Abortion: the Adventist Dilemma MICHAEL PEARSON/4 How Culture Conditions Our View of Scripture JON DYBDAHL/7 Little Tin Gods? CLAYTON R
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International Journal for Clergy January 1988 Abortion: the Adventist dilemma MICHAEL PEARSON/4 How culture conditions our view of Scripture JON DYBDAHL/7 Little tin gods? CLAYTON R. JEPSON/9 Editorials: Reflections on Adventists Ministry in the second half and Abortion J. GRANT SWANK, JR./12______________ J. Robert Spongkr/17 Eating the Word Abortion Guidelines for Adventist CHESTER H. SCHURCH/14__________________ Medical Institutions/18 Resolving the conflict between Who Says We©re a Cult? science and religion Kenneth R. Wode/20 LEONARD R. BRAND/22_____________________ Departments:______ Preventing osteoporosis Letters/2 Pastor©s Pastor/16 GALEN C. BOSLEY/26 Editorials/17 Science and Religion/22 Health and Religion/26 Computer Comer/29 Biblio File/30 ShopTalk/32 Letters Suffering from delusions the act, it becomes sin because we wal fess them publicly. You are right, Colin. In "Midnight Calls" (September low in the mush of our humanity, thus "Where sin abounded, grace did much 1987) perhaps David jarnes was more denying the sovereignty and supremacy more abound" (Rom. 5:20). Carlos correct than he knew when he wrote "I of the triune God! Shirley B. Dean, Turcios, Miami, Florida. didn©t meet her need." From his report Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. it appears that Mrs. Carter is suffering We appreciate you and MINISTRY so from frightening delusions and needs God will bless you for the interview much that it is difficult to say anything professional help. W. Noel Brown, you conducted with Colin Cook. And less than positive about the September Auckland, New Zealand. Colin and Sharon Cook will experience lead article, "Homosexual Recovery- more grace than previously received, Six Years Later." I do believe it was well "Utter disdain" because "God opposes the proud but meant and perhaps even timely and Just opened my complimentary copy gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6, helpful to some in the terrible moral of MINISTRY and noted someone©s NIV). WayneD. Lawton, Silver climate of today. "utter disdain." With tongue in cheek I Spring, Maryland. But I was ashamed to see the dirty say if I did not like your magazine laundry of a relatively few brought out since it is free I would just ask for a I was shocked to read your interview so vividly to the shame and disgust of refund! with Colin Cook in the September issue many. And I was well reminded of Since I am of another denomination, of MINISTRY. As the first public ac God©s counsel to the apostle Paul in I cannot say I agree with everything in knowledgment from the church of the Ephesians 5:12 (NKJV) that "it is the magazine, but that©s what makes reasons for the closing of the Quest In shameful even to speak of those things America. Your magazine at least makes stitute, it did little to address the bla which are done by them in secret." one think. For instance, I am a PK and tant abuse of counselees that occurred. Pauljensen, Reading, Pennsylvania. the lady says: "Never say no because Surely any counselor with credentials they©re preacher©s kids if you would say would have been called in by his profes I was deeply moved by Colin Cook©s yes if they weren©t" ("Ten Tips for Rais sional licensing association and had his forthrightness about his "becoming," ing PKs,"November 1987). Never is a license revoked for such behavior. Re but even more so by his ability to ex pretty big word, but she still batted well grettably, Colin has no such license and press the Christian concepts of repen over . 900 and no one on the Twins or thus is under the scrutiny of no agency tance, forgiveness, and growth in Cardinals did that well. Fred W. Gib- other than the church. Christ. E. Guy Longshore, Jr., Rock son, Kansas City, Missouri. In their zeal to perpetuate the theo Hill, South Carolina. ries Cook espouses, the church and "Homosexual recovery" MINISTRY have blindly accepted his Superficial logic I read the article "Homosexual Re statement of repentance. Neither has The superficiality of Ken Wade©s covery Six Years Later" ( September investigated the harm done to the coun logic regarding evolutionary theory and 1987) almost as though it had a second selees, nor, to my knowledge, even at the AIDS epidemic ("Cicadas, Cre title, to wit: "Sin Every Believer©s tempted to contact them in an effort to ation, and AIDS," September 1987) is Deep Experience of Sanctification!" offer healing. One might liken this to glaring. At the human level, natural Mr. Cook©s willingness to be openly situations of incest where, within the selection and survival of the fittest identified not so much as a recovering family, denial and abandonment of the presents a far different picture than it homosexual but as a sinner daily being victim prevail. Marge Doyle, Rancho does in primordial jungles. An ugly saved by grace positions him for ulti© Cucamonga, California. weakling with a lovely spiritual nature mate freedom! (See 1 Cor. 1:18; John may be much more suited to success in 8:36.) Too many of us act as though I have been deeply moved by the cour our society than is a handsome and there are only three heinous sins: homo age in grace Colin Cook displayed and burly jerk. Compassion is an evolution sexuality, adultery, and addiction to the sound principles for dealing with sin ary trait. There is no contradiction in drugs and/or alcohol. Yet the Scriptures and sinners he established. Seldom if believing in evolutionary theory and are careful to notify us of the myriad sin ever are we heterosexuals humble demonstrating compassion for the vic- traps into which we all fall! Whatever enough to denounce our sins and con (Continued on page 29) If you©re receiving MINISTRY bimonthly without having paid for a subscription, it©s not a mistake. Since 1928, MINISTRY has been published for Seventh-day Adventist ministers, but we believe the time has come for clergy everywhere to experience a resurgence of faith in the authority of Scripture and in the great truths that reveal the gospel of our salvation by grace, through faith alone in Jesus Christ. We want to share with you our aspirations and faith in a way that we trust will provide inspiration and help to you too. We hope you will accept this journal as our outstretched hand to you. Look over our shoulders, take what you want and find helpful, and discard what you cannot use. Bimonthly gift subscriptions are available to all licensed and/or ordained clergy; requests should be on church letterhead. 2 MINISTRY/] ANUARY/1988 First Glance MINISTRY is the international journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association. ASSOCIATION SECRETARY: Floyd Bresee EDITOR: J. Robert Spangler EXECUTIVE EDITOR: J. David Newman A year or so ago, pro-life demonstrators picketed in front of the ASSIST ANT EDITORS: David C. Jarnes Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church, Takoma Park, Maryland, Kenneth R. Wade protesting abortions done in Washington Adventist Hospital. SEMINAR DIRECTOR: Their protest highlighted a conundrum the Adventist Church, Rex D. Edwards which operates some 487 hospitals, clinics, and dispensaries around CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Carlos Aeschlimann the world, faces: what to do regarding abortion. During a nine Ellen Bresee month period in 1970 and 1971, the church produced two sets of Raoul Dederen Ariel Roth recommended abortion guidelines; since then it has made no offi Gary Swanson cial statement on the matter. N. C. Wilson CONSULTING EDITORS: In his editorial in this issue, J. R. Spangler looks at some early Galen Bosley C. E. Bradford Adventist views on abortion and reveals the results of an informal P. Gerard Damsteegt survey MINISTRY has taken of the top administrative officers of Roland R. Hegstad Frank Holbrook North American Adventist hospitals. In an article, Michael Pear- Kenneth]. Mittleider Marie Spangler son suggests reasons underlying the church©s reluctance to take an Richard Tibbits unequivocal stand on the issue and points to the consequences, Leo R. Van Dolson both positive and negative. And because the two sets of recom EDITORIAL SECRETARIES: Ella Rydzewski mended guidelines developed in the 1970s have occasioned no Mary Louise McDowell small confusion in the church, MINISTRY is publishing both sets in ART DIRECTOR: full following the editorials. Byron Steele DESIGNER: Some ministers© wives have expressed disappointment that G. W. Busch we©re no longer publishing Shepherdess articles. We haven©t MARKETING: stopped. We©re still apportioning 10 percent of our article space to Tom Kapusta ADVERTISING SALES: the minister©s wife. As has been our custom each January, this Orval Driskell month©s Biblio File is dedicated to books the minister©s wife may SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: find of special interest. Larry Burtnett INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENTS: The confusion may have arisen because two years ago we Africa-Indian Ocean,____ Eastern Africa, Harry A. Cartwright stopped identifying the articles we include for wives of ministers. Euro-Africa, Johannes Mager We did so for two reasons: we didn©t want to discourage ministers Far East, James H. Zachary Inter-America, Salim Japas themselves from reading the articles as if they were intended only North America, William C. Scales, Jr. Trans-Europe, Mark Finley for the spouses and we didn©t want the wives to feel that the arti South America, Amasias Justiniano cles included for them were the only part of the magazine they South Pacific, A. David C. Currie should be interested in or benefit from. Southern Asia,Ronald N. Baird MINISTRY, (ISSN 0026-5314), the interna tional journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Has our approach worked? Do you like it or dislike it? Write to Ministerial Association 1987, is published monthly by the General Conference of us and let us know.