February 23, 2015

Editorial

The news release from an Adventist university caught my eye. It trumpeted the international acclaim received by a professor’s artwork, and I wondered whether it merited an inspiring Adventist Review article.

As news editor I regularly scout news from Adventist universities for story ideas. A key litmus test is whether the news reveals God.

The news release made no mention of God, so I wrote directly to the professor to ask what role God had played in creating the artwork.

The e-mailed reply, while courteous, declared that God was not a factor. The professor did not even seem to be familiar with the Adventist Review, thinking instead that the word “review” in the magazine’s title meant I worked for an arts publication.

“I don’t know that my answers will be of much service in regard to your review, but I am still happy to reply,” the professor wrote. “1. I don’t think of God in terms of playing a role in my artistic practice. 2. I didn’t really think about God’s hand during my visit to the exhibition in ________.”

I have met devout professors who love God and the Adventist truth. But why this tenured professor didn’t see God eluded me. I wrote a second e-mail but received no reply.

However, I learned while writing the Adventist Review cover story “To Educate Is to Redeem” (Jan. 8, 2015) that the faith of teachers at Adventist universities is a major concern for Adventist Church leaders. “The single most important thing that we need in our schools is committed, converted Seventh-day Adventist teachers,” Lisa Beardsley-Hardy, director of the General Conference’s Education Department, told me.

I agree. How else will we find God in Adventist schools—and in education-related articles in the Adventist Review?

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