[ChurchMouse's Column has been removed because the editors received many complaints about the tone. Suffice it to say that the NAD's rebellion against the world church on the issue of female ordination continues unabated, indeed, with renewed vigor.]
NADYEM16 (North American Division year end meeting--2016).
On Friday, Randal Wisbey lamented that the GC Yearbook does not recognize Sandra Roberts as a conference president. Wisbey then makes an official motion that GC officially recognize Sandra Roberts. There were several seconds to the motion. The motion:
The attendees of the North American Division Year-end Meeting respectfully request that the General Conference provide Elder Sandra Roberts, President of Southeastern California Conference, the same respect, rights, and privileges of office as any other conference president within the North America Division who has been duly elected by an official and legal constituency meeting of that conference. This will include inclusion in the Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook as president of Southeastern California Conference, and being provided with regular and official credentials at General Conference meetings, such as Annual Council, etc., the same as any other North American Division conference president.
This motion was voted on and there were 141 "Yes" and 32 "No" votes.
Other notable comments at the meeting:
Dan Jackson: There is only one entity that seems not able to operate by the generalized policy of the world church, and that's the NAD. "The missional interests of the NAD are being limited by policy, and at some point the world church is going to have to come to terms with reality in terms of equity. Can't say that 6% of the world church should give 40% of world tithe. We will need to change.
But yesterday I felt more keenly than I ever have the fragility of the Seventh-day Adventist church. There appears not a chance that the leaders of the world church are going to be flexible with North America and Europe in the matter of women’s ordination. And equally, no chance that the pro-women’s constituencies are going to change their minds. And though it has been argued that history, theology, and even policy are on the side of letting some judicatories exercise independent judgment, it is not at all clear that those arguments matter a fig if our General Conference president decides to use the world church to force upon everyone an artificial unity -- Loren Siebold bemoaning the possibility of Divisional accountability as expressed in the Fall Council Unity Document.
Young man from Canada says "As a young person I support this document and GC vote. It's based on biblical distinctions." He further says that there are many young people who support the GC Unity in Mission vote.
Jackson ridiculing bloggers who are going to challenge him in blog posts "Go to journalism school!"
Commenter at the meeting "I suggest that we don't need to go through another six months wondering how things are going to work out. It seems to me that we can make a statement today regarding these two Unions--that our decision has already been made. We can pass that decision along to the GC--we don't need to go through six more months of agitation. The question is clearly understood and as a division we can give a report and it has already been covered." This was seconded, followed by applause.
Jackson's response "The GC mandated us to do something. I do not believe it would be perceived in any other way than rebellion if we were to take that position today. I ask that you not make that motion, and I will not carry it out if you vote it. I am trying to work in the most careful way with the church."
Jackson "Policies designed to fuel growth around the world can retard mission in NAD today."