The Seventh-day Adventist Church and social justice
Joshua Zyderveld
Public relations editorial intern
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia
The worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church’s strong voice for social justice is muted at its local level. Harwood Lockton noted what he called this “ambivalence” during his presentation of the Alumni Lecture, which is part of the Avondale College Alumni Association’s annual Homecoming.
Harwood is the international program director for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Australia and has been involved in international development for more than 20 years. His paper asked this question: “Is the Seventh-day Adventist Church yet ready for social justice?”
Referring to Zdravko Plantak’s book The Silent Church: Human Rights and Adventist Social Ethics, which studies the history of social justice within the church from its beginnings in the second half of the 19th century to the mid-1990s, Harwood noted how the church has with one exception—slavery—only advocated for social justice when issues such as gender discrimination and racism challenge the church itself. “There is a sense the Adventist Church does not fully embrace even social involvement, let alone social justice as a part of its mission,” reads Harwood’s paper. “Evangelism or conversion is given primacy and social involvement seems to be tolerated for its public relations value.”
Harwood outlined a theological foundation for social engagement, noting the 2030 verses in the Bible addressing poverty and wealth and oppression and exploitation. “How have we missed it?” he said. “We, like other Christians, have been known to build whole doctrines on less than 10 verses. Yet is a teaching that infuses the whole of the Bible.”
And Harwood argued the Adventist distinctive beliefs of wholeness and the Sabbath are a basis for social justice. From the Trinity triad (God the Father/Son/Spirit) he derived the human triad (mind/body/soul) then the Christian triad (God/me/others), the elements of which relate to each other through justice (me/others), mercy (God/others) and faith (me/God). Harwood also noted how the Sabbath commandment is the link between the first three commandments, which are concerned with our relationship with God, and the last six, which focus on our relationship with others. “It is the link between our theology and our ethics,” reads Harwood’s paper, and it “reminds us of the gospel value of inclusivity.”
In an interview after the lecture, Harwood suggested some simple ways for Christians to become more involved in social justice. “First, focus on either global issues such as poverty and slavery or local issues such as immigration and the needy in the community. Second, use something about which you’re passionate to make a difference. Third, join an established organisation rather than starting your own—you’ll work with experienced people and benefit from the community of skills.”
When asked, “If Jesus lived today, what job might he have?” Harwood responded, “He’d be a social worker or an activist. Look at the gospel accounts of his time on earth—He treated the needs of people through healing and teaching.”