion on women in ministry; and 3) call a special session of the NPUC constituency to address ministerial ordination without regard to gender. The motion was presented in response to extensive reports provided by an Ad Hoc Committee on Women in Leadership which met during 2012. No date was specified at the meeting for a proposed constituency session, but that will be determined as the process for discussion and decision-making is further defined within the next month. As a start to the discussion, an initial FAQ page is now available, as is a research document from Dr. John McVay, incoming Walla Walla University president, entitled “Reflections on the Theology and Practice of Ordination in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” Additional documents from the NPUC Ad Hoc Committee on Women in Leadership will be available online soon.

Homosexual students: what to do?

One of our readers alerted us to a recent posting on The Student Movement website, the official newspaper for Andrews University. The words "sexual orientation" were added to a list of personal characteristics protected from harassment and discrimination; however, the change has confused some gay students because they felt the school was acknowledging their presence, but limiting their freedom to express their relationships as heterosexual couples. The handbook states on page 176, “We expect students to refrain from all premarital and extramarital sexual relationships and inappropriate displays of affection, including displays of romantic affection between individuals of the same sex.”

One gay student said, "As a gay student on campus, there is no support for students or faculty that identify as LGBT." The article doesn't specify what kind of support they're looking for. Are these students who acknowledge that the homosexual lifestyle is sinful and they want freedom from their sins? Or are they wanting a club that makes them feel good about their lifestyle?

There's a lot of talk in the church about how we should treat homosexuals in the church. One issue that complicates this discussion is that the church is dealing with what appears to be an increasing number of homosexuals and supporters that no longer think the homosexual lifestyle is sinful. Are churches following the biblical steps outlined in the Church Manual for members who engage in sin and refuse to repent and turn from their sin?

No church officer should advise, no committee should recommend, nor should any church vote, that the name of a wrongdoer shall be removed from the church books, until the instruction given by Christ has been faith- fully followed. When this instruction has been followed, the church has cleared herself before God. The evil must then be made to appear as it is, and must be removed, that it may not become more and more widespread. The health and purity of the church must be preserved, that she may stand before God unsullied, clad in the robes of Christ’s righteousness....

“‘Verily I say unto you,’ Christ continued, ‘whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’ Page 57

Our universities and colleges should do absolutely nothing that encourages students to continue in their sins, but be ever diligent in loving and encouraging them to over come their sins. Creating clubs that promote sin is not the answer.

I applaud Andrews University for recognizing the need to protect gay students from harassment, but also drawing the line.

This year, Andrews University edited policies in the Student Handbook on pages 174, 176, and 184, of the 2012-2013 Student Handbook, adding the words “sexual orientation,” to the list of personal characteristics protected from acts of harassment and discrimination. This has rekindled an ongoing debate regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students on campus.

Steve Yeagley, Associate Dean for Student Life, said, “We wanted to clarify the position of the church.“

According to Yeagley, a task force, comprised of AU’s faculty, staff, and legal team, came together to adjust the harassment and discrimination clauses in the Student Handbook. Yeagley believes the reason for the change was not the result of previous harassment or discrimination cases. He says that regarding sexual orientation, he is “not aware of any cases that have been formally brought to the [Student Life] office.” He explains, “Students were saying to us they wanted to know how they are protected, [and] what their rights were, especially when it came to how the university would protect them.”

The changes in the handbook occur in a few places. The harassment section simply adds the words “sexual orientation” to a list of traits including race, color, disability, religion and age. The discrimination section on the other hand, is more detailed. An entire paragraph was added regarding sexual orientation. The paragraph specifies that while sexual orientation is not legally protected in the state of Michigan, it is still protected under Andrews policy, “except as necessary to upholding the University’s commitment to the moral propriety as understood by the Seventh-day Adventist Church (pg. 174).” The paragraph then goes on to warn, “However, promoting or engaging in certain behaviors is prohibited (pg.174).”

LGBT students are confused by the handbook changes. An anonymous gay student said, “It’s like [AU] is acknowledging that we are here, and we are gay, but we still can’t act like it or show it. We can’t have a relationship like any of these other couples walking around campus. ”

The student also believes that, while all couples on campus are held to the standards of the church, homosexual students would receive harsher punishment. This assertion stems from the Student Handbook changes on page 176, under Rights to Relationships. The handbook states, “We expect students to refrain from all premarital and extramarital sexual relationships and inappropriate displays of affection, including displays of romantic affection between individuals of the same sex.” This is also stated again on page 184, under Code of Student Conduct. To the LGBT students, there is a clear distinction between the “inappropriate” romantic behavior for heterosexual students, and “displays of romantic affection” regarding homosexual students.

Victor D. Perez Andino, a junior architecture student who is gay, comments, “It is a good thing for the church to have put this in the handbook, but it doesn’t change the fact that I can’t hold hands with someone if I wanted to.”

Yeagley addresses the issue saying, “We claim the 1st amendment right to discriminate based on our faith-based belief.” As this is an issue that many religious institutions face, Yeagley clarifies, “We need to be aware of the comfort levels of everyone involved.” He explains, “Homosexuality is one of those conversations that the church is just now bringing into the open. […]”

This recent development occurred on October 17, when the Seventh-day Adventist Church reaffirmed its stance opposing homosexual behavior and same-sex marriage, but emphasized compassion and love towards all people. Yeagley reiterates this decision, saying “We have theological positions that we take, but there are pastoral issues that need to be looked at.” Yeagley supports the church’s stance when stating that being part of the LGBT community is not a sin, rather the practice of romantic behavior between same-sex attracted individuals is. Yeagley says, “The problem is the distinction that we make inside the church between orientation and behavior.”

Yeagley underlines his main point saying, “The question, I think, is how we can be as supportive as we can of the church’s position, but also be supportive of students on our campus. […] What we are facing right now is society around us changing.”

This seems to be the core issue for LGBT students as well. A gay student, who is waiting to officially come out, declares that, “As a gay student on campus, there is no support for students or faculty that identify as LGBT.” Since acting on any feelings or attractions would be considered a sin, LGBT members must commit themselves to a life of celibacy in order to be in alignment with the Adventist Church’s views. The student goes on to state, “If the Church and the University are going to take such a stance, they should realize that support groups must be maintained for gay students and faculty. […] We should have a Gay-Straight Alliance that is an approved club on campus.” The student describes the lifelong dilemma of the LGBT community within the church saying, “Imagine that you will never be able to experience the joy of children, or waking up with the person you love. That’s a very difficult thing to deal with.”

Jearmaine Semeleer, a junior marketing major, feels like he understands both perspectives. “I think ‘Why not’? If [LGBT] students are willing to notice that they need help, the church should do everything in their might to help them.” But he continues saying, “The way they word [the handbook] could be offensive, but God is the center of this school.”

Dr. Nancy Carbonell, a psychology and counseling professor at AU’s Graduate School of Education, was a part of the task force that revised the 2012 Student Handbook. She agrees that there needs to be support for LGBT students on campus, and she is proud of AU for revising the handbook. “It’s a step in the right direction,” she remarks, “It might not cover all the issues, but it lets students know they can report their concerns.”

Let your voice be heard. Read the official same-sex union statement (issued by the church), and share your opinions about the subject on our website ausmnews.com.