THE CRISIS IN CATHOLICISM--AND OURS
I originally sent this letter as a response to the B. B. Beach article about the Catholic church's current crisis ("The Crisis in the Catholic Church: One Adventist's Perspective," July 25, 2002). I wanted to also let you know why this article interested me so much, especially one or two paragraphs in particular, such as the one regarding the strong-arm tactics Catholic Church officials have used. Our church has used some of the same tactics. I would welcome a reply, as I am still in the decision-making stages as to what further steps to take.

In September, 1993, the Adventist Review published an entire issue addressing the problems of sexual abuse and misconduct. Those articles triggered my realization about what happened to me at the hands of my academy principal, and it started the ball rolling in a drama that is still unfolding. Between then and now I have contacted church officials personally and in writing to inform and warn them about this administrator who is still, even now, the principal of a boarding academy.

After getting no positive response from the church regarding this, and after receiving a letter telling me that I may as well drop the whole issue since if I tried to bring suit, the statute of limitations would prevent my success, I went ahead and sued. In 1999, after years of legal wrangling, depositions, motions to dismiss, etc., the church "resolved" the lawsuit with me, then proceeded to tell all the principal players (including conference presidents) that my case was "sealed," that they should drop it and not pursue it, and that neither could I talk about it or I'd lose my settlement money. This was a direct falsehood, since my case was not sealed, and I signed an agreement to maintain the confidentiality of the amount of the settlement only.

My point is that the Review's courage in publishing an entire issue devoted to this topic may have saved lives. My family and I are much better off for having dealt with this terrible thing that happened starting when I was 15. But there were negative repercussions, as well. It has been discouraging to see my church--from the General Conference down to local levels--rally around the abuser rather than the victims (three more have officially come forward), make implied threats about our employment (my husband and I both work for the denomination), and try to make us feel as if we were the ones doing wrong for exposing this sin and crime. It has been a very frustrating process, and it is not over yet.

There has been so much covering up, deception, and strong-arming, that if the Adventist public knew all the details they would be outraged at how our church has handled my case, and many others like it.

We have done no better than the Catholic church; we move the perpetrators from one school or church to another, we cover up and deny what happened, and we do not voluntarily go through the steps that would make it right and heal the victims.

Thanks for letting me vent. My story is still unfolding, and I have legal clearance to go public with it, should I decide to do so. I hope it won't come to that. Would the Review be interested in addressing it in the hopes that this could be handled in a more positive light for our church? I have confidence that our members, in general, are mature and enlightened enough that they will not tolerate the things that have happened to me if they only knew about them. I am now mostly concerned about other victims, past and future. I have no desire for revenge or personal vindication, neither do I need further validation of my story. I've already had opposing attorneys and a conference president tell me in front of witnesses that they believe my story and that I told the truth. But this perpetrator must be stopped and removed from his position of authority and prestige if we are going to regain any vestige of respect as a church over the mishandling of this case, and protect the teenagers at that boarding academy.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I didn't intend to ramble so; but it always seems to help to talk about it, and there's always the possibility that someone who can do something about it will listen.

Judy Bedell

Mr. Beach writes: "Rupturing the dam of traditional secrecy in which especially Roman Catholicism has operated has released a tidal wave of abuse cases . . . ."

A secret crisis lurks in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. David Clohessy of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a multi-denominational organization, referred to the problem within the Catholic Church as a wound festering under a dirty dressing. The way the Adventist Church handles cases of pedophilia, child abuse, and sexual abuse perpetrated by ministers, teachers, missionaries, administrators, and lay leaders who operate under the umbrella of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has produced the same results.

As women and men who have been abused by Seventh-day Adventists, we are the wound of the denomination, silently festering, frustrated and hurt, as a result of our church's response to our experiences: abuse at the hands of ministers who prayed with us while molesting us, raped us while quoting Scripture and Ellen G. White, and otherwise used their religious influence to take advantage of us sexually. As I read Mr. Beach's article, I was acutely aware how invisible we are within the denomination.

Like the victims in the Catholic scandal, many victims of sexual predators within the Seventh-day Adventist Church have also experienced evasive and agressive legal tactics aimed at intimidating us, often resulting in blocking us from blowing the whistle on perpetrators who hold positions of power and trust. Many of our predators were allowed to resign quietly, citing medical reasons. Many secret settlements have been arranged. Many of us feel as though we spoke up to protect others, words came out of our mouths, we heard the words and the "world" (outside the church) heard them, but within the church it was as if we spoke inside a soundproof box and the words never got beyond that box.

Our voices need to be heard so that the Seventh-day Adventist Church will stop being a safe place for sexual predators to hide.

Cheryl Cooney

It was surprising that the cover story regarding lessons that the Adventist Church can learn from the Roman Catholic Church Scandal ever made it to the online Review. Our church recently sent a missionary abroad soon after he served his sentence for molesting his grandchildren, in spite of one of the victims' request to the General Conference that this pedophile not be considered for the assignment. Though his own daughters and their children were subjected to his perversion, our church, like the Roman Catholic clergy, ignored the problem.

How do we propose to learn from the mistakes in other churches and avoid such unacceptable practices? Are we content to look over the fence at those poor Catholics who are swamped in scandal without doing anything to apply the lessons in our own church? Our current plan did not work in this instance, and though the Catholic Church has been rocked by their scandal, they at least have made an effort to address the issue in their operational policies. Are we doing that?

Name withheld

MOBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY TO ALL
I'm so happy to see the issues addressed in Ed Christian's article, "First Church of the Spiritually Handicapped" (July, 2002).

The concept of our churches being "hospitals for sinners" has always received lip service, but unfortunately has not always been practiced. Mr. Christian brings forth many excellent examples of problems people face when they fall both in their actions and thoughts, where support by the congregation is paramount to recovery.

The good news is that there is a program in the Seventh-day Adventist Church that addresses one way to help one another, with Jesus leading the way. The program is called "Regeneration," and it is a Christ-centered, 12-step approach with Jesus being the only true, highest, Higher Power.

I was involved over the last week helping to present the program to churches in Georgia and Florida as part of an awareness rally going to churches from Maine to Miami. The North American Division's Health Ministries Department sponsored the program. The timing of Christian's article couldn't have been better, as we were able to reference it in our presentations.

The program is not just to help people with addictive problems, but one that addresses our love, compassion, and understanding of our fellows, and emphasizes how Jesus can, and will, help us overcome anything--if we let Him.

Thank you, Ed, for an excellent presentation of such relevant issues we face.

Frank Sanchez
Regeneration Coordinator
Georgia-Cumberland Conference

As a lifelong Seventh-day Adventist and a wheelchair user for the past 19 years, I was impressed by your July, 2002, cover and article by Ed Christian.

The primary focus of the article was on aspects of spiritual disabilities and various accommodations that need to be made to help the spiritually handicapped overcome the barriers to full acceptance within the church family. Christ showed how much He loves the spiritually handicapped. His ultimate gift was His sacrifice on the cross, which made it possible for all who accept His gift to live in the assurance that we can be certain of life eternal, free of spiritual and physical handicaps.

I was struck, once again, at how little understanding there is at all levels of the many barriers our churches and other facilities place in the way of those with various physical handicaps. Your cover vividly shows at least two common barriers found at most churches and related facilities such as educational campuses of all levels.

Your cover depicts a church and its parking lot. The parking lot depicts many accessible parking spaces, but not one of them is actually usable by anyone who uses a mobility aid, such as a wheelchair or scooter. None of the accessible spaces has the stripped access aisle to load and unload, required in every state at every accessible parking space, not just some. I have visited many churches since needing to use a wheelchair and have not found a single parking lot with fully compliant parking spaces.

Then there is the problem of getting from the parking lot to the activity within the facility. The beautiful church in your picture with all those accessible parking spaces is at least 10 steps above ground. Unless the services are broadcast on speakers to the outside, no one who cannot climb those steps can get into the church. There are people who do not use wheelchairs who could not climb those steps.

How redeeming it would have been to show to the world a church with a parking lot, not full of unusable accessible spaces, but with the required two or three such spaces that are actually usable, and the ramp to one side that would have provided ingress and egress to all who cannot use steps.

While these two features are commonly missing at church and educational facilities, other features demonstrate an inclusive outreach to all. I have yet to see locations for wheelchair users within our churches, including some of our largest in southern California, Washington, D. C., Berrien Springs, and across the country. I don't mean a space behind the last pew or row of seats, or in the middle of the aisle, but a space provided where a wheelchair user can sit with family members and not be "in the way."

Another very common problem is the lack of usable, accessible restrooms (yes, we use restrooms just as everyone else does--if we can get into them and into the stall). This list is probably too long to be included in your publication, but I assure you that the issues raised are real and growing as our population ages. Please send this to the decision makers and ask them to put in place a policy that would require all churches, schools, and related facilities to evaluate their facilities to make sure they are not presenting barriers to any who would worship or study with them.

John Lonberg
Riverside, California

I thought the article on the spiritually handicapped was excellent. If we spend all our time looking at each other's weaknesses, we won't notice our own deficiencies.

However, there were two points with which I might take exception. In our present culture people with conservative values have been subjected to much ridicule that has extended into the church.

Over the years many people have been uplifted by the so called "grand old hymns." These are often preferred over the more contemporary music. Is this a deficiency?

Many have been challenged to understand the King James Version of the Bible, and have been greatly blessed in so doing. It is a favorite with many. Is this a deficiency?

The two above mentioned issues are not moral issues. Personal preference on these issues is not a sin.

Before we continue to ridicule conservative values in the Church, should we not be sure they are wrong? Should we not avoid this creeping compromise?

Glenn Saunders
New Orleans, Louisiana

SINGLE-MINDED SERVICE
I read with interest Carlos Medley's editorial, "Of Pastors and Pay Stubs" (July 18, 2002). I have noticed a trend in Trinidad where pastors (not all, but a lot) are doing other activities in addition to their ministerial responsibilities: buying and selling cars, selling sound systems, and doing a lot of other things to supplement their incomes.

Is there something in their job description that prohibits activities other than pastoring? I made an observation at an Adventist Youth meeting that the pastor seems to be very busy. There's no real presence in terms of visiting or in general, just being there. He seems to be present only for church board meetings and when things get out of hand.

Russell Forgenie
Trinidad & Tobago

STANDARD PRACTICES
While browsing the Review online, I came across the article by Jere Webb explaining his vision of what a church should be ("Standard Features," July 18, 2002). After reading it, I had to say a hearty "Amen!"

Webb is absolutely correct when he says that many of our churches today place the focus in the wrong place. We hear what the church is doing worldwide, or what the church believes about such and such, and this is important. However, I agree wholeheartedly that our first allegiance is not to the Adventist Church, but to the ultimate leader of the Adventist Church, Jesus Christ. Following the led instead of the Leader is risky business.

The other thing that struck me about this article was the emphasis on worship. Too often it seems that we try to manufacture worship--we follow a prescribed recipe (which has been in the family for generations), but the result sometimes comes out tasting very bland.

I'm not advocating any one style of worship (I personally enjoy many different styles), but I am saying that worship is an experience, not a ritual. It should be our joy to worship our Lord, not a burden. If joy is present, worship happens!

Thank you for publishing this article.

Brandon Mowry
Miami, Florida

Why would the Adventist Review condone praying in tongues and Pentecostal spiritualism? Quoting from the article: "Not long ago I attended a pastors' conference in Van Nuys, California, at the Church on the Way. There I sensed how seriously Pastor Jack Hayford and hundreds of others who were present approach the Lord in prayer. For them this was not just a one-week high--a prayer revival or mountaintop experience. Their orientation to God and His power made mine seem secular by comparison. I was convicted of the shallowness of my own prayer life."

Jack Hayford is a tongues-speaking Pentecostal, and his church, The Church on the Way, is part of the Foursquare Gospel denomination, is the largest Pentecostal church in the United States.

Let it sink in for a moment: An Adventist minister goes to a conference at Hayford's church and decides he doesn't really know how to pray; but Hayford, who prays in tongues, does. The logical conclusion is that Webb found praying in tongues a better way to pray. He then writes an article that goes into the Adventist Review praising Hayford's prayer style.

This begs the question: why did the Review print this article? Doesn't its very presence in the official journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Church become an endorsement of Pentecostal spiritualism? How the angels of God must weep to see us going backward rather than forward to victory proclaiming the three angels' messages.

Linda Sutton

A MORE MATURE VIEW
I was overjoyed to see three items in the July 11 Adventist Review.

The first was about Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry, "sharing their faith in Afghanistan." What a strange place for a couple of young single females to witness for Christ! Would you let your daughter do it? And I understand they are willing to go back. To Afghanistan? Yes, to Afghanistan!

The next item was the editor's hearty recommendation of Philip Yancey's books. With numerous other Adventists I have blessed and edified by Yancey's ministry. When you hear him in person he is just like his books. Editor Johnsson sees important parallels between Yancey's experience and that of many Adventists (including this one). Johnsson says Yancey's latest book "makes a wonderful read. It will leave you, like me, with much to reflect on." Amen.

And finally, our General Conference president, Jan Paulsen, speaks for a courteous, respectful attitude toward other Christians. While keeping our identity and our own convictions, we can respect others' sincerity and dedication to the same Christ we serve.

These three items, taken together, suggest that we Adventists are becoming more accepting, more kind, more secure Christians. In none of the above reports is there any condescension, any repetition of the tired slogan "we have the truth," or any hint that the young women from Afghanistan, Philip Yancey, or any others "don't have all the light that we have."

In the difficult days after 1844 our forebears condemned non-ex-Millerites to a closed door to heaven and a soon-coming plunge into the lake of fire. We have come a long way. All around us are sincere, godly Christians in many denominations. Surely we can trust God to lead them in His own way and His own time, while we remain committed to our church--as they are to theirs.

Richard H. Utt
Loma Linda, California