alton John Brown, Adventist educator and former director of education for the General Conference passed away surrounded by members of his family on Sabbath, July 7, in Sun City, Arizona. 

Brown devoted his whole life to Seventh-day Adventist education, serving 46 years at all levels of the church. 

Born of missionary parents in Barcelona, Spain, Brown grew up in El Salvador, Chile, Brazil, and Argentina. He received his baccalaureate degree from Pacific Union College(PUC)in 1934, a Master’s degree from the University of California in 1944, and his Ph.D. in history from the same university in 1953.

Shortly after graduating from PUC, Brown began his service in 1934 as a school teacher in San Angelo, Texas.

On his first Sabbath in San Angelo, Brown met Doreen, a newly baptized Seventh-day Adventist who would become his future wife. 

From 1941-1944 Walton was the principal of the Instituto Teologico Adventista, a training school in Brazil.  In 1945 Walton was called to serve as educational secretary of the Austral Union.  In 1947, he became president of the River Platte College in Argentina.  In 1960, Brown was called to be Education and Public Relations Secretary of the Inter-American Division; and in 1967 he was called to the General Conference as associate secretary of the Department of Education.

In 1974, he was appointed director of the department of education of the General Conference, a position he held until his retirement in 1980. After retiring,

Brown continued to serve Adventist education by visiting educational institutions in the United States and abroad.

Brown authored three books: Home at Last, Forgiveness, and Angels. Under his direction the current Spanish Adventist hymnbook was published in 1962. He received several awards for his service, including the education department medallion of distinction (1980).

He is survived by his wife Doreen, daughter Betty Alvarez, and four grandchildren. A memorial service was conducted in the Peoria-Sun City Seventh-day Adventist Church on July 14.   

Individuals interested in receiving a copy of a three-page narrative of Dr. Brown’s life and ministry may send requests to Esther Rodriquez, 105541.3200@compuserve.com, or fax 301-622-9627.

Protect Religious Freedom
in the Workplace, Adventists Urge
The Seventh-day Adventist Church, together with other religious and civil rights organizations, has reaffirmed its support for the Workplace Religious Freedom Act--proposed United States legislation aimed at strengthening on-the-job legal protection for all people of faith.

"The ability to practice one's faith is the essence of what it means to be free; it is at the heart of human dignity, and it is this freedom that defines America as a nation of liberty," says James Standish,

director of legislative affairs for the Adventist Church worldwide. He explains that while some limitations on religious freedom are unavoidable, Adventists believe that limitations should not be imposed lightly. 

"Requiring employers to take reasonable steps to accommodate the sincerely held religious beliefs of their employees is a small price for freedom," says Standish. 

Current civil rights laws already require employers to accommodate the religious practices of their employees.  However, the courts have interpreted these laws narrowly, allowing some employers to avoid making a substantial effort at finding solutions for their religious employees.

For this reason, employees have sometimes had to choose between their faith and their job. Jews and Adventists, who keep Saturday as a holy day, or Sabbath; Sikhs, who wear religious headgear; and Muslims, who pray at set times throughout the day, are among those who have been affected.

Standish, along with members of the Coalition for Religious Freedom in the Workplace, met with Senator Barbara Mikulski July 13. Mikulski represents the state of Maryland, in which the Seventh-day Adventist Church world headquarters is located.

"Senator Mikulski has proven to be a friend of religious rights in the workplace in the past," says Standish, "and during the meeting she displayed her clear understanding of the current need for additional legal protection."  

During the discussion, Mikulski noted that she "is well aware of the Seventh-day Adventist interest" in protecting religious freedom in the workplace, and she also committed to co-sponsor the Workplace Religious Freedom Act.

The Workplace Religious Freedom Act would require employers to accommodate employees' religious practices unless to do so would require "significant" difficulty or expense.

Currently, employers are obliged to incur no expense beyond a "de minimus," or insignificant, amount. This stands in contrast to the much higher level of workplace accommodation required under United States law for others, such as the disabled. --Adventist News Network

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