In 1958 Eugene Burdick and William Lederer published "The Ugly American," a novel dealing with the inept political machinations of Americans in Southeast Asia. This bestseller birthed the expression “ugly American."
Read MoreBeware of the sound of one hand clapping
Last year ADvindicate submitted an application for a booth in the exhibit hall at the 2015 General Conference Session, but after cashing our check and giving us an exhibit number, we received an email from General Conference Exhibit Manager Dean Rogers stating ADvindicate would not be permitted to have a booth at the session.
Read MoreNAD defends racially separated conferences
In a March 25 statement the North American Division (NAD) defended the need for regional conferences, despite concerns this structure promotes racial separation. The statement responded to requests made March 7 by the Andrews University chapter of the Adventist Peace Fellowship, in collaboration with the Andrews University Student Association and Black Student Christian Forum and 10 other student campus groups, asking the NAD to explain the separation of church conferences along racial lines.
Read MoreAppeal dismissed in LSU-3 lawsuit
The North American Division has announced that the appeal in the LSU-3 lawsuit has been dismissed, thus finally ending the litigation. ADvindicate readers will recall that this case began with an inadvertent recording of a conversation among three La Sierra professors Jeffrey Kaatz, James Beach, and Gary Bradley and La Sierra board member Lenny Darnell at the home of James Beach April 20, 2011.
Read MoreNAD Adventist Intercollegiate Association statement: affirmation and concern
Throughout my years in school, from junior high to graduate study, student government was one of my persistent passions. I was honored to serve as Student Association President at Loma Linda University during the final year in which my Master’s degree in systematic theology was finished. Too often, unfortunately, this particular arena of campus life has been maligned both as the province of frivolous popularity seekers and as a soapbox for the allegedly “troublesome young” who—in the words of the late U.S. Vice-President Spiro Agnew---dare to meddle in the grown-up world.
Read MoreChrist or culture: Adventist ordination crisis
A segment within the Seventh-day Adventist Church is currently campaigning to change our historic position regarding the ordination of pastors —that only consecrated men should be ordained. In addition, this push to begin ordaining women as pastors is being done in disregard to the world church’s clear policy on this issue. This presents a serious crisis that threatens to fragment our beloved church, create confusion in our homes, and cripple the progress of the three angels’ messages. Your voice here today can help prevent this disunion. For nearly 150 years, the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s position has consistently been that only men should be ordained as pastors. This doctrine has been based on the clear guidance of multiple scriptures, including such passages as 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9.
ADvindicate is sponsoring a new website, Christ or Culture, to provide biblical, historical, and church support for this position and to address the challenges of the latest effort to compromise biblical truth in favor of social and cultural acceptance.
Please read the material, sign the petition, and forward to your Adventist friends. The support of this petition will be presented to our denominational leaders.
Unauthorized wording change allowed female conference presidents
A one-word revision in 2009 of Working Policy E-60 allowed for female ministers who are commissioned to serve as conference presidents within the North American Division. The revision, which added the word "commissioned," was voted in 2009 by the North American Division Executive Committee (NADCOM). However, after a review of the General Conference Constitution, working policy, and church manuel, NAD's legal counsel found that NADCOM did "not have the right to establish policies which are out of harmony with the General Conference Model Constitution or General Conference Working Policy." This means the North American Division Committee did not have authority to vote the inclusion of the word "commissioned" into the E-60 Policy, because it was out of harmony with the General Conference Working Policy.
In his letter to the full NAD committee, NAD President Dan Jackson said, "The editors will be directed to omit the word 'commissioned' from the E-60 Policy contained in the 2011-2012 edition of the NAD Working Policy."
He added, "In bringing this matter to the floor in 2010 and 2011 we were doing so under the assumption that the North American Division had a constituency separate and distinct from the General Conference. Unfortunately, we were wrong and we sincerely apologize."
Read the North American Division press release.