I copied this unchanged from the May
30, 2012 NAD NewsPoint, an official publication of the North American
Division of Seventh-day Adventists. I've posted it here because I did
not find it readily available elsewhere on the web.
May 30, 2012
A Report on the Women’s Ordination
Discussion Across North America
At the 2010 General Conference Session
in Atlanta, Ga., a request was made from the floor to study the
theology of ordination. A timeline was voted in reference to the
Seventh-day Adventist Church’s research and discussion on this
issue with the Church’s Biblical Research Institution serving as
the facilitator.
Listed below is the theology of
ordination study process timeline:
October 2011—At the Annual Council,
the process is presented and each division is asked to request their
division biblical research committee to make a study of the theology
of ordination and its implications for church practices. Divisions
that have not yet established a division biblical research committee
are kindly requested to do so. The Biblical Research Institute will
provide the necessary materials, which will be of help in
establishing the biblical research committees.
November 2013—Each division committee
at their 2013 year-end meetings reviews the study made by their
division biblical research committee and recommends it to the
Biblical Research Institute director for consideration by a theology
of ordination study committee.
November 2013—The General Conference
Administrative Committee appoints a Theology of Ordination Study
Committee with appropriate division representation.
December 2013-June 2014—The Theology
of Ordination Study Committee analyzes the materials received from
the divisions and prepares a combined report.
June 2014—Report is reviewed by
General Conference executive officers.
June 2014—Report is reviewed with the
President’s Executive Administrative Council (PREXAD) and the
General Conference Administrative Committee (ADCOM).
October 2014—General Conference
administration process the report to the 2014 Annual Council
October 2014—Annual Council will
review the report and, if needed, take any appropriate action. If
voted material needs to be placed on the 2015 General Conference
Session agenda, it will be processed accordingly.
The aforementioned process serves as a
backdrop to various unions in the North American Division as they
have begun to address the role of women in ministry and women’s
ordination in their own territories.
At the 2011 North American Division
Year-end Meeting, executive committee members voted to allow Division
leadership to elect a committee to provide direction to the
development of a series of papers, which will contribute to the
discussion of the biblical theology of ordination and its
implications prior to the 2015 General Conference Session in San
Antonio, Tex.
Listed below chronologically are the
complete statements from the various organizations in reference to
their discussions on how to recognize the role of women in ministry:
Pacific Union on Women’s Ordination
Thursday, March 15, 2012
After nearly two hours of discussion
and prayer, the Pacific Union Conference executive committee today
reaffirmed their strong commitment to the ordination of women. The
committee agreed that the next steps will require careful planning,
so they decided to put specific actions in place at their next
meeting on May 9. In the interim, union administrators will work with
local conference administrators to develop proposals for specific
actions.
Columbia Union to Study How to Affirm
Women in Ministry
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
At its spring meeting Sunday, the
Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee voted two items that
will propel the subject of women in ministry to the top of its agenda
this year, as follows:
“Whereas the North American Division
(NAD) Leadership has encouraged each union to be intentional in
affirming women in ministry,
we vote to establish an ad hoc
Committee to study the issue of women in ministry and recommend to
the Columbia Union Executive Committee how we can be intentional in
affirming women in ministry. In addition,
we vote to affirm our previous action
requesting the NAD to grant us permission to ordain women in
ministry.”
To ensure that these topics remain a
priority on its agenda, the committee also requested that the ad hoc
committee present its report at the next union Executive Committee
meeting.
Between now and then, the ad hoc
committee, which will have representation from each of the union’s
eight conferences, will work through five terms of reference:
1. Review past history of Columbia
Union practice.
2. Review biblical and Spirit of
Prophecy mandates regarding the role of women in ministry.
3. Review Columbia Union Conference
Bylaws and General Conference/NAD policies.
4. Study and review cultural
implications regarding women in ministry.
5. Recommend to Columbia Union
Executive Committee appropriate initiatives for supporting women in
ministry.
More information will be released
following the ad hoc committee’s report to the Executive Committee
on May 17.
Mid-America Union Votes on Women’s
Ordination
A statement from Thomas L. Lemon,
president
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
On Thursday, March 8, our Union
Executive Committee voted “to support the ordination of women in
the Mid-America Union.” We have, with that simple vote, unleashed
at least as much misunderstanding as understanding. In making that
short statement we intended to be clear, but obviously we were not.
And some of my statements since, along with the statements of many
others have further muddied the waters. It is unfortunately true that
words cannot totally encompass all the nuances of our discussion or
understanding as we voted our consciences 11 days ago. It is also
impossible to convey via the printed page the experience that
pervaded our committee room. It was a wonderful, heartfelt and honest
discussion and a firm resounding vote.
But we did not vote to ordain a woman.
When the time comes, after considerable prayerful study and
discussion, we will be in a better position to discern how best to
move forward.
What we do know is that we want the
world church to understand that as a committee we are closely aligned
in our support of this cause. We intend to work in harmony with the
North American Division (NAD) of the General Conference and at such
time as the NAD provides authorization, we look forward to seeing
parity achieved across our union for all individuals as we, together
with the world church, pursue the mission of making disciples given
to us by Jesus.
We want that message of support to
extend to those women who have experienced and are pursuing the call
to ministry in their own lives. We further want our conferences to
feel free to discuss the matter in an environment of safety and
openness, and among those six entities we prayerfully desire to
achieve a working consensus at our two levels of governance. And
thirdly, we are also with this action encouraging the world church to
respect the various mores and values expressed in the 13 world
divisions. That is a major reason why the divisions were established
in the first place more than a century ago.
Please keep us in your prayers as we
sail in uncharted waters at this point. And, under the direction of
the Scripture, may the Holy Spirit continue to reveal to us the
pathway He wants us to walk in.
Southeastern California Conference
Makes Decision Regarding Credentials
Thursday, March 22, 2012
The Executive Committee of the
Southeastern California Conference voted today “to remove the term
‘Ordained-Commissioned’ and replace it with the term ‘Ordained’
on all ministerial credentials, regardless of the gender of the
credential holder.” This is effective immediately.
Since 2000 the conference had issued
“Ordained-Commissioned” ministerial credentials to men and women.
The committee believes this step will
enable all pastors to better fulfill the conference’s mission
statement, which is the expansion of God’s kingdom through
preaching, teaching, publishing and living of the everlasting gospel
throughout the cross-cultural communities of its territory.
The Southern Union Executive Committee
Action Surrounding Women in Ministry
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Due to the current and considerable
dialogue regarding women in ministry in the North American Division,
the Southern Union Conference Executive Committee voted the following
statement:
Whereas the Southern Union Conference
and its member conferences and organizations have a long history of
actively supporting, encouraging, and empowering women in all areas
of ministry including pastoral, evangelistic, conference and union
leadership, and all levels and areas of education, and
Whereas the Southern Union Conference
recognizes itself as an integral part of the Seventh-day Adventist
World Church, it is therefore resolved:
The Southern Union Conference,
following the scriptural mandate of the priesthood of all believers,
intentionally chooses to continue its long-held commitment of
supporting, encouraging, empowering, and celebrating the involvement
of women in ministry. However, we will do so only in harmony with the
Seventh-day Adventist World Church as expressed by actions taken
during the General Conference in business session.
Union Committee Calls Special
Constituency Session to Authorize Ordinations Without Regard to
Gender
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
At their March meeting, the Pacific
Union executive committee voted to table until May 9 a motion that
would immediately approve the ordination of ministers without regard
to gender. They also set up an Ordination Study Committee to outline
the steps necessary to make gender-neutral ordinations a reality as
soon as possible.
Today at the La Sierra University
Alumni Center, that committee delivered their report to the full
executive committee. The committee replaced the original motion with
a new one and voted overwhelmingly to call a special constituency
meeting, tentatively scheduled for August 19.
The committee voted separately on the
main motion, including the preamble. The preamble and main motion
were approved by a vote of 42-2. The process, which includes calling
a special constituency session, was approved unanimously.
Voted (preamble):
• Whereas Scripture is clear that
the end-time Church is blessed precisely because men and women preach
God’s message (Joel 2:28-29 and Fundamental Belief 17);
• Whereas we are commanded to “act
justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8);
• Whereas “There is neither Jew
nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor
female: for all are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28);
• Whereas “differences between
male and female must not be divisive among us” and “we are to
serve and be served without partiality or reservation” (Fundamental
Belief 14);
• Whereas the Seventh-day Adventist
Church is co-founded by a woman, Ellen G. White, who remains an
authoritative and guiding voice;
• Whereas the Pacific Union is
enriched by Spirit-filled women who are responding to God’s call in
our schools, churches and conferences;
• Whereas the Seventh-day Adventist
Church assigns Unions the final decision-making authority and
responsibility with respect to ordination (NAD Working Policy L45 05
3, Spring Council 2012 116-12G Report);
• Whereas the Pacific Union
Conference voted its full commitment to Women’s Ordination, August
30, 1995 (reaffirmed May 12, 2010 and March 15, 2012);
Therefore, [main action]
• The Pacific Union Conference
Executive Committee will approve or disapprove candidates for
ordination without regard to gender, effective when the Union Bylaws
are amended.
The Process
Voted, approval for the following
process:
• Because the Pacific Union
Conference Executive Committee is committed to following
denominational procedures and processes, and to facilitate the
involvement of the entire Union constituency, a special constituency
session will be called to consider amendments to the Pacific Union
Conference Bylaws to clearly authorize the ordination of ministers
without regard to gender.
• The Pacific Union Conference
Bylaws Committee will examine the Union bylaws and suggest amendments
to clearly authorize the ordination of ministers without regard to
gender.
• The Pacific Union Conference will
provide an informational packet for the delegates, pertinent to the
issues to be discussed in the special constituency session.
Both the study committee and the
executive committee made it clear that they are committed to
following established church processes and procedures. Their
recommendations and actions were guided in large part by a summary of
church structure prepared earlier this year by the General Conference
and distributed at GC spring meetings. The full name of the document
is The General Conference and Its Divisions — a Description of
Roles and Relationships in Light of Organizational Structure
Development, Current Governance Documents, and Practices. That
documents makes clear that:
Authority and responsibility in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church is not centralized in a hierarchical
structure. Instead authority and responsibility is distributed
throughout the Seventh-day Adventist Church structure ….
The distribution of authority and
responsibility in the Seventh-day Adventist Church is illustrated by
the following examples of how and where final decision-making
authority and responsibility are located ….
The document goes on the explain that
the “final authority and responsibility” for deciding who will be
a church member is located at the local church; the “final
authority and responsibility” for the employment/assigning of
pastors and other workers resides at the local conference; and the
“final authority and responsibility” for deciding who will be
ordained is officially located at the unions.
The committee also considered that the
same paragraphs that declare ordination decision are to be made by
the unions, not by the divisions or the General Conference, include
this counsel:
It is to be understood that the
exercise of authority and responsibility is done within the context
of the belief, values, and policies of the entire church. No entity
is authorized to exercise its authority and responsibility in a
manner that is contrary to the interests of the whole church and its
activities in fulfilling its mission.
Obviously the distribution of authority
found in the Seventh-day Adventist Church can result in tension
between world-wide policy and the “final authority and
responsibility” which has been assigned to the congregations,
conferences and unions. The GC document has much to say about
balancing those centers of authority, especially in the final
Conclusions and Recommendations:
The following paragraphs and sentences
are chosen from the Conclusion to the GC Spring Document.
The distribution of authority and
responsibility in the Church along with the recognition that
“authority rests in membership” presents significant challenges
in finding a balance between centralized authority (actions of the
global church) and the more localized authority (actions of the
constituency) in churches, conferences and unions.
At the same time the church has worked
to preserve unity, the effect of church growth has enlarged the
understanding of diversity and its rightful place in a worldwide
community. To expect that every entity in the world church will look
and function exactly like every other entity of its type may in
itself become an impediment to mission. The development of structural
designs in the history of the church indicates that unity must be
built on a stronger foundation than uniformity.
There must be room to recognize the
need for a legitimacy of local adaptation of policies and procedures
that facilitate mission while not diminishing the worldwide identity,
harmony and unity of the Church.
The relationship among the entities of
the church is more than a matter of law and policy. Therefore
attempts to codify that relationship will always be inadequate. The
primary strength of the Church comes not from its structure but from
its collective desire to live out a commitment to the Lordship of
Jesus Christ. Such a commitment embraces a call to community.
Pacific Union executive committee
members made it clear during discussions this week that they are
committed to taking seriously the “final” authority and
responsibility that the Seventh-day Adventist church has assigned to
unions. And they made it clear that their call for a special
constituency session is not to be interpreted as a way to delay the
ordination of all whom God has called to ministry. It is rather, the
result of a commitment to follow church procedures and to make sure
the final action, whatever it is, is backed by the full authority
that the Seventh-day Adventist Church has assigned to the Pacific
Union Conference.
Atlantic Union Conference Statement on
Women in Ministry
May 15, 2012
At its regularly scheduled quarterly
meeting on May 10, 2012, the Atlantic Union Conference Executive
Committee voted the following statement regarding women in ministry.
Recognizing the current discussions and
the value of women in ministry within the North American Division,
the Atlantic Union Conference Executive Committee voted the following
statement:
WHEREAS the Atlantic Union Conference
and its member conferences and organizations have benefitted from the
faithful service and commitment of women in ministry, including
evangelistic, pastoral, educational and other roles at all levels of
the church and school system, and
WHEREAS the Atlantic Union Conference
recognizes itself as a part of the Seventh-day Adventist church, and
will act in harmony with its decisions taken during the General
Conference in business session, it is therefore
RESOLVED, that the Atlantic Union
Conference, in harmony with the scriptural mandates of the priesthood
of all believers, is committed to supporting, empowering and
celebrating women in ministry.
Columbia Union Executive Committee
Calls Special Constituency Meeting to
Authorize Ordinations Without Regard to
Gender
Thursday, May 17, 2012
At its May 17 meeting, the Columbia
Union Conference Executive Committee received a report from an ad hoc
committee assigned to study how to affirm women in ministry.
After discussing the report (included
below), the committee voted:
1. To recognize its responsibility to
act morally and ethically by expressing unyielding commitment to
ordain qualified persons to the gospel ministry without regard to
gender, and
2. To call a special constituency
meeting for the purpose of authorizing ordination to the gospel
ministry without regard to gender, and
3. To set the meeting date for July 29,
2012, at 10 a.m., at a location to be determined in Maryland.
The committee approved the motion by a
vote of 34-6, with one abstention.
“I believe this action represents our
committee’s desire to move the mission forward, and we are calling
this special session to facilitate a wider conversation,” said Dave
Weigley, union president, explaining the need for input from the
larger constituency.
To help members understand the
committee’s perspective, leaders will publish a special July issue
of the union paper, the Visitor. It will provide a review of
biblical, historical and Spirit of Prophecy guidelines concerning the
role of women in ministry.
Report of the Columbia Union Ad Hoc
Committee Affirming Women in Ministry
Women in Seventh-day Adventist ministry
are being affirmed through appreciation, recognition and
representation at many levels in the church. This needs to be
continued and increased. The most significant confirmation, however,
requires the action of the Columbia Union Conference Executive
Committee.
The affirmation of women in ministry in
the Adventist church has both a moral and ethical imperative based on
Scripture, church history and our diversity in unity.
SCRIPTURE: As a global church that
values the authority of Scripture, we acknowledge that:
A. Scripture is clear that the end-time
church is blessed with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all
believers (Joel 2:28-29 and Acts 2:17-18), with the priesthood of all
believers (1 Peter 2:9) and through the empowerment of the Holy
Spirit, both women and men preach God’s message (Fundamental
Beliefs 14 and 17).
B. We are commanded to practice justice
in our actions and relationships (Micah 6:8).
C. Everything contained in the Bible
relates to the concepts represented in three words: Creation, Fall,
and Redemption. This continuum provides the natural outline to the
biblical story. In Eden, God created male and female as equals, both
spiritually and relationally, and both are necessary to fully reflect
the image of God (2 Corinthians 5:17-20).
D. Multiple times throughout Scripture
God chose women to lead His people (Deborah, Esther, Hulda, Anna,
four daughters of Philip, Phoebe, Junia etc.).
HISTORY: As a global church that values
God’s leading in its history we acknowledge the following
significant hallmarks:
A. The Seventh-day Adventist Church was
co-founded by a woman, Ellen G. White, who remains an authoritative
and guiding voice.
B. At the General Conference Session on
December 5, 1881, a motion was made: “RESOLVED, That females
possessing the necessary qualifications to fill that position, may,
with perfect propriety, be set apart by ordination to the work of the
Christian ministry.” Reported in Review and Herald, Dec. 20, 1881.
It appears there was no record of any action taken.
C. Ellen White wrote in the July 9,
1895, Review & Herald, of a ministry that women, who gave
themselves to it, should be set apart to this work by prayer and
laying on of hands.
D. Willie White ordained deaconesses on
January 6, 1900, in Australia. In 1975 an action was taken to ordain
deaconesses at GC Session. In 1985 the action was reaffirmed and in
2010 it was recorded in the Church Manual. Ordination of women elders
was approved in 1975 and reaffirmed at Annual Council in 1984.
E. The General Conference voted to
authorize women to serve as pastors (1990).
F. Sixteen female pastors have already
been ordained in China. These women are playing a significant role in
the rapid church growth in their country and the Northern Asia
Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists recognizes their
ordinations.
DIVERSITY IN UNITY: As a global church
that values diversity in unity:
A. We affirm that diversity in unity is
part of the divine order for creation, redemption, restoration and
for the church (Ephesians 4, John 17, 1 Corinthians 12:12).
B. We affirm God's leading in utilizing
the talents of women for the mission of the church. ”When a great
and decisive work is to be done, God chooses men and women to do this
work, and it will feel the loss if the talents of both are not
combined” (Evangelism, p. 469).
C. We understand that “there must be
room to recognize the need for a legitimacy of local adaptation of
policies and procedures that facilitate mission while not diminishing
the worldwide identity, harmony and unity of the Church” (GC Spring
Council 2012 116-12G Report).
D. We celebrate our diversity of
culture, gender and ethnicity.
E. We recognize that “The
distribution of authority and responsibility in the church, along
with the recognition that ‘authority rests in membership,’
presents significant challenges in finding a balance between
centralized authority (actions of the global church) and the more
localized authority (actions of the constituency) in churches,
conferences and unions.
“At the same time, the church has
worked to preserve unity, the effect of church growth has enlarged
the understanding of diversity and its rightful place in a worldwide
community. To expect that every entity in the world church will look
and function exactly like every other entity of its type may in
itself become an impediment to mission. The development of structural
designs in the history of the church indicates that unity must be
built on a stronger foundation than uniformity” (GC Spring Council
2012 116-12G Report).
F. We acknowledge that “different
elements of organizational authority are distributed among the
various levels of denominational organization … decisions regarding
the ordination of ministers are entrusted to the union
conference/mission …” (NAD Working Policy B 05, 6).
G. We recognize that ordination is for
the world church (NAD Working Policy L 40 and L 45 05). We further
recognize that ordained ministers may not function outside the
territory of the organization issuing their credential, unless
invited to do so.
Note: All scriptural references are
from the New King James Version (NKJV).
North Pacific Union Conference Looks
Toward Gender-Inclusive Policies
Recommendations will be brought to
November meeting
Thursday, May 17, 2012
The North Pacific Union Conference
(NPUC) Executive Committee, during its May 16, 2012, meeting in
College Place, Wash., authorized the NPUC administration to appoint
an ad hoc committee to create specific recommendations on how to
fully integrate committed and called Adventist women into all levels
of church leadership within the NPUC territory. The recommendations
of this ad hoc committee will be presented to the NPUC Executive
Committee at the regularly scheduled November 14, 2012 meeting
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