Summary of comments in largest response yet

Brenton Stacey
Public relations officer
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

Two articles about women’s ordination in the Seventh-day Adventist Church have generated the largest response yet from readers of Avondale College’s newsletter, Connections.

“The real thing”

“The real thing” (Connections Vol 23 No 25) reported Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church senior minister Dr Bruce Manners’ request to change his credentials from an ordained minister to a commissioned minister, the credential given to women serving as ministers in the Adventist Church. It also reported the convictions of a New Testament specialist, a director of a worship institute and a historian who spoke at a church and Sydney Adventist Forum-sponsored seminar during a women in church-themed Sabbath on the Lake Macquarie campus.

Both Richard Myers and Naomi Revelly wrote of being disappointed with the issue causing “division.” “If God calls a woman to do a man’s job, she should be given the same title as a man,” wrote Naomi. “But if the issue causes too much controversy, drop it. . . . We should all be happy with where God has placed us, and we should allow His will to take over.”

Building on Naomi’s reference to Deborah, William Moala showed how the Bible presents women as “full participants with men” in the religious and social life of the church. However, he notes women did not serve as priests in the Old Testament, nor did they serve in the leadership and teaching role of elder or minister in the New Testament. “Why would Jesus not have commissioned women to preach or teach publicly if this had been His intention?” he asks. William describes Jesus’ choice of 12 male apostles as “consistent with the Old Testament headship role man was called to fulfil at home and in the community of faith. The same role structure was respected in the life and order of the apostolic church.”

“Living witness key to reforming unjust policy”

Dr Wendy Jackson wrote “Living witness key to reforming unjust policy” (Connections Vol 23 No 25) as a reflection on the seminar. Her point: “It is not through debates and forums that reformation of the current policy will occur, but through the living witness of the gospel from the lips of men and women.”

Gabriel Ontanu thanked Wendy, a lecturer in the Faculty of Theology at Avondale, for her “patience with the saints.” “It’s good to hear common sense and sound biblical interpretation can coexist (just).” Kenton Johanson put his argument more bluntly, describing ordination in the Adventist Church as a “farce.” “Fancy expecting a human-appointed committee to divinely bless a God-ordained ministry.”

Read these comments in full and post yours online at wp.avondale.edu.au/news/tag/sydney-adventist-forum/.