A Statement from the Women Clergy of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Editor’s Note: On October 3, 2018, a statement was published to the NAD Ministerial website from Seventh-day Adventist Women Clergy concerning the upcoming Annual Council 2018. That statement follows in its entirety:
In anticipation of the upcoming General Conference Annual Council, many women of the church, and many women who serve the church, are sensing themselves to be powerless, and disrespected as partners in the membership and mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Our presence and our voice are largely absent from this conversation, even though we note one of the proposed compliance subcommittees is clearly about us. As a group of approximately two hundred professional women clergy, we share the conviction that nothing ought to be about us, without us.
Additionally, we share a consensus of concern over proposals regarding governance that do not represent the heart of protestant faith, biblical fidelity or authentic Adventism; a document that advocates an overreach, if not abuse, of power that obviously misunderstands our unique governance system.
As professional clergy, we listen to, and pastor a North American Division membership concerned and troubled by this proposal. We appeal to our elected leaders (i.e. the following groups: General Conference Administrative Committee, General Conference and Division Officers, and the General Conference Executive Committee) for a careful assessment and even spiritual accountability of how this proposed compliance process represents best leadership practices for the Adventist Church. The proposed compliance committee process will take us far from our roots as a movement.
We remain in prayer for the Holy Spirit's guidance as we continue to uphold the mission of our church.
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This statement originally appeared on the Ministerial website of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
Image courtesy of NAD Ministerial.
Further Reading:
Responses from Church Entities and Timeline of Key Events, Annual Council 2017 to Present
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