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Loma Linda Universtiy Health PossAbilities member Greg Crouse will be headed to Duisburg, Germany for the 2015 inaugural Paracanoe World Cup games May 20-24. Team USA announced via a press release that Crouse was one of four individuals who made it on the World Cup team.

“I was extremely elated and proud to make this World Cup team,” Crouse said, who was on the Paracanoe World Championship teams in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Crouse learned that he had made the team immediately following the World Cup time trials in Oklahoma City on April 25.

Although Crouse, 46, has been on Team USA Paracanoe World Championship teams in the past, he has had to requalify every year. “As I’ve gotten older I’ve had to rely on technique and experience rather than just strength,” Crouse admitted. This year, in preparation for time trials, Crouse hired a new coach, Dave Kreuger, in February and will continue to train through the end of the year in preparation for the United States National Championship and the World Paracanoe Championship.

Crouse has been on the “Road to Rio” in an effort to make it to the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. Everything is working toward the 2016 time trials for the Paralympics next year, Crouse stated, and things are not getting any easier. “It was a lot more flexible in the past,” he confessed, “but the closer we get to the Paralympics everything gets a little more challenging with time standards and criteria.

In order to keep the momentum toward Rio de Janeiro, he must compete in the World Cup and the World Championships this year as well as next year. “So this is a huge steppingstone for me.”

"We are very proud of Greg on making the USA World Cup team,” said Pedro R. Payne, PhD, director, community outreach & patient experience at Loma Linda University Medical Center East Campus. “He is a great ambassador of our program and is an inspiration to us all."

PossAbilities is a free, non-profit, community outreach program, which provides individuals of all ages with permanent physical disabilities support and resources to stay active and healthy in life. Loma Linda University Health has run this program since 2001.

A United States Army veteran, Crouse lost his left leg while serving overseas in 1988. He has been a part of PossAbilities since 2008, and he attributes much of his success to the organization. “I’m honored to be a part of PossAbilities. Thank you for making my dreams a reality.”

Briana Pastorino is a Media Relations Specialist for Loma Linda University Health.

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The "Justice Speaks" video-cast, hosted by Pastor Jaime Kowlessar of City Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church in Dallas, Texas, features emerging Adventist voices discussing the intersection of theology and current events. Pastor Kowlessar convenes Justice Speaks conversations on Thursday evenings via Google Hangouts, a video-conference application built into the Google Plus social network.

In a recent episode, "The MisEducation of the Adventist," Kowlessar and five panelists discussed the ongoing issue of police violence against black men in the United States in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray at the hands of Baltimore police. The discussion included first-hand reports from Baltimore, where protesters took to the streets to demonstrate against police violence. Joining Kowlessar were David B. Franklin, pastor of Miracle Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church in Baltimore; tech expert and videographer Chip Dizárd; Michael Polite, associate chaplain at Andrews University; Michael B. Kelly II, senior pastor of the Mt. Rubidoux Seventh-day Adventist Church in Riverside, California; and Andrews University Seminary student Corey Johnson.

Late in the conversation, discussion turned to the ways in which Adventist education ignores the contributions to the church and to society at large from black leaders.

Kowlessar asked, "Is it OK for Adventists to be dismissive of current events?""No," he said, resoundingly, answering his own question.

Turning his attention to the Civil Rights Movement, Kowlessar noted that he had always had the impression Adventists had not been involved in the fight for Civil Rights. "But there were major players, from the laity to pastors, that were heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement. For example, Matthew Strachan, who was the pastor after J. K. Humphrey at Ephesus who was a major player in the NAACP."

"Charles Dudley, J. K. Humphrey..." Kowlessar continued. He asked the panel whether any of them had heard of these men during their matriculation.

"Why is it that we learn about Bates, Edson, Ellen White, Stephen Haskell...and we never learn about these men that were pastors and Civil Rights Freedom Fighters?" Kowlessar asked.

"I hate to say this, but we're being very honest on this show," Michael Kelly responded. "Because learning about them does not help us, in people's minds, become better Adventists and teach Adventist theology. When I left the Seminary, I did not leave learning how to be a pastor. I really left learning how to regurgitate what our church believes to be able to tell people so that eventually they could become better Adventists."

WATCH: The MisEducation of the Adventist. Conversation about Adventist education and Civil Rights leaders begins at approximately the 49:00 minute mark.

Jared Wright is Managing Editor of SpectrumMagazine.org.

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When www.adventistelders.com launched on April 30, it provided one of the most substantial contributions to the discussion of Adventists and the ordination of women in a long time. On the website, several "elder statesmen," senior leaders of the Adventist Church, spoke out in favor of ordaining women in order to achieve church unity. The leders' video message circulated widely, propelled by viral social media sharing. A companion Facebook page, "Adventist Voices of Unity," received thousands of "likes" quickly.

Now the Voices of Unity page has added videos from more senior leaders, and provides expanded statements from some of the six spokesmen from the original video. The Facebook-exclusive content specifically addresses the importance of a "YES" vote at the upcoming General Conference Session.

Gerald Winslow, Vice President for Mission and Culture at Loma Linda University Health, says "We have a historic opportunity to say something important about Jesus, and about God's love." 

Angel Rodriguez, former Director of the Biblical Research Committee, notes in a short clip, that the question of whether or not to allow women to be ordained should not be understood as biblical or theological. "We do not define biblical truth through a majority vote," Rodriguez says. "The question is 'What is the best thing for the church to do?'"

Sasha Ross, Director of the Women's Resource Center at La Sierra University, argues that a "YES" vote prevents one division from imposing its will on other divisions. "...because cultures are so varied on the issue, why would we want North America to dictate that to the rest of the world?" she asks.

John Brunt, Senior Pastor of the Azure Hills Church, points out the importance of women in pastoral ministry in relation to the unique ways women can minister: "...there are some things that women can do that I just can’t do, and God has given us the blessing of calling women that have worked with us and are able to fit right in to those things where we have great need."

Evangelist Alejandro Bullón teases apart issues of unity, uniformity, culture and theology: "But unity is not the same as uniformity. We can be a united church among diversity of colors, languages, and cultures. For that reason, and since there are two different points of view about women’s ordination, the General Conference formed a special committee with representatives from all divisions to study this matter, and this committee informed that women’s ordination is not a theological or doctrinal matter, but a cultural one."

See all of the video statments at the "Adventist Voices of Unity" Facebook page. The page is being periodically updated with new video messages from Adventist leaders.

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Car Crash Kills PUC Senior. Pacific Union College senior Jayaram Notestine (pictured) died in an auto accident May 23. Police reports did not immediately identify him by name, but the PUC Campus Chronicle Facebook page noted his death with plans to devote its next issue to him. From Napa Valley Register, "Two die in crash on Butts Canyon Road." And from the PUC Campus Chronicle: "We are deeply saddened..."

High School Track and Field Star Chooses to Compete on Sabbath. Donovan St. Louis, a practicing Seventh-day Adventist and Pennsylvania high school senior, has decided to compete in the PIAA Track & Field Championships, meaning he will run on Sabbath.  One of the more versatile athletes in the county, his specialty is the 400-meter dash.  While he feels guilty for not attending church on days he competes, he views himself as a "very spiritual person." From GameTimePa.com, "Boys Track and Field: St. Louis will be keeping the faith at state meet."

Zambia Residents Receive Free Health Care. Over 3,000 Chitungwiza, Zambia residents received free health care at 14 different clinics as part of the Seventh-day Adventist Revelation of Hope country-wide crusade. The church anticipates baptizing 30,000 people by the end of the effort on May 30.  President Ted Wilson is joined by 87 other pastors working in many cities and towns. From AllAfrica.com, "Zimbabwe: SDA Offers Free Health Care," and from The Standard, "Adventists offer free medical care."

Adventist Health Takes Fifth Workplace Award. Adventist Health System has received the 2015 Gallup Great Workplace Award for the fifth consecutive year.  This year, Gallup honored 40 organizations.  The Gallup organization compares companies across a workplace research database comprised of work teams in more than 100 countries.  Daniel Wolcott, Takoma's president and CEO, said, "This award demonstrates the deep connection our associates have with our mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ, and with our vision to be the best place to work, practice medicine, and receive care." From the Greenville Sun, "Adventist Health System Is Honored With The 2015 Gallup 'Great Workplace' Award."

Pam Dietrich taught English at Loma Linda Academy for 26 years and served there eight more years as the 7-12 librarian. She lives in Redlands, CA.

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The Adventist Voices of Unity Facebook page features a steadily growing collection of video messages in which church leaders provide their reasons for supporting regional autonomy in ordination practices.

Among the most recent additions to the page is a brief but significant statement by Sandra Roberts, president of the Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and the first woman president of a church entity (not counting Adventist colleges, whose presidents are not required to be ordained). It is among Roberts' first public statments specifically addressing ordination in SECC (women in that conference have been equally credentialed alongside their male counterparts for several years), and more significantly still, addressing her own status as an ordained minister and president of a conference.

Roberts says in the video:

You know, working in a conference that ordains women, and personally having that privilege of being an ordained pastor, it affirms the ministry that we are called to do and we’re already doing. It is wonderful to be part of the body of Christ—where we do believe in the priesthood of all believers—to have that affirmation, and to be able then to give that to other women and men side-by-side as we work together in ministry, so there’s no difference. I think it’s wonderful to have that culture, that opportunity, and that privilege to work side-by-side with equal recognition.

It’s a phenomenal experience, it’s a phenomenal mission, and it is a phenomenal work of God. So, for the sake of mission that we’re called to—in our conference, we frame it by saying “We are called to expand the kingdom of God”—so let’s just do this, because we need to get our mission done.”

Watch this video and several others on the Adventist Voices of Unity Facebook page.

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Jennifer Scott has been released as senior pastor of the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church, several sources have confirmed.

Scott accepted the call to move from the Washington Conference to Keene in July of 2013. At the time, she told the Keene Star News, “People are warm and welcoming and the opportunity is great for ministry. I am eager to get started.”

The Keene community has not always proven the most welcoming place for a woman pastor. Ingo Sorke, a professor in the Southwestern Adventist University Religion Department has been an outspoken opponent of women ministers, arguing that the New Testament affirms male headship.

Scott is listed as a commissioned minister in the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. In 2013, the Texas Conference issued a statement on the role of women in ministry, stating,

The Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, in line with its mission to proclaim the everlasting gospel to as many as possible, affirms the ministry calling of both the men and women who serve in various capacities and leadership roles throughout our organization.
[. . .]
Over the last few decades, the Texas Conference has invited a number of women to serve as principals, pastors, and in Conference leadership and administration, believing that women, as much as men, are an invaluable part of responding to the Great Commission in our territory.
[. . .]   
We recognize the current distinction between service in ministry and ordination to pastoral ministry and as such will continue to work closely and remain in harmony with the policies of the Southwestern Union and the North American Division of Seventh- day Adventists.

As its offices were closed Friday, the Texas Conference was not available for comment.

Scott was the second woman appointed senior pastor of a Seventh-day Adventist college church, following Chris Oberg at the La Sierra University Church. She succeeded Pastor Mic Thurber at Keene when Thurber became ministerial director of the Mid America Union in Lincoln, Nebraska.

In her preaching, Scott emphasized the love and grace of God, drawing frequently from the Gospels and Pauline Epistles for many of her sermon series.

In a message to the Keene congregation recorded just hours after she accepted the call to pastor there, Scott quoted Ephesians 3:20: “God is able and willing to do abundantly more than we are able to ask or imagine.” She invited the congregation to imagine the possibilities God had in store.

It is not clear when Scott’s final Sabbath with the Keene Church will be. This weekend’s service will feature the Keene Elementary School 8th Grade Baccalaureate, and Scott is not scheduled to speak.

UPDATE: Asked for comment, Geraldo Alonso, Keene's Pastor for Youth Ministry, offered a statement provided by the Texas Conference:

This was an administrative decision made by the Texas Conference in its employer and employee relationship with Pastor Jennifer Scott. We as a pastoral staff are committed to serving our church and community through this difficult time. We are planning for the future and we are choosing to praise God through every situation we face as a church body."

"For further info, I urge people to contact the Texas Conference if I'm pressed for more info," Alonso said.

Jennifer Scott did not respond to requests for comment. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Jared Wright is Managing Editor of SpectrumMagazine.org.

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It is not uncommon that a pastor and a congregation reach an impasse, and sometimes that results in the removal of a pastor at the congregation's request. Occurences like these are not necessarily newsworthy, but when the pastor is a woman senior pastor, one of only two serving on Adventist university campuses, and when the removal happens a month before a General Conference Session in which the place of women pastors is the subject of sharp debate, the story increases in its significance.

As I reported, Jennifer Scott has been dismissed as senior pastor of the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church, effective immediately. What has been unclear, and remains the source of some confusion, is why.

In my correspondence with several individuals Friday, piecing together the story, the evidence pointed toward gender as at least a contributing factor in Scott's dismissal. 

Today, in a lengthier phone conversation with an individual close to the situation who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation, a different story emerged. The issue is not one of gender--that is the first point to make. At least not explicitly. Instead the individual with whom I spoke suggested that while Scott is an outstanding professional, there were incompatibilities between what she offered and what the community wanted. While there had been a group of individuals unhappy with a woman senior pastor, those individuals had long since moved on. There was consensus over the fact that at the Keene Church, staff, elders and the congregation as a whole (not to mention the Texas Conference) feel positively toward women pastors. So gender was not the issue.

To the point of Southwestern Adventist University professor Ingo Sorke's name appearing in my previous article, an apology is in order. Again, private correspondence gave the impression that Sorke's outspokenness as a proponent of male headship (he has written and spoken extensively on the topic), and as an opponent of women in professional ministry, made the environment in Keene less welcoming for a woman in the pulpit. I went with it. But my conversations today disabused me of the idea that Sorke's headship theology gained any currency within the Keene community. As many have pointed out, Sorke conducts his own ministry in a congregation outside of Keene, and male headship is simply not an issue in the Keene community. So to the extent that my inclusion of Sorke's viewpoints detracted from the issue at hand, I apologize. I barked up the wrong tree.

So where does this leave the Keene Church? 

In addition to regular preaching, Scott chaired major committees at the church and served as a liaison to Southwestern Adventist University. Her termination with immediate effect leaves her responsibilities to others. James Winegardner, who has served as administrative pastor for the Keene Church since February of this year, is the senior member of the pastoral staff. Albert Handal serves as pastor to young adults. While no word has come from the church or the conference regarding what the process will be for finding a replacement pastor, large churches like the Keene Church often appoint interim senior pastors while the congregation appoints a search committee.

The Keene Adventist Church has had a high pastoral turnover rate. Of the remaining pastors, only Youth Pastor Geraldo Alonso has been at Keene more than a year.

Jared Wright is Managing Editor for SpectrumMagazine.org.

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The world headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is abuzz with preparations for the upcoming General Conference Session. The 60th meeting of its kind in the 152-year history of the denomination will take place in San Antonio, Texas and will see as many as 60,000 people from more than 170 countries gather in the Alamodome. 

Although sometimes thought of as a kind of global camp-meeting for those who come to hear music and preaching from around the world while connecting with old friends and meeting new ones, the heart of this event is a business meeting in which world church leadership is elected, critical issues are discussed and decisions are made governing how the church will move forward in fulfilling its mission. 

The Business of Session

The very first official World Session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church was a one-day meeting held on May 20, 1863 in Battle Creek, Michigan with 20 delegates present. At the time the organizational structure of the Church was small and membership was only a few thousand, mostly from the United States of America. However, as the Seventh-day Adventist Church has developed in countries around the world, its membership has grown. 

The delegates, who are sent as official representatives of the church as it is constituted in their locale, conduct the business of General Conference Session. But just who are these delegates? How are they chosen? What are their responsibilities at a General Conference Session as they function in their role? 

The rules governing the selection of delegates are spelled out in the Constitution and Bylaws of the General Conference that define the purposes and operations of the global church and those that govern a General Conference Session.

In an attempt to divest the definition of a delegate and the description of their duties from the technical language found in what could be a rather complex narrative, this article will attempt to describe in broad strokes and approachable language what forms this functional body. 

In broad terms the structure of the Church can be understood by knowing that members belong to congregations. Congregations within a specific geographic territory are organized into a local conference/mission or in some cases, a union of churches. Defined groups of local conferences or local missions comprise a union conference or union mission. Unions are the building blocks of the General Conference. 

Terminologies like ‘mission’ when attached to conferences and unions usually indicate that they are in a stage of development that has not reached full financial viability and self-sustenance.

Unions and divisions of the General Conference select delegates in harmony with regular delegate quotas and selection processes outlined in the Bylaws.  Members of the General Conference Executive Committee are also delegates at a General Conference Session.

The total number of delegates from each division must include at least 50% of the group being lay members, pastors or other front line workers. A majority of that 50% must be laypersons.

There are two kinds of delegates: regular delegates and delegates-at-large. Regular delegates represent the General Conference member units as outlined in the bylaws. 

Delegates-at-large represent the General Conference and its institutions as well as divisions and their institutions.

The entire delegation for a General Conference Session is comprised of:

1. Delegate quotas based on units of organizational structure
2. Delegate quotas based on division membership as a percentage of total world membership, and
3. Delegates representing the General Conference, its institutions plus divisions and their institutions. 

Who are these delegates?

Here are some interesting facts about the delegates at this GC Session:

Regular Delegates                 1559

Delegates-at-large               1007

Total delegates                       2566 

Age data                                

• Under 30                   6%
• 30-39                         10%
• 40-49                         26%
• 50-59                         35%
• 60-69                         19%
• Over 70                      3% 

Gender Data

• Female                        17%
• Male                            83%

How Delegates are selected

A question that is certain to be asked when reading statistics on gender representation is why is the percentage of female delegates so small when it is perceived that women are in the majority as pertains to Church membership?  The answer is simple. While efforts are continually made to ensure that the entire delegation shall be comprised of both genders, currently the positions from which these delegates are named and that generate the majority of delegates for the Session are held by males.  This will change over time as more women are elected to leadership positions and Conference or Union executive committee membership.

It is important to note that regular delegates to the General Conference Session are not selected by the General Conference itself, but are selected by Unions and Divisions around the world field.  The individuals selected are the representatives of their various organizations to the General Conference Session.

The executive committees of the unit that they represent select regular delegates. If the delegate represents a mission, the committee of the larger unit to which it is attached selects the delegate. They are a mix of lay people, pastors and teachers and church administrators. 

Their job is to report to the Session and be present during the business meetings to debate, discuss and vote on items that appear on the agenda. They must be members in regular standing of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and they are often chosen because of their demonstrated interest and involvement in the church. 

In recent years the church has made special efforts to include young adults, women and frontline workers in the delegate mix.

Each delegate has voice - meaning that they can come to the microphone and speak to the business that is under discussion. They also have vote - meaning they are able to vote on the item that is under discussion.

One-third of the total number of delegates must be present for the Session to be able to declare a quorum and to conduct business. 

Shortly after the Session has officially begun, delegates will meet in groups or a “caucus,” one group for each division and attached union and one group for the General Conference and those delegates-at-large that it specifically names according to Bylaws and Executive Committee provisions. The purpose of these groups is to choose members from each group who will serve on the Nominating Committee. The number of Nominating Committee members from each group is specifically defined in the Bylaws.

Delegates, both regular and at-large, approve the agenda of the Session and they elect church leadership after receiving reports from the Nominating Committee.

In upcoming installments of the GC Session 101 Series we will discuss the policies that outline the formation of the nominating committee as well as their responsibilities. Future articles will also look inside the experience of being nominated by talking to a former nominee.

There are 2566 people as delegates designated to conduct the business of determining the leadership for the General Conference and its divisions, the fundamental beliefs of the Church, amendments to the Church Manual, and other matters that may be referred to the Session by the General Conference Executive Committee.  However, their most important business, and that of the church in general, will be focus on the plans and presentations sharing about the mission of the church in lifting up Christ, His righteousness, His three angels’ messages, His evangelistic mission to the world and His soon second coming.  The spiritual focus of the General Conference Session is the most important aspect of its work – unifying God’s people to accomplish the final mission entrusted into their hands.  

General Conference leadership has invited members around the world to participate in the 100 Days of Prayer campaign leading up to GC Session.  We are to pray for the falling of the latter rain of the Holy Spirit on the 2015 General Conference Session.  This is the greatest work of the Session – to humble ourselves before God and receive His unifying power to accomplish God’s mission for His church.

Please pray for the delegates as they gather to conduct this most important work. It is our hope that church business conducted faithfully, hearts that are open to the Holy Spirit earnestly, prayers that are ascending on behalf of God’s people ceaselessly, minds that search God’s word diligently and hands that act in God’s love endlessly will allow us to soon see His face. 

The 2015 General Conference Session theme says, “Arise!  Shine!  Jesus Is Coming!”  May this be the theme of Seventh-day Adventists meeting in San Antonio and around the world.

This article was written by the Adventist News Network reporting staff.

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On Friday I received news that Jennifer Scott would no longer be serving as senior pastor of the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church. 

After confirming Scott's departure through a series of phone calls and emails, I began writing an article on the story, which I published on the Spectrum website. In the conversations I had, I was persuaded—and subsequently wrote—that the story was best understood through the lens of the ongoing issue of women in pastoral ministry, which will be the subject of discussion and a vote at the General Conference Session a little more than a month from now.

I wrote the story in good faith, convinced that the details as I had been told them were correct, but in short, I got things very wrong.

In subsequent conversations with leaders in the Keene community, and after several comments from readers, it became apparent that the situation leading to the end of Scott’s leadership of the Keene Church was very complex; reducing it to a single issue proved not only factually wrong, but also did injustice to the complexity of the situation.

On Saturday, I wrote a follow-up article in which I enumerated some of the facts I had gotten wrong, and apologized for suggesting that the headship theology espoused by Southwestern Adventist University professor Ingo Sorke might have made things more difficult for a woman pastor in Keene. Several also pointed out to me that this was neither pertinent nor particularly accurate.

The headlines of the articles used the words “released” and “dismissed,” respectively, referring to the end of Scott’s service as senior pastor. Both words carry connotations that likely misconstrue the facts of the situation.

While I did send requests for comments to the Texas Conference and Jennifer Scott, I did not receive a response, and went ahead with the article anyway.

As is often the case, when personnel decisions are made, the specifics will not be shared for personal and professional reasons.

Both of my articles are now removed from the Spectrum website, as they lent more confusion to the situation than clarity. I take full responsibility for the fact that my articles fell short of Spectrum’s standards and my own standards for thorough and accurate reporting.

Sometimes, apologizing is not only the right thing to do—it is the only thing to do. So I apologize first to Jennifer Scott and the leaders of the Keene Church, second to the Keene community; to the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, the faculty of Southwestern Adventist University and Professor Sorke in particular, and to the readers of the articles for the errors I made in reporting this story.

I appreciate those who provided feedback that led to correcting the story, and whose responses demanded the highest level of journalistic and personal integrity.

Sincerely,

Jared Wright
Managing Editor
SpectrumMagazine.org

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A recently-released break down of delegates to the 2015 San Antonio General Conference Session reveals that the vast majority of delegates are male, and more than half (fifty-seven percent) are over 50 years old. Data has not yet been released on the numbers and percentages of delegates from various world fields, but as that information becomes available, we will provide the details.

Below is an infographic that provides one way of visualizing the delegates that will serve—and make some important decisions—at Session in July.

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Where Some Denominations Are Shrinking, Adventism Grows. The Lancaster Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church in Pennsylvania is buying St. Luke’s United Church of Christ. While some mainline denominations are facing declining membership in large cities, Adventist congregations are growing.  In its new location, the Lancaster Church congregation plans to help the poor and to hold evangelistic meetings. From Lancaster Online, "The Changing Face of Urban Churches."

Wheelchair-bound 98-year-old Baptized as Adventist. Wheelchair-bound 98-year-old Henry Combs was recently baptized into the Adventist church. After his wife died two years ago, Combs started studying the Bible, desiring to see his wife in heaven. During his career, Combs designed airplanes like the U-2 and the SR-71 Blackbird. From The Santa Clarita Valley Signal, "Canyon Country man has lived, made aviation history."

Fifth Grade Class Cleans Island Beach. Math/science teacher Chase Shireman led 25 students from the Saipan Seventh-day Adventist School in a beach clean up on Bird Island in the Northern Mariana Islands. Partnering with the Mariana Islands Nature Alliance, in just two hours Shireman and his students filled 20 bags of garbage that had washed ashore. They were inspired by a a documentary titled "Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch." From Marianas Variety, "SDA students clean up Bird Island."

Firefighters Fill Baptismal Pool for Breath of Life Ministries. Breath of Life Ministries arranged to have San Antonio firefighters use a fire truck to fill a 5,000-gallon baptismal pool outside the Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church. Breath of Life used the above-ground pool to baptize at least 100 people. Fire Deputy Chief Wedige explained that the activity fell under a public-service category which includes training, demos, and public education. From KENS 5 News, "SAFD firefighters filled baptismal pool at request of mayor staffer."

Eastern Nigerian Union Conference Hosts New Governor. Newly-elected Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Nigeria's Abia State attended a thanksgiving service at the Seventh-day Adventist Eastern Union Conference Headquarters in Aba, affirming that he intended to accept challenge to "not to displease God."  Bassey Udoh, Eastern Nigerian Union Conference President, had charged the governor in a sermon to watch what he did in order not to displease God.  Ikpeazu used strong rhetoric in describing his goals in office, telling his audience that he was prepared to step on toes standing in the way of his agenda. From The News Nigeria, "Governor Ikpeazu declares he will step on toes."

Loma Linda University Health, San Gorgonio Memorial Begin Affiliation Talks. The board of San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital in Banning, California is entering into exclusive affiliation discussions with Loma Linda University Health. A deal between the two entitites would mean a needed cash infusion for San Gorgonio to allow the 71-bed facility to expand. Loma Linda would lease the taxpayer-owned hospital, but the district would retain the assets. From Press Enterprise, "BANNING: Hospital seeks affiliation with Loma Linda University."

Pam Dietrich taught English at Loma Linda Academy for 26 years and served there eight more years as the 7-12 librarian. She lives in Redlands, CA.

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For the Seventh-day Adventist Church quinquennial session in July when 100 plus General Conference officials will be elected, a voting body of 2,566 delegates is created to handle the election and other church business.

In a recent story about how the delegates are picked, the Adventist News Network reported that 83% of the delegates are male and 17% female.

“A question that is certain to be asked when reading statistics on gender representation is why is the percentage of female delegates so small when it is perceived that women are in the majority as pertains to Church membership?” the article says.

Then it answers its own question, “While efforts are continually made to ensure that the entire delegation shall be comprised of both genders, currently the positions from which these delegates are named and that generate the majority of delegates for the Session are held by males. This will change over time as more women are elected to leadership positions and Conference or Union executive committee membership.”

Yes, this will change over time—if women are allowed to be ordained and thus can be eligible for positions that require an ordained individual to be chosen for the offices such as conference and union presidents. Examination of the delegate numbers, and the three ways delegate quotas are established demonstrates why this is so important. Delegates with administrative positions are the majority of the delegates. According to the Constitution of the General Conference delegates are selected:
Based on units of organizational structure such as unions and conferences
Based on division membership as a percentage of total world membership
Based on the General Conference and its institutions

Division officers and union presidents are delegates by constitutional requirement. Invariably, other union officers and conference presidents, a group of about 800 more people, generally make the list of delegates, too. So, without ordination, women essentially do not qualify for hundreds of delegate positions.

There is a formula for the inclusion of pastors and the laity which is supposed to be half of the delegates after the administrative delegates are selected. Technically, only 400 delegates are allocated based on membership. The other delegates—over 2,000—are apportioned according to structural units.

Another way to look at the spread of delegates is geographically. This, too, shows great disparity in the representation according to membership.

Delegates by Division, membership by division, and the ratio of delegates per member:

The number of delegates per member is not the same for every division. The SID has one delegate for every 15,836 members while the TED has one delegate per every 767 members. The South Pacific Division has more delegates but less members than Northern Asia Pacific Division. Having more unions, conferences, and institutions affects the number of delegates in a division. Also, notice that the unit with the third largest number of delegates is the General Conference itself. It functions like a 14th division in spite of the fact that it has no membership base other than the approximately 4,000 members who live in the fields that were recently attached to it in the Middle East and Israel.

Who is included in that General Conference delegation? Members of the General Conference Executive Committee, associate department directors, representatives of GC institutions, twenty GC staff members, plus a list of about 70 former leaders and selected individuals traditionally nominated by the president and approved by the Administrative Committee.

If one were to compare the Adventist system to the U.S. House and Senate where the section of governance that has the greatest numbers comes from the House where representatives are apportioned based on population, the Adventist system is reversed. The largest number of delegates is based on church structural units rather than membership.

There is nothing inherently wrong with preference being given to administrators, since they are the people who are responsible for running the Church organization.  But some might argue that a system based more equally on membership would be more fair.What is also problematic is barring women, who are half of the church membership, from holding hundreds of top administrative offices, such as conference and union presidencies. There are approximately 750 of these positions in the church, and they all require ordination.  Almost all of those people become delegates to the General Conference, effectively locking women out of those delegate slots.

In the recent discussion of Women’s Ordination, the tie of administrative offices to ordained positions has not been a major factor in the conversation. It was not discussed in the Theology of Ordination Study Committee (TOSC), for instance. The ascension of one woman to the presidency of the Southeastern California Conference helped nudge the Women’s Ordination conversation along, but that was all.

Whatever the outcome of the vote on Women’s Ordination, these delegate issues of disparity in representation of membership geographically and by gender need to be faced and fixed.

Bonnie Dwyer is Editor of Spectrum Magazine.

Inline Images: 

The charts below tell the numerical story of how delegates are apportioned by age, gender and geography at the upcoming General Conference Session in San Antonio. The first image is a graphical representation of the delegates by gender and age.

Compare those numbers with the 2013 statistics (the most recent numbers available from the Office of Archives, Statistics and Research) on church membership by gender and age. It's important to note that the "under 30" category here includes all baptized members under the age of 30, whereas delegates under age 30 in the image above tend to be college-age and above.

The next image provides membership data for the 13 divisions and 2 world fields that make up the Seventh-day Adventist World Church.

The final image lists the number of delegates from each division, that number as a percentage of total delegates, the number of members in each division, that number as a percentage of total members, and the differential between delegate percentage and membership percentage. It is important to point out (as Bonnie Dwyer explains in more detail here) that delegates are apportioned primarily on the basis of church structural units rather than on membership. This chart shows some of the gaps between membership and representation at General Conference Session.

Bonnie Dwyer also explains why, although the General Conference does not have a membership base aside from the 3,946 members who live in the Middle East and Israel, territories that were recently attached to the GC. The article provides a chart with the ratios of delegates to members for each division.

Inline Images: 

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In a special video edition of the NAD Newspoints bulletin from the North American Division Communication Department, NAD President Daniel R Jackson reflects on the past five years and shares his thoughts and wishes for the members of the Division heading into this summer’s 60th General Conference Session in San Antonio, Texas.

Watch his recorded statement in the video below:

Thoughts Going into GC Session from NAD Adventist on Vimeo.

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NatGeo features SWAU Dino Research Project. Southwestern Adventist University's Dinosaur Research Project appeared in two National Geographic Channel documentaries: "Dino Death Match" and "Ultimate Dino Survivor." Both programs featured a controversial breed of dinosaur named Nanotyrannus. In 2001, Southwestern's Dinosaur Research Project discovered one of only five Nanotyrannus. A film crew spent two days on the SWAU campus. From Keene Star, "Southwestern's Dino Dig Project featured on National Geographic Channel."

Forgiveness Project Exhibited in British Churches."The F Word" exhibition, part of The Forgiveness Project, has been on display in the Plymouth and Bodmin, England churches. Both churches served as "exhibition area[s] where the public could engage in the stories of people who have discovered forgiveness in unexpected places."  The project "has been displayed in over 300 venues worldwide and draws together voices from South Africa, America, Israel, Palestine, Northern Ireland and England to examine forgiveness as a healing process, a journey out of victimhood and ultimately, a journey of hope." From Adventist.org.uk, "Forgiveness Project Stretches from Aberdeen to Bodmin."

Andrews University Will Require Meningitis Vaccination. Andrews University is preparing to require its first-year students to be vaccinated against meningitis, according to Stephen Payne, Vice President of Integrated Marketing and  Communications for Andrews University. Currently, the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not require college students to have the vaccine, but Andrews administration wants "to stay ahead of the curve." From Fox 28, "Michigan college to require meningitis vaccination for incoming freshmen this fall."

PUC Noted as a Great Place to Meet Future Spouse.  In a survey created by Niche, a database of school information, Pacific Union College placed seventh in a nation-wide ranking of "Best Colleges to Meet Your Future Spouse." PUC rated above other California Christian institutions Biola University and Pepperdine University. With a focus on religious colleges, Niche combined its lists of the friendliest students, the smartest students, and the most attractive students to create a list of 50 schools for this list. From Business Insider, "50 colleges where you're most likely to meet your future spouse."

Gethsemane Seventh-day Adventist Church Damaged by Fire. Gethsemane Seventh-day Adventist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, being spruced up to celebrate its 100th anniversary, has been damaged by a fire caused by soldering in its fellowship hall. All services have been put services on hold. From WNCN.com, "Crews battle early morning fire at Raleigh church."

Pam Dietrich taught English at Loma Linda Academy for 26 years and served there eight more years as the 7-12 librarian. She lives in Redlands, CA.

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The numbers are in for the evangelistic campaign targeting metro New York in 2013, spearheaded by General Conference President, Ted Wilson. And they do not tell a compelling story in favour of the campaign.

There are five conferences that have a presence in the area defined as metro New York by the campaign organisers. Three of these, Greater New York Conference, Northeastern Conference and New Jersey Conference fall completely or largely within the boundaries. Two others, Southern New England Conference and Allegheny East Conference only have a small portion of their territory within the campaign area.

The Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research at the General Conference via their website have released the membership data for 2014.  Analysis of this shows that these conferences have performed below their historic run rate.

The five conferences combined experienced total baptisms and professions of faith of 6,628 people in 2013.  This exceeded the average for the previous five years (2008-2012), of 5,959.  During the 2014 year total baptisms amounted to 5,018, well below the previous five year average, and lower than any year during that period.  The average for 2013 and 2014 is 5,823 baptisms, which is less than the previous five year average, and this is highly suggestive that the campaign encouraged people to be baptised in 2013, who perhaps would have made that decision in 2014.

In the North American Division, baptisms have dropped from a high of 45,419 in 2009 to 34,930 in 2014.  The decline in baptisms division-wide has been greater than that in New York.  It could be debated that NY13 arrested a decline, but equally it could be argued that NY13 utilised resources that became unavailable to the rest of the division.

The organisers subsequently released a report into their “Evangelistic Adventure,” which can be found in full here. The report is rich in describing how the campaign came about. The first meeting was attended by leaders from the General Conference, North American Division, the Atlantic Union and Columbia Union, and the local conferences. These included Ted Wilson, Mark Finley, Dan Jackson and Shawn Boonstra. Plans were put in place to run pastors orientations, evangelism and prayer rallies, to distribute copies of "The Great Hope," and train Bible workers. Small groups, youth ministries and health ministries were all a part of the preparation work.  The report then moved on to taking credit for all of the baptisms that occurred during 2013. In contrast to the story of how the campaign came about, there is no meaningful analysis of the results achieved, be it measured by way of baptisms, greater commitment, increased attendance at church, etc, and no mention at all of the cost to achieve the results. There are some recommendations about future improvements, such as more prayer and greater ownership in the local field.

The results speak for themselves.  A huge effort was committed to this programme, both by clergy and laity. Significant resources were consumed. And the outcome evidently was no different than if the exercise had not been undertaken.

Bill Mancer is a kiwi who hails from Auckland, New Zealand.  He is a chartered accountant, business owner, husband, father, and Gracegate Church attender, who enjoys crunching numbers for kicks.

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I have a proposal for you, a project that we can do together to enhance the church community we all love and believe in. It will take money from my pocket and put it into independent media that provides the kind of information required for a community that reads to improve itself. You will benefit by receiving a beautiful journal that explores the Bible creatively, reports independently on church activities, and examines issues from multiple points of view.

Spectrum is both a quarterly journal and digital magazine.  In both versions you get news, not public relations; crucial opinion and research, not bromides and boilerplate.  And underneath everything—I emphasize this point—is the fire that gets us going: passion for what’s best in the Adventist heritage; questions about what’s not.

Most Adventists learn church news primarily from official sources, that is from the materials produced by or for people who hold administrative offices. For example, the Adventist Review’s 80-page special issue on the General Conference session in San Antonio, just off the press, bears the cover headline “Five Years of Progress,” and makes no explicit mention of gender equality in ministry. Arguably one of the single largest projects involving people from around the world—The Theology of Ordination Study Committee—is not discussed. That should make the point. Official information serves officials, and panders to an uncritical readership, Adventists who are inattentive, that is, to cultural, spiritual and denominational challenges thoughtful Christians simply must contend with.

As Adventist Forum board chair, I make Spectrum (along with the church proper) a major recipient of my own giving. So here’s my proposal to you. Over one week, starting right now, for every one of you who becomes a new “member” of the Adventist Forum, and thus a receiver of the quarterly journal, or print version of Spectrum, I will donate $50 to the organization. I will write the check in June.

Independent Adventist journalism matters in all its forms. The print version of Spectrum contains longer pieces—journalistic revelations; essays on church history and theology; personal accounts—that thoughtful readers value and that scholars will consult for years to come. It is beautiful magazine with original art in every issue. So I urge you to sign up.

Here’s how. Become a member of Adventist Forum and you will receive Spectrum as a benefit. Call our  California office at (916) 774-1080, or follow the link below to our online subscription page. A one year membership costs $39.95, and you will receive 4 issues. The two year membership is a bargain at $69.95 for 8 issues. There is also an online only option for $39.95. Students can get a year of printed issues for $19.95 (US/Canada) or $29.95 (international).

Spectrum has been the remarkable (if imperfect) voice of reformation-minded Adventism for more than forty-five years.  You’ll be proud to get the magazine in your mailbox.  As for that check I’m going to write this month, it will make me feel…really good.  Now as always, after all, Christ’s relevance to world depends heavily on those who write—and read—with unfettered passion, creativity and faithfulness.    

Click here to become a member now.

Chuck Scriven is chairman of the Adventist Forum board, the parent organization of Spectrum Magazine.

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Ty Gibson, Co-director of the independent Light Bearers ministry and senior pastor of the Storyline Seventh-day Adventist Church in Eugene, Oregon, has published a 12,800-word article in which he reversed his previous position on women's ordination, and came out decisively in favor of ordaining women. In addition to his work with Light Bearers (which lists among its accomplishment distributing over half a billion pieces of Adventist literature worldwide), Gibson has been featured on the 3 Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN) in a series called Anchors of Truth, and has numerous devotional and theological books to his name. Gibson has also spoken on several occasions for the Generation of Youth for Christ (GYC).

The audience Gibson has cultivated sets him apart from others who have spoken out in favor of ordaining Adventist women. His connection to 3ABN and GYC has placed him in the company of many who have vocally opposed ordaining women. Comparatively, Gibson is positioned as a moderate among conservatives, but don't call him a liberal—or a conservative. In a strongly-worded blog post, Gibson excoriated those who call themselves liberals or conservatives, writing, "To be a conservative or a liberal is nothing of which to be proud. It’s a manifestation of our bent, unbalanced, sinful human nature." He went further, suggesting that people who align themselves with one camp or the other demonstrate a spirit of evil:

It doesn’t matter how different conservatives and liberals appear to be on the surface, because they tend to have one defining characteristic in common: they hate each other, or at least they dislike, discredit, disavow, and politically dismember one another. On both sides there is pride of opinion, arrogance of attitude and, most glaringly, a spirit of censor against the other side. So the differences are only skin-deep, while at heart they are moved by one and the same spirit—the spirit of self-serving enmity that crucified Jesus.

Given his professed extreme disdain for ideological pigeonholing, it should come as little surprise that Gibson came to what some might consider a progressive understanding of ordination in the most traditionally-Adventist way possible: through use of Bible texts, early Seventh-day Adventist history, and excerpts of Ellen White's writings, the result being what he described as a change of heart:

What I thought I would discover was support for the view I already held. What I actually discovered is that I was wrong in some of the things I assumed the Bible says on the topic. As I began to read, and read, and read, I underwent a series of shifts in my thinking under the guidance of God’s word.

Gibson meticulously examined key biblical passages used to oppose the practice of ordaining women, and said that while he has no interest in "advocating for one side or the other in the debate," he ended with a specific appeal to those serving as delegates to the 2015 General Conference Session in San Antonio:

If you are a delegate to the 2015 General Conference Session, please vote in favor of allowing for individual Divisions to decide whether or not to ordain women within their territories.

By voting this way, you will be standing in favor of refraining from dividing the church over a subject that does not constitute testing truth.

By voting this way, you will be voting to refrain from creating restrictions that go beyond what is written in God’s word.

By voting this way, you will be voting to affirm the freedom of God’s Spirit to do as He pleases with His people.

In advocating a YES vote at the General Conference Session, Gibson joined David Asscherick, pastor of the Kingscliff Adventist Church in New South Wales, Australia and founder of ARISE, as the second Light Bearers speaker to publicly advocate in favor of allowing divisions to ordain women. Asscherick has argued since 2012 that there is nothing in Scripture that prohibits women from occupying offices typically held by men.

In his article, "A Closer Look At Women's Ordination," Gibson considered the arguments most commonly employed by opponents of women's ordination, and one-by-one, argued against each. Here is an example:

They begin by insisting that male-only ordination is a moral mandate due to the fact that Adam was created before Eve, from which they insist that women may not authoritatively teach men. But then they are faced with a woman prophet they accept in an authoritative teaching role—namely, Ellen White. So they have to figure out some explanatory angle to make exceptions for some women to teach men. But here’s the colossal problem: if we’re dealing here with a moral mandate, then there can be no exceptions, and to make exceptions is to inadvertently confess that it’s not a moral issue after all. And if it’s not a moral issue, then there is no legitimate reason to urge it as a universal rule for the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Perhaps Gibson's most compelling line of argumentation for those who revere Ellen White as God's messenger is to point out that she seems to have clearly advocated for women pastors, which Gibson said caught him by surprise.

Even though Ellen White did not attend the 1881 GC session, shortly after, in her April 4, 1882 Review and Herald article, she deliberately republished something she had written a year earlier:

“If there is one work more important than another, it is that of getting before the public our publications, which will lead men to search the Scriptures. Missionary work—introducing our publications into families, conversing, and praying with and for them—is a good work, and one which will educate men and women to do pastoral labor” (Review and Herald, April 4, 1882; published the first time in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 390).

You likely didn’t see that coming, and neither did I. Ellen White envisioned women in pastoral ministry of some kind. And please pause to catch the significance of the historical context in which her above statement was made. A proposal was just brought before the General Conference Session stating that females “be set apart by ordination to the work of the Christian ministry.”

He further argues that from all historical evidence, Ellen White was not opposed to ordaining women, and probably even supported the proposal in 1881.

Ty Gibson speaks to a different audience than do most proponents of women's ordination, and the audience is paying attention. In one case, that meant a rebuttal from Dr. Clinton Wahlen, who served on the North American Division Biblical Research Committee that took up the theology of the ordination of women. Wahlen authored that group's "minority report" in favor of male headship over and against ordaining women, and he disagreed with Gibson's statement that "to elevate the pastoral position with language of headship and privilege over other church members is decidedly papal." Wahlen responded, "Then why is there such an insistence on ordaining women? Why do for women what is thought to be wrong for men? Is the article really arguing for no headship and no leadership in the church? Apparently not, but if not, then this kind of reasoning does not make sense."

Read Ty Gibson's "A Closer Look At Women's Ordination." 

Jared Wright is Managing Editor of SpectrumMagazine.org.

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Pastor Stephen Bohr's independent Secrets Unsealed ministry hosted a two-day symposium on women's ordination entitled "Crisis Ahead." Louis Torres, the president of the Guam-Micronesia Mission of Seventh-day Adventists, spoke first on Friday evening, June 12 at the Bakersfield Hillcrest Seventh-day Adventist Church in Central California. His presentation was entitled "Reflections on the Ordination Controversy."

Torres placed the move to ordain Adventist women in a long line of people wanting to exceed their appointed station in life going all the way back to the first woman, Eve.

"We know that the sad commentary is that Eve was led to desire a higher position than what God had elected for her," Torres said. "The Scripture bears out that Eve separated from her husband and went to the tree and the result was that she was tempted."

(It is a significant point that the biclical text, in fact, says the opposite: "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it" Genesis 3:6. -Ed.) 

"Make sure that what you believe in comes from the Bible. Don’t just listen to me or Steve Bohr or anybody else. Go to the word for yourself and know for yourself what God says on any given issue," Torres said a few moments later.

Torres offered a short litany of knowns from the Genesis narrative:

We know that in the beginning, God elected to make a man and a woman. We know that God gave man the responsibility for the garden. We know that Adam was given the responsibility for naming all the animals. We know that God gave Adam the responsibility of naming Eve, and we know that Adam was charged with the responsibility for what had happened in the garden. God laid a burden on Adam, not on Eve, for what took place. God made man responsible. (I’m not saying that because I’m a chauvinist, I’m saying that because I read the Scriptures and that’s what it reveals.)"

Torres offered an extended quotation from Ellen White's "Patriarchs and Prophets" to explain Eve's attitude:

“Eve had been perfectly happy by her husband’s side in her Eden home; but, like restless modern Eves, she was flattered with the hope of entering a higher sphere than that which God had assigned her. In attempting to rise above her original position, she fell far below it. A similar result will be reached by all who are unwilling to take up cheerfully their life duties in accordance with God’s plan. In their efforts to reach positions for which He has not fitted them, many are leaving vacant the place where they might be a blessing. In their desire for a higher sphere, many have sacrificed true womanly dignity and nobility of character, and have left undone the very work that Heaven appointed them” (Patriarchs and Prophets p 59).

"God placed responsibility on men," Torres insisted. He argued that God through Moses told men that it was their responsibility when leaving Egypt to carry out passover rites.

"That’s why, men, you’re called 'housebands,'" he offered, "the one who keeps the band around the house—the protector, the provider." When it comes to spirituality, God has elected that men are responsible for the spiritual condition of the house, Torres said.

Torres framed woman's ordination as a corrolary to the apparent sibling rivalry between Miriam and Moses. "Miriam decided she should be as equal as Moses. The sad thing is that she got the support of the high priest. We can say today that the ladies are getting support from the priests," Torres said, referring to Adventist Church leaders who have spoken in favor of ordaining women. He arrgued that God was very offended by Miriam’s attempt at equality with Moses, as evidenced by the cloud of God’s presence being removed from the tabernacle.

Torres also compared women's ordination to Lucifer's rebellion (as characterized by Ellen White): God had ordained for Lucifer to be a “covering cherub.” Lucifer was not satisfied with his position and wanted to be like the most high. Torres suggested that women's ordination bears the same rebellious attitude.

Citing Exodus 18:25, Torres argued that women have never been chosen for leading the houses of God's people:  

Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. Notice here that not one lady is mentioned. All the ones selected were men. God ordained them. God is a God of order. Disorder is not pleasing to him."

He offered an analogy of the United States government as an indication of the reason for systems of governance. He argued that government systems are made to protect the people. "We may disagree with it," he said, "but if it were not for the system, ladies you’d probably be wearing coverings over your face and and be slaves to man (sic) over there in the Middle East. You understand what I’m saying?”

"When God establishes something, it is for man’s own good," Torres said. He appealed frequently to the idea that God knows best, and that the structures and systems God ordains are for man's own good.

Late in his hour-long presentation, Torres noted that Jesus ordained 12 apostles. "There were ladies who were following him, but Jesus didn’t ordain them as apostles," he said.

Watch the entire presentation, "Reflections on the Ordination Controversy,"here.

Jared Wright is Managing Editor of SpectrumMagazine.org.

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Pastor Stephen Bohr, Director of the independent Secrets Unsealed media ministry, was the second speaker to present the case for male headship at the "Crisis Ahead" women's ordination symposium in Bakersfield, California. He provided a long list of points, constructed from snippets of Bible texts and passages of Ellen White's writings, which, he argued, demonstrated conclusively that God appointed men to be spiritual heads and women to be spiritually subordinate.

Pastor Bohr began his explication of the chain of authority by arguing for hierarchy within the Trinity, specifically, Jesus’ eternal subordination to the Father.

“Jesus was in subjection to the Father even before the Creation of the Angels,” Bohr contended.

As support, Bohr presented an excerpt from Ellen White's "Patriarchs and Prophets," page 36: 

Before the assembled inhabitants of heaven the King declared that none but Christ, the Only Begotten of God, could fully enter into His purposes, and to Him it was committed to execute the mighty counsels of His will. The Son of God had wrought the Father's will in the creation of all the hosts of heaven…”

“God was the head of Christ long before the plan of Salvation came into existence, according to 1 Corinthians 11:3 and this statement from Ellen White,” Bohr said.

Concerning the pre-fall subordination of Eve, Bohr said, “There’s abundant evidence in the Spirit of Prophecy to indicate that Adam was placed as the head.” He read several statements by Ellen White about Adam’s condition at the very beginning before sin entered this world, including the following:

Volume 6 of the Testimonies 236. “Under God, Adam was to stand at the head of the earthly family to maintain the principles of the heavenly family.”

Bible Echo August 28, 1899: “Adam was appointed by God to be the Monarch of the world under the supervision of the Creator.”

Patriarchs and Prophets page 48: “The Sabbath was presented to Adam, the Father and representative of the whole human family.”

Bohr sought to establish through a series of Genesis texts the pre-Fall and post-Fall headship of Adam (the headship of man).

He referenced Paul’s seeming prohibition of womanly authority as a witness to Genesis: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man… for Adam was formed first, and then Eve.” Bohr argued that Paul's letter to Timothy testifies to the primacy of the male in the Creation Order.

Bohr said Paul was referring in 1 Timothy 2:12 to “full ecclesiastical authority.” He clarified, “It does not mean that a woman cannot teach Sabbath School or give Bible studies.” The context is a discussion of the supervisor or overseer of the church, Bohr suggested.

Bohr made the argument that physical stature is tied, in Heaven’s view, to authority. “In heaven there is order, and the tallest angels command the angels that are not as tall,” Bohr said. “So heighth (sic) makes a difference.”

Bohr again turned to “several statements from the Spirit of Prophecy.”

When Satan rebelled against Jesus, the evil angels formed companies, “each division with a higher commanding angel at their head” (emphasis Bohr’s).

“Are there heads under Christ, the absolute head?” Bohr asked rhetorically, cupping his ear to invite the audience to respond. “Obviously!”

Ellen White made various references to “tall commanding angels,” which Bohr used to illustrate that physical stature is an indicator of God-given authority.

“So would heighth (sic) make a difference when it comes to Adam and Eve and the issue of authority?” Bohr asked rhetorically. “I believe so.”

Do you know how tall Jesus was before he came to this earth? According to the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary Vol. 7, page 904, Jesus was taller than any of the angels. Why? “Because he had more authority, that’s right,” Bohr said.

He made the point that Adam named Eve, which indicates the man’s authority over the woman.

Bohr also argued that being older ("priority of existence") is tied to authority (see the story of Cain and Abel).

A further argument in favor of Adam’s headship is that, according to commentary by Ellen White, Eve did not appear naked when she sinned. It was only after Adam, the head, sinned that Eve appeared naked, Bohr said.

He hailed patriarchy, stating that God intended a patriarchal system of government. “People talk about patriarchy as if it’s a bad thing,” he offered, reading from Ellen White’s Patriarchs and Prophets (page 141) to prove that patriarchy was God’s intent all along “to preserve the knowledge of God.”

“The patriarchal system was a good system, and continues to be a good system,” he remarked. “The media has made it a bad system, not God’s word.”

Bohr provided a litany of the male leaders of Israel and in the New Testament, who were all male, Bohr noted emphatically. “The genealogy of Christ is traced through his male ancestors.”

Bohr referenced Ty Gibson's article in which Gibson argued that the Adventist pioneers (specifically Ellen White) supported ordaining women as pastors and elder. "Unfortunately, he doesn't quote any of the pioneers. I'm going to read you what the pioneers said. If he quoted them, it would totally destroy his thesis."

Bohr quoted Daniel T. Bourdeau's remarks in the Review and Herald from 1862:

These remarks of the apostle are a standing rebuke against those unquiet and self-sufficient women who are unwilling to submit to their husbands in the Lord, and have a disposition to take the lead in meetings, in the presence of brethren who are qualified to rule the church. It is a shame for women to thus lead out. “If they would learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home.”

Jumping over the portion of Bourdeau's comments that read, "But in the same chapter we have an instance in which men should keep silence in the church. This is when they speak in an unknown tongue, and there is no interpreter," Bohr jumped down the page to another paragraph in which Bourdeau wrote:

Here again we have the idea of subjection. Paul does not suffer a woman to teach, or to usurp authority over the man; and we do not learn from the Scriptures that women were ever ordained apostles, evangelists, or elders; neither do we believe that they should teach as such.

Watch the full video of Bohr's presentation, "Male and Female HE Created Them,"here.

Jared Wright is Managing Editor of SpectrumMagazine.org.