• Seventh Day Adventist Church Manual 2018 Pdf

“policy never matters until it matters, and then it matters a lot.” 1 Introduction Policy is not often viewed as a glamorous topic for discussion. News, politics, weather, stock markets, and people rank much higher in conversational preference.

Policy questions surface when there is tension—and then, only out of necessity. We are in one of those moments in our collective life as a worldwide Church. We can, and must, make the best of it. The Unity Conference was convened to consider the cross-currents that are impacting people and denominational units today with respect to ministry and leadership positions requiring ministerial ordination. That this should be called a “Unity Conference’ is no accident. Throughout our worldwide Church the subject of ministerial ordination, and who is eligible for it, awakens sharply differing views and convictions. The question has been under consideration for more than a century.

2 In recent decades, several commissions have studied the matter of ministerial ordination. Reports and recommendations have been made to General Conference Sessions. Those Sessions have not embraced the idea of ministerial ordination being available to females, even if they have qualifications like those required of males. These decisions have not settled the matter.

Seventh Day Adventist Church Manual 2018 Pdf

Instead they may have amplified it. A rather strong polarity of views persists. Some unions have already implemented inclusive ministerial ordinations (inclusive here meaning male and female). Such actions have added a new dimension, ecclesiastical authority, and considerable emotion to the whole discussion. The official studies thus far have largely focused on the theology of ordination in the hopes that the Bible would provide clarity in the matter. The biblical text has been examined from virtually all angles and viewpoints.

Rather esoteric nuances have been advanced in support of one view or the other. Yet, the result of these studies yields at least two strongly-held opinions. Each side feels that there is sufficient evidence to warrant its conclusions.

Both sides concede that neither the Bible nor the writings of Ellen White provide explicit instruction regarding the ordination of women as pastors. However, there is rather broad agreement on the theology of ordination. Relatively less emphasis has been given to ordination policy and practice. If a conclusive answer is elusive in theology, would there be value in considering ecclesiology and its body of policies and practices? It is the assumption of this paper that a review of policy can provide important insights that may help in creating a path forward to the preservation, even enhancement, of unity in the worldwide Church. I apologize for being unable to address this topic in a coldly detached and purely objective manner. I am a member of the Church, enthusiastic about its mission, protective of its global structure and keenly devoted to its polity and organizational ethos.

I also have firm convictions about ministerial ordination. I trust that the reader will excuse the interference that my personal views may cause in the endeavor to understand the way that policy can help us in this situation. Underlying Assumptions Several assumptions, that need to be exposed, lurk in the background of this presentation. These include:. Further theological study on the question of ordination will not result in consensus regarding ordination. The Church will have to live with widely divergent views.

This does not need to threaten unity since the Church already recognizes diverse practices in other matters and has agreed to varying practices regarding the election and ordination of women as local church elders. The Gospel message is meant for the whole world and every culture. In its mission to reach every culture with the Gospel, the Church will need to engage increasingly with questions of unity and diversity.

The process by which such questions are addressed will be as important as any decision that is reached. Unity and diversity are not necessarily conflicting concepts, they can co-exist in meaningful partnership. Diversity of sound in a choir or orchestra does not ruin the music. Any organization with the size and global presence of the Seventh-day Adventist Church must make room for differing practices even while rigorously protecting its unity. Policy development is as important as policy enforcement, perhaps more so, in maintaining a sense of organizational unity and relevance in a rapidly changing world with its very diverse social environments. The Need for Policy Every organization requires structure and a system of authority to survive and function effectively. History underscores the importance of organizational structure.

Though the church is different from other organizations (government, army, business) there is no debate about its need for policy, systems and a pattern of authority. The question will be what is the role of policy and how does authority operate in a faith-based community that considers Jesus as its head?

The Bible provides ample evidence of organizational dynamics connected with the work of God in this world. The Old Testament books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy might be thought of as a policy manual for the covenant people of God. There were rules and guidelines for the community’s worship as well as for its internal and external relations.

Several passages in the New Testament offer insights on how Church organization, processes, and authority should function:. Jesus spoke about the authority of His church: Keys of heaven givenwhatever you bind (Matthew 16:19, 18:18, John 20:23). Admonition from Jesus about how to deal with an erring brother (Matthew 18) underscores the idea of group decisions rather than one person’s decision concerning the fate of another individual.