In this vein I would offer that the word "protest" has lost its original meaning. The old French protester, from the Latin protestari, means to testify, to be a witness. The Latin pro- means forth, or in favor of. In other words, we Seventh-day Adventists testify in favor of the Holy Scriptures. That is why we cannot accept human inventions.

Steve Vitorovich
New York, New York


CALLING THE ROLL
The article by Jo Ann Davidson, "Old Testament Honor Roll" (May, 2005) was especially meaningful. What a timely message for those living in this sinful, sick, and perishing world! Just as in Noah's day getting into the ark meant safety, so we have a message of hope, for we know that soon this world will be destroyed and Jesus' coming is very soon.

May God help us as individuals and as a church to be faithful in giving the warning and also the best news ever, that there is an ark of safety in accepting Jesus.

May we be known as a loving people that God can depend upon to stand firm and faithful to Him no matter what the future holds. Who doesn't want heaven to say, "You are greatly beloved?"

Lillian R. Guild
Newbury Park, California


INCOMPLETE ANSWER
I am responding to the column by Angel Manuel Rodríguez, "Lunar Reflections" (May 12, 2005).

Just as the redeemed of this earth shall always and forever keep and honor God's holy and sacred seventh-day Sabbath, so shall they also celebrate the new moon (Isa. 66:22, 23). I wish he had included this information in his answer to the question posed to him.

Richard Dibell
Coldwater, Michigan


RED AND YELLOW, BLACK AND WHITE
I must congratulate the Adventist Review for the courage to run the timely piece by Atuanya Cheatham, "Healing God's Divided Family" (May 19, 2005). For far too long have we lived with the reality of prejudice in our church without calling it by name. I hope that this article will invigorate a healthy and healing debate that will lead to the unity the Lord prayed for, that we "may all be one" (John 17:20-21). Maybe it will also lead to renewed and serious thought about how such unity ought to be reflected in our administrative structures (the conference structure of the North American Division springs to mind).

One point I would emphasize, which the article did not, is that when we are in Christ our identity is no longer based on the categorizations and labels of sinful humanity. In Christ there is no Black or White, nor any other so-called "race." The pseudo-scientific concept of "race" is an invention of the enemy to keep us divided. In Christ we are all the same humanity in need of a Savior. It is time we saw each other as God sees us, not as history has brainwashed us.

Pastor Stefan Burton-Schnüll
Gloucester, United Kingdom

Ms. Cheatham's article was beneficial in that it touched on the topic of racism in the church and in our larger society. But even though it was written by a Black American Adventist, it subtly undermines African-American history.

Cheatham admits that racism is often a manifestation of who has the power and privilege in society, yet she opens her essay by pointing to an African-American pastor as an example of "racism." Yet she glossed over any instances of systemic, pervasive racism in the church.

For example, many people are divided over whether portraying Jesus as White or European in a multicultural church is really an issue of racism. Jesus is often portrayed as White in Adventist literature, yet instead of addressing this issue, Cheatham points to a Black pastor's response to her as an example of racism.

To my knowledge, none of the presidents of the General Conference have ever been any other race than White. Most of the vice presidents of the General Conference are White. The man who is assistant to the president of the General Conference is of African descent. Is this an example of racism? Cheatham does not explore this issue.

The statement about not every slave desired to be free is astonishing. By definition, a slave does not have free choice and did not have the free choices of the White persons who chose to own enslaved Africans or not. Equating slaves with White persons who had free choice is inaccurate at best.

Cheatham's article seems to serve the dominant power structure. I am astonished that she can write an essay on racism, open it with a focus on a Black pastor, and not even touch on whether or not White Jesuses are benign or really examples of idolatry and racism.

B. Mariama Robinson
Washington, D.C.

Atuanya Cheatham really hit the nail on the head (ouch), and I thoroughly appreciated her article.

I am Alabama White, raised in a family steeped in southern White culture, although we did our best to be "unprejudiced." We lived in many different places, including Ohio and Minnesota.

At Maplewood Academy in the late 50s I remember having some interesting debates in History class with my fellow students, most of whom were northern whites (and deeply prejudiced against Native Americans).

"But you don't understand," I'd say, while defending my prejudiced position, and denying that I was prejudiced. When their attitudes toward Native Americans came up they would say, "But that's different."

I once pastored a church that was half-and-half, with Caribbean culture thrown in for added flavor. As the pastor, I visited everybody in their homes---Black, White, and Caribbean. I noticed several things of which I was previously unaware: the desires, goals, and spiritual experiences were not all that different from mine; they still suffered from general prejudice, such as having to pay exorbitant prices for big-ticket items like cars, etc. They suffered the same physical, emotional, and spiritual woes that plague all of society.

I also discovered that they had, to a great extent, a different culture that added to the spirituality of the church rather than took away from it. The mix taught me great lessons; my prejudices melted and, I'd like to say, disappeared. But they still rear their barbarous heads from time to time, enough to remind me that I'm still a sinner in need of God's grace.

Though retired, I'm still active in the church. I have Bible studies, one of which is with a person of another race. We've discussed the race issue because I want to be sure that it doesn't interfere with the spiritual issue, which is the important thing. The studies are going well.

What does this have with Cheatham's article? I think it proves, in my life, the reality of what she wrote: God likes variety, and that we have a long ways to go in our appreciation of His creation. I want to grow more in that direction.

Thurman C. Petty, Jr.
Burleson, Texas

I'm writing to commend Atuanya Cheatham for her courageous, thoughtful, balanced, and graceful article on racism in the church. It is a sad reality that in 2005, with the coming of Christ so near, the "isms" Cheatham identifies are perpetuated in Adventist congregations and conferences unchecked and often unrebuked. Why is there more furor over worship styles in our churches than division and political power struggles based on skin color; especially when Jesus said love for each other would mark us as His? Racism is not only overlooked as a sin against heaven, but it is institutionalized within our organizational structure.

How many of the United States' large urban centers have Adventist churches within close proximity of each other that have no real interaction simply because they belong to different conferences? Let's be honest. Is the Adventist message and influence so pervasive in our communities that we can afford to be isolated and independent from each other? I think not. We need to go beyond rhetoric and theory and begin becoming intentional, as Cheatham suggests, at building racial bridges, and coming together to strike a more effective blow against the enemy in our communities.

The world is accustomed to seeing racial divisions and abuses. The church must reflect a higher standard. The kingdom of heaven is not divided and we all claim allegiance to it. We let our Savior down and disgrace His kingdom when we merely reflect back to the world the same divided picture it is already accustomed to seeing. Can we as a church family get serious about this? Please?

Cheatham's bio says she's an "elder-in-training" at the Breath of Life church in Seattle. Ordain this woman as soon as possible. We need more leaders with anointed insight and spiritual maturity, like her.

Randy Maxwell
Nampa, Idaho