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Adventist Review Announces it Will Open its Pages to the Ordination Debate
Submitted: Sep 15, 2012
By AT News Team
Bill Knott, editor of the Adventist Review, announced in an editorial published in the current issue (dated September 13) that the leading journal of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination will “in coming weeks” publish “articles … interviews, letters, features and editorials” about “the appropriateness of ordaining women to gospel ministry and the process to follow in making that decision.” This is surprising because since the early 1990s, the magazine has published nothing on the topic.
“The church is founded, not on unanimity—and certainly not on uniformity—but on the covenant created by divinely given love and goodwill,” the editor asserted. He cited a quote he has remembered for 35 years from a college professor; “If two people are always agreeing, one of them is not necessary.” And he referenced Matthew 18, stating that “Jesus also expects at least some disagreements among us,” His followers.
Knott cited the fact that in the early history of the denomination his periodical often published materials that disagreed with each other, a practice more carefully controlled in recent decades. “This journal, now 163 years old, was the vital bulletin board of ideas and visions around which the first generation of Sabbathkeeping Adventists gathered to learn how to talk and live with each other.”
This is an unexpected development to all the observers that Adventist Today has contacted. Many are dubious about how open and balanced the materials may be. After all, the journal is published by the General Conference and the GC president is chairman of its board. “It is unlikely that this decision was made entirely independently by the editor,” a veteran church administrator told Adventist Today.
Despite the surprise and skepticism, advocates of removing gender discrimination in ordination welcomed the announcement. Every Bible study conducted by Adventists on this topic at the level of quality that the Adventist Review typically publishes has resulted in agreement that Scripture does not prohibit extending ordination to qualified women.
Knott’s editorial is careful not to wish for too much. “I’m praying that what we read and ponder here in the days ahead will improve the quality of our conversation and our respect for those who disagree with us,” the piece ends. He does not say if he also prays for a solution that would permit the denomination to bring closure to the ordination debate and move beyond it.
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It will be interesting to see the quality of the articles, etc posted. There are good arguments put forward by both sides, but they are not always the arguments that are popular with either side.
It would be useful to know what the "online paid" subscription numbers are for "full access".
If one does the math of the "print" subscribers the AR requires "subsidies" for the AR emplyoees to have a job.
Short version nobody reads it.
The fear of corporate disunity needs to relax in the church; we need not fear that which will enable and energize us spiritually and move the church forward. There's nothing like good, honest, give-and-take discussions to bring unity in diversity, as we experience it at AT.
Agreed, Tap, it is not a place a place of eutrality at all. Vociferous the neo-conservatives who wish to disallow any semblance of neutrality, and desire force a cookie-cutter throwback to some image of a church static (that never even existed as it is touted).
No, truth, and faith are far bigger than the fear-gripped conspiracies, and love far more inclusive.
How did that little lady put it, "we are not a church static, but a progressive truth marching forward",
a ragtag little band on a steep incline consumed with love and encouragement to each other to keep soldiering forward. (Sorry, perhaps I am not permitted to paraphrase "her"? ;~)
You are right to a degree--not all new ideas are good. Some do indeed lead us away from an intimate relationship with our God and a correct understanding of His character. However, on the other hand, those who cling tenaciously to all the traditional precepts and to orthodox ideas were addressed by no other than Jesus in the seven woes of Matthew 23-- some of the most severe reprimands that Jesus ever gave. Also in the parable of the lost sons, the parable was given to the scribes, Pharisees and church leaders to tenaciously held on to orthodox ideas. They had just reprimanded Jesus for associating with sinners and people with unorthodox ideas. In the story, the elder brother was just as lost as the younger brother had been, but worse yet, he did not recognize his lostness and he refused to come into the celebration feast that his father had given. The elder son was lost because of his clinging to orthodoxy. So Tapiwa, failure to grow in our understanding of God and rejecting present truth, can be as dangerous and apostasy.
Some may not have noticed but the church has matured from the 140 years ago controversial approach to matters. There’s no need to resort to this approach in dealing with our major doctrinal and administrative positions as our church has adequate policies and structures in place for these matters to be addressed. President Ted Wilson has indicated that we use this structured approach and called for discussion on this and further admonishes partisans not to make rushed decisions and take rash drastic actions without proper consultation and due process. I think that this approach is quite progressive in that the rather retrogressive mudslinging approach of the past, which some have opted for on open public platforms, isn’t necessary, dignified and warranted, especially when we do have proper avenues for this in place. Those who may be accustomed to having their own way, even in religious matters, are prone to take the opposite approach and jump the gun.
I think the necessary caution and circumspect actions of the GC and their official bodies together with our President works in the best interests of our world church. (There is a bigger picture you know). Ted Wilson’s prudent handling of this matter is what is keeping this together and greatly assisting in damage control. Imagine if one of those trigger happy Union Conference guys were in charge. God forbid.
An additional factor to consider: I strongly suspect the readership of the Adventist Review has a median age similar to Adventist Today and Spectrum: 70+. Only a tiny fraction of those who subscribe to the Review are under 60.
Ed, because of space that's all I quoted. You do have the gift for spin I have to say. And I see little or nothing constructive that AToday has contributed to this area. And I hope you realize that there are still 7000 in Adventism who will not bow to the sophistries of liberalism.
With such a small number of subscribers, it is safe to say that most are older,
and conservative judging by the first group of letters received.
Those attracted to AToday and its sister publication Spectrum are not at all typical of the SDA membership worldwide. Few pay much attention to doctrinal discussions and simply go on about their daily lives. I doubt that a large number are even aware that WO has been a "hot" topic in some SDA circles.