Headlines: Baptists Disinvite Prospective Candidate Ben Carson
Baptists Disinvite Prospective Candidate Ben Carson. Retired Seventh-day Adventist neurosurgeon and possible presidential candidate Ben Carson withdrew from speaking to the annual Southern Baptist Pastors Conference in Columbus, Ohio. Baptist21, a group of young pastors, objected to his appearance due to his Adventist beliefs: Sabbath worship, accepting all people as God’s children, and evil-doers not burning eternally in hell. Other Baptist21 members were concerned that Carson is too tied to politics. From Christianity Today, “Baptist Pastors Won’t Hear Ben Carson after Young Pastors Object.” And from BR Now, “Carson to withdraw as Pastor’s Conf. speaker.”
Parents Who Forgave Daughter’s Killer Lead Forgiveness Workshops. The Tri-City Herald in Washington took the Easter holiday as an opportunity to focus on forgiveness with a story shared for the last 20-plus years by Darold and Barbara Bigger. After the murder of their daughter Shannon, Darold Bigger, who serves on the Walla Walla University Religion faculty and as Assistant to the President, and Barbara, retired director of the Walla Walla University campus store, forgave her killer though he never acted remorsefully at his conviction. The Biggers now travel the country speaking and holding workshops on forgiveness. From Tri-City Herald, “Walla Walla couple celebrate time for forgiveness.”
Zambian President Joins Adventist Million-member Celebration. Zambia’s president, Edger Lungu, celebrated with hundreds of Seventh-day Adventist members, in a ceremony commemorating the church in Zambia’s reaching a membership of one million. Other dignitaries included First Lady Esther Lungu, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Given Lubinda, his political advisor Kaizer Zulu, his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda, and other senior government officials. Seventh-day Adventist Pathfinders, dressed in white and green uniforms, sang both the Pathfinder theme song and the Zambian national anthem. From Lusaka Times, “President Lungu celebrates SDA 1 million membership in Zambia.”
Loma Linda University Health Names New Dean for School of Public Health. Loma Linda University Health has announced that Dr. Helen Hopp Marshak will replace LLUH provost, Dr. Ronald Carter, as dean of the School of Public Health. Carter had served as interim dean since January 1 of this year. For more than two decades, Hopp Marshak has served in the school as a faculty member, and for the past four years as associate dean of academic affairs.
Battle Creek Historic Village Touted as Tourist Attraction. The roots of Adventist health reform is being recommended by a Michigan TV news station’s weatherman Kevin Craig as a place viewers should visit. The Battle Creek, Michigan village features 29 buildings on a three-block area. The welcome center displays medical and exercise inventions made by John Harvey Kellogg. From Fox 17 Online, “Battle Creek’s historic Seventh Day Adventist Village (sic).”
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.
