FOUNDATION BOARD Inside Adventist :foCIay. Doug Schultz, Board Chair Elwin Dunn, Secretary/Treasurer Greg Billock Virginia Burley Keith Colburn Reading Through Adventist Glasses Reni Dupertuis Diana Fisher Edmund Jones s a youth I learned to read the through Adventist glasses. The "little hom" in Daniel 7 James Kaatz was the papacy. The "Lord's Day" of Revelation was Sabbath, not Sunday; the message to the Frank Knittel John McLarty church in Laodicea applied uniquely to my church. Adventism gave me a distinctive interpre- Lourdes Morales-Gudmundsson Don Shasky tation of the final chapters of Ezekiel and a particular view of "Michael the Archangel." John Sickler A Adventism even influenced my harmonization of the synoptic gospels. When I read about Mary Ervin Taylor David Van Putten Magdalene I "knew" she was the woman who anointed Jesus at Simon's feast and that she had been exor- James Walters cised seven times after getting involved in prostitution with Simon as one of her customers. RAYMOND F. COTTRELL In recent years this "Adventist hermeneutic" has come under fire. Many people with deep roots in ENDOWMENT BOARD Adventism report that by laying aside their ~dventist glasses they've discovered a whole new world in the Douglas Ewing, Board Chair Frank Knittel, Secretary Bible. These children of Adventism have found that you won't necessarily find the investigative judgment James Walters, Treasurer Ron Cafferky in the Bible unless you're reading with P::aventist glasses. ules regarding lifestyle matters--dress codes, dietary rules, Sabbath regulations-are all seen to be at least as much the creation of the Adventist com- ADVISORY COUNCIL Ken & Jo Abbott munity as they are the dictates of Scripture. (And that's stating the challenge in the mildest possible lan- John & Susan Adams guage.) Ken & Diana Bauer Robert & Kelli Black I agree that there is great value in learning to read the Bible through otherglasses. However, I emphati- Gary & Jeanne Bogle cally disagree with the notion that we make any significant spiritual advanc discarding the glasses of Antonius & Lilia Brandon Todd & Ginny Burley Adventism. Ron & Anita Cafferky Greg & Dana Carlson There is no untinted vision of the Bible. , Gatholicism, i eral Protestantism- each John & Charlotte Cassell offers a distinctive way of reading the Bible. Each nasits own glasses. SCholars in each community are pre- Keith & Judy Colburn Ronald & Patricia Caple pared by the convictions and history of their community to see more keenly in some matters and less so in James & Kathryn Dexter others. None is more objective than Adventism. l'hey are at nest merely different. Merlyn & Rosemary Duerksen James Dunn In spite of our weaknesses and defects, the Adventist "whole Bible" approach has great strengths. While Douglas and Patricia Ewing the insights of Ellen White are not infallible, they are hardly negligible. But we deprive ourselves when we Donald & Beverly Farley Gary & Sharon Fraser limit our reading to Adventist authors and our understanding of the Bible to the "Adventist view." And Gary & Annette Frykman Brent & Karen Gardner we deprive ourselves and our children if we fail to speak clearly about what we see through our Adventist Richard Green glasses. Richard & Kathi Guth P. Edgar & Patricia Hare Lyndon & Linda Harder What we see includes: Bruce Heinrich Jim & Jackie Henneberg • Love and justice as hermeneutical principles: Biblical statements that appear to support outrageous Dennis & Jolene Hilliard Russell & Sally Hoenes doctrines such as eternal hell and absolute predestination are reinterpreted on the basis of passages Wayne & Susan Jacobsen more congruent with love and justice. John & Judy Jacobson Brian & Erika Johnson • God's high regard for human bodies: He delights in human cooperation with his ministry in the Jim & Averille Kaatz Elton & Marga Kerr world. This truth is expressed in Adventist health care ministries and Adventist rules regarding diet Dean & Dolores Kinsey Frank & Helen Knittel and drugs. One consequence of this perspective is the documented Adventist increased longevity and Richard & Janis Larsen decreased morbidity. Yung Lau Berryl & Ralph Longway • God's law: The Adventist appreciation for law brings us the benefit of Sabbath keeping in the face of Ken & Florence Lorenz Don & Penny Miller modem frenzy. It assigns more than psychological meaning to the crucifixion. It argues for the ulti- Richard Morda Rick Murray mate intelligibility of God's ways. (God is not arbitrary nor hopelessly inscrutable.) Adele & James Nelson T. Clint & Elaine Nelson • Christian maturity: Adventism helps me move beyond an obsessive concern with my own escape Thaine Price from damnation to concern for discipleship and the honor of my Savior. Gary & Ruthe-Marina Raines Judith Rausch • Creation: Because of my Adventist glasses I've learned to commune with God through Creation in Phil & Joyce Reisweig Gordon & Judy Rick ways that I do not find supported in most Christian traditions. Richard & Missy Rouhe Glenn & Cherie Rouse • Judgment: The Adventist doctrine of the judgment speaks of hope for suicides Doug & Sandy Schultz Don & Ursula Shasky and for people who have lived beyond the geographic reach of Christian witness. Jeff Stevens Walter 1. & Lula Ann Stilson I treasure the insights I've received while reading the Bible through the glasses of James & Maryan Stirling Ervin & Marilynn Taylor Quakers, Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, etc. They've helped me see Bob & Karen Torrey truths I likely would never have learned in Adventism. In tum, with eager confi- John & Nancy Vogt David Van Putten dence I offer others a look through my Adventist glasses. If they look, they'll see James & Priscilla Walters something good-something too good to miss. James & Betty Webster Tim & Stephanie Welebir John McLarty, editor

2 May-June 1999 ADVENTIST TODAY Contents

FEATURES

Where is Robert Brinsmead? LARRY PAHL

Whither, Robert D. Brinsmead? RAYMOND F. COTTRELL

Adventism: Fat Lady or Beautiful Bride? ERIC BAHME

a1bday Website: An Interview JIM WALTERS AND GREG BILLOCK

NEWS AND ANALYSIS ------

7 Proposed Name Change Triggers WWC Student Sit-In COLLEEN MOORE TINKER

8 Supreme Court Rules in Dennis's Favor

9 NAD Considering Changing Higher Education Salaries LARA BEAVEN

24 La Sierra University Navigates Rocky Spring Quarter COLLEEN MOORE TINKER

LETTERS

4 The FOlkenberg Issue

5 Publisher's Response

6 Adventist Ethos

6 Institutional Memory 6 "Sligo Church In Turmoil" 6 Keep the Stories in Print

6 Problems in Atlanta

6 Great Interest

SOUNDINGS Headlines from school papers give a sense of the turmoil that is happening on some Adventist Campuses. 22 A Real Family DEBRA FOOTE Cover by Richard Tinker

PUBLISHER: AsSISTANT EDITORS: Unsolidted submissions Adventist Today (ISSN 1079-5499) is James Walters Gayle Foster are encouraged. Payment is camper, published bimonthly for $24 per year J\QVENTiSTToDAY Cherie Rouse itive. Send a self-addressed, stamped ($18 for srudents, $35 for institutions) by EDITOR EMERITUS: James H. Stirling Susan G. Walters envelope for writer's guidelines. Adventist Today Foundation, Calkins Raymond Cottrell Hall, 225, La Sierra University, Riverside, EDITORIAL ADVISOR: Annual subscriptions: CA 92515. Periodica~ postage paid at EDITOR: Steve Daily $24 ($40/2years) for individuals Riverside, Califomia, and additional mail- John McLarty OFFICE MANAGER: $18 for students ing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address Hanan Sadek $35 for institutions changes ro Adventist Today, PO. Box MANAGING EDITOR! (Payment by check or credit card. Add $10 for addresses outside North America.) 8026, Riverside, CA 92515-8026. NEWS EDITOR: Adventist Today reports on Colleen Moore Tinker contemporary issues of importance to Telephone: (800) 236-3641 Copyright @1999 by Adventist Today Adventist church members. Following VOL. 7, NO.3 basic principles of ethics and canons Fax: (909) 785-1595 Foundation, a nonprofit organization ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN: of journalism, this publication strives E-mail: [email protected] dedicated ro fostering open dialogue MAY. JUNE 1999 Richard Tinker for fairness, candor, and good taste. Web site: www.atoday.com in the Adventisr community. ~

ADVENTIST TODAY May-June 1999 3 AT. Reader mMyHomeSt- HomotoI'mvIll",CA

Letters to the Editor Adventist Today p.o. Box 8026 Riverside. CA 92575-8026

The Folkenberg Issue be healthier than many of us are accus- carte-blanche to anyone at the central The last issue of Adventist Today tomed to acknowledging." I am not wheels of power. That will also disrupt the (March-April 1999) might well be called impressed. If they had acted in '91 to con- administrative hold on ministerial protest. "the Folkenberg issue" due to its preoccu- front both Folkenberg and McClure, then We ought, as a church, to have learned pation with the latest GC presidential I would have been impressed. something from the unending series of misconduct. However, from almost all As a church we do not believe the debacles that started with the Davenport writers, in this and other SDA journals, Lord Acton axiom ... ("power tends to affair. We may have learned. We seem there has been virtually no comment on corrupt and absolute power corrupts not to care enough to act. Shouldn't we? the corporate failure of we FRANK AND JULIE R. LEMON the church to mind the VIA THE INTERNET store and its bosses whom The article is, in my view, unethical, we have allowed. Elected I have been a subscriber to would be the wrong word. your magazine for some time We have so little to do unprofessional, and grossly unfair. now and have generally with "election." And it is been impressed with the our fault that we have so With articles such as this, you might quality of the articles. Until little to do with it, for the now. I can hardly believe constitutions of our various you would let an article like divisions, conferences, well rename your journal, after the "Folkenberg Business Details institutions, et ai, generally Revealed" pass for journal- make it fairly clear that manner of the well ..known gossip rag, . ism and be printed. The ultimate authority is in the article is, in my view, uneth- hands of the membership, ical, unprofessional, and the "constituency." Adventist Enquirer. grossly unfair. With articles Why do we not act in a such as this, you might well timely manner? For many rename your journal, after reasons, most of them without merit. absolutely") could possibly apply to our the manner of the well-known gossip rag, Apathy. Frustration. Low priority in busy people "in the Lord's work" .... We can Adventist EnIJuirer. lives-"if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Not protect our leaders, and our church, from I count no less than twenty references until crisis, if then, do we inquire about the disease only by some form of a "two to eleven different anonymous sources, the political and policy health of our terms and you're out" policy for ministers all of whom stand as paradigms of church. Our church! God's church of in administrative leadership and by the courage for their willingness to spread which we, not just "they," are supposed to use of continual systems of accountability unsubstantiated stories so long as their be the stewards. that are "made to work." name is withheld. (Only one of these; A few of us wrote letters and button- What in fact happens to the few rumors had a back-up source.) At the holed board and committee members in prophetic ministers in the system who call very least, good and fair investigative '91 when the news leaked out that leadership to account and to change? journalism demands that the accused be Folkenberg and McClure were surrepti- More often than not, they are shown the contacted for comment. No sentence in tiously ... taking money from a private door crudely and abruptly .... What this the article reflects that this most elemen- donor to support their Washington church badly needs is an unvariable tary requirement was met. life-style.... This is, in church politics, a accountability of all leaders, at any time, In Judaism, gossip is one of the very form of political "soft money." The "tak- to duly constituted church wide (mem- worst sins, with excellent reason. A ing" was predictive of present events. bers and ministers) authority. It could be man's reputation is worth more to him McLarty has found it hopeful that the generally helped, with some inevitable than anything except possibly his life. "leadership core of the General losses for the sake of preserving integrity, To murder a man's reputation is very Conference" confronted one of its own- by a policy that disrupts the ol'boy club nearly on a par with murdering his suggesting to him that "our church may by refusing a lifetime political body.

4 May-June 1999 ADVENTIST TODAY My disappointment in Adventist Today outside of his ministerial and division edge of RSF's problems, should have over this article is deep. I see a real need leadership responsibilities that were not in opposed his nomination in the nominat- for members to know of current events in the best interests of his ministry nor the ing committee .... our church, both positive and negative. church. This reaction by my friends is interest- We clearly need a greater "glasnost" in 3. RSF was a very vindictive person ing because despite the fact that they had the higher echelons of our church's power who retaliated whenever he could against already been retired for several years, even structure. We must work for that. But those who had warned him about these they did not want to say much because of until it happens, we cannot fill the gap questionable activities outside of his min- fears of retaliation by RSE So how could with rumor and hearsay. To do so risks isterial responsibilities. they have reasonably expected others to bringing just condemnation upon our- 4. RSF also retaliated against anyone speak out against his nomination without selves for sins far worse than anything the he could who would differ with his plans fear of retaliation especially since RSF was accused may have committed. and policies, even when it was clear that chairman of the GC nominating commit- jANINE GOFFAR they should have been established by LOMA LINDA, tee in 1990? committee decisions rather than by exec- The point I'm trying to make is that it utive fiat [and] he was more feared than is extremely difficult to provide the evi- Here is a brief account of certain mat- respected . dence that a writer would like to have in ters about RSF which will help to confirm 5. After RSF's election as GC presi- support of the actions of RSF described in that those you referred to in your RSF dent in 1990, I called each of my two your article, when all of the eyewitnesses article who were fearful of his use of friends again to ask them about their are too fearful to provide their personal authority, had every right to be fearful. reaction to this development. They were testimony of such conduct. My informa- About a year or so before RSF was sickened by the event. But what really tion, not only from my two retired elected GC president in 1990, an article surprised me was their reluctance to dis- friends ... but others as well, leads me to which he had authored on believe that those in your church organizaton and its article who were fearful of leadership had been pub- ... it is extremely difficult to provide RSF as a GC president, had lished in Ministry .... every reason to fear him ... By purest coincidence I For now I commend you on was fortunate to have two the evidence that a writer would like your article on RSF, which I good clergy friends of many am sure was difficult to years, each of whom had to have in support of the actions of write given the reluctance served several years under, of eyewitnesses to provide and with, RSF in the their testimony. Inter-American division, RSF described in your article, when BRANTLEY JOHNSON and who had retired a few VIA THE INTERNET years earlier. I telephoned all of the eyewitnesses are too fearful them to renew our acquain- Publisher's Response tance and to ask them Criticism of our about the article authored to provide their personal testimony of "Folkenberg Business by RSF, who was unknown Details Revealed" is under- to me at that time. It was such conduct. standable because of the with keen disappointment high number of unnamed that I learned the following sources used. Knowing our information from my friends in separate cuss the matter with me because they felt story harbored this unusual feature, the telephone calls with each of them. that now he was GC president he might story included the explanation that in our 1. Each of my clergy friends had read be able to use the power of that office in interviews with many persons who had RSF's article in Ministry, and assured me some way to retaliate against them if he dealt personally with Robert Folkenberg that he did not practice what he was were ever to learn of any negative things and James Moore, we "encountered high preaching about church leadership in his they had said about him. My efforts to levels of fear, and most of these sources article. They described him as a very assure them otherwise were to no avail. have asked us not to reveal their names domineering person who at times could However, I did learn from each of them and professions. We believe that the fear be arrogant with those serving under him. that they felt those in leadership positions and distrust of Falkenberg and Moore 2. They had become aware from first in the Inter-American division who were we've encountered is a significant ele- hand information that RSF was engaged about to retire, or who had recently ment in the overall picture ...." We stand in highly questionable business ventures retired, and who had first hand knowl- by that explanation.

ADVENTIST TODAY May-June 1999 5 Because of the importance of giving Adventism," (AT March-April 1999) which always broadcasts Sligo's services fuller information on the Folkenberg- provides important insights, both for our live, ran pre-recorded sermons for a cou- Moore dealings and related issues, we leaders and laymen. Leaders too often ple of weeks in order to avoid broadcast- made the editorial decision to run the tend to gather about them sycophants ing a possible disruption." WGTS 91.9 story despite the unnamed sources. who tell them what they want to hear, did decide not to air the service March 6 However, we were convinced that the when they really need objective and hon-, because of several calls about disruptions request for anonymity was reasonable, est counselors who are given the freedom and the threat against Pastor Osborn. It given the nature of Adventist politics and to tell them the truth in an open did air a sermon by Pastor Oxentenko in governance. Further, our sources were Christian environment. Critical, honest, the place of the live service. persons of high repute, first-hand witness- Christian historians and ethicists, for The March 13th live service was not es, and much of their information was example, could provide invaluable help to aired by mutual agreement by Sligo often only corroborative. We remind our a church corporation. If they are not Church and WGTS 91.9, not because of readers that the respected Washington Post brought into the organization directly, at disruptions, but rather because the ser- relied primarily on only one unnamed least they should be consulted on a regu- mon would deal with specific issues that source in its Watergate were not relevant to a large reporting. non-Adventist listening JAMES W. WALTERS, PUBLISHER audience that tunes into Sligo Church. Church corporations have the legal I have to say you did a Adventist Ethos great job providing balanced I finished reading the information on the situation, latest issue of AT yester- status of persons, but they can easily and even the correction day and as always found it above is nothing big. to be timely and informa- become sociopaths in society without JOHN KONRAD tive. You and your staff WGTS GENERAL MANAGER are doing excellent work. I read Jim Walters' article the crucial functions of memory and Keep the Stories in on the "Adventist Ethos . Print and Forgiveness" with conscIence ... Please keep the Dennis total interest. The and Folkenberg stories in Adventist Ethos in the print. If you stop we will all past has produced a kind just forget and things will go of dumb stare in many on as they are. church leaders when complex financial lar basis and their insights and advice HUEY CAMPBELL wrongdoing was exposed. Often, their given due weight. Critical professional VIA THE INTERNET first reaction was to "cover up" lest the historians have been at the leading edge good name of the church be dragged of progress and renewal in the church Problems in Atlanta through the mud. Then, when the skele- during the last few decades, providing us A similar situation as that at Sligo is tons wouldn't go back in the closet, the with honest institutional memory and occurring at the Berean church in "Ethos" tempted them to believe that for- prophetic voices helping us to learn from Atlanta. giving and forgetting are virtues which our past history, if we will. Church corpo- WM.MURRAIN should be practiced even though unde- rations have the legal status of persons, VIA THE INTERNET served. Untrustworthy men have been but they can easily become sociopaths in dismissed from one denominational posi- society without the crucial functions of Great Interest tion only to tum up employed in another. memory and conscience, functions with I read the efltire issue (Jan.-Feb. 1999) The dismissal of Elder Folkenberg is a which historians and ethicists can provide with great interest. I would like for you to reassurance that our moral and ethical valuable assistance, in addition to prayer send the issue to a special friend. standards are improving. and Bible study. ESTELLE TACHENKO ELDER ROCKNE W DAHL ARLIN BALDWIN FAIRFIELD, NORTH DAKOTA VIA THE INTERNET VIA THE INTERNET

Institutional Memory LETTERS TO THE EDITOR "Sligo Church In Turmoil" Adventist Today, P.O. Box 8026 I feel the article by Michael Scofield, There is a sentence in the article about Riverside, CA 92515-8026 "Institutional Memory and Dissent in WGTS 91.9: "Local radio station WGTS, E-mail: [email protected]

6 May-June 1999 ADVENTIST TODAY News and Analysis

Fourth, students discussed the issue of Proposed Name Change Triggers Internet censorship on campus followed by expressing concern over Collegian censor- WWC Student Sit...In ship by an administration-appointed edito- rial board. Last the students requested a list of the COLLEEN MOORE TINKER name. Only after a close vote in favor of constituents who would be voting on the inclusion did the board achieve a unani- proposed name change on May 25. They hronic tension between the mous vote, and that vote reflected a desire wished to send them survey results show- North Pacific Union to retain Walla Walla in the name rather ing that a majority of students, faculty and Conference (NPUC) and than changing to Northwestern. alumni polled were opposed to the name C Walla Walla College (WWC) The name Walla Walla Adventist Walla Walla Adventist University. spilled into the student body this spring University, however, met with strong oppo- When the discussions ended at 1:30 and, on May 10,1999, culminated in a sition from faculty, students, and alumni. A.M. the administrators, faculty, security peaceful sit-in reminiscent of the '60s. The On Monday, May 10, Jere Patzer met personnel and most of the students left the event that catalyzed the demonstration with a group of more than 300 students on building. When the sit-in officially ended was a proposed name change for WWc. campus for a discussion of their concerns. at 5:00 A.M. 30 students were still in the Since Walla Walla College meets the Prominent in the discussion was the pro- library. criteria for being considered a university, posed name change, and several students the board of trustees, chaired by NPUC voiced their concern over having the A History of Tensions president Jere Patzer, began a process a few name Adventist on their diplomas. They Engineering faculty member and WWC weeks earlier to recommend a name fear the word may cause graduate schools alumnus Carlton Cross has given some his- change to the WWC constituency. Final to consider their degrees to be more torical perspective to the emotionally- authority in this matter lies with the con- parochial than professional. charged events which transpired in May. stituency. "Adventist means excellence to the The name change, he says, is only a symp- To initiate the naming process the board general public," Patzer replied. "Quality tom of tension between the college and first voted on whether the new name goes in the name." the NPUC. Subtle hints of distrust should include the word "Adventist." A between the college and Patzer date back 15-10 vote resulted in favor of including Library Site of Sit-In to Patzer's presidency of the Upper Adventist in the name. This vote, howev- About 10:30 that same night nearly 300 Columbia Conference er, did not account for the votes of four students gathered in the Peterson A pivotal event, Cross says, grew out of people on the board of 29 members. Memorial Library to participate in a peace- the WWC theology faculty's well-received Next the board discussed whether to ful expression of eight grievances ranging series of seminars in Portland, Oregon, recommend the name Walla Walla from dissatisfaction with library hours to funded by the Institute of Biblical Studies. Adventist University or Northwestern changing the name of the school. College Sometime after Patzer's election as presi- Adventist University. After deciding to president W.G. Nelson attended, along dent of the NPUC, a group formed in retain Walla Walla in the name, the board with John Brunt, vice president for acade- Spokane, Washington-the home of the unanimously voted to recommend the mic administration, Victor Brown, vice Upper Columbia Conference office-and name Walla Walla Adventist University president for admissions and marketing, invited the theology faculty to give a simi- (WWAU) to the constituents for their and several faculty members. lar seminar there. confirmation. For the next three hours the admihi6-' In Spokane, however, the theology fac- In its public announcement of the pro- trators met representative students to dis- ulty fell into a trap. Local pastors attending posed name, the NPUC stated the board cuss their concerns. Six issues received the seminar on October 12, 1996, asked had unanimously voted to recommend attention. First, administration assured that the faculty pointed questions about their WWAU as the new name. students involved in the sit-in would not supposed lack of adherence to Adventist be punished for violating curfew. distinctives. Unprepared for the grilling Not Unanimous Next the students and administrators and unsuspecting of the questioners' Ed Schwiso, student editor of the cam- agreed to a four-week trial of extending the motives, the faculty admits they gave weak pus newspaper The Collegian, ran extensive library hours to midnight instead of 11:00 answers to some of the questions. coverage of the controversy triggered by P.M. If the trial proved successful, the new School of Theology dean Ernie Bursey the NPUC's recommendation. News writer hours would become policy for the 1999- is quoted as saying, "It was not our finest Cory Thomas gave voice to many people's 2000 school year. hour." objection to the NPUC's claim of unanim- The third issue addressed the student's The pastors attending the meeting ity by pointing out that only 15 of the 29 desire to have a student representative on copied the tape recording they had made, board members had initially voted to the college Board of Trustees. They agreed disseminated the tapes, and wrote letters of include the word Adventist'in the new to draft a proposal of request to the board. complaint to Jere Patzer. A flurry of accu-

ADVENTIST TODAY May-June 1999 7 News and Analysis

sations and rumors, some totally absurd, under the Walla Walla College banner Cross reports, discussing the ill-fated newspa- ensued. on the page reserved for material from per and calling for the staff to be expelled. The college requested a meeting the college. Payne's name did not appear Finally, he said, president Nelson was between the theology faculty and Union in the byline although Vistaunet's did, "pushed into a comer" and said that if the officials. The subsequent meeting held in and the article had both omissions and students were to be expelled, the board Portland, Oregon on January 27, 1997, additions which were not in the final would have to find someone else to do it. apparently failed to mend the misunder- copy produced by Payne and Vistaunet. The next item on the agenda was the standings between the faculty and the No one, according to Cross, will admit school's new name. Patzer introduced the union. Local conference presidents in responsibility for the changes in the arti- subject, Cross said, with a 20-minute talk attendance voiced concerns based on cle. One of the most glaring omissions advocating the inclusion of the word anecdotes and assertions. (See Adventist was leaving out the commission's urging Adventist in the name of the school. Today, January/February, 1997.) of the involved parties to set aside the The faculty had recommended and the This meeting led to a specially appoint- temptation to tell unsubstantiated stories board approved that Walla Walla College ed commission to study the theology facul- about each other and to use Matthew 18 would become a university. The talks ended ty. This commission ultimately presented a to guide them in making peace. with the vote to recommend Walla Walla report which exonerated the faculty of all Adventist University to the constituents for specific charges and called for reconcilia- Offensive Student Paper ratification as the school's new name. tion between the college and the union. It On April 1, 1999, Cross reported, The also made recommendations to the religion Collegian staff produced an issue of the Name Rejected faculty for hiring more theologically con- paper with a cover mimicking the style of Approval for the new name requires a servative faculty members and for inculcat- the National Enquirer and satirizing tradi- two-thirds majority vote of the 300-mem- ing more traditional Adventist beliefs (see tional church art. The night they finished ber NPUC constituency. Adventist Today, January/February, 1998). the cover the advisor had gone home sick, On May 25, after receiving letters and Steve Payne was the chairman of the and the staff had not passed the finished poll results from WWC student leaders, faculty response committee which wrote art before the advisor before going to press. the constituency failed to ratify the name. the document responding to the commis- Cross acknowledges that he was one of Now the name is in limbo. The school is sion's report. When the board received the many faculty who found the cover offen- officially a university without a name to response they praised it and had no criti- sive. reflect that change. cisms. Steve also submitted a document to When the Board of Trustees came to I!) a posting on the Adventist Today web the North Pacific Union Gleaner which town a few weeks later they arrived already page discussion forum, Jere Patzer wrote summarized the recent events between informed of the offending Collegian. that Walla Walla's name is not the moun- WWC and the NPUC and the faculty's "The first thing they did was to have a tain on which he wants to die. response. Steve Vistaunet, assistant for punitive tantrum," Cross states. "Future steps [regarding the name communications to the president at the He admits there was just cause for the change], if any, will be discussed at the NPUC, worked closely with Payne to edit board to be upset. But, he says, the news- September board meeting," Patzer told the article for publication. paper staff are just kids. "They're here to Adventist Today. When the article was finally pub- learn, and we share their mistakes." Reports have circulated recently that lished, according to Cross, it was printed The board spent its first three hours, Patzer considers the theology faculty to be significant factors in preventing adop- tion of the new name. Court of Appeals Rules Against GC Patzer said, "The opinion of some theology faculty against having the word GeneralConferencechiefauditorDavidDennis ofspecialappealshadno jurisdictionoverthe case Adventist in the name is a position they wasfiredin December,1994,forallegedsexualmiscon- becauseitmadeitsrulingbeforethe lowercourthad were entitled to have. However, my duct.Dennis,in tum, suedthe GeneralConferencefor passeditsverdict. understanding, according to the chair of wrongfultermination,arguingthathisfiringfollowed The superiorcourtremandedthecasebackto the the department, is that they had a differ- hisrevelationofseveralinstancesofmisuseorques- lowercourtin Mayofthisyear.Immediatelythe ence of opinion even within the depart- tionableuseofGeneralConferencefunds. GeneralConferenceattomeysfileda motionwiththe ment. I do not, nor have I ever believed Afterprotractedcourtordealsinwhichthe superiorcourtpetitioningthat it reconsider.Oneofthe that the theology department played a GeneralConferencearguedfirstamendmentrights, GC'sargumentsclaimedfirstamendmentprotection role in the name change issue." the MarylandCourtofSpecialAppealsruledstrongly becauseDennisisstilla memberofthe church,thus Meanwhile, Walla Walla College enjoys on December17,1998,in the GeneralConference's nullifyingtherightofa civilcourtto intervenein the university status while waiting indefinitely for favor. intemalaffairsofa church. a new name to reflect its true identity. ~ Earlythisyear,however,Dennis'sattomeyfiledan On June25the superiorcourtsentitsresponse, appealin the CourtofAppeals,Maryland'shighetst "MotionDenied." Many details of this story came from reports court.In hisbrief,oneargumentstatedthat the court Bothsidesarenowpreparinganewfortrial. published in the campus newspaper The Collegian.

8 May-June 1999 ADVENTIST TODAY News ana Analysis

changed, Maxwell said. "We're increasing- North American Division Considering ly different," he said, noting that health care and publishing have created remuner- Changing Higher Education Salaries ation approaches that differ from the pas- tor-teachers' wage scale. Medical-oriented colleges and universities like Kettering LARA BEAVEN makes it an almost impossible situation for College of Medical Arts, Florida Hospital those that are trying to abide by the pay and Loma Linda University have already he North American Division is scale," said David Smith, president of broken from the current higher education considering a controversial pro- Union College. scale, he said. posal to change the pay scale Among the violations in spirit of the The task force's report notes that pastors T for college and university facul- current church wage scale are special deals generally go to work straight out of college ty in an effort to bring it more nearly in and packages such as non-taxable profes- and receive sponsorships for attending the line with Christian, non-Adventist higher sional growth allowances and reduced Seventh-day Adventist Seminary. They education pay scales in North receive maximum pay very quick- America. The division's Higher The remuneration would not be more than ly. Professors, on the other hand, Education Cabinet has recom- may work on doctorates for several mended the proposal, but the the 50th percentile that at the local years with no financial help, suggested system still faces a vote of resulting in "large debts running as at the division year-end meeting. Christian colleges. high as $150,000 and in fewer The move to reconsider the years of service due to the length current remuneration system-in of time required to earn some doc- which administration and faculty are on teaching loads, according to the task force torates," the report said. "Only about 30 the same scale as pastors-stems from the report. percent of all faculties achieve maximum difficulty that colleges and universities are Under the proposed plan, which is based salary by attaining a full professor position." having in recruiting and retaining faculty, on a 1998 recommendation from the But the possibility of severing the tie according to college presidents. Seventh-day Adventist College/University between higher education salaries and Additionally, higher education officials say Business Officers, administrative and faculty those of pastors and K-12 teachers has that many Adventist higher education remuneration would be based on the pay of raised spme concerns, even among those institutions have deviated from the current similar-sized Christian institutions near the who agree the current system is not work- wage scale in spirit if not in fact. Adventist campuses. The remuneration ing. ''I'm concerned that this might affect One of the problems listed in the pro- would not be more than the 50th percentile the service-oriented ethic" college and uni- posal is that a limited faculty pool--espe- of that at the local Christian colleges. versity faculty currently have, Smith of cially in the fields of business, computer "The task force opted going with the Union College said. There is also the science and medical professions-has led [business officers'] recommendation potential for a "domino effect" to reconsid- to an unhealthy competition or "cannibal- because using the NAD Wage Scale would er pastors and K-12 salaries, he said. And ism" among colleges and universities as continue to perpetuate the 'game playing' at the practical level, each college or uni- they seek to attract and keep professors. that is currently taking place," the task versity board retains significant autonomy; Further, the small spread in the salary scale force's report to the Higher Education there is no guarantee that the boards will gives little incentive for a faculty member Cabinet said. "The task force recognizes embrace the new plan, he said. The pro- to stay in an institution very long unless the difficulty in selling a new approach but posed plan "will ngt be a panacea" for col- there are other strong factors such as loyal- feels the following recommendations leges and 'universities wage issues, he said. ty, positive working conditions and family would be more honest and open." The task force acknowledged the possi- factors. In addition to tying faculty salaries to bility that the proposed system could cre- "Virtually all [higher education institu- regional norms, the proposed plan recom- ate problems. "If the disparity between the tions] in the North American Division are mends support staff remuneration and higher education wage scale and pastors having to find creative ways to work with employee benefit plans be in harmony becomes too great, pastors, who generate the [current] policy," said Malcolm with local parity. Adjustments to remuner- students and the tithe that provide the Maxwell, president of Pacific Union ation would be based on performance stan- subsidy, may become disenchanted with College and a member of the task force dards and accountability. Funding for such Adventist higher education," the report that developed the proposal. adjustments would be derived from exist- said. "Local conferences, unions, and K-12 "We could not attract; we could not ing revenue sources. And the institutions' schools are having similar problems in get- retain" under the current system, he said. boards would receive an annual report of ting qualified individuals to serve," it "I think that enough institutions have salaries and benefits for each employee. added. "Changing higher education remu- departed sufficiently from the [current pay In the past, pastors and college teachers neration could create a self-destructive rip- scale] that if we don't make a change, it had similar educations, but that has ple effect for the entire church." ~

ADVENTIST TODAY May-June 1999 9 News ana Analy.sis

this spring. Students are concerned that La Sierra University Navigates Rocky CORE classes are humanistic and opposed to traditional in general and Spring Quarter Adventism in particular. This concern was one which eight student representatives CONTINUED FROM BACK COVER took before the LSU Board of Trustees on Friday, May 21, 1999. .for student affairs, prevented the Criterion accounts for part of this deficit. Pre-health At this meeting, to which they invited from printing a student's letter complain- professional students transferring to Loma Karen Joseph, a reporter from the ing about CORE. Excerpts from the Linda University, she says, also contribute Riverside daily paper The Press-Enterprise, .banned letter appear below: to this decline. President Geraty says that the students said that 300 students signed "I have just been informed that the no one cause is responsible for this drop, but a petition in which they objected to the CORE classes, here at La Sierra, are an he admits that there is anecdotal evidence six CORE classes because they "misrepre- attempt to help the students think more that some students don't come back because sent the Christian God, and contain sub- critically. Having gone through the first of CORE. He adds, however, that "increas- versive attacks on Christianity and one- .. year of CORE, I was unaware of this pur- ing numbers of students say they've come god beliefs," reported Joseph. In an article pose. It is my impression that CORE is an [to LSU] because they like the rigorous pro- in the Saturday, May 22, issue of The exercise in politically correct cultural sensi- gram." He also points out that, based on Press-Enterprise, Joseph further reported tivity, aimed at curing all incoming stu- student evaluations, core classes are "getting that student Monte Bridges said, " 'Our dents of a supposed racist perspective .... better every year." Now, he says, three out of biggest opposition is that it attacks what Under the pretense of supporting La seven classes are evaluated as "very good." the school was founded on, which is the Sierra's motto, 'From Diversity to Bible. It says, in essence, that all religions Community,' the CORE classes have Questionable Petition are paths to the same truths.' " emphasized the study of the cultures of The students, however, continue to be Joseph further reported that the stu- both ourselves and our fellow students. For upset. On May 18, 1999, the Criterion pub- dents clarified that they did not want a this study of culture we were required to lished the results of a survey of 110 stu- Bible college. Rather, they said they want- research our [own] culture. I however, take dents. This survey indicated that while 89 ed to see their faith given equal time with issue with this approach. First of all, if you percent believed CORE made them com- others. have to research it, it may be your her- petitive with students at other schools, 81 President Geraty said that the eight itage, but [it] is certainly not your culture. percent of students perceived CORE as students handled themselves professionally Secondly, nothing is served by taking stu- disorganized and 93 percent would like to with the board even though they were dents of different races who have grown up see CORE abolished. Sixty-nine percent misinformed. He said he talked with each in the same region and culture and instill- said they believe CORE affects LSU's one personally in the days following the ing in them various different cultures. This enrollment. board meeting and addressed their con- creates the 'diversity' making it more diffi- In the middle of May, 1999, students cir- cerns. He asked them for a copy of the cult to come together as a 'community'." culated a petition against CORE. Students petition they mentioned to the board, and report that one of the CORE teachers saw they promised him a copy, which he has Enrollment Drops the petition in the classroom and confiscat- not yet received. Meanwhile, after four years of relatively ed it. Geraty says the petition was circulated Some faculty and administrators good enrollment, LSU began losing stu- "under cover," and he doesn't believe it was believe the students acted inappropriately dents. In the fall of 1997 LSU enrollment thrown away, as students claim it was. by complaining to the board. They also dropped by about 80 students. Again in the According to Clark Davis, however, believe that campus chaplain Steve Daily fall of 1998 enrollment dropped by about many students who signed the petition became a "point guard" for the students 100 students. At the same time enrollment were pressured or misled and did not who complained. at the University of California at Riverside understand what the petition was actually Geraty and Davis agree that the stu- and California Baptist University in saying. Further, he said, many of those who dents should have voiced their complaints Riverside are at an all-time high. As of signed had never had a CORE class, to the faculty and administrators responsi- June 21 LSU had 123 fewer applications for including the student primarily behind the ble for CORE instead of to the board and next fall than it had at this time last year, petition, Monte Bridges. Monte, Davis the campus chaplain. but Adeny Schmidt said she doesn't believe said, was a senior who transferred to LSU Geraty said, however, that in response there will be a drop in enrollment because from Southern University. to the students' concerns, appropriate applications and admissions are higher this committees are looking closely at each summer than they were at this time last Students Contact Secular Press CORE class to determine whether or not year. Recently a new complaint has gotten it needs to be revised to reflect a more Schmidt points out that 30 students the administration's attention. Geraty says Christian/Adventist viewpoint. Already serving overseas as student missionaries he had not heard this complaint prior to the school has revised its religion require-

10 May-June 1999 ADVENTIST TODAY News and Analysis ments to reflect a more structured Bible other faculty members and staff during the Clark Davis confirmed that a number curriculum. past two years and has addressed his con- of faculty have recently joined La Sierra According to reporter Joseph, Geraty cerns regarding certain classes which he because of the attraction of teaching the said that "next year's CORE courses will believes are teaching non-Christian beliefs interdisciplinary curriculum. He also says have more emphasis on the Seventh-day and values. that the student evaluations of the CORE Adventist viewpoint, but the course topics Some faculty believe that the reason classes have been consistently improving. won't change." the student outcry against CORE became The long-term plan for La Sierra, Geraty also told Adventist Today that, so intense this spring was because Daily Geraty says, is for it "to be a loyal in response to the students' concerns, inappropriately sympathized and instigated Adventist institution" that explores what next year's classes will have no more than students to complain. In the words of one that commitment means. For most of its two teachers on each teaching team. faculty member, Daily "whipped them into history, he remarks, LSU has been known Additionally, the administration has re- a frenzy this year" after he learned he was as progressive. It has the freedom to categorized the classes so the credits are leaving campus. explore how Adventists interrelate with largely transferable, and they can accept Further, some faculty say Daily was the the world. the credits of incoming students and reason the students became upset this The school's strategic plan calls for the assimilate them into CORE without their spring about the perceived antireligious LSU student body to include from 30-40 having to take the CORE classes they tone of CORE. percent non-Adventists and 60-70 percent missed. Daily contends that he became con- Adventists. This ratio is in keeping with cerned over the religious content of cer- the university's motto, "From Diversity to Campus Chaplain: Central or tain classes (not all of them CORE class- Community," Geraty remarks. Peripheral? "We believe in education One event which stirred heat- with diversity," he says. "It pre- ed response during this past pares people for living in the real spring quarter was the termina- They also believe that campus chaplain world. tion of campus chaplain Steve "We didn't think the univer- Daily. Daily, who is in his mid- Steve Daily became a "point guard" for the sity could exist if it depended 40's, has been the LSU chaplain solely on Adventist students," for nineteen years, and the LSU students who complained. he continues. "We're looking for chaplain's office has been recog- . students from Christian acade- nized as one of the best and most mies and high schools. This is productive in the denomination. not an attempt to water down Daily says his termination came without es) only when students came to him and our religious content or curriculum," he warning. As recently as last school year, complained. explains; "we want to find students sym- he says, Geraty urged him to tum down an Daily further says that his termination pathetic with our lifestyle and beliefs and attractive call to another campus. was not handled in a Christian or ethical include them in our school. Thirty to His termination, Daily says, is officially manner, and it violated basic employee forty percent is not a majority," Geraty because he is "out of touch with the stu- rights. adds; "it's not enough to compromise our dents," "burned out," and the "age gap has Students initiated a petition process ask- religious tone; it's just enough to add become too great" between him and the ing the administration to reconsider Daily's 'flavor!' " students. Lennard Jorgensen told him in termination, but Daily asked them not to Meanwhile, the LSU administration is an email message that the "most impor- pursue their course so as not to contamic-. committed to making CORE work. tant element" in his termination is his nate the larger issue of the core petition. "We're constantly looking for ways to "inability to nurture this generation of stu- improve," Geraty says; "everybody told us dents." Residence hall deans, faculty, staff, Standards Raised we~dhave problems until the students and a large number of students, however, Geraty says that La Sierra has been who were here when we inaugurated the strongly dispute this assertion. raising its standards for both students and curriculum left and new students came Although as a chaplain Daily is a con- faculty. Now, he says, when LSU faculty in," he explains. "We hired a couple of ference employee, not a university write recommendations for students to non-Adventist Ph.D. consultants; we employee, he believes that his removal professional and graduate schools, their formed focus groups; we've interviewed was politically motivated and is directly recommendations will mean something people and had anonymous evaluations traceable to administrators who are because the faculty will be known for their from all students. unhappy with the fact that he has vocally writing and publishing. Furthermore, stu- "Based on all our feedback and infor- supported the students in their efforts to dents will no longer be able to depend on mation, we've made adjustments, and get the administration to act on their certain classes for "an easy '1\," he says. we're continuing to study the classes and complaints regarding CORE. Further, he "Now they will find they have to read to make improvements in the program," has questioned the terminations of several books and write papers." Geraty says. ~

ADVENTIST TODAY May-June 1999 11 FEATURE

LARRYPAHL

he name of Robert D. Brinsmead was once capable of eschatology forced him to this position because of its insistence evoking strong emotion and division in the Adventist on a pre-Advent judgment. circles brave and informed enough to discuss his con- But he insists that he has 8een miscnaracterized by those who troversial ideas. Brinsmead shifted theological gears in the 60s, accuse him of raw perfectionism in what was called "the awaken.- - 70s, 80s, and now radically on the verge of the Twenty First ing" in the 1960s. Brinsmead said nis ..insistence on perfection in Century. Because. of his decade-long silence in the 90s, it tI-lehere and now was grounded in the thorougHly evangelical would have been easy to conclude that he had taken nis place notion of forensic . "I taught sanctification by atone- in the Adventist scrap pile with the likes of Conradi, ment, not by attainment." Ballenger, A.T. Jones, or Walter Rea. The recent radical~very In this "perfectionism" Brinsmead's theology was no different radical-rebirth of his pen invites a renewed look at this inde- than that of many conservative Adventists today. One difference pendent thinker. may be the singular strength with whieri he presented it' at the time. As one who has known him for a long time said, "Bob was The 1960s intense and driven." Though Brinsmead was disfellowshipped from Adventism in 1961 while still a student at Avondale College, he continued to The 1970s hover around the church for two decades. His core tHeology His theological odyssey took what many considered a radical remained essentially Adventist. The writings which got him tum in the ~Os.He clung to a thorough Reformational emphasis -disfellowshipped rode on a chassis of "perfectionism,!' his theme ant! put Adventist eschatology far in the background. "Looking for the 1960s. Brinsmead insisted that perfection had to be back, I should have let go of the investigative judgment and all the ..•",,- obtained in this life, before the Lord's return. He said A'dventist~----- Adventist eschatological baggage, but I wasn't ready for that psy- chologically at that time." Larry Pahl left newspaper reporting and a corpo- At this time Brinsmead wrote an essay to show that "righteous- rate marketing position to do financial consult- ness by faith"-an expression from Ellen White often used in ing. He's taking advantage of what Einstein called Adventism-is wholly justification by faith. A debate raged the eighth wonder of the world: compound inter- between Brinsmead and his fellow countryman on est. His writings on Bible prophecy are available one side and the editors of the Review and Herald on the other. The at httj)://www.bibleprophecy.net. Review editors insisted in a special issue entitled "Righteousness by Faith" that righteousness included justification and sanctification, in contrast to Brinsmead's insistence on justification alone.

12 May-June 1999 ADVENTIST TODAY Brinsmead, in typical high confidence, quipped "we won that argu- written for fallen man, and thus will be rather irrelevant when all ment hands down." is made new. In the 1970s Ford and Brinsmead spearheaded what would be Secondly, the Ten Commandments are not all-inclusive. They the beginnings of an evangelical Adventism, centered on justifica- do not speak to every setting and practice without stretching or tion by faith, not Adventism's uniqueness. The movement was speculation. Third, the commandments contain cultic elements. strongest in and was supported mainly by young Most of us, for instance, do not keep donkeys and we were not Adventist pastors, seminarians, and laymen, and a good number of taken out of Egypt by a mighty hand. These elements are not uni- American Adventist scholars. versal. Brinsmead was in the U.S. during part of the 1970s, and while Fourth, the letter of the Ten Commandments should not here he tried to motivate both Adventist theologian Edward always be kept. The law is spiritual. Therefore sometimes it is Heppenstall and Ford to write the work which would repudiate the impossible to keep the spirit of the law without breaking the letter. traditional Adventist doctrine of the investigative judgment. There are examples of this throughout the Bible, Brinsmead says. Brinsmead, after "extensive study and thinking," said that since Finally, the Ten Commandments are no longer under the min- the book of Hebrews puts Christ in the most holy place after the istration of Moses. Since the Sabbath (as part of the Ten cross, long before 1844, he began to question 1844 and its corollar- Commandments) is no longer in the hands of Moses, we must fol- ies. But he said he hesitated "blasting this theology because I low Jesus' lead in Sabbath observance. Brinsmead says the burden thought someone from within Adventism should do it." is on Sabbatarians to prove that Jesus and his apostles continued Ford and Heppenstall refused his challenge, so Brinsmead went to interpret the Sabbath commandment according to its Judaistic back to Australia and wrote 1844 Reexamined. In the book he letter. challenged the investigative judgment, the sanc- tuary doctrine, 1844, and the shut-door theology of the early Adventists. Brinsme daims that the Je ish The 1980s The decade of the 80s was epochal again for Christians, as e idenced by the Brinsmead. He focused on the cuItic nature, not just of Adventism, but of all religion. His studies pocryphal . ritings, the pr.mitive led him away from the Sabbath. In Verdict, the magazine he published in the 80s, two of his titles reveal the direction of his work: "Sabbatarianism Paul, and the apostles' did not accept Reexamined," 1981, and "Myths About the Ten Commandments," 1982. Brinsmead's scholarship the virgin birth nor the Trinity. turned, some would say, liberal. He came to believe that the Bible must be interpreted from the context of its cultural setting. He studied less and less from the Brinsmead's anti-Sabbath arguments were very convincing to perspective of grammar and original languages and more and more many members of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) and from the sociological and historical perspective. He left his their leadership. The leaders sent copies of Brinsmead's Reformational view of the Bible. "Sabbatarianism Reexamined" to the entire WCG ministry. This These studies led him to see two churches coexisting in early church took the momentous step of removing the Sabbath from its Christianity, the Jewish Church and the Gentile Church. These doctrinal platform. two churches differed on the status of the Jewish law and the sta- Brinsmead's historical scholarship brought him face to face with tus ofJesus. Brinsmead had riot touched the status ofJesus in the the two early Christian churches, dwelling side by side, yet sepa- 80s, but only the argument over the Jewish law. Brinsmead claims rate. The Christianity of the apostles was conservative. They were that the Jewish Christians, as evidenced by the apocryphal writ- committed to a Jewish way of life. They ate kosher food, kept ings, the "primitive Paul," and the apostles did not accept the vir- Sabbath, went to temple, even offered sacrifices (for instance, they gin birth nor the Trinity. He said the doctrine of the virgin birth urged Paul to have a sacrifice offered on his behalf. ..Acts 21:26) was the primitive church's attempt to establish the uniqueness of On the other hand the Gentile Christians were never sabbatarian, Jesus. He claims the doctrine of the virgin birth is not true biologi- either Sunday or Sabbath. A large proportion of them were illiter- cally, but is a theological construct placed upon the text. ate and slaves. This historical approach which Brinsmead adopted led him Brinsmead says one of the great goals of Paul's ministry was to away from any kind of strict Sabbath observance. His argumenta- unite these two branches of Christianity. "He never succeeded," tion in "Sabbatarianism Reexamined" revolves around five key Brinsmead said. Brinsmead gives the book of Romans as evidence points. First, the Ten Commandments are not eternal. They were of Paul's effort. He says that in Romans 14:5-7, Paul is speaking made or created (Mark 2:27; Gen. 2:2,3). Since they were "made directly to the historical situation of the Roman church. for man" there could be no Sabbath before the creation of man. Brinsmead says, "This became to me the most certain thing I ever The negative framework of the commandments shows they were found. I'm more sure of this point than any other fact of the New

ADVENTIST TODAY May-June 1999 13 Testament. Paul's message of justification insisted that there was was the religion of a book. Gentile Christianity was not the reli- no difference in God's eyes. He is saying to Jewish Christians, gion of a book, but that of a person." 'Accept the Gentile Christians who don't observe the Sabbath.' Brinsmead does not believe in the story of the creation and To Gentile Christians he says, 'Don't judge the strict Jewish fall-he is an evolutionist. He says there was no perfect world, no Christians and their rigorous Sabbath-keeping.' The real thrust of fall, no offended God separated by a gulf, requiring salvation, no justification is how to find a Christian neighbor." hell. "These are all reworked pagan myths," says Brinsmead. "Jesus Brinsmead uses another argument to make his case. Adventists was not pre-existent. God does not have a son any more than He have often said that Paul's silence on the matter of Sabbath obser- has a wife." vance is a proof of the ubiquity of its practice. Since all early "It's a hell of a myth. It all starts when the Creator of 400 bil- Christians were keeping and believing in the seventh-day Sabbath, lion galaxies caught a newly created couple (who had no time there was no reason for the to speak to the issue. even to form a character) in this speck of a planet committing a Brinsmead would say instead that Paul never exhorts the Gentile misdemeanor-which was daring to ask a few questions! He had churches to keep Sabbath because it is not part of the new them expelled, sentenced the whole race to eternal punishment, covenant. and finally slew his own son to save them from it so that they would love and serve him forever." The 1990s Brinsmead's essay "No God Above" relates his new vision of Brinsmead's "discovery" here set the stage for a new direction in reality: "Religion doesn't count. There is no religious test. his life, the Brinsmead of the 90s. During this period he gave 3,000 .Whether one believes in baptism by dunking, baptism with a volumes of his library to Avondale College ("I'm not going to read water pistol or none at all is irrelevant. Neither good opinions them again.") He did not lift his pen to write a theological dis- concerning religion or bad opinions have any bearing on the mat- course for almost ten years. He ran for and was elected to public ter of admittance or exclusion. Aside from the one evil of not office. He put renewed energy into his family fruit and avocado being human (forgiving, caring, compassionate, giving, etc.) there farm, which is an international tourist attraction. His prodigious is no sin. The ben Adam (Jesus) society has one mission state- efforts in circulating petitions nationwide on behalf of SDA Lindy ment: it is to live and die in the service of humanity, to work Chamberlain, who was falsely accused of killing her daughter unceasingly for the liberation of every oppressed human being." Azariah-a trial which was the most publicized in Australian his- When I asked Brinsmead, the old master of the forensic nature tory-were instrumental in the reopening of the case and her of.justification, how a person is "justified" in his new scheme of acquittal. He even rethought his own lifestyle. thi~gs he responded, "A man is judged-justified-by doing the He had been living, he says, as a "Jewish Christian," that is, a right thing." In the next breath he mentioned all the "unlearning" conservative Seventh-day Adventist. He was a temperate vegetari- we have to do because of the "presuppositions we got from our an, a Sabbath-keeper, a shunner of worldly amusements. But since mothers' milk." he saw these simply as cultural choices, he began thinking that if I We will certainly have to unlearn all that Brinsmead taught in am really to put my neighbor first I must, like Paul, "become all the past. Brinsmead's journey has led him back, full circle, to raw things to all men ... " perfectionism. The new Brinsmead requires that we become "for- He wrote an essay entitled "The End of Adventism," in which giving, caring and compassionate, doing the right thing"--certain- he says, "I urged Adventists to get rid of all the religious garbage ly the marks of a perfect man. But the 1960s Brinsmead at least and come join the human race." Brinsmead was entering a new gave a standard for perfectionism: The Ten Commandments. The theological universe. new perfectionism gives no written guide, speaks with no clarity Just as it had taken Brinsmead a decade to dispose psychologi- about what the right thing really is, other than that it has to do cally of 1844 and the investigative judgment, it would take as long with shedding traditional orthodox Christian doctrine. The doc- to deal with the humanity of the non-vertical, non-virgin born trine.of the new Brinsmead is a total repudiation of his 1970s insis- Jesus. Brinsmead said "I wasn't prepared to take the next step. I tence on the centrality of justification. went farming and said nothing." In the several interviews I had with Brinsmead for this article, Brinsmead immersed himself in business and local politics for he seemed to take every question I was asking as if I were 'an eight years and wrote nothing until 1998, when he again published adversary. He must be growing used to similar challenges from so the magazine Verdict. His provocative issue titles indicate it's a new many traditional Christians who, no doubt, find it hard to take radical Brinsmead: "No God Above;" "No Home Except Jesus, the seriously the most recent tum of his theology. Itinerant;" "No Atonement;" "This Man and the Christian I tried to assure him that I was asking in honesty and sincerity, Religion Are Not Compatible." trying to understand his new position. To help toward this end, I Brinsmead has entered an area where there is no law. "Scripture said, "Bob, a young man comes to you for guidance. You sense he is is not a law book; it is meant to be a witness of Christ. God's jus- honestly seeking. He wants to know more about God, about life, tice is not a legal justice, its a new kind of justice. I don't believe about reality. What do you say to him to help him in his seeking, his in a doctrine of blood atonement, nor am I preoccupied with a struggle?What do you say to him to help him down the road of life?" dying victim. That whole notion comes from pagan notions of a Here is what Brinsmead said: god who needs to be appeased. This great turning point is a resur- "God is a spirit and he is everywhere. He is the Spirit of life rection theology, a whole new life of freedom and play. Judaism and he's not far from anyone of us. Reading the Bible or some

14 May-June 1999 ADVENTIST TODAY met with them for two days in the General Whither, Robert D. Brinsmead? Conference board room. A cordial atmos- phere prevailed. Most of the time was RAYMOND E COTTRELL devoted to listening to Robert and John present their opinions, with an occasional ognitive maturation is a process it is-like the others-ephemeral and will request for clarification. At the close we of mental growth from a primi- be followed by others. commented on things to which we sug- C tive, subjective, piecemeal col- Brinsmead first came to the attention of gested that they give further study. We lage of facts and supposed facts, hopefully the church in North America in the early parted as friends. toward an ever more accurate, symmetrical spring of 1961, when he submitted several On a return visit to North America years understanding of objective reality. During documents he had written to the General later Robert Brinsmead was accorded an this process additional relevant facts are Conference for consideration. These docu- opportunity to speak one Sabbath afternoon discovered, irrelevant opinions are discard- ments came to the desk of W. R. Beach, in the Campus Chapel of the University ed, and a wise person learns to monitor then Secretary of the General Conference, Church in Loma Linda, for which I was pre- his/her thought processes and to base con- who asked me to evaluate them. Having sent. By that time he had repudiated his for- clusions on the weight of evidence. served as a teacher in the religion depart- mer perfectionist concept of salvation and At each stage of this process a wise per- ment of Pacific Union College for several was advocating -style forensic son will recognize his/her immature under- years, as a writer and editor of the SDA justification with equal vigor. An evangeli- standing and be modest with respect to Bible Commentary, as currently an associ- cal background with respect to justification his/her opinions. That spirit of modesty ate editor of the Adventist Review and a and sanctification led me to conclude that will remain even when a person has member of the General Conference he had made progress from his former legal- attained to an objective, symmetrical, and Biblical Research Committee, that was not istic perfectionism, but that his view of sal- reasonably complete understanding. altogether an illogical assignment. vation still fell short of that presented by the Humility with respect to a person's opin- With a desire to be completely objec- Apostle Paul. ions is one evidence of a mature mind; tive and to evaluate the documents on As Robert Brinsmead has moved far- dogmatic insistence that his/her opinions their merits, I devoted careful considera- ther and farther away from the orbit of constitute ultimate reality is unmistakable tion to each of them and drew up a cri- Adventism and seems to be immune to evidence of immaturity. tique of each, which I submitted to Elder further rational dialogue, I have felt con- Robert Brinsmead's repeated and mutu- Beach some three weeks later. strained to let him go his own way and do ally contradictory positions over the years, A few weeks after that Robert and his his own thing. I do agree with him, how- together with his dogmatic public insis- brother John appeared in person at the ever, that some of our concepts related to tence on each of them successively, is clear General Conference and requested a hear- Christ's ministry in the evidence of immaturity. One cannot help ing. A representative committee, of which need further study, clarification, and prob- but wonder if the present one is final, or if I served as a member, was appointed and ably revision.

other book may help you, but God reveals himself, as a Spirit, I then asked Bob, "What happens to the wicked, to those by the things he has created, including human life. people who don't live with this view of life?" "We can see the face of God. There is a spirit of life. If we To this he replied, "I would be inclined to think they die like surrender to it, obey it, we have the spirit that is for life. To an animal." help, to save, to restore, to be compassionate and promote He expanded, "I hesitate to be a universalist. Maybe God life-that is the spirit of God working in us and through us... has a way of reaching the utterly recalcitrant. The gift of being "He who loves his fellow man has seen the face of God. To human is a gift that God so utterly gives .. .I have to entertain be truly human is supernatural. There is something transcen- the possibility that if one rejects the spirit of life, I don't see dent and awesome about love and being in the kingdom of why God wouldn't give him what he has chosen." God. Appreciate that. When you meet other people be quick to After I told Brinsmead that someone had asked me if he recognize the spirit of God working through them in their kind- (Brinsmead) was saved, he laughed heartily. He ended our long ness. Wake up; don't be stupid. God is on display. The kingdom interviews with this response: "Here's the real point of the of God is at hand ...You can live in self-forgetfulness. You need whole conversation: The question should not be, 'Is he saved?' not be preoccupied with whether God is around. In him we live But, 'Is he human?' (as opposed to inhuman?)" and move and have our being. God is accepting. God is in all I told Brinsmead that he was indeed human, and he said he things and through all things. He is not offended, needing took that as the best of all compliments. He is currently 65 blood atonement as the pagans believe. He shows himself by years old. expression ... by being a writer or horticulturist."

ADVENTIST TODAY May-June 1999 15 FAT LADY or

ERICBAHME

n 1991 Dr. George Knight, professor of church history at Andrews niversity, wrote an article for the Adventist Review entitled "The Fat Lady and the Kingdom." Four years later, this article became the foundation for a new book bearing the same title. Desiring to be consistent with the images of Scripture, Dr. Knight compares the Seventh~day Adventist Church to a "fat woman returning from a While Adventist Today recognizes that there have been some chronic concerns about the church's use of tithe shopping spree." Her size is indicative of the fact that she has and offerings, it also recognizes that tithe and offerings become "rich, and increased with goods," and has "need of nothing" paid to a central storehouse result in unique advan- tages: equal pay for pastors; corporately funded mis- (Revelation 3:17). She is a woman of favor-a lady who is not only sions; and subsidies for church schools, to list a few. This article expresses one pastor's opinion about tithes addicted to a lifestyle of luxury, but also suffersfrom an inability to and offerings. It does not necessarily reflect the views control her spending. Encumbered with a load of "structure and of Adventist Today. institutions," she has "become addicted to packages and package

Eric Bahme is the pastor of holding." Dr. Knight paints a picture of Adventism in 1991 as an New Life Christian Fellowship in Woodinville, organization whose institutions have overshadowed her sense of mis~ Washington (formerly New sion, plunging Adventism into the "degenerative process" of an Life Congregational Seventh Day Adventist Church). "aging church" leaving it teetering between institutionalism and dis~ integration. Prophetically, Dr. Knight sounds the warning cry: "Wake up, fat lady, before it's too late!" (pp. 15~20).

. 16 May-June 1999 ADVENTIST TODAY Eight years later, there can be little doubt that Dr. Knight's siveness to the personal and social needs of members causes loss of prophetic predictions are coming to pass. While it may not be rec- their confidence. ognized as prophetic by leadership, God is trying to get our atten- "During this stage many withdraw into new sects or drift with- tion. The question is: "Who is listening and what should be done out any formal church membership. Many of those who remain in about it?" Like carefree crewmembers on the TItanic, Adventism is fellowship with the parent body often ignore it in practice or con- embroiled in conflict and an all-out effort to preserve its dysfunc- form to its teachings only halfheartedly. Meanwhile the denomina- tionallifestyle, while remaining confident that the "ship is unsink- tion continues, supported by a leadership with vested interests and able." This point is played out over and over again in the publica- by a membership with emotional attachments." (Ibid. pp. 29-30). tions of Adventism. From the Far Eastern Division Outlook to the If only we would have listened eight years ago. North Pacific Union Gleaner and the Lake Union Herald, all of Adventism's publications are declaring: "Yes, we have a problem, Dysfunctional "Mother" but don't panic! We don't need to get in the lifeboats-just stay So what can be done? I believe that there is only one option left calm." Of the 457 articles in the Adventist Periodical Index on the for the Seventh-day Adventist who has longed for change within subject of church conflict, 335 of them have been written in the the church, but has loved her too much to leave. It is time to be last 8 years. These include titles such as "Can We Stay Together?" honest about the codependent condition of our family and to recog- "How Do We Respond?" "How Much Diversity Can We Stand?" nize the dysfunction that exists. The first step to recovery is recogni- "Holding On To Your Faith In A Splitting Church," "What's tion of our true condition. We can't expect "Mom" to move beyond Going On?" "The Church Under Attack," "Congregationalism: her denial, and we must admit that we have contributed to her The Wrong Shaking," "When the Family Splits" and "My habits. Our own actions have made things worse, even though our Allegiance to My God and His Church." Recognizing a problem, intentions have been worthy. We defended her in bad times, we William G. Johnsson, editor of the Adventist Review, published his promoted her in good times, we nurtured her with our resources, book in 1995 entitled The Fragmenting of Adventism. The cover and encouraged her in her addiction-and we did it in love. And says it all: "Ten Issues Threatening the Church Today; Why the she responded. She educated us and allowed us to get good jobs. Next Five Years Are Crucial." She afforded opportunities for travel and sheltered us from the world around, and all of it made us feel good about ourselves. This Tithe Outnumbers Gospel will be the greatest challenge Adventism faces now-honesty about As our "Fat Lady" fights to maintain her lifestyle, she says some its condition. No greater pain is felt than the pain of recovery and interesting things such as: "I'm changing; things will be different self-discovery. Most will avoid this process. Many will run. Few will next time; I won't do it again; it's not as bad as it looks; I can con- look into the mirror. And the church will do everything in her trol this;" and "we really don't have a problem." She is worried power to keep this from happening, because she's addicted to her that her codependent family may seek help and is concerned lifestyle, and she can't do anything differently; however, you can. about what implications this might have upon her indulgent Once you recognize the condition of your family you can do lifestyle. Another look at the Adventist Periodical Index reveals 312 something about it. It won't be easy, but in the end it is the most articles written under the subject of "TIthe," while nothing has loving thing you can do. It is time to intervene. The "Fat Lady" been catalogued under the subject heading of "The Gospel." To must be placed on a diet. Her caloric intake must be limited. If you her credit, however, the Church has written 722 articles on the are an Adventist who has uttered the words: "I want the church to subject of salvation, but in comparison this is still below the 769 change, therefore I'm not leaving her;" then you have only one articles written on church conflict and tithe combined. Dr. moral choice left-stop feeding her! It is time for Adventists Knight states: everywhere to stop giving their tithe through the Conference "Nearly everyone seems to agree that radical administrative and channels, but rather to seek God for his direction on where the institutional reorganization, consolidation, and reform are impera- funds are to be sent. The work of God is starving locally, while the tive, but few appear to be willing to put their best judgments into "Fat Lady" dines in lavishness. action. The result is that a great deal of money and effort is expended in defending the existence of the status quo when these Call to Honesty resources might better be used to develop new structures and Scripture admonishes us to "watch," "hear," "inspect," "exam- methodologies to reach the movement's original goals." (The Fat ine," "study," "test," and "prove." While we are not to judge peo- Lady and the Kingdom, p. 32.) ple's hearts, we are to be "good fruit inspectors," and if the fruit is The church has said that it will change, but the reality is few bad we need to know it and have nothing to do with it (Matthew are listening to the respected voices of warning among us. Rather, 7:15-20). We are not to blindly follow the mandates of man but the dysfunction of the bride has intensified in the last few years; to "test everything" (I Thessalonians 5:21). Paul, himself instruct- she no longer teeters on the edge of disintegration, but has fallen ed the Corinthians to "examine yourselves" to see whether you headfirst into it. Dr. Knight describes what this disintegration looks are in the faith; test yourselves" (2 Corinthians 13:5). It was the like. Listen carefully: appeal of Jeremiah that we "examine our ways and test them, and "Its chief characteristics are overinstitutionalism, formalism, let us return to the Lord" (Lamentations 3:40). Scripture informs indifferentism, obsolescence, absolutism, red tape, patronage, and us that it is a good thing to be honest about our true condition corruption. In addition, the institutional machine's lack of respon- and the condition of our church.

ADVENTIST TODAY May-June 1999 17 Scripture informs us that the tithe is not optional; it is to be Ellen G. White stated, "God does not lay upon you the burden faithfully returned (Malachi 3:6-10). But did such faithfulness of asking the conference or any council of men whether you always require the believer to bring the tithe to the temple? Do should use your means as you see fit to advance the work of God we as believers have an obligation not to blindly foster dysfunc- in destitute towns and cities, and impoverished localities. That tionalism? the right plan has been followed, so much means would not have In I Corinthians 9, Paul responds to the question about his been used in some localities, and so little in other places where credentials and his right to financial support from the people, the banner of truth has not been raised. We are not to merge our asking: "If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't individuality of judgment into any institution in our world. We we have it all the more?" (vs. 12). He goes on to say: "Don't you are to look to God for wisdom, as did Daniel." She goes on to say, know that those who work in the temple get their food from the "Do we individually realize our true position, that as God's hired temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered servants we are not to bargain away our stewardships; but that on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that before the heavenly universe we are to administer the truth com- those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the mitted to us by God? Our own hearts are to be sanctified, our gospel." (vs. 13, 14). There can be little doubt that Paul is refer- hands are to have something to impart as occasion demands of ring to the tithing system. Paul is saying that Christian evange- the income that God entrusts to us." (Pamphlets in the lists who preach the gospel should be supported by tithe, and Concordance, Volume II, p. 467). they could hardly be described as "temple employees." The main qualification for receiving tithe, according to Paul, is whether the Ellen G. White Directs Her Own Tithe gospel is being preached. Even in her own example, she "appropriated" her own tithe and In Galatians, however, Paul makes a statement so bold that the tithe of others to impoverished and "neglected" areas of the he must repeat himself for emphasis: "But even if we or an ministry. She also encouraged and supported those who were led to angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one do the same. In fact, she counseled Elder Watson, the President of we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we the Colorado Conference, to leave the matter alone, saying: "I have already said, so now I say again: 'If anybody is preaching wish to say to you, be careful how you move. You are not moving to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eter- wisely. The least you have to speak about the tithe that has been nally condemned!'" (Gal. 1:8,9). It is unlikely that Paul would appropriated to the most needy and the most discouraged field, the parallel "eternally condemned" to mean "support them with the more sensible you will be." (Spalding-Magan's Unpublished tithe." Even though they "preached the gospel," it was the Manuscript Testimonies of Ellen G. White, pp. 215-216). wrong gospel. Need we remind ourselves that there is only one Ellen White felt that God-was the One who should direct the gospel? use of our tithe, and that we each have an individual responsibility for our stewardship Multiple Gospels "God grant that the voices which have been so quickly raised to Yet, I wonder what Paul would say about Adventism? William say that all the money invested in the work must go through the Johnsson, in his book The Fragmenting of Adventism, briefly discuss- appointed channel at Battle Creek, shall not be heard. The people es the Adventists' view of the gospel and admits that there is con- to whom God has given His means are amenable to Him alone. It fusion as to what the gospel is within the church. He says, "How is their privilege to give direct aid and assistance to missions." can we take 'the everlasting gospel' to all the world, as Revelation (Ibid, p. 177). 14:6, 7 mandates, if we aren't clear on what the message really is?" "Divine wisdom must have abundant room in which to work. It There are "major differences" in the interpretation of the gospel is to advance without asking permission or support from those who among "prominent Adventists," Johnsson points out. We have the have taken to themselves a kingly power. In the past one set of gospel according to Graham Maxwell, George Knight, Jack men have tried to keep in their own hands the control of all the Sequeira, Morris Venden, and Ralph Larson (pp. 93-94). The ques- means coming from the churches and have used this means in a tion I pose is: What about the gospel according to Jesus Christ, and most disproportionate manner, erecting expensive buildings where how does Paul's counsel to the Galatians affect us? This in itself such large buildings were unnecessary and uncalled for, andleaving should cause great consideration. needy places without help or encouragement .... Seldom do I quote extensively from Ellen White, because I real- "For years the same routine, the same 'regular way' of working ize that Adventism has become polarized on this subject. For some, has been followed, and God's work has been greatly hindered. The the mere mention of her name will cause you to exclaim "false narrow plans that have been followed by those who did not have prophet," and you'll read no further. For others, you are glad that I clear, sanctified judgment have resulted in a showing that is not finally have arrived at the "truth" and you'll want to send me more approved by God. quotes. Whatever your personal belief regarding the prophetic "God calls for a revival and a reformation. The "regular ministry of Ellen White, there is no debate about the pivotal role lines" have not done the work which God desires to see her words have played in crafting church policy. Since her words accomplished. Let revival [and] reformation make constant have been cited as authority for the policies we now have, it is rea- changes .... Let every yoke be broken. Let men awaken to sonable that we consider her statements that call into question the realization that they have an individual responsibility." those very same policies. (Ibid. pp. 174-176).

18 May-June 1999 ADVENTIST TODAY "When we see the regular lines are altered and purified and tent professionals who can help. Should we not do as much for refined, and the God of the heaven's mold is upon the regular the church? "But what if she dies?" you ask. "What if enough lines, then it is our business to establish the regular lines. But when people withhold the nourishment that she needs?" As we see message after message that God has given has been accept- Adventists we have always believed in the power of resurrec- ed, but no change, just the same as it was before, then it is evident tion, and with resurrection comes new life. The church will that new blood must be brought into the regular lines." (Remarks either become the lean, beautiful woman that God intended at a meeting held in Battle Creek College Library, General her to be-coming up out of the wilderness "leaning on her Conference, April 1901, Ibid., p. 163). lover" (Songs of Songs 8:5)-or she will die through this The time has come when we can no longer stand idly by; the process. In the end, however, God will rebuild his church. issue has escalated to a moral choice. If we continue to foster There are so many areas of the Body of Christ that have been and support the addictive behavior of the "Fat Lady," we will be starved for years. It is our duty to begin to care for these guilty of her sin. Confronting addictive behavior is a matter of neglected parts on a local level where God has placed us and to love. We place our pets on diets, our children on diets, and our- trust him to lead us individually. Your dollar is the only vote selves on diets. When those whom we love are addicted, we you have left. It is now time for you to wake up and cast your confront them, and at times place them in the care of compe- vote before it really is too late. ~ Thank You for Your Gifts

here are many worthy charitable organizations that are in need of your support. That's why we are especially thankful for your gifts to Adventist Today and want to acknowledge your generosity. . In addition to saying thank you, we would like to share information that can help assure the maximum benefits from Tyour gifts. By spending a few minutes carefully considering the form and timing of your gifts, you may find that you can have an even greater impact now and in the future of Adventist Today.

Considering the Future •.••. Your generosity is an essential ingredient to the success of Adventist Today, both now and in the years to come. If you would be interested in making a gift of ongoing significance, the ideas below may be of interest to you. 1. Since an endowment is penna- . nent, your cash gift to the Adventist r Today Endowment Fund will continue to I------V .' ••I benefit into the long-term future. 1. Ces Please send me more information on gift and estate planning ideas. 2. A gift included in your will or I I am most interested in the following: I living trust is one way to establish a lasting legacy. I 0 I 3. A gift of retirement assets, such as pension plans or Individual I 0 I Retirement Accounts (IRAs), may allow you to give more than you 0 thought possible, while eliminating I I taxes that may otherwise largely con- 0 . sume these assets. ~--"""'1 • <1r.;-. I ~ A I 4. Consider gifts of life insurance. I 0 Gif~~St'i9n:a'tpro\j~ae tax,--inc,!~.mr:3':;..a?9T\rf~{erfbiri.ancialbenefits Gifts of policies or proceeds you may ~~ \ I -.~:'t:~nCi%~~::::;::~'~:::~:':,~~n.I N"ue '.,.,~", ~ -- ~~. I to replace assets given away, thereby I AddreJL . ,"-.~~~ A.~.~ providing for loved ones in addition to ~.t I""~l ~.,,~j / I your charitable interests. I City/State/ZIP __ '_..,-.,-1-. 1__ :-I, l._---;-~_-=;;;:- -Y _ 5. A life income gift can be a tax- ~~ I effective way to provide you and/or Phone (optional) _ someone you designate with regular I I payments for life. 0 Gifts in any of these forms can be I I would like to talk confidentially about my giving options. I made in memory or in honor of special loved ones. I Cut out or photocopy form and mail to: I I Adventist Today, P.O. Box 8026, Riverside, CA 92515-8026 I INTERVIEW

ADVENTIST TODAY On the WEB

Greg Billock Jim Walters Interviews Greg Billock,. Webmaster Jim Walters

As we all know, the Internet is changing the way we me the top SDA sites must include the official General live. It is changing Adventism. How would you describe Conference site; SDAnet, the oldest organized SDA pres- how it's changing our church? ence on the Internet; TAGnet, a service which provides I think the Internet is primarily an accelerator for free web hosting for Adventists; and aToday, the Adventist change. Trends identified in society and the church can Today site. often progress faster on the Internet. One primary way the Could you briefly describe these sites? Internet is accelerating change in the church is by facilitat- The GC page provides up-to-date press releases, infor- ing the increasing availability of infor- mation on church programs and structure, and information mation. Information which previously on events of interest to Adventists. took weeks or months to reach people SDAnet is identified primarily with the SDAnet mail- is now accessible within hours. It is . ing list, although other web-based services are also impor- easier than ever before to provide tant to the site. details about church affairs to those TAGnet operates over a thousand accounts for SDA interested, and to keep the widely sep- ministries, churches, schools, and organizations, from small arated parts of the church informed. to large. Also, the Internet is providing a The aToday site has a broad mix of content: all back venue where church members are issues of the magazine are on-line and content-searchable. becoming aware of the differences in viewpoints Adventists We also host popular and active dis- hold. Being able to communicate with people from all over cussion forums, polls, news updates, the world enlarges our communities and makes these differ- and provide information about the ences, which may have been masked before by geography, magazine. AIR (an index to the jump out at us. This facilitates either further insularity, as Adventist web) is also present, and individuals have the opportunity to seek out pockets of like- covers over 1000 web sites currently. minded people, or openness, as exposure to different view- We also feature devotionals by John points brings positive experiences and relationships with McLarty. individuals with whom one's differences are otherwise large. These four sites (and their con- How many "Adventist" web sites would you estimate stituent areas) provide a wide range of now exist? How do you describe an Adventist site? content to Adventists interested in extending their experi- I'd describe an Adventist site as one that identifies itself ence onto the Internet. Opportunities range from the high- as affiliated with, or operated by someone affiliated with, ly interactive to the more research-oriented and meditative. the church. There might be 5000 or so web sites fitting You have been the webmaster of aToday from the that description. beginning. How did you get interested in the Internet? What are the top Adventist sites, in terms of activity? And please tell us about yourself-your family, educa- While site traffic can be difficult to estimate, it seems to tion, etc.

20 May-June 1999 ADVENTIST TODAY I became interested in Internet technologies while for the site, all the people who assist in managing the studying engineering at Walla Walla College (where I met forums including J.R. Layman, George Tichy, Tom Norris, and fell in love with my wife, Christy). I've participated in Elaine Nelson, Dolf Boek, and Teri Strickland. the Adventist Internet for a number of years, and helping I think our website is yet another great way the support- with the aToday site is a great way to continue that ers and subscribers of Adventist Today have given a valuable involvement. I'm currently a graduate student in the addition to the SDA church community. Electrical Engineering department at California Institute of You have added the AIR feature to your web page. Technology. What is AIR, and what is your goal in this project? How did aToday get started? AIR stands for Adventist Internet John Vogt, who's long been a supporter of Adventist Resources, and our eventual goal is to Today, became interested in facilitating a website for the provide a directory to the entire magazine and extending its reach into that medium. Adventist Internet. The index tracks During the summer of 1998 we met and settled on some visits to the various indexed resources, goals for the website, and subsequently Rachel Cafferky so Net surfers who use it can tell - and I put the site together. We were able to open in which resources are the most popu- August, 1998. lar-and which may be hidden trea- $(}'t>S(fibf' IIt)wl How much traffic did you have as of the first of 1999? sures. The first few months we grew slowly as we added con- What is your dream about where tent to the site and as awareness of us gradually increased. aToday could be in a couple of years? By January, 1999, we had close to a hundred visitors a week. I would like to see aToday expand on its present base of How much traffic do you have now? content. We could use a more aggressive news reporting Now our traffic is closer to 3000 visitors every week. infrastructure with reporters in all areas of the church Why the difference? reporting on events oflocal or general interest. I'd like to A major jump in our traffic occurred with the breaking see our discussion forums develop into many parallel "chan- awareness of the Folkenberg legal problems. aToday kept nels" offering high-quality discussions in a wide variety of up with the breaking news on the story, which appealed to areas of interest to visitors. I'm interested in exploring new many, many people. Another major ideas for interactivity on our site, as well as using the change to the site was the adoption of archive of Adventist Today articles as a base to build a broad a much more robust discussion plat- resource for Adventist research and study. form, which facilitated the emergence And how realistic is this dream? What would need to of one of the most active discussion happen for it to come off? groups in the Adventist Internet. In light of our past experience, I think this dream is What was the largest number of quite feasible. In the spirit of the development of Internet hits that aToday received over a (and church!) projects, I think this dream will be realized weekend at the height of the by utilizing the talents and interests of more people who are Folkenberg fiasco? And how many persons visiting the willing to get involved and interested in developing an area site does that represent? they think important, or creating a whole new area they Traffic estimates can be difficult, even when looking at believe would be useful. good numbers. aToday was receiving some 20,000 hits per If a person desires to help in terms day, corresponding to well over 5000 unique visitors per of page management, who should week. he/she contact? What have emerged as the most popular features of We are always on the lookout for the site? individuals interested in helping with Different people have different interests. Certainly our that management of the site! Any discussion forums are one of the most popular parts of the Adventist Today reader with an interest site. Others like our fully-available back issue archive, or in this area can contact me using the John McLarty devotionals. I hope that, with the email: [email protected]. breadth of available content and opportunities for interac- If a person wants to help finan- tion on the site, there will be parts which fit the tastes of cially, who should be contacted? large numbers of Adventist Today readers. Financial support is always useful! The Adventist Today How much work does it take to manage a site such as community can be proud of the resource to which they have aToday? Do you have help? already contributed in the magazine's sponsorship of aToday. During the design and debugging phase, it took a lot of We are currently asking for donations to cover our budget work! The site certainly owes thanks to many people: for operations in the last half of 1999. Anyone interested in Colleen Tinker and others who have written news stories, contributing can visit the website itself, or contact the John McLarty's willingness to provide frequent devotionals Adventist Today offices at (800) 236-3641. ~

ADVENTIST TODAY May-June 1999 21 Soundings

DEBRA FOOTE

'e stood by baggage claim, trying to put together, and she secured the water boy's match the picture in my hand to a phone number. She got lots of refills; we got none. W blond girl who would turn fourteen at She was a beauty. midnight. No one looked like her. I was fighting back the tears at the thought of a girl given away Living with ADHD on her birthday. Luckily, I was the only redhead That night there was a party at the church. there, so she found us. She chattered excitedly. Cindy's sanguine personality never turned down a chance to be with people, and she came away with instant friends. That week we attempted to get medical and I fig' hti rig' school records-quite a feat when one has been was back the moved around so much. We set up appointments to see the local Christian school as well as our tears at the thol.lg'ht of a denominational school. Since Cindy already knew the kids, because of the party, she chose the g'irl g'iveri away ori her denominational school. The first day of school she smeared clay all over the paper towel dispenser in the bathroom. Three days later I got a call from a birthday" mother who wanted Cindy pulled out because she was so disruptive. I asked for more time for her to adjust to the new school. Cindy was extremely Once in the car, Cindy said she was hungry. hyperactive and had no attention span. We found a Pizza Hut open at almost midnight. I knew little about Attention Deficit and Happy 14. She talked non-stop all the way home. Hyperactivity Disorder, but I believed she had it, The next morning was a Saturday. We thought so I attended a seminar. There I saw movies of it best to have some time alone to get to know how pharmaceutical intervention had helped her. Cindy wanted to see snow, and it was March, ADHD kids calm down and focus, and I heard sta- that in-between season. Our snow was gone, but tistics about kids who do not receive intervention. there were eight-foot drifts two hours north in Ritalin used properly does not drug kids into sub- resort country. She had only seen snow once, mission; rather, it brings the dopamine level up to when she was three. She couldn't wait-could we the normal levels most of us have. To my surprise, pull over and let her touch it? She ran down the Cindy called it by the scientific name, saying she ditch and sank halfway out of sight. She came up had been on it since she was seven. The doctor laughing, dove back in, and made angels, and she saw for her school physical emphatically snowballs, and snowballs, and snowballs ... agreed that she needed it, saying that she was an On the lake, the big toboggan run was set up. extreme case. Over and over again she flew down and then Still, the almost daily 3:15 p.m. call from her raced back into line. There were Malamute teacher became a joke at work. The teacher would dogsleds and people skating. The next thing I not read any of the information I gave her on knew, Cindy had talked a woman into letting her ADHD and just wanted Cindy gone. She talked all borrow her skates. Later when we went to a the time, the teacher reported, even though she restaurant she ate more than my husband and I knew it would mean a chore when she got home. The first misbehavior we worked on was the Debra Foote, trained as a teacher, lives with her tantrums. Then we tackled the foul language that physician husband in upper New York state where they shocked the cloistered ones. People began saying care for foster teenagers. they saw changes. During first quarter, everyone

22 May-June 1999 ADVENTIST TODAY of the study and social items on her report card time. Then she asked if she could go to a friend's was checked "needs improvement." By second house whose stepfather had AIDS. While she was quarter, all were satisfactory. gone, we booked a flight for the funeral. Cindy had only been back two weeks when she Keeping Up with Cindy got another call. Her favorite cousin had been Since she treated a sliver like a life-threatening killed in a four-wheeling accident. I had her sit illness, we didn't overreact to hurts. That explains down on her bed. I tried to talk, but no words how I managed to send her to school with a con- would come out. I finally choked out her cousin's cussion. Not long after she arrived, my husband name. A look of terror came over her. She said, "Is took her skiing. Somehow she hit her head on her she dead?" and all I could do was nod. ski and insisted on being taken down on the sled by the "cute" ski patrol. The next day she had a Real Family headache. Since she had many ailments to avoid The week Cindy's father had died, suddenly her school, I told her if she felt worse later, I would mother "missed her terribly." She had not missed pick her up. I made it to the school in record time Cindy terribly before. In fact, she had not called when the teacher called and said that she was or written once in the eight months we had had feeling dizzy and sick to her stomach. Cindy. But now that Cindy's father had died, the Cindy said that before her father had become social security payment for Cindy's support had too ill, he lived in one side of their house, and she been raised from two hundred thirty a month to lived in the other. She said that when it was time over six hundred. Additionally, if her mom could to eat, he would pound on the plywood nailed up convince Cindy soon enough to return home, she that divided the house. We believed the story; she would also get the death benefit that was due us had to be forced to take a shower, brush her teeth, for the flight (she did). We already had the use tableware, wash her hands, and put dirty Christmas picture cards of the three of us ready to clothes in the wash. address. But all kids want to believe that their par- Cindy's appetite was immense. She ate more ents love them. And the $200.00 a month than my husband but weighed only 105 pounds. Many times I found myself in the grocery store at 11:00 p.m. Keeping food in the house seemed like "Mission Impossible." ...... she tc)ld Ollr .fc)ster SC)fl Gradual Improvement that we were the Oflly When Cindy arrived in March she took an achievement test. Her rank was in the sixth per- centile. Ninety-four percent of seventh graders "real" farnily that she had taking the test did better. So I tutored her two hours a night, and for two months in the summer, ever had.. I tutored her in English. In September she was tested again. Her rank had jumped to the 16th percentile. In most cases, children should be able promised for allowance, along with the lie of being to study on their own. But she was so far behind flown back to us each school holiday weekend, and lacking in the basics, help was necessary or convinced her to return. Dec. 18 she left for her she could not pass. mother's. It didn't last long. As before, she got in In the summer Cindy went to camp for a week, her lesbian mother's way. Soon she was shipped to had a great time swimming in the pond that we her 21-year-old sister. That didn't last either, so live on, learned to water-ski and knee board, and back to Mom she went. went canoe-camping with us and our friends. Last Christmas, Cindy spent her vacation with With eighth grade came a veteran teacher: a us. In front of us, she told our foster son that we kind, patient, and gregarious man. Cindy thrived were the only "real" family that she had ever had. and had a B- average. She was at the Would we risk it again for another? Is it worth Thanksgiving party at the school when the call it? It's not worth it in terms of tears. But the long- came. We did not know that her mother had told term rewards are another story. Because the kids her that her father had cured his AIDS with hap- always come back. Sometimes it's months, more piness. When she got home, we had her sit on the often years-but they always come back. sofa between us as we told her that her father had Because where there is love, there is a real died. She screamed "No!" and cried for a long family. ~

ADVENTISfTODAY May-June 1999 23 As We Go to Eress

Adventist Christian teaching. They fear La Sierra University Navigates that students will learn philosophies differ- ent from what their parents believe they Rocky Spring Quarter will learn. The third category comes primarily COLLEEN MOORE TINKER leader for the sophomore CORE class from the students. CORE, they have com- Exploring American Culture, is part of a plained, is unwieldy. They have been or the past three years the national movement. unhappy with the classes' team teaching, administration and the stu- has also implemented a core curriculum, unhappy with what they perceived to be dents of La Sierra University and Walla Walla College, he says, is mov- CORE's nontransferable credits, and some (LSU) have struggled with a ing toward establishing one. have been unhappy with their perception F The CORE "stamp" is intended to that CORE was nonreligious. new General Education curriculum. At the center of this curriculum are 29 units enable students to "think broadly and Gilbert Abella, director of library ser- of required classes commonly referred to as coherently about life in the world of the vices, confirms that several Ivy League CORE. 21st Century. CORE classes are designed schools have instituted core curricula. He Adeny Schimdt, vice-president of aca- to emphasize analytical reading, critical also states that during the first three to demic affairs, wrote in the May 18, 1999, thinking and effective communication four years after initiating such curricula, issue of the campus newspaper Criterion: both orally and in writing," wrote Adeny many of these schools report they had "Three years ago the University imple- Schmidt in the aforementioned article. problems as they worked to implement the mented a General Education curriculum classes, but these problems disappeared as intended to prepare students for produc- CORE Complaints the students and teachers became com- tive careers as responsible Christians in Students and some faculty, on the fortable with the classes. the 21st Century ... .The University other hand, have criticized the CORE The problems with CORE at LSU, Studies program is the Faculty's answer to program. The complaints fit into three according to some faculty members, result this challenge. The CORE cours- from the level of abstract think- es are intended to focus the dis- ing the classes require. Some fac- cussion of contemporary societal They have been unhappy with the classes' ulty believe that the courses issues in the light of Christian might be more appropriate for values, but more specifically team teaching, unhappy with what they graduate students than for stu- Adventist values." dents just out of high school. The concept behind the perceived to be CORE's nontransferable CORE classes, says university Student Complaints president Lawrence Geraty, is credits, and some have been unhappy The" students, on the other an old tradition of academia. hand, have complained that Until this century many of the with their perception that CORE was CORE decreases their elective most respected universities choices and gives them credits required core classes that "pre- nonreligious. they can't transfer to other pared the students for the schools. They further state that world." These classes taught the cross-disciplinary, team- thinking and conceptual skills teaching format has been chaotic the graduates would need in order to categories. The first category reflects the and disorganized and the classes are too function in educated circles. opinion of theologically conservative peo- hard. They also state that CORE has too This century, Geraty says, cores gave ple who say the curriculum is secular and much emphasis on sociology, and the cur- way to more class choices for students. opposes Christianity and Adventism. riculum's religious emphasis is not clear. They demanded, and universities gave, The second category reflects the con- As the months have progressed, the greater numbers of classes from which stu- cern of those who say the curriculum is students' loudest concern has been their dents could choose to complete their gen- humanistic and is antithetical to the perception that the administration refuses eral education requirements. philosophy of La Sierra University. to consider their complaints. This last Today, Geraty asserts, "there is a trend Constituents, these critics say, have a right March Lennard ]orgensen,vice-president

among the nation's best institutions to go to expect that LSU will offer traditional CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 back to core requirements. At La Sierra we always want to be at the cutting edge, so we've put in place a core program to (f) put a stamp on our students." «....J LSU's core program, confirms Clark ~ Davis, history faculty member and team o o a: w Q..