In our journal and online, we publish scholarship, independent journalism, and creative work by and about the Seventh-day Adventist community and beyond.
"The leadership of the Norwegian Union is surprised and disappointed by the five-minute video
@adventistnews
published on November 20th," writes the Norwegian Union Leadership in its recent statement:
#GCAC18
"As Adventists, we must say Black Lives Matter. It's an affirmation of the gospel. And it is present truth," writes Roy Adams, retired associate editor of Adventist Review / Adventist World.
Paul-Anthony Turner, a gay seminary graduate, has a deep commitment to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. "I will not leave Adventism," he says. "I won't hand it over to people who operate out of fear and bigotry."
BREAKING: The Executive Committee of the North American Division (NAD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church voted on July 7, 2020, to recommend the name of G. Alexander Bryant for the position of NAD president.
"The Adventist Church has not been immune to anti-colonial sentiments & neo-colonialist suspicions. The church’s Western origins, betrayed by its Eurocentric liturgy & theology, make it a prime suspect & a difficult entity to trust," writes
@phakimpi_b
.
"We still believe in voting devices here in the North American Division," says Alex Bryant.
"Anyone who cannot use their voting device will become an automatic member of the General Conference Executive Committee," adds Daniel Jackson.
#NADYEM19
Daniel Jackson says, as he concludes the meeting, that he is angry with the way the NAD has been portrayed to the rest of the world. "WE ARE NOT REBELS," he says. "WE ARE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS."
#NADYEM18
The Oregon Conference has turned their headquarters property into an evacuation site following devastating wildfires in Oregon, reports
@aamodtalex
on the scene for Spectrum. Services and food are provided for free to anyone in need.
At an ethical minimum, the Adventist church needs to apologize for its history of abuse of LGBTQ people through so-called “change therapy” that it funded nearly fifty years ago, writes Jonathan Cook.
I hope my church will prioritize love over fear.
Since 2019, the Advent Next podcast from host
@kendraarsenaux
had been one of the biggest success stories in new Adventist media—until it all came crashing down.
This is the story of what happened.
"Anyone who wants to be a White ally in addressing racism has one important task, and it doesn’t involve any Black people. White allies must be willing to call out racism and racist thinking wherever they find it – even within themselves." -
@Jason_A_Hines
"You know why we tell young people not to engage with social media? Because the church is silent on social media... we don't need to be moving away from social media, we need to be moving toward it...we need to be digital missionaries." -
@jkhoe
#SACnad18
#adventistcomm
"If you're going to plant a church that doesn't love all sinners, that doesn't care about what happens outside the walls of the building, and whose only purpose is to change the religion of people and judge their behavior, then don't plant a church," says
@JoseCortesJr
#NADYEM19
On a roll this last day of the business session, delegate Michael Nixon
@VPNiX0N
speaks to the need for counseling for church members going through divorce.
#GCSession
A life-long Adventist and army vet reached out to 3ABN to donate a few acres of his land. Instead, his family alleges, 3ABN preyed on his poor eyesight to trick him into signing away all 300 acres worth over $30 million.
"As a local church pastor, I invite those of you who are frustrated by the General Conference to continue using your spiritual gifts in your local churches. You are a member of a local church, not the General Conference," writes Sam Millen (
@MillenSam
).
George R. Knight writes, "The nature of Adventism in the future is what is at stake in October. We will either stand against the drive toward papalism at Annual Council 2018 while we have the opportunity or fall with the church we love."
The North German Union released a statement on Oct. 18 in response to the Annual Council vote on Oct. 15 to warn this Union, along with several others, for taking “actions that are not in harmony with Working Policy and practices on credentials.”
#GCAC19
Peter Landless, a South African, he grew up under apartheid and remembers when the Adventist Church never said a word against it, while other denominations pushed back and fought it. The Adventist Church has never apologized for their silence, he says.
#GCAC18
Mallory McHenry,
@OakwoodU
graduate and musician, is the first harpist to be chosen as a young artist with
@perf_today
. In this interview with Spectrum, she talks about Fred Child, Debussy, and the love offering of church music:
Noting that delegates could ask questions after the
#GCSession
Secretariat report, Jereon Tuinstra, president of the Belgium-Luxembourg Conference, asks why that did not happened after Ted Wilson's President's Report. He implies that it was a break from protocol.
A rare glimpse at the Spectrum reporting team! From left to right: Alisa Williams (website editor), Matthew Quartey (columnist), and Bonnie Dwyer (journal editor).
#GCAC18
"If our goal is to take a strong stand against THE BEAST in the end, shouldn’t we first be able to stand up to the beasts in our church?" writes Matthew J. Lucio.
On July 16, 1944 Irene Morgan, a 27-year-old Seventh-day Adventist mother of two who had just suffered a miscarriage days before, was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man. Read more about her life here:
#BHM
#BlackHistoryMonth
Wilson: several weeks ago a new GC Human Sexuality task force was formed to draw on church resources to help members, and especially younger members, know what the Bible says regarding LGBT and other aspects. We need to treat all with care…but…
#SpringMeeting2023
"As a Seventh-day Adventist Conference that oversees churches and members in the Minneapolis area, we fully support any and all non-violent protests, boycotts, and public pressure necessary to achieve justice for George Floyd." -Central States Conference
"I have lived through this for 8 years and I am tired... we will not quit hiring women pastors. We will not stop. Furthermore, we will continue to agitate for the ordination of women to the gospel ministry." -Jackson
#NADYEM18
Thanks to everyone for joining us during
#GCAC18
! We appreciate all our followers, new and old, your likes, retweets, and comments. Thanks for creating community through conversation in the Adventist Church!
Wilson steps away from the podium to emphasize that no one can be a Seventh-day Adventist and not believe in a literal creation week and that the earth is about, around 6000 years old.
#GCSession
The body is currently voting to amend the Church Manual section on premarital counseling to include that the counselor must be Adventist. The vote is close, but the amendment does NOT pass. (56 yes, 58 no).
#GCAC19
“The Adventist Church is dying...externally we look like we’re growing but inside we’re bleeding to death.” —Andrew Pileggi, Oakwood University chaplain.
#adventistsforsocialjustice
Wilson called this sharing of the minutes from ADCOM and GCDO meetings "unethical." However, we would like to remind everyone that an independent press helps ensure transparency and communication so that ALL members of the world church can be informed.
#GCAC18
The election of Sandra E. Roberts as executive secretary by the delegates at the 31st Quinquennial Constituency Session of the Pacific Union Conference makes her the first ordained woman to hold this position in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Andrea Luxton, president of Andrews University, says she's concerned about fewer educators and more church administrators on the board. "As I look at the committee now, it seems to have shifted from that peer focus. It seems to be way, way heavier on administration."
#GCAC22
Speaking for 85 minutes, Ted Wilson ticked off a 16-point list of devil-driven social, doctrinal, and identity issues. Blaming these for denominational ineffectiveness, he offered solutions in reading the Bible as it reads and revived missionary activity.
William G. Johnsson writes, "Des Ford has died and I weep. I weep for Des, my friend and brother in Christ. I weep for my church — the Adventist church — with which no reconciliation came about":
"It's been an honor and a privilege to serve you," said NAD President Daniel R. Jackson as he announced his retirement at the NAD Year-end Meetings on Friday.
#NADYEM19
Eric Webster, former Voice of Prophecy director & Signs of the Times editor, writes "If Elder Wilson feels that he is unable to make this radical change to embrace the entire world church, he should do the honorable thing and step down from office"
#GCAC18
"Ellen White made a distinction between what Adventists should & shouldn't do in connection w/ politics...Politics as instrument of power & control—No. Politics as...speaking out w/ forceful clarity on issues of justice & mercy—Yes," writes Douglas Morgan.
"We must not judge a book by its cover...or a man by his beard. Neither should we judge a person who has no beard. Some choose to be clean shaven because they follow the example of Adventist pioneer Ellen White." -GT Ng, GC secretary.
#GCAC18
In a move that could have implications for Adventist health care systems across the United States, residents and fellows at Loma Linda University Health (LLUH) in California have begun the process of unionizing.
Mark Johnson, president of the SDA Church in Canada, points out that in Canada it is illegal to be publicly shamed by peers. This is a human rights act of the country.
#GCAC19
"The Bible makes no distinction between genres of music when it comes to praising God, so why should we?"
@TarikTownsend
looks at the history of jazz and the Adventist Church.
A prominent Adventist pastor in Brazil called a church member the "son of the devil" in a sermon. The offense? An illustration of the cross that incorporated a rainbow.
In partnership with
@RevistaZelota
, how hate is allowed to spread from the pulpit.
On July 8, 2021, the South American Division of Seventh-day Adventists voted to allow the ordination of women as church elders. The division had been one of the remaining holdouts amid world regions, the majority of which now allow the practice.
The NAD is currently testing out its electronic voting devices (which were also used last year). President Jackson says, "If you cannot operate these things properly, give us your name and you will automatically become a delegate for the next General Conference."
#nadyem18
And now the new church position to be filled around the world in all churches, a Spirit of Prophecy Writings Coordinator. Concerns include: abuse of this role, the elevation of her work above the Bible, fights in churches over who should fill this role.
#GCSession
"Wilson's administration has a fascination with Adventist growth and not development," writes Hanz Gutierrez.
"This is seen in his recurring emphasis on certainty over doubt, affirmation over dialogue, action over interaction, and numbers over substance."
Hungarian Union Conf President says he has a confession. They should be on the list, too. They just had a male pastor choose commissioning instead of ordaining, because his wife is only commissioned. "Please add us to your list," he concludes. Fellow delegates applaud
#GCAC19
The General Conference Executive Committee elected two top General Conference officers on Wednesday, April 14: Erton Köhler as Secretary and Paul Douglas as Treasurer.
#GCSM21
After a group reading from The Great Controversy, an ominous closing word from Ted Wilson:
"I am becoming more and more convinced that the omega of the final days will be connected in some way with the absolute denigration of God’s authority through his Word."
#SpringMeeting2023
Anthony Bosman, GC delegate and professor at Andrews University, speaks to the leadership at Andrews University from President Andrea Luxton.
"If God could call a woman to be a president of a university, why can’t God call a woman to be a president of a conference?"
#GCSession
After the onslaught of theological hubris this morning at
#GCAC21
, it feels necessary and humbling to recall a Greater Spirit and to recognize the peoples to whom this land belonged long before the remnant showed up.
#IndigenousPeoplesDay2021
Day 3 of
#GCAC21
. Third time is the charm? The reaction to
#Teds10
online didn't seem generally favorable. Instead, questions remain about contemporary issues: will church racism, sexism, or the anti-vax mandate crowd receive as much corrective attention? We'll stay tuned. 🙏🙏🙏
"The Adventist prophetic narrative is fundamentally embedded on Eurocentric interpretations of history and presupposes Eurocentric assumptions about historical events from which it builds its interpretation of prophecy," writes Blessing Mbele.
Leon Brown, president of Nevada-Utah Conf, says he is the first African American president of his conference. "50 years ago I couldn't be here." But now I look around the room and see diversity. In 30 years I hope I will see women too. (paraphrase)
#GCAC19
"Some Christian leaders have said recently that the concept of social justice is not biblical. Not biblical? It is at the very heart of the Bible," writes William J. Cork (
@WJCork
).
Dean Coridan, Iowa-Missouri Conf president says he loves this church and is committed to taking the gospel to the world. "I would request that my name be added to the list of non-compliance."
#GCAC19
"I'm from the 1860s, so I'm not very good with technology," says the current presenter who was having trouble with his PowerPoint presentation. "It takes a woman to help me," he adds as his female colleague indicates which button he needs to press to advance the slides.
#GCAC18
The Andrews University board of trustees votes on the Adventist institution’s next president this Tuesday, March 7.
Eight sources representing students, faculty, staff, and alumni expressed worries about one of the candidates.
Wilson inflames fears of Catholicism and fuels Sunday law conspiracy theories right out of the 19th century. Today millions suffer from contemporary ills, but let’s focus on the future and just us.
#GCSession
"Ellen White’s writings and actions revealed a rational and wise approach to a pandemic. She would not have given her blessing to a course of action that disregards the most up-to-date and scientific evidence," writes Ciro Sepulveda.