Pacific Union Crisis:
Will This be Another Case of Institutional Paralysis?

Kevin D. Paulson, 9 September 2001

Those seeking the fragmentation of the body of Christ by stealth and subversion are hard at work, as demonstrated by the recent action of the Pacific Union constituency--largely inspired, we can be sure, by persons opposed to recent GC decisions on women's ordination.

A disturbing pattern has been established in recent years, going all the way back to Neal Wilson's repudiation of the Adventist Forum back at the Fall Council of 1984. A pattern in which church officials and governing bodies make public statements about issues and problems in the church, but in which words are not attended by corresponding deeds.

In 1984, when Elder Wilson denounced the Association of Adventist Forums for its subversive activities, and declared that "any SDA institution which distributes Spectrum does so without church approval," several college campuses I know of went right ahead and announced that meetings of the Forum would continue on their property. No administrative reprisals were effected in any of these cases, despite the fact that the Forum is quite possibly the most visibly subversive organization in the contemporary church, openly attacking our fundamental doctrines and lifestyle witness. One can hardly pretend that church administration is powerless in such matters, especially since considerable effort has been exerted in some administrative circles to keep speakers from independent ministries away from church property. One is led to wonder what positive results could accrue to the church if even half this effort were to be exerted against the Forum, whose rebellious behavior causes the alleged infractions of the independent ministries to rapidly pale by comparison.

Several years later, in 1989, the Annual Council meeting in Nairobi voted to disapprove varsity sports on SDA campuses. Shortly after this vote was taken, in direct defiance of the church's action, such colleges as Atlantic Union College and Columbia Union College went right ahead with plans for athletic scholarship banquets and varsity sports programs, advertising these conspicuously to the Adventist public. Again, no reprisals were effected.

The recent lawsuit by CUC for government funds, in defiance of church policy, is another tragic feature of this pattern. Denominational officials at higher levels in the work, who supposedly are responsible for the college, have stated their opposition to what the college has done in this regard. However, as in these other cases, no deeds have followed words. CUC has been permitted to continue the pursuit of an agenda which defies denominational policy, and its leaders have suffered absolutely no consequences to speak of.

In the summer of 1999, Dr. Reinder Bruinsma, who at the time was Secretary of the Trans-European Division, wrote an article in Spectrum openly attacking the church's stand on the papacy as the Antichrist of Bible prophecy, placing himself in direct conflict with Scripture, the Spirit of Prophecy, and the 27 Fundamental Doctrines. While Dr. Bruinsma no longer holds the position of Division Secretary, he has simply been transferred to another position in the church structure there in Europe. Books written by him continue to be sold in our Adventist Book Centers. No disciplinary measures have been taken against him, though his stated beliefs in Spectrum are adequate cause for him to be removed from all church positions, defrocked, and disfellowshiped.

And then, of course, we have the illegal ordination services permitted to go unscathed in California. Those guilty of permitting these actions to proceed have suffered nothing, absolutely nothing, for their treason against the church.

Too many in church leadership seem not to understand the manner in which theological liberals work. In my own experience growing up in the church, I have seen for myself the methods they employ. When it comes to plans which differ from church doctrine, standards, or policy, their motto is, "Just Do It." They don't wait for administrative permission. Their attitude toward church positions with which they don't agree is to simply disobey these injunctions, and to do so long enough that leadership will eventually wake up one day and decide to "face reality" by getting rid of these obsolete principles that people are ignoring anyway.

This is their strategy. I have seen it. And unless those in responsible positions start making their words mean something, matters will get much, much worse. Any parent knows what happens when a child is told not to do something, then goes ahead and does it, and no consequences result.

The constituent authority on which our church is based does place some roadblocks in the way of administrators should they seek to bring lower organizations into harmony with the body. But there are actions which can and must be taken.

The first such action should be a direct appeal from the GC executive committee, a specially-called meeting if need be, demanding that an organization like the Pacific Union or CUC discontinue its rebellious course. If such a request is not honored, public statements in the Review (like those recently published against some of the independent ministries) should follow. These statements should inform our people of the state of rebellion in the territories and institutions in question, much as President Kennedy informed the nation of the rebellion by the Southern states against actions by the Supreme Court. Like Kennedy, Adventist church leaders need to make these actions into moral issues whereby they rally the opinions of church members. Most assuredly, some Adventist "profiles in courage" are BADLY needed!

Leaders must not be afraid to call for the removal of leaders, the isolation of institutions and organizations, even the disbanding of such, in order to keep the body of Christ together. Only when it becomes obvious that leaders are prepared to follow words with deeds, will these rebellious deeds have any chance of being curtailed.

It is time to bring an end to the growing administrative paralysis in contemporary Adventism.

Other items on this topic:
5 Sept 2001: Pacific Union Conference Defies World Church
6 Sept 2001: Supporting the World Church in Crisis
7 Sept 2001: SDA News Services Hide Union Action
8 Sept 2001: Express Yourself and Lift Up the Hands of Moses and Aaron
9 Sept 2001: Will This be Another Case of Institutional Paralysis? by Kevin D. Paulson
9 Sept 2001: What is at Stake
9 Sept 2001: Action That Could be Taken by Kevin D. Paulson

GreatControversy.org
Y o u    H a v e    a    V o i c e

This document may be freely reproduced, distributed, and spread as the leaves of autumn.