BREAKING NEWS
Adventist Scholars and Leaders Begin Faith and Science Conversation
BY RAY DABROWSKI
ssues of faith and science brought 84 Seventh-day Adventist scholars and leaders to a conference in Ogden, Utah, August 23 to 29--the first in a series initiated by General Conference leaders and supported by an action of the General Conference Executive Committee in September last year.
Often referred to as a conversation, the International Faith and Science Conference was designed as a dialogue on questions of science and theology that impact Adventist understanding of the biblical account of the origin of earth and life.
Other regional meetings will convene next year in different parts of the world, and the series will conclude at a second international conference in 2004.
The initial proposal noted, "The Church's understanding of origins affects and informs other dimensions of its life. Therefore there is wisdom and value in the Church exploring the theological and scientific implications of various views of Genesis 1-11."
The conference was held both to affirm belief in God as Creator as revealed in the biblical account, and to begin a dialogue on questions, issues, and diverse views about the origin of the earth.
"As a church we don't come to these discussions with a neutral position," said General Conference president, Jan Paulsen in his remarks to the conference. "We already have a defined fundamental belief in regard to creation. We believe that earth and life on it was created in six literal days and that the age of earth since then is a young one."
Pastor Lowell Cooper, General Conference vicepresident and chairman of the conference organizing committee, commented on the church's decision to hold a conversation on a topic that is often is expressed in terms of a tension between science and faith. "For some [believers]," he said, "the answers to questions about origins are a certainty. To others the answers are more elusive and call for investigation and discovery through scientific research."
Cooper also referred to reports in the public media concerning the rapid advances in scientific knowledge that are generally framed within certain assumptions about origins. "These realities bring into greater prominence, within the Church, the questions of how to reconcile the differing explanations of origins offered by faith and science," he added.
The conversation involved a wide spectrum of scholars representing several church institutions, including the Geoscience Research Institute, and Biblical Research Institute, as well as Loma Linda University and Andrews University. The group also included church leaders, theologians, and researchers representing Adventists from around the world.
The Ogden meeting began with a celebration of the Sabbath and the reminder that the great controversy in the universe serves as the "meta-narrative," or foundational concept, for the Adventist experience and understanding of life.
According to printed material from the conference, the Adventist view of life and our world is in direct tension with the modern science worldview that explains existence on the basis of wholly natural and random events over long ages.
"The issues ... are there in the church; they do not go away simply by not addressing them," said Paulsen. "We need to talk about these things. I am convinced that our shared passion for the church would help us, with the Holy Spirit's presence, to protect and care for the church, to keep the church sound and strong, and to be loyal in truth to our Lord, keeping in mind that His affection for the church knows no boundaries."
Participants in the conversation emphasized that it is not only important to understand the realities of differing views on the issue of origins, but also that a conversation itself is valuable to the church. "Having the faith and science conference with focus on creation was in part difficult, but very necessary," Paulsen said. "More good comes from having it and talking about difficult matters than from running away from them. It is necessary that we learn to talk together."
Describing the conference, Dr. Timothy Standish, research scientist at the Geoscience Research Institute in California, said: "It's a way of learning what's going on in the church, what the issues are, struggling with those issues, and not necessarily coming up with glib solutions to everything, but at least understanding, identifying areas where we are clearly in agreement and where we can affirm our faith together as this community of believers in the creator God."
The conference expressed the importance of the dialogue on education processes in Adventist schools. Among others, Dr. Mutuku Mutinga, president of the University of Eastern Africa in Kenya, emphasized the importance of the exchanges at the Ogden Conference on issues of faith and science in a classroom setting.
"At this meeting, there are many scientists who are researching," Mutinga said. "That's very healthy, because with more research, more findings will come, and when we come together as scientists and theologians and discuss them we can come to some kind of understanding and [arrive at] a position where we as Christians can guide the young people coming to the church in what the church stands for."
While the Ogden conversation represents only a beginning in the series, the organizing committee says attendees at the conference:
Experienced close spiritual fellowship and a productive dialogue among scientists, theologians, and church leaders in a spirit of openness, honesty, and respect.
Explored an increased understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of various views and positions with respect to integrating the information of science with Scripture.
Recognized the seriousness and breadth of differences concerning questions of origin that are present in the Seventh-day Adventist community.
Developed mutual respect for the spiritual commitment and professional competence of colleagues in other disciplines.
Identified key issues of faith-science interface that affirm or challenge the Seventh-day Adventist understanding of origins.
Explored how to live a life of faith despite the lack of answers to every question.
Identified questions and topics that yet need to be addressed in future discussions of this kind.
In 2004, a larger international conference of scientists, theologians, and church leaders will gather to prepare a report about the conversations, which is expected to be presented to the administration of the world church.
Until then, conversations will continue and will aim at increasing clarity regarding the church's understanding, witness, and communication about the biblical account of creation. The Ogden conversation has contributed to a positive atmosphere for open communication among theologians, scientists, and church leaders.
In the words of one participant, Dr. John Brunt, senior pastor of the Azure Hills Adventist Church in Southern California, "The minds of people differ and each one presents different aspects of the truth. God alone has all the truth and we all see it only partially, as Paul says, through a glass darkly. And I think God doesn't want just unison, He wants harmony." --Adventist News Network
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Ray Dabrowski is the communication director of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
Ten Outstanding Adventist Women to be Honored
Ten Seventh-day Adventist women, who are making significant contributions to their churches, professions, families, and communities, will be honored during the 20th annual conference of the Association of Adventist Women (AAW) in Portland, OR, October 17-20. The AAW began honoring specific Adventist women in 1984. Each year an invitation is extended for individuals to nominate women they feel have made outstanding achievements in the areas of work and professional life, home and community life, or church life. A panel of judges reviews the nominations and selects the honorees. Since its beginning in 1984, 95 Seventh-day Adventist women have been honored. This year's recipients brings the total to 105.
Representing the Columbia Union region of the Seventh-day Adventist church in North America is Cari M. Dominguez of Gaithersburg, Maryland. She is receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award. As a 12-year-old immigrant, one of Dominguez's first jobs in the United States was as a housekeeper at Columbia Union College (CUC). This spring she returned to CUC for the 2002 graduation baccalaureate as the guest speaker. Dominguez currently serves as the newly sworn-in chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The Atlantic Union region honoree is Donna Gaulluzzo, recipient of the Professional Life Award. She is the president and CEO of the largest network of home-health-care agencies in Connecticut, which provides in-home care to 12,500 patients annually.
Annetta (Ann) Gibson of Berrien Springs, Michigan, is from the Lake Union region and being honored with the Professional Life Award. As dean of the School of Business at Andrews University, located in Berrien Springs, she is one of only a handful of female deans of a school of business in the United States.
Three nominees are from the Pacific Union region. Joan Coggin, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, is best known as one of the founders and co-directors of the Loma Linda University Heart Surgery Team.
JoAline Olson, Community Life Award honoree, is president of St. Helena Hospital and the first woman president in the Adventist Health Systems organization.
Marla Osborne-Anderson is a superior court judge, a pastor's wife and mother of a preschooler. She was the first African American to win a judicial seat in Monterey County, California. Anderson is a recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award.
From the North Pacific Union region is Verla Rae Kwiram, Church Life Award honoree. For more than 30 years Kwiram has nurtured graduate students, minorities and young people in the Green Lake Church in Seattle, Washington.
Three women being honored reside outside the United States. Felicia Phillips of Costa Rica, recipient of the Spiritual Leadership Award, fulfills many roles, but the one she finds most satisfying is that of soul-winner. During her 36-year ministry--most of it outside the United States--she has prepared approximately 600 people for baptism.
Just as World War II was ending, Margit L. Süring of Finland, began work in Sweden as a Bible worker. For the next four decades she was a leading light in the church in Finland and Sweden, serving as women's dean, pastor, theologian, and teacher and principal of the Toivonlinna Theological Seminary. She will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lily Wong, Singapore, will receive the Family Life Award. Wong has spent her career as an advocate for children around the world.
For more information about the Association of Adventist Women conference, call 509-529-7377.
Theft Reported in East Russia
Russian police are investigating the theft of two large safes from the regional Seventh-day Adventist headquarters in the Siberian city of Irkutsk. According to Bill Biaggi, treasurer for the Adventist Church in the Euro-Asia Division, thieves apparently entered the building in the early morning hours of August 17 and removed two safes containing essential documents, master keys, and some cash.
Police have held and questioned one man about the incident, but no suspects have been charged. Because one of the stolen safes weighed nearly 440 pounds (200 kilograms), investigators believe that several people worked together in the theft.
"We are thankful to God that [regional treasurer] Paulo Lopes had arranged for proper insurance coverage for any financial loss," says Biaggi. Still, the loss of original documents and other valuables places an added strain on the newly reorganized East Russian Union Mission, which encompasses all of Russia east of the Ural Mountains.
Recently this immense territory was divided into six separate missions in order to allow for local autonomy and encourage the development of relevant ministries in remote areas.
Despite the unfortunate incident, Adventist leaders remain optimistic about future plans for Siberia and the Russian Far East. "Our church in this territory is growing rapidly," says Artur Stele, president of the Adventist Church in Euro-Asia. "Our new leaders are enthusiastic, and we thank God for our blessings."
News Notes
About 200 students from Zaoksky Seminary in Russia participated in the summer literature evangelism program. Nine groups worked in distant parts of Siberia. Euro-Asia Division publishing director Wilmar Hirle reports this summer colporteur program as the division's largest yet.
Paula Contente Garcia, a 26-year-old pharmacist from Belém, capital of the state of Pará, Brazil, was symbolically the two millionth person to become a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America. The baptism took place on Sabbath, August 10, during a convention sponsored by the Adventist women of northern Brazil, which brought together more than 2,500 people. Also baptized the same day was Marcela Araújo, 21, from Castanhal, Pará. Both young women learned about the Adventist Church through evangelism work carried out by Adventist women. --Adventist News Network
More than 50 people gathered on May 11 in the Tucker Building, at Andrews University Airpark, for the dedication of the Adventist World Aviation (AWA) Alaska mission plane. "This AWA mission aircraft will be an effective means to take the everlasting Gospel to the unreached villages in Alaska," said Don Starlin, president of AWA.
The aircraft left on June 3 for Anchorage, Alaska. Initially, the plane will transport youth involved in the Alaska Youth Challenge Program. Later, it will aid pastors in the southeast portion of the state who serve several churches separated by large distances.
Valery Ivanov, communication director for the Euro-Asia Division, announced that a special issue of the Russian Adventist Review was published in September. "This issue focuses on our Muslim neighbors in the territory of Euro-Asia," he says. "We hope to start a dialogue of understanding between Adventists and the Muslim world." Islam is the major religion in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Many Muslims also live in Russia and surrounding nations.
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