Professional Documents
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01May1984.SDA On SEX PDF
01May1984.SDA On SEX PDF
01May1984.SDA On SEX PDF
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SEXUALITY
Current Adventist Attitudes
Sexuality and 'Christian Ethics
Adventist Advice Manuals
SPECTRUM Editorial Board Consulting Editors
Edward Lugenbeal
Editor Roy Branson
Ethics, Kennedy Institute
Earl W. Amundson
President
Anthropology
Kettering, Ohio
Roy Branson Georgetown University Atlantic Union Conf~ence
Margaret McFarland
Molleurus Couperus Eric Anderson Attorney
Associate Editor Physician History Washington, D.C.
Angwin, California Pacific Union College
Charles Scriven Roy Benton
LaVanne Neff
Gene Daffern Publishing
Physician Mathematics Downers Grove,' Illinois
Senior Editor Washington. D.C. Columbia Union College
Ronald Numbers
Tom Dybdahl Bonnie Dwyer Bonnie Casey History of Medicine
Journalism Writer/Editor University of Wisconsin
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Gary Patterson
Tom Dybdahl George Colvin President
Bonnie Dwyer Editor Government Georgia-Cumberland Conference
Allentown. Pennsylvania Claremont Graduate School
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Edward E. Robinson
Raymond Cottrell Attorney
Gene Daffern English Theology Chicago, Illinois
Walla Walla College Lorna Linda. California
Gerhard Svrcek-Seiler
Book Review Editors Alvin L. Kwiram Geri Fuller Psychiatrist
Chemistry Public Rela tions Vienna, Austria
Peggy Corbett University of Washington Washington. D.C.
Carolyn Stevens
Rennie Schoepflin Gary Land Lawrence Geraty English
History Old Testament Walla Walla College
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Penelope Kellogg Winkler History Theology Walla Walla College
University of Wisconsin SDA Theological Seminary L. E. Trader
Editorial Assistant Charles Scriven F.E.J. Harder Education
Dana Lauren West Theology
Walla Walla College
Educational Administration Marienhoehe Gymnasium
West Germany .
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Ottilie Stafford Jorgen Henriksen Louis Venden
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Atlantic Union College Boston. Massachusetts Lorna Linda Univeristy Church
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© 1983 All rights reserved. address. Litho USA
In This Issue Vol. 15, No.1, May 1984
Special Section
Adventists and Sex: A Therapist's Perspective Alberta Mazat 2
Sexuality and Christian Ethics David R. Larson 10
A Physician Reviews Adventist Sexual Advice Books Roy G. Gravesen 19
Articles
Inside the Weimar Institute Suzanne Schiippel-Frey 24
Adventists in the Military: Some Second Thoughts J ames Coffin 29
A Native Son Returns: Report From Argentina Herold Weiss 34
Art
The Art of Character Irvin Althage 37
Readers' Forum 40
On the Bomb Kenneth Harvey Hopp, Michael Scofield, Timothy Crosby,
James Walters, Tom Dybdahl, Eric Anderson
On Spiritual Warfare Timothy Crosby, Stanley Sturges
On Church Structure Earl W. Amundson, Bonnie Dwyer,
Michael Scofield
Reviews 58
News Update 62
Evangelism Vegetarian Style; President's Commission Reviews
Structural Change.
A graduate of both the University of Denver and pursuit. They spent much time wondering if
of Loma Linda University, where she received an they were really fitting in with God's plan
R.N., Alberta Mazat received her masters degree in when they were having such a good time and
social work from the University of Denver. Besides enjoying their sexuality so much. That
counseling and teaching fulltime (she is a professor distressed me because I perceived from my
in the department of marriage and family therapy at own study that God meant sex to be a
Loma Linda University), M azat has lectured transcendently wonderful experience for
extensively in the United States, Canada, and husbands and wives. My hope was to get
Northern Europe, and will be giving several husbands and wives to talk, to loosen up so
seminars in Australia during January of 1985. She that they could enjoy what God had planned
has written two books, That Friday in Eden for them.
(1981) and one, Fullness of Joy (1984) which is Nelson: I noticed that on the back cover
currently being used as a text in Seventh-day you, or perhaps the editors, wrote: "Despite
Adventist academy senior religion courses. She is a the bad press He has been getting, God is no
member of the American Association for Marriage V ictorian prude."
and Family Therapy, and is certified by the Mazat: Exactly. After reading Song of
American Association of Sex Educators, Coun- Solomon many, many times, I formed the
selors, and Therapists. Alberta Mazat has been opinion that God did intend sexuality to be a
married for 41 years. gloriously sensual and erotic experience.
Deane Nelson is an assistant professor of church You can't retain the impression of a quiet,
and ministry in the division of religion at Loma passive experience when you get involved
Linda University. He received his doctorate in the with the joyousness of Solomon and his
field of pastoral counseling. bride. That is what I hoped to get across.
Nelson: You obviously wrote this for an
Nelson: Alberta, I have in my hand your Adventist audience. Why?
book entitled That Friday in Eden published by Mazat: I felt it was necessary to put the
Pacific Press Publishing Association. What things that people were reading by Ellen
were you trying to say in this volume? White in proper perspective. People can
Mazat: I was trying to give people a read a book like Ed Wheat's Intended for
feeling of joyousness about God's plan for Pleasure and then still ask, "But what about
their sexuality. In my counseling I had come what Ellen White wrote?" I felt that people
across many people who weren't sure if needed to get a new perspective on what she
sexuality was a perfectly good and holy actually said.
Volume 15, Number 1 3
Nelson: In one of your chapters you ask, really aren't very different from theirs. I
"What went wrong?" What did go wrong? have clients from a number of different
Mazat: Early in Christian history we had faiths, and they have the same feeling that
a movement that divided things of the body such joyousness must somehow be suspect.
from the things of the spirit, and one was Nelson: As I page through the book and
seen as very good and the other as very look at some of the titles, the thought occurs
debasing and very bad. Anything that had to to me that some might view your work as a
do with bodily processes was immediately Seventh-day Adventist sex manual. But,
assigned to the evil column-so much so that you were trying to do much more than that.
one church father declared that the Holy Mazat: Yes. I brought out the idea that
Spirit had to leave the room when a husband there are three main aspects to sexuality.
and wife had intercourse even though they One of them is our attitude; the second is our
were doing it within the church's require- knowledge; and the third is our commit-
ment of allowing for procreation. ment. I think our attitude is not only what
Nelson: This reflected the prevailing we experience culturally, but the ideas that
philosophy of dualism-the body being evil come to us from our church. Some, of
and the soul being good? course, come almost out of the air. As I
Mazat: Precisely. It must have been con- travel around, I talk to people who tell me
fusing to hear that one must have children
and yet at the same time to feel that the act
that produced children-which was God's He said, "But the Bible says you're
plan-was so vile and so horrible. There's not supposed to do your own
no doubt that some of this philosophy is still
pleasure on the Sabbath day." I
present today. Much closer to our own
history is the experience of the Victorian
said, "Sir, if you're having sex only
Age-Ellen White's own era-which be- for your own pleasure, don't have it
lieved that women should not enjoy sex. A Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or
woman who truly enjoyed sexuality was Thursday either."
seen as loose and very ungentile. Men, of
course, were not supposed to enjoy it any
more than they had to either; women were things that they know are in church writings
instructed not to let men enjoy it any more that simply aren't there. But they become
than necessary. When you consider that myths, Seventh-day Adventist myths. The
these were our great-great-grandparents idea of knowledge is important too, not
speaking, you know that such thinking can simply knowledge of what the sex act entails
still be present today. physically, but also knowledge of what
Nelson: Seventh-day Adventists have makes it a better experience for both men
moved away from the dualistic thought that and women emotionally. I really sense a
was present even among some of the need for such knowledge. It's distressing to
churches of the Reformation. Obviously, hear what goes on between some men and
this should affect the issues of sexuality and women in their sexual relationships: a pov-
marriage. Is the Adventist Church making a erty of freedom, and a poverty of creativity.
contribution in this area? Nelson: Meaning that couples are rather
Mazat: Not as effectively as it should, rigid in their sexuality?
probably. Not as successfully as it should. Mazat: Right! Many couples report that
But I have stopped being as paranoid about in all the years they've been married they've
this as I used to be because I have counseled only made love in one position at one time of
people from other denominations, and I've the day, doing the same things, in the same
discovered that our feelings about sexuality way, in the same order time after time.
4 SPECTRUM
Nelson: Almost as if God likes things about sex until they are ready to get
done in decency and order! married. Of course, that's far, far too late.
Mazat: Well, you might say that, except Interestingly enough, statistics now show
that I don't see God as that rigid. I see him as that it's usually the girls whose mothers and
extremely creative and extremely inter- dads don't talk to them about sexuality who
ested in variety. Because I can look out my become not only promiscuous but fre-
window from here and see the variety of quently pregnant.
greens and leaves and trees and colors and Nelson: Your book has been out about
textures, I can't believe that God wants us to two years. What has been the response to it?
express our sexual love in only one way. Mazat: It's really been very positive. I've
Nelson: So love is dynamic? It's ex- had a number of people tell me that it's made
plosive? It's powerful? a difference in their relationships. I haven't
Mazat: It's changing! It's creative! It's received any mail that was negative. Every-
innovative! thing I've received said, "We're glad you
Nelson: What about these Seventh-day wrote it and it's been helpful. It came too
Adventist myths regarding sex? late for me, but I'm giving it to my
Mazat: Well, one of the myths of older children"-that kind of thing. I've been
Seventh-day Adventists particularly is that particularly pleased about the response from
sex is for procreation only. The way God older people because we sometimes think
created us denies that idea because women that they're kind of dyed-in-the-wool and
can enjoy sexual expression long after they won't change. A number of older people
are no longer able to have children; in fact, have said, "Hey, this is a real revelation to
some women enjoy sex even more when us, and we wish we'd had the book sooner!"
they don't have to worry about that any- Nelson: In your clinical experience and
more. also in your speaking engagements, espe-
Another Seventh-day Adventist myth is cially with Adventist audiences, what are
that you shouldn't have sex on Sabbath. some of the most common issues that are
That comes up repeatedly. I had an interest- raised?
ing comment from a gentlemen in one of my Mazat: The questions I hear over and
seminars. He said, "But the Bible says over again concern masturbation, oral-
you're not supposed to do your own pleasure genital sexual expression, having sex on
on the Sabbath day." I said, "Sir, if you're Sabbath, and the questions of people who
having sex only for your own pleasure, don't are concerned because they don't see sex as
have it Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or an expression of beauty: "How can I enjoy
Thursday either." That didn't suit him very sex more? What can I do to like it better?"
well. It was a facetious answer, and wasn't Nelson: I understand that during the last
exactly helpful, but I couldn't resist it. couple of years you've prepared a number of
Still another myth is that masturbation papers for the Biblical Research Institute
consists of husbands and wives touching Committee of the General Conference
each other genitally. Of course, that idea is (BRICOM) regarding sexual Issues, espe-
certainly false because masturbation is a cially for Adventists.
solitary pursuit. It has nothing to do with Mazat: That's right.
what a husband and wife do to please one Nelson: Let's take, for example, the
another during the sex act. issue that you mentioned first: masturba-
Another myth probably would be that tion. What is the basic problem here?
you don't tell your children about sexuality Mazat: I think that people are confused
because it will get them too interested too because the Bible says nothing about mas-
soom. You might want to tell them about turbation, even though it does speak forth-
the birds and the bees, but don't start talking rightly about things that God has proscribed
Volume 15, Number 1 5
sexually, while Ellen White seems to say have a problem of some magnitude. Where
quite a bit against it. on this continuum did Ellen White locate
Nelson: This would be in her Appeal to the problem? Is there a practice somewhere
Mothers? on that continuum that makes some of these
Mazat: Yes, that type of thing. I spent a things she warned about possible?
lot of time researching and thinking about it. Nelson: But you're not saying that what
When I discovered the virtual hysteria of she said about masturbation in Appeal to
her culture about masturbation, I concluded Mothers is supported today by research?
that she was probably not as extreme as a lot Mazat: It is not supported today be re-
of the other people who were writing then. I search. But I'm not sure that we correctly
find it difficult to use the word "masturba- understand what she was saying. Consider
tion" when I talk about what Ellen White an adolescent who is obsessed with mas-
says because she never uses that word. She turbation, who doesn't even want to have
uses the words "self-abuse," "secret vice," any friends, who separates himself from
"pollution." As I read everything she wrote, others, who is so timid and shy and afraid
I was struck by the idea that she frequently that the only good feeling he can find in his
refers to the mind when she is talking about world comes from masturbation. This prac-
the effects of masturbation. I then thought tice might have some harmful physical
about the different types of masturbation I effects due to his preoccupation, and as a
had encountered in my clinical experience. result of his intense feelings of guilt.
It seemed to me that in discussing masturba-
tion we weren't talking about one solitary
thing; we were talking about many different
expressions of sexual behavior. One of them Unless we educate for sexuality in a
might be a youngster who's just learned that loving, forthright, caring way, we
it feels good to rub in a certain way when open the door for all kinds of
he's lying in bed with his pillow between his problems.
legs. Then another might be a young man
who has just started dating. He's got some
values about how he wants to experience
sexuality, but he's really turned on. He Nelson: So you're saying th~l.t she seems
comes home after a date, and he mastur- not to be talking about the whole spectrum
bates. And then there might be a man whose of masturbation, and that we should not
wife is pregnant, and the doctor has told her apply what she says to the whole spectrum
she has to stay in bed and can't have sex for of masturbatory activities?
the eight months of her pregnancy so he Mazat: I don't see how we can.
masturbates occasionally. We have all kinds Nelson: According to your paper for
of things on this continuum of masturbation BRICOM, if I remember correctly, there
clear up to the person who is obsessed with are certainly a lot of instances today where
masturbation, who masturbates six, eight, masturbation might be justifiable.
10 times a day, of which there are cases. Mazat: Certainly understandable. I
Some place along this continuum masturba- think I make the point in the paper, as I do in
tion isn't a good thing to be doing. In my the book, that the ideal sexual relationship is
research I found that this conclusion was between a man a woman in the committed
corroborated by many resources. When love relationship in marriage. That's the
masturbation becomes obsessive-when it ideal. We don't always meet the ideal. But
keeps a person from social contacts, when it far too many young people have actually
makes a loner out of him or her, so that all he given up their faith because they thought
or she wants to do is to masturbate-we they couldn't overcome this problem at
6 SPECTRUM
some point in their lives and so they said, the body are even worse than others.
"What's the use?" Couples should understand why they are
Nelson: Feelings of guilt? interested in oral-genital sex, what they
Mazat: Right. And helplessness and hope to gain from it, and their feelings of
hopelessness. comfortableness with that expression. I am
Nelson: What is your advice for a prob- always deeply concerned when a couple
lem like this? What about a young person comes to me and one of them is demanding
who has tremendous feelings of guilt about oral-genital expression and the other
masturbation but obviously doesn't want to angrily refuses. That really isn't a sexual
go to a therapist. It's very hard for him or problem at all; it's a power problem. They
her to say, "Well, look it's okay." need to work through the real problem. I
Mazat: Here's the ideal. This is where think that if a husband and wife enjoy one
God wants you to be. At some point in your another's bodies entirely, and they both feel
life God's plan for you is to experience your very comfortable and very free about stimu-
sexuality in this setting, this symbolically lating one another entirely, they should be
beautiful setting. You're working toward able to feel good about that.
that goal. Meanwhile, things are going to Nelson: Recognizing that we don't have
happen in your life. Perhaps you're not good solid data on Adventist sexuality, from
always going 'to be able to meet 'that goal. your own clinical experience is this a
Rather than making masturbation seem like particularly popular or common practice in
the worst possible thing in the whole world, our denomination? Could you hazard an
we need to look at the goal and try to mature educated guess at the prevalence of oral-
toward that ideal. genital sex in the Adventist Church?
Nelson: If one has to err in this matter, Mazat: I think it's quite prevalent. I
would it not be better to err on the side of would probably guess, and of course this is
love and concern? only a guess, that well over half the Seventh-
Mazat: Certainly. Parents who worry day Adventists engage in this expression. I
about a child masturbating need to look at think that it's more common among younger
their own relationship with the child. They people than older people, although not
need to see what they can do to establish a exclusively. Some older people enjoy the
good relationship with the child so that he or pleasure of touching and kissing the whole
she can make good social contacts. They bodies of their partners.
should become a part of the child's world Nelson: You don't see any particular
and consider what they can do to make him medical problems associated with this?
or her feel more comfortable, more loved, Mazat: No. There appears to be no
more accepted, and have more self-esteem. medical problem associated with oral-
Nelson: You mentioned oral-genital sex genital sex that anybody has been able to
as another question. I understand you also demonstrate. Of course, we're talking about
did a paper for BRICOM on that. What two healthy people. Someone who has an
basically did you say? infection should use restraint whether it's
Mazat: Whenever a number of people oral-genital kissing or mouth-to-mouth
have a question, we need to explore it and kissing.
we need to have some guidelines for think- Nelson: You also emphasize that from a
ing about it. This is what I tried to provide- wholistic view of the body and of the
some way of thinking about oral-genital sex individual, there's no part that is somehow
in their own experience, what it means to evil.
them, what their feelings are about it. Again Mazat: No, no part defiled. If we come
we notice this dichotomy where the mind is back to the hygenic aspect of it, the oral
good and the body is bad and some parts of cavity probably produces more disease
Volume 15, Number 1 7
done in taking care of the rest of the family Mazat: Fetishism occurs when some
or household duties. Frequently, the mother object takes the place of another person in a
will be gone from her home, maybe taking a sexual experience. The object might be a
job late evenings or nights, so that the girl pair of panties or a shoe. The erotic transfer
fits into the spot of taking mother's place. is made to that object so that to be sexually
Then she takes it in every respect. effective this fetish must be present. In other
Nelson: I suppose it would come as a words, a male would not be able to have an
shock to suggest that this happens within erection or ejaculation ifhe did not have this
Adventism. object with him. Sometimes he uses the
Mazat: I t is hard and painful to think of
it, but it does happen. As a matter of fact, in
our own county one of our Marriage and
Family Therapy Department graduates is a God intended sexuality to be
specialist on incest. She tells me that the gloriously sensual and erotic. You
Seventh-day Adventist population in our can't retain the impression of a
county is well-represented statistically quiet, passive experience when you
among those who practice incest-as fre- read of the joyousness of Solomon
quently as any other church community. and his bride.
Nelson: What does a therapist do in a
situation like this?
Mazat: Well, if this is a current case
which we are just now discovering, we have object in conjunction with the act, and
only one resource. The responsibility of sometimes he uses the object as a replace-
anybody in a helping profession is to report ment for a person.
it within a certain length of time. The Nelson: What are the issues in voy-
Department of Child Protective Services eurism?
then takes over. Skilled people who are Mazat: Voyeurism is supposed to be the
tactful and effective assist the family into more laughable one. There are many jokes
treatment. The rates of recidivism are much about men who go around looking in
lower for incest than for most other prob- windows-peeping Toms and streakers. It
lems. certainly has the lowest profile as far as
Nelson: This is one area in which con- danger is concerned, but we must be aware
fidentiality cannot be kept? that many people who go into much more
Mazat: That's right. Far too often people destructive aberrations may have started out
in the helping professions have talked to the as voyeurs or exhibitionists. It's good even
man, and he has said, "I won't do it again." at that point to question why this happened
They have accepted this, but the same thing and to have some kind of therapy so that
has happened all over again. The whole they don't move into an even more dys-
system has to cooperate in this kind of functional activity. That doesn't happen
therapy. It cannot be done by a single often, but often enough so that we should be
therapist. alerted to it.
Nelson: What are some of the other Nelson: And mutilation?
papers that you presented at BRICOM? Mazat: Well, that occurs when the
Mazat: There was one on fetishism, one person absolutely is dependent on pain,
on voyeurism and exhibitionism, one on either inflicting pain or receiving pain, to
mutilation, one on nudity, and one on have a sexual release. These are deeply
masturbation. disturbed people who have very low self-
Nelson: Let's look at these very briefly. concepts. Masochists feel that they're so
What is fetishism? guilty and so awful that they have to be
Volume 15, Number 1 9
punished, and, of course, the sadist feels like sex and to be able to share this with their
he has to (and he usually is the man) inflict children. And I'd like parents to understand
this pain to demonstrate his power and his that they are not to function as arbitrary,
ability to make people submissive to him. heavy-handed rulers who come down hard
Usually those people find each other and and command the family with force. Teach-
feed into each other's dysfunction. ing their children all they need to know
Nelson: What did you say about spiritually, physically, emotionally should
nudism? be joyous. I know that's very idealistic,
Mazat: The committee suggested this but I've been called an idealist before so I
topic. They were trying to discover when can cope with that term.
nudism is appropriate and when it is not Nelson: Do you think the church-I'm
appropriate in the family. What about especially interested in the local church,
children who are found "playing doctor?" having been a pastor-is the place where
How should parents relate to nudity in the these kinds of issues can be best addressed?
family? I proposed that nudism in marriage Would you suggest some ways in which this
is completely natural and good. I hope that could be worked out in the local church?
somehow more people-and it's usually Mazat: Yes, I don't think this material
women-will feel comfortable with nudism does any good on some professor's shelf.
within marriage. Sometimes people ask me a question about
Nelson: These are rather esoteric topics one of these issues, and I mention that I've
for the Biblical Research Committee to be written a paper for BRICOM on it. The
dealing with! people then ask, "When is it going to be
Mazat: I think that after I got them all published? We want it." I think there's a
written up and presented them, they were readiness and a desire on the part of the
surprised by how much is involved. constituency. They have a right to hear
Nelson: Are these esoteric deviations something from one of their own authors
prevalent in Adventism? whose work has been studied by a represen-
Mazat: We have our share. I think the tative committee.
most important thing I gathered from my Nelson: Thank you very much for
research is that unless we get better ways of taking the time to speak about this. In
introducing sexuality to our children, unless summary, is there anything drat you could
we can help our children build better self- say?
concepts, unless we educate for sexuality in Mazat: When a husband and a wife are
a loving, forthright, caring way, we open deeply committed to one another, when
the door for all kinds of problems. These are there's no lack of trust on the part of ei ther,
exaggerated problems, yes, but I'd like to when they make a real determination to
see the end to all the problems. I'd like all of discuss these issues in a loving, caring way,
our young people to get a proper under- and when they give themselves time to do
standing of the beautiful aspects of sexu- that, they will have a good sexual relation-
ality. I'd like parents to feel real joy about ship.
Sexuality and Christian Ethics
by David R. Larson
which is worse; but marriage and con- frequently such activities occur among non-
tinence are two goods the second of which is human animals, no matter how prevalent
better."13 He concluded that "it is a good to they may be in any human population, and
marry since it is a good to beget children, to no matter how strong one's inner pro-
be the mother of a family; but it is better not clivities may be toward any of them, such
to marry, since it is better for human society forms of sexual expressions fall short of
itself not to have need of marriage. "14 optimal sexuality because they are relation-
Thomas Aquinas developed more thor- ships which are not objectively reciprocal.
oughly than did Augustine the suggestions To say that the sexual encounters of
that marriage is a Christian sacrament; Christians ideally occur in relationships
however, he listed it as the last of the seven which are permanent and exclusive is to
sacraments because, as he put it, "it has the suggest that mutuality and reciprocity
least amount of spirituality. "15 Jeremy Tay- flourishes best when there is no fear that
lor came to a far healthier conclusion several complete physical, mental, and spiritual
centuries later when he wrote that the involvement will be either terminated or
proper purposes of sexual union include the compromised. This loyalty is frequently
desire "to lighten and ease the cares and terminated in the practice of serial or
sadnesses of household affairs, or to endear sequential polygamy and polyandry. It is
each other. "16 compromised in the practice of simulta-
neous polygamy and polyandry. Because
serial polygamy and polyandry have become
II. The Form of Christian so common in industrialized societies, and
because the stresses of modern living bring
Sexual Love special pressures upon permanent and ex-
clusive unions, Christian theologians such as
T he external appear-
ance or "form" of
the interchange in which optimal Christian
Tom F. Driver of Union Theological
Seminary in New York, Raymond Law-
rence of St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in
sexual love occurs can be described as: (1) Texas, and James B. Nelson of the United
relational, (2) permanent, (3) exclusive, and Theological Semiharies in Minnesota con-
(4) heterosexual. Truly relational affairs are tend that now permanence may be more
mutually enhancing and not merely mu- important than exclusiveness. Lawrence
tually desirable. Such relationships usually calls for "a more flexible monogamy" in
occur among mature persons who are ap- which an attempt is made "to hold to both
proximately equal in age, power, freedom, the value of lifelong commitment between
and ability. Otherwise, there is every likeli- two persons and the value of stimulation
hood that the stronger party will exploit the that can come from a variety of multiple
weaker party, even if such selfish use is not intimate relationships. "17 Driver writes that
directly intended. From this perspective, a "life inside marriage is not to be construed
sexual encounter is literally deformed if as forbidding sexual relations with other
each party does not give as well as receive persons. "18 Nelson agrees that such a con-
genuine and complete satisfaction. Such clusion is at least possible, but he quickly
relationality, such objective mutuality and cautions that all the evidence is not yet in
reciprocity, is absent from chauvinism, and that permanent and exclusive unions
whether male or female. It is also absent may not be as stifling as their Christian
from masturbation, rape, prostitution, critics take them to be. 19
pedophilia, bestiality, necrophilia, incest, Nelson's cautions are in order because it is
voyeurism, fetishism, exhibitionism, sado- doubtful that the permanence of a union can
masochism, and so forth. No matter how be enhanced by compromising its exclusive-
14 SPECTRUM
ness. Until men and women become more polarity has received in music, art, litera-
adept than they presently are at separating ture, humor, and scholarship, it is odd that
what they do with their bodies from what these theologians have found so little import
they think and feel toward each other with in this significant dimension of human ex-
their minds, flexible monogamy, which penence.
presupposes the ability to make this great Other religious thinkers have virtually
divorce, can be expected to end in disap- equated gender differentiation with the Fall.
pointment and frustration. Once people do Aristophanes, one of the speakers in Plato's
become accustomed to distancing their Symposium, contended that Zeus sliced an-
selves and from each other in the most drogynous primordial humanity into male
intimate of all human activities, Christianity and female in response to human rebellious-
will have little interest in sexu;;tlity except ness and arrogance. 20 Philo, the ancient
to remind people that things need not be so Hebrew philosopher and exegete who was
deeply influenced by Plato, detected in
Genesis 1 a "heavenly" human who was
immaterial, immortal, and sexually undif-
It is important, even ethically vital,
ferentiated and an "empirical" human in
to affirm the moral worth of sexual
Genesis 2 who was material, mortal, and
love in all of its fullness. dimorphic. 21 In the 20th century, Nicolas
Berdyaev wrote that "original sin is con-
nected in the first instance with the division
and that they have not always been so. into two sexes and the fall of the androgyn;
Sexual intimacy is fascinating precisely be- i.e. of man as a complete being. . . . Man is
cause in it one whole person unites with a sick, wounded, and disharmonious crea-
another whole person, each person totally ture primarily because he is a sexual, i.e.
involved in the uttermost participation of bisected being, and has lost his wholeness
the body, mind, and spirit, as a celebration and integrity."22 Interpretations such as
of their shared past, present, and future. Berdyaev's are to be credited for taking
Once this total involvement is destroyed by sexual differentiation seriously. They do
those who advocate permanent but not account for the pain and misery which so
exclusive unions or exclusive but not per- often characterize the encounters of man
manent unions, sexuality will merit very and woman. But such interpretations are
little interest. inadequate because they are unable to eluci-
date the joy and gladness man and woman
turmoil caused by tension between loyalty tion with our failures. For me, the most
to their primary companions and commit- serious deviations are my own. For you, the
ment to other people with whom they are most serious shortcomings should be your
sexually involved. This discovery, which is own. There is therefore no need to debate
precisely what a Christian interpretation of
optimal sexuality should expect, makes it
exceedingly difficult to endorse "open" or Many theologians have explored the
"flexible" unions, whether homosexual or
relationships between God and
heterosexual. The suggestion that ideal sex-
humanity, body and soul, and sin
ual relationships are reciprocal, permanent,
and sexually exclusive receives unexpected and salvation without devoting a
support from Bell and Weinberg's report single paragraph to the theological
that homosexuals involved in such unions, meanings of men and women.
which function much like wholesome
heterosexual marriages, tend to be the
happiest, healthiest, and most successfully endlessly the relative goodness or badness of
adjusted people of the entire sample. Chris- various perversions of optimal sexuality.32
tians therefore have every reason to en- This should make us slow to disfellowshi p
courage homosexuals who are honestly con- people from our congregations whose live,s
vinced that they should neither attempt are not wholly harmonious with ideal Chrjs-
to function heterosexually nor remain tian sexuality. Every congregation must
celibate to form Closed-Coupled homosex- remember that it can ask so much of its
ual unions, even though similar heterosexual members that its influence and membership
relationships should remain Christianity's will be very small, or that it can ask so little
first hope for all believers. of its members that the congregation will be
no different than the surrounding society,
and that in either case the church fails. 33
Precisely how and where the line should be
III. Standards} Churches}
drawn regarding any individual's member-
and Societies ship in the denomination is wisely left up to
the local congregation by Seventh-day Ad-
T he primary purpose
of every ethical stan-
dard is to function as a criterion by which
ventist polity. Only those who are closest to
any situation should be permitted to deny
full membership to anyone who desires it.
one can measure one's own moral maturity. As it makes these difficult decisions,
We should realize that in our sexual rela- the congregation must consider the denom-
tionships we all fall short of God's glory. ination's depiction of ideal sexuality, the
Some of us fail on the formal side in tha tour person's alleged failures, and the person's
sexual relationships are not reciprocal, per- attitudes and influences within the congre-
manent, exclusive, or heterosexual. Others gation. The person's "spirit," his or her
of us participate in relationships that are cooperativeness, teachableness, and submis-
outwardly proper but fail to embody the siveness to the congregation's counsel, or
true meaning or substance of Christian love. the lack of such dispositions, hopefully will
Each one of us should concentrate on those be the decisive consideration.
areas of our own lives in which we most Christians in secular societies should also
need to experience God's forgiving and be reluctant to impose their ethical ideals
enabling grace, ever mindful that mora.l upon the wider community. Any religious
maturity is fostered more by fresh realiza- organization does well to distance itself
tions of God's goodness than by preoccupa- from groups who appear to the general
Volume 15, Number 1 17
public as overly concerned, almost hyster- greater than those it outlaws, and (3) the
ical, about private physical intimacies. More proposed legislation can be fairly enforced. 34
importantly, it is futile, and possibly dan- The genius of many modern democracies is
gerous, for religious groups to expect the not that they are "Christian" but that they
political order to legislate their convictions are "free." Christians, like Buddhists, Jews,
unless (1) some common practice seriously Moslems, Marxists, atheists, and agnostics,
harms individuals or the common good, (2) have a vested interest in preserving this
the legislation will not foster evils that are freedom for themselves and for others.
1. Paul Tillich, Love, Power, and Justice (New 16. Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Exercise of Holy
York: Oxford University Press, 1954), p. 28 ff. Living, abridged and prefaced by Anne Lamb (New
2. Ibid., 28-30 York: Harper and Row, 1970), p. 45.
3. Shere Hite, The Hite Report: A Nationwide Study 17. Raymond Lawrence, "Toward a More Flexi-
of Female Sexuality (New York: Dell Publishing ble Monogamy" in Paul T. Jerslid and Dale A.
Company, 1976), pp. 61-78 and The Hite Report on Johnson, eds., Moral Issues and Christian Response (New
Male Sexuality (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1978), York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1976), p.l07.
pp. 485-502. 18. Tom F. Driver, "The Contemporary and
4. Gene Outka, Agape: An Ethical Analysis (New Christian Contexts" in Edward Batchelor, Jr., ed.,
Haven: Y ale University Press, 1972, pp. 9-24. Homosexuality and Ethics (New York: Pilgrim Press,
5. Ellen White; Francis D. Nichol, ed., The 1980), p. 19.
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Washington, 19. James B. Nelson, Embodiment: An Approach to
D.C.; Review and Herald Publishing Association, Sexuality and Christian Theology (Minneapolis: Augs-
1957), Vol. VI, p. 1101. burg Publishing House, 1978), pp. 130-151.
6. Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of The Metaphysic 20. This is available in Robert M. Hutchens, ed.,
of Morals, translated and analyzed by H. J. Paton Great Books of the Western World (Chicago: Encyclo-
(New York: Harper Torchbooks, 1964), p. 95 ff. pedia Britannica, 1952), Vol. 7, p-p. 149-173.
7. I Corinthians 13:4-7, Revised Standard Ver- 21. A. J. M. Wedderburn, "philo's 'Heavenly
SlOn Man,''' Novum Testamentum 15 (1973): 301-325 and
8. Jack W. Provonsha, "Christian Ethics in a Alexander Altman, "Homo Imago Dei inJewish and
Situation of Change," (mimeographed booklet, Christian Theology," Journal of Religion 48 Guly,
Lorna Linda, California, 1967) pp. 16-25. 1968): 235-259.
9. Many early Christians took the first choice; for 22. Nicholas Berdyaev, The Destiny of Man (Lon-
an example of the second choice in addition to Paul don: Geoffrey Bles, 1937), pp. 64, 65, 236.
Tillich's work, see Daniel Day Williams, The Spirit 23. Genesis 1:27.
and Forms of Love (New York: Harper and Row, 24. See Emil Brunner, The Christian Doctrine of
1968). Creation and Redemption (Philadelphia: Westminster
10. This affirmation of dimensions of love other Press, 1952); Man in Revolt (Philadelphia: West-
than its agapeic qualities contrasts with the position minster Press, 1947); The Divine Imperative (Philadel-
taken by Anders Nygren, Agape and Eros, translated phia: Westminster Press, 1947); and Justice and the
by Philip S. Watson (New York: Harper and Row, Social Order (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1945).
1969). 25. John D. Godsey, ed., Karl Barth's Table Talk
11. Augustine; Joseph Deferrari, ed., "The Good (Richmond: John Knox Press, 1962), p. 41.
of Marriage" in The Fathers of The Church: A New 26. For Barth's formal discussion of this matter
Translation (New York: Fathers of the Church, 1955) see his discussion of man and woman in Vol. 3,
Vol. 27, pp. 3-51. Part 4 of his Church Dogmatics (Edinburgh: T & T
12. Ibid., 12 Clark, 1961).
13. Ibid., 20 27. Paul K. Jewett, Man as Male and Female: A
14. Ibid., 22 Study in Sexual Relationships from a Theological Point of
15. Thomas Aquinas, "Of The Number of The View (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publish-
Sacraments" in R. M. Hutchins, ed. Great Books of ing Co., 1975), p. 13.
The Western World (Chicago: Encyclopedia Britan- 28. Urban T. Holmes, "A Theology of Gender,"
nica, 1952). Vol. 20, p. 882. Journal of Pastoral Care 23 (December, 1969): p. 226.
18 SPECTRUM
29. Alan W. Jones, "Male and Female Created benevolence of His character, to that unselfish love
He Them," Anglican Theological Review 57 (October, which is the very atmosphere of the unfallen
1975): p. 436. universe. He who falls into some of the grosser sins
30. Ruth Tiffany Barnhouse, Homosexuality: A may feel a sense of his shame and poverty and his
Symbolic Confusion (New York: Seabury Press, 1977). need of the grace of Christ; but pride feels no need,
31. Alan P. Bell and Martin S. Weinberg, Homo- and so it closes the heart against Christ and the
sexualities (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978). infinite blessings He came to give." Steps to Christ
This summary is drawn from pages 129-138 & (Mountain View, California: Pacific Press Publish-
217-228. ing Association, 1956), p. 30.
32. Adventists who insist upon prolonging such 33. J. Milton Yinger, Religion in the Struggle for
debates may wish to consider Ellen White's sug- Power (Durham: Duke University Press, 1946),
gestion that "God does not regard all sins as of equal 16-50,219-227. Also see Harvey Seifert, New Power
magnitude; there are degtees of guilt in His estima- for the Church (Philadelphia: Westminster Press,
tion, as well as in that of man; but however trifling 1976), p. 30 and Langdon Gilkey, How the Church Can
this or that wrong act may seem in the eyes of men, Minister to the World Without Losing Itself(New York:
no sin is small in the sight of God. Man'sjudgment is Harper and Row, 1964).
partial, imperfect; but God estimates all things as 34. Cited in Paul Ramsey's discussion of "Refer-
they really are. The drunkard is despised and is told ence Points in Deciding About Abortion: in John T.
that his sin will exclude him from heaven; while Noonan, Jr., ed., The Morality of Abortion: Legal and
pride, selfishness, and covetousness too often go Historical Perspectives (Cambridge: Harvard Univer-
unrebuked. But these are sins that are especially sity Press, 1970), p. 63.
offensive to God; for they are contrary to the
A Physician Reviews
Adventist Sexual Advice Books
by Roy G. Gravesen
are the worst Adventist sexual advice books part of marriage and that a better marriage
currently available. Day emphasizes sexual equals better sex. But he fails, as do most of
"temptations" and sets young people up to the other authors, to mention that some-
feel guilt and shame. He even goes so far as times sex can be just plain fun. Unfortu-
to state that sexual dreams are a sin. (I, for nately, in his chapter on "Sex Standards,"
one, have never found a way to control my he descends into a cold, judgmental tone, in
dreans, but it may comfort some that God discussing adulterers and divorcees.
can "forgive" dreams. )Jewett's book spouts John Knight's three very similar books
so many cliches and adulterated cliches that especially disturbed me because of their
one literally loses the book's arguments and informational inaccuracies. They provide
wonders if it ever had a meaningful thesis. informative and explicit discussions of
A cut above Day and Jewett is Raymond sexual foreplay, but intermingle informa-
Woolsey's Christian Sex and Family Planning. tion with much medical and anatomical
It contains an excellent discussion of family fiction-more than the other authors do
planning, contraception, and abortion, and despite the fact that as a physician he should
includes a valuable chapter on the history of know better. Knight misdefines dysmenor-
marriage and marital customs from the time rhea, includes a hodgepodge of unrelated
of Adam and Eve to the present. In his well- symptoms, and incorrectly prescribes a high
written chapter "Sex Can Be Good," protein-vitamin diet (preferably vegetar-
Woolsey rightly states that sex is an integral ian), lots of fluids, and eight hours of sleep.
He correctly suggests exercise, aspirin, and Americans, understand Ellen White's refer-
hormones, but women should know that ences to "animal passions," "animal pro-
dysmenorrhea also can be controlled, in the pensities," and "abusing marital privileges"
vast majority of cases, by orgasm or the new as anti-sexual and in basic opposition to nor-
anti-prostaglandin medications. He also errs mal sexual desires and drives. In his chapter
when he describes the Bartholin's glands as "Sex and the Church," Wittschiebe, as does
the cause of vaginal and vulvar lubrication. Mazat, redefines animal passion as copula-
Apparently not realizing that the female
orgasm is a mentally controlled response to
the direct or indirect stimulation of the
Adventist sex manuals are
clitoris, Knight describes the female orgasm
as a result of intercourse and advises couples
improving but Adventist publishers
to "strive for simultaneous orgasms." Cor- would benefit from editorial
rectly, Wittschiebe states: "Coming to a consultants with expertise in the
climax together is a pleasing experience, but field of human sexuality.
having orgasm before or after one's spouse is
not an undesirable second best. When the
husband reaches orgasm first, the wife can tion unconnected to a pleasuring, endearing
share his pleasure and anticipate shortly love relationship. Both of them do a good
having a similar reaction herself" (pp. job of reinterpreting Ellen White's words
108-109). Strangely, Knight believes in the but thereby, I think, fail to accurately
myth that masturbation, practiced regularly, reflect her intended meaning.
can predispose the male's prostate to hyper- I support Wittschiebe 's effort to withhold
trophy. Does he also believe tha t ej acula tion dogmatic answers to ethical or moral
during intercourse, practiced regularly, can questions, but in at least two important cases
do the same? Furthermore, he states that he should have answered questions that
masturbation fosters an undue preoccupa- required only factual information. In his
tion with sex, while most sexologists believe chapter "Sex and Marriage," Wittschiebe
that it relieves the preoccupation caused by tries to unravel the "hows" of sex by asking
sexual tension. "How does a woman have an orgasm? " But
he. never answers the question. Only as an
afterthought does he suggest the use of
C harles Wittschiebe's
pioneering book, God
Invented Sex, although somewhat dated, still
manual stimulation by her partner; even
then he never mentions the clitoris, which
God gave to the female solely for her
presents a fairly accurate and even-handed pleasure, nor the fact that many women
discussion of sex. Primarily, a question and cannot have orgasms by intercourse. (Two
answer book, it leaves many questions years after the publication of Wittschiebe 's
unanswered, but Wittschiebe's underlying book, The Hite Report relieved many women
value system is clear enough to allow the alert when it showed that only 30 percent of
reader to fill in his own conclusions. women have orgasms during intercourse.)
Like many of these authors, Wittschiebe Wittschiebe condemns oral sex and quotes
makes the obligatory references to Ellen G. Ministry magazine's remark that such prac-
White and. provides glosses and harmoniza- tices are "immoral and perverted." This is
tions when her pronouncements seem to unfortunate.
differ with modern understandings. His He also fails to answer "How old are you
discussion of" animal passion" illustrates his when you begin to learn about sex?" Chil-
reinterpretive efforts. Most Adventists, still dren are sexual and begin to learn about
familiar with the perspectives of Victorian sexuality at birth, depending on home,
Volume 15, Number 1 23
church, and school to provide responsible However, despite these faults, this IS an
sexual education. Wittschiebe does, how- excellent book overall.
ever, state one important truth here: "Even Alberta Mazat's That Friday in Eden is
saying nothing about sex is sex education" probably the be~t book on ~exuality in
(p. 199). Many parents do not realize that Adventist Book Centers. Her dedicatory
children develop dirty attitudes toward sex statement, "To my husband who has shared
and think sexuality taboo when it is not and enhanced my· own sexuality for 37
discussed in the home. years," when complemented by her excel-
lent credentials, enhanced my respect. Her
first chapter, "It Was on a Friday," lets
readers know that God had an extraordi-
From its beginning, Weimar has also we would not be an embarrassment for the
created controversy within Adventist church. We have been very concerned not
higher education-its mere existence in- to have staff members or programs here that
sinuates that the denomination's schools are in any way criticize the church or its
not following Ellen White correctly and . . . "
mstltutlOns.
therefore other colleges are needed. The To those who suggest that education is the
idea to start Weimar grew out of a series of only legitimate function for a college, Wei-
retreats and study groups in Northern and mar's academic offerings might seem lim-
Central California in the la te 1960s and early ited. It offers bachelor degrees in only five
1970s. Centered at Pacific Union College, areas: health education, health science, re-
Adventist ministers, educators, and laypeo- ligion, elementary education, and agricul-
pIe studied principles of Christian education ture. It is not accredited by the church or
in the Bible and in Ellen White's writings. other accrediting bodies. According to Paul
Dick Winn, then youth pastor at Pacific Hawks, director of personnel and public
Union College, was the dominant leader. relations, the reason for not seeking accredi-
The movement was disenchanted with the tation was that "the leadership did not want
present denominational educational system to change any aspect of the program to
and advocated a return to the "blueprint of please an accrediting body. To best serve the
Adventism," particularly regarding theol- church and God's work, we don't want
ogy and lifestyle. anyone dictating how the program should be
"They wanted to create an alternative run." He also noted that seeking accredita-
that definitely would reform the system," tion takes too much time and effort.
said John Wohlfeil, a former staffmember
at Weimar who attended some of the \
retreats. They considered another college On Wednesdays, administrators and
"much needed." So when the Weimar office workers clean the campus.
sanitarium property with its 38 beige- Every staff member, from the
colored buildings became available in 1977, president on down, is required to do
Winn and the others saw it as an opportunity his share of manual labor.
to fulfill their cherished dream. A special
prayer meeting was called at the Carmi-
chael SDA Church. Seventy people gathered Weimar has made transfer agreements
to seek the will of God in this decision. with other denominational schools, but
Immediately after the prayers, each person when students transfer from Weimar to
was asked to indicate on a secret ballot what other colleges they discover what the non-
he or she saw as being God's plan. All 70 accreditation of Weimar means. Some Ad-
ballots were affirmatively marked. The ventist colleges, such as Andrews University
papers were signed the next day. or Pacific Union College, require students
"After careful consultation with mem- to validate their Weimar work by a trial
bers of the General Conference and others, quarter. If their academic performance
we decided to remain officially and legally proves satisfactory, Weimar credits, appli-
independent of the Seventh-day Adventist cable to their major, are accepted. Other
Church," says Weimar President Bob Fill- schools, like Walla Walla College, require
man, a former English teacher in a public that students from non-accredited schools
junior college. "This way, we would not be take equivalency examina tions before their
a financial burden to the church. We would credits are evaluated.
have more freedom to experiment and try To studen ts who go to Weimar in search
programs that differ from the established of a particular Christian experience, rather
Adventist schools, and if our program failed, than just an education, the transferability of
26 SPECTRUM
credit does not seem to matter. Ray Glend- For the work program, all students must
range went from Weimar to Lorna Linda spend 156 hours per quarter (15 hours per
University. In November 1980, his com- week) in one of the campus industries: the
ments on the transfer process were printed cafeteria, bakery, library, welding shop, or
in the Weimar Bulletin. Saying his Weimar auto shop. After having spent their first two
experience would have been worth losing years changing work assignments each quar-
all his credits for, he cheerfully discovered ter, juniors and seniors are expected to
"almost all my credits from Weimar Col- select and become proficient in one particu-
lege were transferable. I only needed some lar field. Students do not receive wages for
summer school work to be classified as a their labor, since they do earn two units of
. . "
Jumor. credit for it each quarter. But the work is
Maurice Hodgen, dean of the graduate regarded as payment for room and board
school at Lorna Linda University, says stu- and helps keep tuition costs down.
Students are not the only ones who must
work at maintaining the property. Every
The future of Weimar, Hartland, staff member, from Fillman on down, is
and Black Hills Missionary College required to do his share of manual labor. On
will depend on how long faculty Wednesdays administrators and office
and students will continue to be workers clean the campus. Others, like
willing to spend periods of their Hawks, do kitchen chores. For one week of
lives simply-even sacrificially. every month, he washes dishes with students
once a day. The purpose is teamwork. "You
develop a bond, a sense of togetherness,"
dents from Weimar applying to his school's Hawks says.
programs would be treated just like students Chaplain W inn has defined much of the
from other non-accredited schools such as Weimar philosophy through his regular
those from outside the United States. They column in the Institute's newsletter, The
would be required to take some coursework Weimar Bulletin. He sees the "Great Contro-
from an accredited school before Weimar versy Principle" as placing the responsibil-
credits would be accepted. ity of representing God to the rest of the
Weimar's curriculum was outlined in world on his people. In his view, Christ's
January 1978 by an advisory council of 18 substitutionary death is less important than
educators. Classes are balanced with re- the symbolic event of the cross, which
quired work and outreach programs, which proved God's goodness and fairness. The
are considered general education and there- effect this has on believers is that they "are
fore given academic credit. On Wednesdays not concerned with anxious endeavors to
students have no classes or work assign- get God to think well of them, but rather
ments. They participate in various service- they respond in an unburdened way to God's
related activities in nearby communities, loving endeavors to get people to think well
visiting the elderly in nursing homes, help- of him."
ing in institutions for mentally retarded John Wohlfeil, formerly the chaplain at
people and in youth rehabilitation centers. the Weimar Health Center and now the
The goal, according to the college cata- associa te pastor of the Anaheim Adventist
logue, is that before students leave Weimar, Church, says of Weimar, "The ,whole em-
"they will have been responsible-as a team phasis is on wha t God is doing through his
or as an individual-for having brought people and on the fact that we get to repre-
someone to Christ." According to Chaplain sent his character. The point is that people
Dick Winn, 15 people have been baptized as are able to vindicate God's character, and
a result of the outreach program. Jesus Christ can't come back until his people
Volume 15, Number 1 27
reflect his goodness. Weimar is set up to In addition to the college, Weimar runs a
be a center where this is happening, and live-in health program called N ewstart
where people are trained to go out and where patients come to be treated for
develop this theme within the Adventist degenerative diseases such as arteriosclero-
church structure. sis, diabetes, or arthritis. Ellen White's eight
"It seems that the emphasis is on us, rather natural remedies-nutrition, exercise,
than on the cross and wha t Christ is doing water, sunlight, temperance, self-control,
for us. But people at Weimar definitely do air, and rest-are used in teaching patients
not want to be associated with perfection- how to live healthier lives. The health
ism. This view has anew, more pleasing center has a staff of three full-time physi-
appeal, but it really is the same old thing. If cians, six nurses, a physical therapist, and a
there is one word to describe Weimar, it is dietitian, among others. A 25-day N ewstart
subtle. " session costs $3,000. Usually 15-20 people
Winn, however, says, "We don't want to enroll per session and 11 sessions are held
give the impression that healthful living or during the year.
any human works contribute to our standing
with God . . . or relate to earning our
salvation. But our confidence in God leads
to intelligent obedience."
Van Cleave has a different impression.
D iet plays an impor-
tant role in Weimar's
program, both with patients at the health
"When I was at Weimar aune 1979 to May center and in outreach programs featuring
1980), a lot of people were into perfection- cooking schools. Weimar recipe books and
ism. But they did not use perfectionist the cafeteria offer a diet based on fruits,
language, they used grace language, righ- grains, nuts, and vegetables. Foods are pre-
teousness-by-faith words. The basic thing pared entirely without animal products,
was, 'I want to be here and I want to be good except for milk. No oils or sugar and little
so I can get to heaven.' People's choices and salt or spices are used. The strictness of the
actions spoke louder than their words," diet does not always agree with staff and
Although many at Weimar were very students. Nurse Van Cleave recalled
caring and concerned about helping others, "heated committee meetings" about
Van Cleave says, "They seemed primarily whether to use milk. "If you compromised
concerned about their own salvation. Con- with your health at Weimar, it indicated
stantly, discussions would end on the topic a character deficiency that you should at
of people's standing with God-whether or least work on," he said. "Once a student
told me, 'I'm going to eat pizza in town
this afternoon, and I don't care about
Weimar's mere existence insinuates t he consequences. '"
that the denomination's schools are Financially, Weimar is supported by
not following Ellen White correctly income from the N ewstart program and
and therefore other colleges are other campus industries, tUItIOn, and
needed. contributions. Staff members also aid the
organization by accepting minimal wages.
The first year of Weimar's existence,
not they applied Desmond Ford's or Ellen workers earned a $10 weekly salary plus
White's language to that problem. And board and room, since the institute gener-
people had a way of describing their con- ated no income of its own.
version experiences in terms of giving up After the first year, a salary schedule was
certain behaviors. Rarely did you hear about devised that does not pay according to
G o d ' s grace. " educational degrees or experience, but the
28 SPECTRUM
amount of responsibility a person carries. In the May 1983 issue of Weimar Bulletin,
The pay scale falls into four categories: Fillman addressed the staff turnover ques-
administrators and board-appointed staff tion: "Weare experiencing considerably
receive $394 per month, physicians and those more changes than usual. In addition to the
heading a department get $366, teachers and four families who joined the Hartland
nurses are paid $336, and people doing Institute, four other families accepted
traditional labor and service-oriented jobs General Conference calls for missionary
earn $305, according to Business Manager service overseas, three families returned to
Bob Puelz. Winn says, "This is only 60 different areas of denominational employ-
percent of our ideal salary." ment, and two families planned to join lay
The financial class distinction between operated health organizations in Britain.
the president and a gardener is $92 per This accounts for almost all the changes."
month, Puelz pointed out. According to this The Hartland Institute he mentioned is
approach, "students are in a sense paid more being headed by Weimar's former dean of
than administrators. Whereas I earn $2.50 an the college, Colin Standish. He left in July
hour, students get $2.81 per hour, if their for Hartland's 575-acre plantation 80 miles
work were to be converted into cash value," southwest of Washington, D.C. Although
he said. Hartland will be patterned very closely
The staff does receive compensatory after Weimar in its curriculum and health
benefits. Non-working spouses with chil- mmIstry, the two institutions remam
dren under age 10 get a monthly dependency independent of each other and have
allowance of $110. Free housing and different boards of directors.
utilities, educational benefits for children, Those operations sometimes compare
and discount prices on cafeteria meals are themselves to Madison Institute, which
also provided. "Of course, the higher you spawned 40 other self-supporting institu-
were on the hierarchical ladder , the better tions during its history. From 1904 to 1963,
housing facilities you would get," Van the Nashville Agricultural Normal Institute
Cleave commented. Corporation owned and operated an
Weimar is able to interest workers academy, college, sanitarium-hospital, food
despite the low wages, but according to factory, and farm of more than 800 acres.
Wohlfeil, who stayed two and a half years, Madison College was created to provide
Weimar seems to have an unusually large missionary training through a work-study
turnover. There are 85 staff members this program, just like Weimar. However,
year, many of them new. Except for top ownership of Madison was transferred to
administrators, the average person stays the Adventist Church in April 1983, and,
only six months to a year. following financial difficulties, it closed in
Even some of the top administrators have September 1964.
gone. George Chen, chief physician in The future of Weimar, Hartland, and
charge of medical personnel during the first Black Hills Missionary College will depend
three years of Weimar's existence, left in on how long faculty and students continue
1980, "for financial and theological rea- to be willing to spend periods of their life
sons," according to his wife Irma. She in a simple, even sacrificial life style.
explained the turnover at Weimar in these Meanwhile, many educational leaders in the
terms: "If you didn't live up to the church will try to ignore these colleges,
expectations of others, you got fired. If feeling the existence of these schools in a
others didn't live up to your expectations, sense condemns the church. These leaders
you would leave." She said she and her will continue to feel unable to speak out
family left because they were not able to because of the subtlety with which these
support Weimar 100 percent anymore. colleges market their holiness.
Second Thoughts on
Adventists in the Military
by James Coffin
T hroughout
War II and the
Korean War, Seventh-day Adventists
W orId to weigh the pros and cons of each option.
However, while The Conscience Project
makes a commendable effort to ensure that
drafted into the military consistently up- young people do not merely quote the party
held the church's official recommenda- line, conscientious cooperation with the
tion! of "conscientious cooperation," that mili tary remains the church's official rec-
is, noncombatant military participation, ommendation.
preferably in a medical capacity. However, While I believe the church has shown
during the Vietnam War, many Americans great wisdom in not making one's relation-
changed their attitude toward the moral ship to the military a test of fellowship, two
legitimacy of war. Seventh-day Adventists major considerations lead me to suggest that
in unprecedented numbers either dodged the the church should not make any recommen-
draft or claimed total conscientious ob- dation at all. First, from a practical stand-
jection. A significant number of Adventists point, recommendations seldom remain
even carried guns and actively engaged in recommendations. Past experience has
combat. 2 shown tha t as soon as the church takes any
Church leaders were not insensitive to the form of official position on an issue, whether
struggle going on in the minds of many it be a mere recommendation or a test of
young Adventists at that time. In recent fellowship, the natural response on the part
years, with the probable reinstitution of the of members is to lean on the understanding
draft in the United States, the National of the church. Members are tempted to
Service Organization has drawn on the cease using their God-given faculties of
morally clarifying experience of Vietnam to discrimination, regardless of efforts to pre-
equip Adventist youth more adequately for vent such a response. Moreover, as soon as
making moral decisions. Specifically, they any stamp of orthodoxy is placed on a given
have developed an i8-hour program called position, those who conscientiously differ
"The Conscience Project" in which youth from that position are censured or ostra-
are taught how to examine critically the cized in some way.3
options for military participation and how Second, and more significantly, I do not
think noncombatant military participation
James Coffin has been a pastor in Australia and has emerged as the morally preferable
North America for a number of years and is choice. The essential problem with the
currently an assistant editor of the Adventist Review. conscientious cooperation position is its
30 SPECTRUM
rades and give preferential treatment to the has been reduced from several pages to a
enemy if the lives of his compatriots were few lines, we see portrayed in a most
not in immediate danger while those of his graphic manner the tension between the
enemy were. Yet what army would tolerate alleged lifesaving work of the medic and his
such a breach of military ethics? Regardless actual role. Aside from the obvious morale-
of the occasional stories in which army boosting contribution described here, the
medics assist the enemy, no army would fighting force is faced with the rather
tolerate their medics consistently treating commonplace and equally unavoidable
enemy soldiers the same as they do their them-or-us scenario. In a situation where
own comrades. What red-blooded soldiers are going out with the express
American medic would not first assist all of purpose of destroying the enemy, can the
his own wounded and then, and only then, conscientious cooperator medic offer the
turn his attention to seriously wounded same prayer on behalf of the enemy that he
enemy soldiers? Yet, are not such priorities is offering for his comrades? Can he equally
a tacit admission that lifesaving is not the pray that God will grant to the enemy
primary concern of the army medic? sufficient wisdom that they may take such
In contrast, however, if Adventists and precautions as are necessary to keep them
other noncombatants were to join the Inter- from being killed? To pray such a prayer for
national Red Cross or a similar organization them would be an inherent contradiction. It
as an alternative to military service, they would negate the purpose of the whole
would be offering their services wherever exerCIse.
and for whomever they were required, Unfortunately, the more we examine the
making no distinction among nationalities. role of the conscientious cooperator, the
Booton Herndon illustrates these prob- more apparent it becomes that his primary
lems in his portrayal of the experience of
Desmond Doss.
"Our heavenly Father," Desmond prayed, . . . A medic is told that on the
"Please give each and everyone of us the wisdom battlefield he should first attend to
and understanding concerning how to take all the
safety precautions necessary in order that, if it be Thy those most capable of returning to
will, oh Lord, we may all come back alive . . . " combat and then turn his attention
Then confident, almost carefree, . . . the members to those more seriously injured.
of the suicide squad, with their medic at their heels,
climbed the cliff and without hesitation moved on
across the top of the hill toward the enemy pillbox. . .
Under cover of two automatic riflemen . . . one of concern, of necessity, cannot be the uncon-
the men ran forward and threw a satchel charge of ditional saving of lives, but must be saving
explosives into the pillbox . . . the fortification flew the lives of his countrymen and maintaining
up like matchsticks. A soldier rushed to it with a
flamethrower and directed its full force into the gaping the fighting force. And if one accepts a priori
hole. No resistance came from it . . . . They blew up the proposition that even in war killing is
several pillboxes in the immediate area . . . In all morally wrong, then an inescapable tension
this furious action the squad from Company B had had
just one injury. Sergeant O'Connell's hand ha,.1. been
exists that cannot be easily explained away.
hit by a piece of flying rock! This was incredible- The fact that such tensions exist does not
to everyone except Desmond. Had he not prayed?9 invalidate the option of conscientious co-
I do not wish to undermine in any way the operation. It merely demonstrates that it is
valor and heroism of Desmond Doss and the more intrinsically inconsistent than we have
thousands of other noncombatants who have traditionally acknowledged. But we should
served their country and their consciences note as well tha t inconsistencies are present
with similar dedication, irrespective of in both pacifism and active military parti-
whether or not they have received public cipation. We are dealing with an extremely
acclaim. However, in this story, which here complex ethical issue for which there are no
Volume 15, Number 1 33
facile solutions or black and white an- a summary of Ellen White's comments
swers-only shades of gray. in their full context. Young people as well
I would suggest, therefore, that as a as teachers, ministers, counselors, and youth
church we would serve our moral and leaders would then have at their disposal
ethical interests better if we made no sufficient information to assess the options
recommendations whatsoever in the area of intelligently. Together with prayer and the
military involvement. Clearcut lines are too guiding of the Holy Spirit they could then
difficult to draw. Rather, I suggest that we make a decision regarding this difficult
publish a comprehensive work wherein ethical issue.
articulate spokesmen for all viewpoints set Inevitably, some still would decline to use
out the line of thought that has led them their own rational faculties, preferring to
to adopt their respective positions. Con- lean on the understanding of pastors,
tributors should not only defend their own teachers, or parents. But overall, such an
views, but provide detailed critiques of approach could only be advantageous and
the other stances. An ample bibliography could playa useful role in helping Adventist
of historical, philosophical, and biblical youth to become thinkers and not mere
materials should be included, along with reflectors of other men's thoughts.
1. Conscientious objection (noncombatancy) has draft status suggest that the average church member
never been a test of church fellowship. However, it and pastor fail to appreciate that the church's
is highly unlikely that a person recently returned position is only a recommendation. It was not un-
from active military service would be granted a common for pastors not to have been as helpful in
major church office were it known that he had effecting the change as would have been hoped.
borne arms and taken human life in battle. The Both within and without the church, pacifism often
likelihood would be reduced still further if the is perceived to be cowardly and unpatriotic.
individual in question were to admit publicly such 4. R. W. Schwarz, Light Bearers to the Remnant,
behavior and to maintain its moral legitimacy. (Mountain View, California: Pacific Press Pub.
2. There is no available documentation as to how Assc., 1979), p. 425.
many young Adventists changed their draft status. 5. F. M. Wilcox, Seventh-day Adventists In Time of
From personal experience as a college student War, (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub.
during that period, I know that a substantial number Assc., 1936), p. 58.
of my associates, myself included, embraced paci- 6. It can be argued that the army exists for more
fism. I know that of my acquaintances who served in than just to kill. Numerous projects of a civilian
Vietnam, a significant percentage have indicated nature are undertaken when the nation is not at war.
to me personally that they carried guns while there, However, such employment is not the purpose for
some of them knowing for sure that they have taken the army's existence. It is nothing more than a
enemy lives. Paradoxically, I have seen them sit means of temporarily utilizing the time and talent of
through Sabbath school classes and other discussions military personnel until such time as they are needed
where the topic of noncombatancy has arisen and for their real purpose-war .
. they have remained either noncommittal or silent. 7. The information cited here again is personal
When questioned privately, several have said that observation and thus subjective. There might be
Vietnam was the worst chapter of their lives, and those within the ranks of conscientious cooperators
the sooner they forget it the better. If they admit to who oppose the existence of the military-but to do
carrying a gun, and perhaps even killing, they face so would be a glaring inconsistency.
the possibility of subtle and not so subtle forms of 8. Booton Herndon, The Unlikeliest Hero, (Moun-
ostracism. tain View, California: Pacific Press Pub. Assc.,
3. Personal experience and discussions with 1967), p. 17.
other Adventists who chose to embrace pacifism and 9. Ibid., pp. 102-104.
go through the necessary procedures to change their
A Native Son
Reports from Argentina
by Herold Weiss
ers at all such institutions get paid by the Theological ferment at the college cen-
government for every course that has at ters around righteousness by faith, under-
least 10 students. At River Plate, all teachers stood in an individualistic, asocial way.
teaching courses accredited by the depart- Third world theologies of liberation are
ment of education sign forms acknowledg- ignored. An individual who shows some
ing receipt of their salary from the state. interest in them is immediately labeled
The state's salary scale is higher than that "tercermundista," a designation meant to
contracted by the teachers with the college; indicate that the person is in grave danger of
in this way the school is able to pay all losing his way.
teachers and take care of some administra-
tive costs with the monies received each
month from the state.
So far, the inspectors from the state have
A
ll the leaders of
Argentinian
ventism since the church came under a
Ad-
been very congenial, and even commenda- national hierarchy in the late 1940s were
tory of the school's educational program. trained at River Plate College by a still-
They do not object that the school adds revered pioneer. Elder John D. Livingstone,
theology courses to the secondary curricu- a firm believer in the eternal significance of
lum, or has its own admissions policy. the law, was respected and almost feared by
Defenders of the arrangement argue that it students, who were traumatized by the
makes possible to keep non-Adventist en- number of memory verses they were re-
rollment down to about 10 to 15 percent of quired to learn by exam time. Even though
the student body. On the other hand, if the Livingstone left in the early 1940s, his
school were to become dependent on tuition influence is still strong in the naturally
monies to pay faculty salaries, the non- conservative setting of a latin society. To-
Adventist contingent in the student body day it is not uncommon to hear old-timers in
would have to increase to 40 percent. Under the church confess that they are just begin-
such conditions, it is feared, it would be ning to understand what righteousness by
more difficult to keep an Adventist atmo- faith is about. Unfortunately, this legalistic
sphere on campus. Thus, it is argued, the attitude has moved beyond Argentina to the
state's money is what keeps the college rest of Latin America. For example, the
Adventist. Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly is pre-
Growth in South America Our health-care work is also well-developed with 19 hospitals and
larger clinics. and 12 smaller clinics and dispensaries. Through a
carefully developed program. the South American Division has
nder the blessing of God. given attention to the training of medical and para-medical
U 68,452 members were added to
the church during 1983 alone. Last year. ministers in the division
personnel. and they are able to provide for all their personnel needs
in this area. Statistics on schools and hospitals are for Dec. 31. 1982.
baptized approximately 188 people per day. This brought the Galloping inflation in many of the Sou.th American countries makes
baptized membership to 608.830 by Dec. 31. 1983. which represents a for unfavorable comparisons of giving trends when compared with
net increase of 43.886 over the membership Dec. 31. 1982. US dollars. but in local currency the figures indicate the faithful
All unions are involved in aggressive plans for metropolitan and tithing and giving patterns of our people.
rural evangelistic campaigns. One. South Brazil Union (with Literature sales in the South American Division during 1983 were
headquarters in Sao Paulo. Brazil. where we have a large Adventist greatly encouraging. When all reports are in, it will probably be the
population). has planned in its field alone to conduct 2000 evan- best year they have experienced. Church members studied Colporteur
gelistic efforts by laymen and ministers during 1984. Ministry by Ellen G. White as the book of the year.
The South American Division now ranks as the third largest in the Roy F. Williams
Adventist church after Inter-America and North America. This Washington. D.C.
represents a growth rate of7.8 percent for the year 1983. The growth
rate for the world field as of Dec. 31. 1982 was 6.3 percent.
Our educational work also receives strong support in the South
American Division. where we have six senior colleges. 43 secondary The editors of Spectrum invited Roy Williams. associate secretary of the
schools. and various primary schools. During 1983. River Plate General Conference. to provide a brief overview of growth in the South
College. our oldest secondary institution in South America. cele- A merican Division.
brated its 85th anniversary. -Editors note.
36 SPECTRUM
pared in Spanish at our publishing house in folk singers in the country, as the tenor
one of the suburbs of Buenos Aires. In the soloist. The fine national reputation of the
original English the lesson for Sabbath sanitarium had made the appearance of these
August 27, 1983, was entitled "There is no distinguished guests possible, of course. I
Justification by Law." In the Spanish quar- found most appropriate that the long and
terly, which is used by Spanish-speaking well-established mission of mercy of the
churches through South and Central sanitarium could be celebrated with a per-
America, Europe, and the United States, formance of the most exquisite expression
that lesson was entitled "No Hay Justifica- of Argentinian piety.
cion sin Ley" (There is no justification The church certainly has a wide-open
without law). I am sure the problem is not door in Argentina. Unfortunately, byzan-
due to a faulty knowledge of the languages tine politics within the hierarchy seem to be
on the part of the translator. as healthy today as when I left 30 years ago.
At River Plate, I heard several times Although a new, more open era in Argen-
about plans for the establishment of a tinian politics seems to be starting, the
federated theological faculty, chosen from traditional conservatism of the culture con-
the several colleges in South America, tinue to pervade the church. Ordination still
which would offer a doctoral program in is regarded as a ritual that empowers men to
theology. The faculty members who will be make decisions in all aspects of the church
directly involved in teaching remain in the life. Lay involvement in conference, union,
dark as to what is being planned. They and division administration remains mini-
wonder how they will keep doing all they mal, too often allowing promotions to be
are already accomplishing and still take determined by a "buddy system." This
responsibility for the new program (their discourages young people, and some of those
present load includes about 18 to 20 hours a who have entered the Argentinian work
week of teaching, plus all kinds of other seem to be anxious to come to the United
expected commitments). Apparently all the States to work in the expanding Spanish
planning for the program is going on far work, or even to leave the ministry for other
away at the offices in Brasilia. lines of endeavor.
Still I was delighted to find studious,
I n some ways,
though, the church
is losing its inferiority complex vis-a-vis the
sincere pastors committed to their ministry,
with a strong sense of responsibility for the
people they serve. I will vividly remember
surrounding culture. When I had been a the young man in his next to last year of
student at River Plate we had been for- medical school at the University of Buenos
bidden to play "La Cucaracha" at a men's Aires. Between exams he was taking time to
reception because, even as played by our assist a young pastor friend in conducting a
puny band, the piece had too much rhythm. I 5-day Plan to stop smoking. The friends
was therefore very happy to attend the were working on one of the poorest suburbs
celebration of the 75th anniversary of the of the city because the laypeople in the
Adventist sanitarium next door to the col- pastor's congregation wanted to start a new
lege. The highlight of the festivities was an church in that run-down neighborhood.
excellent performance of the Misa Criolla, a Now, more than ever, Argentina is open
version of the Catholic mass set to Argen- to voices of moral responsibility and convic-
tinian folk music. The performers were the tion. It would be a marvellous development
" college's band, the sanitarium choir, and if a new generation of ministers and lay-
two non-Adventist guests: Ariel Ramirez, people could break the ecclesiastical pat-
the composer of the Misa, at the piano, and terns of the past and open up the church to a
Zamba Quipildor, one of the best known wider vision of its mission in society.
The Art of Character
by Irvin Althage
Departure, 1979
A n artist's philosophy
is ever changing.
When I was young, I was pulled in several
On the other hand, being a painter, with
vistas constantly opening up before me, has
not liberated me from very personal
directions simultaneously by the traditions obligations. It seemed to me that Adventism
of the late 19th and early 20th century before World War II had a positive
European schools of painting, the better appraisal of the world and the proper
illustrators of the Vanity Fair and Saturday relationship that each Adventist should
Evening Post "schools," and the new wave in take toward the future-more than it
architecture and graphic design: Wright, does now. With these feelings I turned
van der Rohe, and Le Corbusier. The my attention toward religious painting.
relentless and jumbled progress of art During my last year of undergraduate
seemed as meaningless and unrela ted as the studies, Max Beckmann became my teacher.
mounting discoveries in all areas of knowl- His painting, wrought with riddles, cruelty,
edge. Recently, I have been relieved to and power, conveyed to my mind a
realize that while the new doesn't neces- true picture of society: character, nour-
sarily replace the old, new standards do tear ished by suffering. Like Beckmann, I
away old barriers. Frankly, I feel comfort- think the most worthy, though difficult,
able in this new atmosphere. As an artist, I objective of art is to integrate art with
am among friends. true reality.
38 SPECTRUM
Irvin Althage
Irvin Althage was born October 7, 1917
in St. Louis, Mo. He studied art at
Washington University School of Fine
Arts, Cranbrook Academy of Art, and
San Miguel de Allende. Of all Adventist
artists, his teachers were the most famous:
Max Beckmann (leader of the German
expressionistic movement) and Philip
Guston (an abstract-expressionist).
Althage taught art at both Union College
(1948-1950) and Andrews University
(1951-1974), where he served as chair-
person of the department. Althage has
shown his work in many galleries and
museums, including the Corcoran Gallery,
Washington, D.C., the Detroit Institute
of Arts, and the St. Louis Art Museum.
He was probably the first Adventist artist
to introduce the church to modern art
The Victim, 1954 forms.
Readers} Forum
On The Botnb
of Spectrum of looking to nuclear deten;ence
Not Our Only Hope as the source of their salvation?
Mr. Dybdahl appears to base his article on
by Kenneth Harvey Hopp
a premise that the reader (or whomever his
M r. Dybdahl's article
is unclear as to just
what audience he is addressing with his
to "lay down his weapons" and love his
personal enemies, or even enemies of the
state, he will inevitably be at odds with
admonition of trust in God. Is his audience many of his neighbors (Christian or other-
perhaps those nominal Christians who, he wise) who feel that military might is
claims, "trust the bomb?" Or is he accusing necessary for the survival of the state.
the readers of Spectrum of worshipping Pacifism has been expounded by the
"national gods" (or the" sin" of" acknowl- personal actions of many Christians (and
edgeing" them) by paying taxes (which he some Adventists) through several wars.
calls "giving them our money," emphasis What impact did such actions make on
mine), and voting? Is he accusing the readers Christian "hawks" or agnostic army of-
Volume 15, Number 1 41
ficers? Very little, it would appear. saying that all policemen should surrender
The theme which appears to be behind his their guns. The same arguments apply. If
entire article is that nuclear weapons are, in nuclear weapons are wrong, so are 500-
fact, so powerful and such a threat that they pound bombs, hand grenades, and guns-
must be (in a sense) "opposed." He fails to which have killed many times as many
suggest what consciencious Christians ought people as nuclear weapons have. But is a gun
to do in "combatting" the spread of nuclear in the hands of a policeman an instrument of
weapons. He talks about what would death, or is it an instrument of peace? Is a
happen if Christians in America renounced cruise missile in the hands of a peace-loving
the bomb. What does he mean by "renounc- nation an instrument of death, or an instru-
ing the bomb?" And how many Christians ment of peace?
would be necessary to form a "critical Rather than worry about some hypo-
mass" for such a spiritual "impact?" Surely thetical future catastrophe, is it not better to
many Christians in America already deplore rid the earth of the evils at hand-say,
-the growth of nuclear weapons. Specifi- tobacco and (erstwhile) slavery, to take two
cally, what more should we do? issues that are mentioned by Dybdahl and
Walden-which have resulted in much
Michael Scofield, senior systems analyst for Hunt- greater suffering than nuclear weapons ever
Wesson Foods, is also a regional representative for have?
the Association of Adventist Forums. Unlike smoking and owning slaves, being
the victim of a nuclear attack carries no
threat to one's eternal security (and hence it
No Threat to is not" a threat to the temple of the Holy
Spirit at least equal to smoking," as Walden
Eternal Security posits). Indeed, Dybdahl has given the
by Tim Crosby strongest argument against his own position:
"Nuclear weapons, despite their massive
Iwas disappointed by
Dybdahl's article on
nuclear weapons. Besides the arrogance of
power of destruction, are not truly power-
ful. They may kill millions, but they cannot
defeat a single person who trusts in the
asserting that advocates of nuclear deter- crucified Christ and follows his example."
rence are denying the cross, Dybdahl' s logic Exactly. Yet there are other moral problems
does not convince. that can defeat a person by preventing him
Dybdahl's implicit premise that the state from trusting in Christ and following his
should live by the rules of the church is as example; by comparison with these prob-
illegitimate as the premise that the church lems the issue of nuclear weapons is trivial.
must live under the control of the state. The
kingdoms of this world will not be gradually Timothy Crosby is the pastor of the Knoxville Grace
transformed into the kingdom of God, nor Seventh-day Adventist Church in Knoxville, Tenn.
do they operate by the same rules Christ
placed upon the church.
The use of military force is one of the If Not Christians,
approved methods of deterrence under the
Old Testament system where the church is Then Who?
the state, and, even in the New Testament, by James w. Walters
Romans 13 is quite clear that there is a
justified use of force by the state to deter
evil, whether it employ the sword or a
modern equivalent. Saying that America
K
udos for the special
section "Adventists
and the Bomb" (Vol. 14, No.2). You
should dismantle its nuclear arsenal is like managed to run three mutually exclusive
42 SPECTRUM
article-length arguments drawn from a de- commitment and abandon are religious
nomination largely apathetic to the whole movements born, although few spiritual
issue. The authors, my friends from grandchildren continue the original singular
Andrews University school days, couldn't world view.
be separated further ideologically. Jesus himself was basically a pacifist, as
My basic agreement with Ron Walden's Dybdahl correctly argues. He taught, lived
anti-nuclear "Must Christians Oppose Nu- out, and died for the ideal of non-violent
clear Weapons?" is overwhelmed by my agape. Jesus' death was an unfeigned,
reservations on Eric Anderson's neocon- pacifist death without parallel as a dramatic
servative "The Bishops and Peace" and demonstration of divine love. His death,
Tom Dybdahl's pacifist "In God We ironically, became good news to the dis-
Trust." The effect of both Anderson's and ciples, for it alone had pre-eminent power to
Dybdahl's pieces is confirmation-seem- sway the sinful human heart. We mortals
ingly intentional-of existing Adventist stand in desperate need of the cross as an
near-indifference to the nuclear arms de- ideal to draw us out of self-obsession and on
bate. Although the Anderson and Dybdahl to commitment to others. I fully agree with
articles themselves are poles apart, they Dybdahl's emphasis on the divine love
both are equally contrary to basic Ad- which reaches its heights in the self-sacrifice
ventism's philosophy of wholism which of Jesus. Our Lord exemplified an exalted
bestows inseparable value upon the tem- ethical principle.
poral and the eternal. Such a philosophy led But Christ's very example raises two
Adventist pioneers to civil disobedience in most important issues: is Christian love the
devotion to the abolition of slavery, and only principle to be considered? and, how
appropriately leads contemporary Advent- far are Christians obligated to take a single-
ism into closer company with current minded adherence to love? On the second
United States Catholic bishops than with question Dybdahl argues that there is no
either Dybdahl or Anderson on nuclear limit. Our only concern is the imitatione
arms. Christi. The cross is the Christian's paradigm
Dybdahl takes a high, heavenly road for dealing with all issues-including that of
beyond reach of any nuclear attack: "(Nu- a threatening global nuclear war. But I
clear weapons) may kill millions, but they wonder, do we truly want judges to
cannot defeat a single person who trusts in routinely turn society's other cheek and set
the crucified Jesus and follows his ex- criminals free? Further, should the inter-
ample." This assertion, which typifies the national community let would-be Hitlers go
author's style of argumentation, encapsu- unchallenged? Is society to receive no puni-
lates both the value and inadequacy of tive challenge this side of the judgment?
Dybdahl's position. Pacifistic love, as compelling an ethical
Dybdahl's pacifist position achieves its principle as it may be, does not itself offer a
power through the author's single-minded satisfactory answer to such questions.
confession of the "foolishness of the cross." Jesus' counsels of perfection (Matthew
Whether the cross "works" is an irrelevant 5-7) and his passive acceptance of an unjust
question for Dybdahl. The cross is right. death were not a new, higher law replacing
Passive acceptance of violence against one's the Decalogue. His pacifist teaching sets a
self is mandatory for the Christian because vision of an ideal fully attainable only in the
Jesus accepted the cross. The author's con- coming Kingdom. He was not outlining the
tention is thoroughly religious and he dis- basis for current social policy. Even less
dains ordinary logic: "I have no arguments were his counsels of perfection dicta for
here for President Reagan or President future social policy. Jesus, anticipating the
Andropov; I have nothing to say about the imminent ending of the age, hyperbolically
wisdom of the world." Of such single portrayed the most important but not the
Volume 15, Number 1 43
only principle important for contemporary methodology and their content. Regarding
Christian decision-making. the former, Anderson is bit inconsistent in
Self-sacrificing love as Christian or his criticism, and in regard to the latter there
secular social policy would be calculated is purely diametric opposition.
mass suicide. Personal love must be balanced
by societal justice. Often justice is love's
most basic form in our fallen world. Justice Methodology
is an equally important though less dramatic
principle which must also enter the ethical
calculation. Societal justice is the touch-
stone of Hebrew morality, and universal
M atters of national nu-
clear arms policy are
best left to the experts, claims Anderson.
justice is the basis for the doctrine of final However, if clergy must themselves get
judgment. Just as single proof texts do involved, their discussion should remain on
violence to the rich multifaceted Bible the level of moral principles rather than in
story, so does the citing of single example technical complexities beyond their compe-
proofs-even those of Jesus himself. The tence. Interestingly, Anderson later crit-
cross is too great and holy an event to be icizes the bishops for their lack of techno-
trivialized by our reading into it unwar- logical sophistication. The bishops, like
ranted meanings. most other peacemakers in the past 25 years,
supposedly possess a "late-1950s" view of
nuclear weapons: inaccurate nuclear devices
W hereas Dybdhal's
Adventism uses di-
vine trust as an overpass to transcend the
which indiscriminately kill enemy civilians
and military alike. Because of the bishops'
supposed ignorance of modern accurate
nuclear arms issue, Eric Anderson provides missiles their moralizing is largely irrele-
the church a convenient bypass via the vant.
journalists, legislators, and military strat- The bishops openly acknowledge their
egists who can be trusted to handle the lack of technical expertise (although a Yale
matter. political science professor was a primary
It is no surprise that the u.S. Catholic consultant), and merely claim to be religious
bishops' pastoral letter "The Challenge of teachers raising public ethical i~sues. How-
Peace" rates only a C+ as a statement on ever, the pastoral letter is only responsible as
peacekeeping in Anderson's book. The it is factually based, and here Anderson's
document basically serves as a foil against charge is inaccurate.
which Anderson advances a particular nu- The bishops do take into account the
clear arms strategy borrowed largely from ability of modern weapons to precisely
the neo-conservative Albert W ohlstetter. attack military targets, but they reject the
Because of this essentially extrinsic interest supposition that this dubious achievement in
in the pastoral letter, it is at least under- any way fundamentally changes the nature
standable why Anderson's criticisms are of nuclear war. They point out that in the
often less germane to the document than to Soviet Union, as in the United States, the
building an alternative case. For instance, military installations are not situated in
Anderson claims that the economic issue of isolated cornfields but are interspersed
nuclear arms at the expense of the poor is throughout living and working areas: "The
one of two "essential," "simplistic, liberal United States Strategic Nuclear Targeting
pIa ti tudes" in the letter. As a rna tter of fact, Plan has identified 60 'military' targets
the lengthy document does not spend even within the city of Moscow alone, and . . .
one full page on the topic. forty thousand 'military' targets for nuclear
Anderson's basic quarrel with "The weapons have been identified in the whole
Challenge of Peace" deals with the bishops' of the Soviet Union." The bishops conclude
44 SPECTRUM
that whether military bases or CItIes are arms debate because "the job of represent-
targeted, the results to the enemy nation ing Christian ideals is already being done by
would be almost indistinguishable. laymen-congressmen, journalists, schol-
ars, and military strategies." That's like
telling Jeremiah to go home because the
Content landlords in their stone houses know best
how to deal with the field hands. Does being
A nderson fails
understand or at
least appreciate the peace for which the
to a journalist or congressman in a nominally
Christian country guarantee inbred Chris-
tian ideals? Unless the church clearly and
bishops passionately argue. Such peace can responsibly articulates its lofty principles in
only come from the reduction and eventual the context of modern life's dilemmas,
elimination of nuclear weapons. This stand society is the poorer, and in our present
is diametrically opposed to Anderson's ar- modern dilemma, the earth may not con-
ticulation of peace: that brought by a tinue to exist as we know it.
militarily strong America which prudently Throughout their document, the bishops
and wisely uses its nuclear arms. Anderson underscore their roles as religious teachers
believes that a nuclear war fought by ac- who are compelled to bring the Gospel to
curate missiles targeted on military instal- bear on "the signs of the time" (the bishops'
lations could remain limited and supposedly words). Contra Anderson, I believe Advent-
won. Surely the bishops would agree that a ists should learn a different lesson from
truly limited nuclear war is much less "The Challenge of Peace." If we are true to
objectionable than a war fought on the basis our longstanding emphasis on the insepar-
of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), a able spiritual-mental-physical-social aspects
policy which still permeates Pentagon of human creation, Adventist concern for
thinking. However, the bishops are not in "present truth" will thrust Adventists along
the business of mapping out nucl~ar war with other Christians into the forefront of
scenarios-even limited nuclear war plans. today's abolitionist movement. The aboli-
They deeply sense that "we are the first tionist movement of a century ago was not
generation since Genesis with the power to left to politicians and newspapers, but many
virtually destroy God's creation," and they morally senSItive Christians-including
are compelled to cry out like the prophets of staunch Adventist leaders-spoke out and
old. Keeping nuclear war limited is a lived out a decided stand. Slavery was not
theoretical possibility, but it is far from merely to be made more humane; it was to
assured. The bishops decry hanging the fate be obliterated. Nuclear weapons, which
of humanity on such a chance. In nuclear hold the human species hostage to the push
war, the communication system linking top of a button, must in the name of the earth's
leadership to field commanders is in severe Creator be obliterated from the earth.
jeopardy, and a desperate, frightened field If Christians at this crucial time in the
officer probably would not err on the world's history do not make this cry, who
conservative side. In sum, Anderson's peace will? If Adventists merely trust in God for
plan is multi-megatons away from that of future individual salvation (which is surely
the bishops. ours), or trust secular experts to uphold
Christian perspectives, we shirk our God-
given stewardship of the earth.
A lesson Adventists
can learn from the
challenge of peace, says Anderson, is that James Walters is assistant professor of Christian
they should avoid the politics of nuclear ethics at Lorna Linda University.
Volume 15, Number 1 45
Tom Dybdahl Responds hint that it is proper for the state to kill
indiscriminately to protect perceived na-
tional interests. It is no coincidence that the
ames Walters, Tim-
J othy Crosby, and
Michael Scofield all made interesting points
Catholic Church, which developed the just
war theory, has taken the lead in opposing
nuclear weapons. No war with nuclear
about my essay, but let me restrict my weapons can be a just war, even for the
response to Mr. Walters and Mr. Crosby. secular state.
First, I'm sorry that the article did not make When it comes to nuclear weapons, I am
my position on nuclear weapons clear to Mr. not primarily concerned about a "hypothet-
Walters. Because of what Jesus lived and ical future catastrophe." Nothing is clearer
taught, I believe Christians should oppose in Christ's teaching than our obligation to
the building, deployment, and use of nuclear feed the hungry and care for the poor, the
weapons with their voices, their votes, and sick, the homeless. For the richest nation on
their money. earth to spend $285 billion this year on
But I do have problems with Mr. Walters' "defense," while millions of people die for
argument that Jesus' "pacifist teaching sets a lack of basic necessities, seems not simply
vision of an ideal fully attainable only in the misguided, but sinful. Believing that, for me
coming kingdom." Weare not to wait for to be silent would be to betray my Lord.
heaven before we start loving our enemies;
turning the other cheek is not a strategy for
dealing with bullies in the New Jerusalem. Tom Dybdahl works with the Louisiana Coalition
on Jails and Prisons.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was
describing how his followers should behave
here and now, and I'm not at all convinced Eric Anderson Responds
that for Christians to practice self-sacrific-
ing love would mean "calculated mass
suicide." The only time it was tried on such
a scale-by a non-Christian, Gandhi-it
J im Walters' genial
dissent to my essay
"The Bishops and Peace" misstates several
was remarkably successful. There is no important issues. I did not urge Adventists to
telling what God might do for those people avoid "the politics of the nuclear arms
who trusted fully in him. debate" or blindly "trust secular experts." I
In response to Mr. Crosby, I do not did question the idea that the moral author-
suggest that the state should live by the rules ity of Christian clergymen makes their
of the church. Quite the contrary: I believe political opinions authoritative or that "the
that Christian ethics are for Christians. The church" is ignoring an issue unless the clergy
behavior Jesus asks for is possible only by "speak out." In my view, the Catholic
miracles of the Holy Spirit. My appeal was bishops did not take seriously enough their
for Christians to act like Christians in own words: "We recognize that the
relating to their government. church's teaching authority does not carry
I believe there is a permissible use of force the same force when it deals with technical
by the state, as Romans 13 indicates. But solutions involving particular means as it
there is also an illegitimate use offorce. The does when it speaks of principles or ends."
difference between a gun in the hand of a Walters applauds the American bishops
policeman and thousands of nuclear bombs because they agree with him. I can similarly
in the hands of the state is more than a praise the French bishops' recent statement
quantitative one. A gun may kill millions of ("To Win the Peace "), which defends the
innocent individuals. morality of the Western nuclear deterrent
Nowhere in Scripture is there the least as a necessary protection against the" dom-
46 SPECTRUM
ineering and aggressive ideology of Marx- surprised, for one thing, that the 1960s
ism-Leninism, bent on world conquest," and legend of Adventist pioneers engaging in
warns against a sort of "peace" which can "civil disobedience in devotion to abolition
be "an invitation to the other party's aggres- of slavery" still lives on. Surely Walters
siveness. " But what has been accomplished? does not believe that Ellen White's brief
Have the two sets of bishops increased the reference to the fugitive slave law in 1859 or
influence of the church? Have they done the unsubstantiated story ofJohn Byington's
anything that laypeople were not equally "underground railroad" activities consti-
qualified to do? tute a vital tradition of civil disobedience.
Although I carefully avoided the emo- Seventh-day Adventists believed slavery
tion-charged issue of whether a nuclear war was a great evil, of course, but they had no
can be "won," Walters wri tes as if this is the confidence that this evil could be abolished
heart of my argument: peace through wise by political reform. Adventists devoted no
"utilization" of nukes. Walters ignores two time or money to antislavery agitation, and
essential points I actually did make. First, "a many of them were unwilling even to vote.
suicidal all-out superpower exchange may Jonathan Butler's essay in The Rise of Advent-
not be the only (or most likely) nuclear ism shows all of this clearly.
danger we need to fear." Second, the United If we turn to the genuine abolition
States does not have a credible deterrent if our crusaders, we find another problem. Many
only possible response to any enemy use of of them were hopeful that "moral suasion"
nuclear weapons is massive retaliation and/or peaceful political action could lead
against enemy civilians. If, as all the to the end of slavery. That is not what
evidence indicates, there is no realistic happened, of course. For the life of me, I
chance for significant cuts in nuclear cannot see why a peace advocate would
arsenals in the next 20 years (though a faint keep reminding us of a wrong that was only
chance for some sort of" cap "), then certain corrected by military force.
prudent conclusions would seem to follow.
Finally, Walters' appeal to the historical Eric Anderson is a professor of history at Pacific
example of Adventists and the Abolitionist Union College.
movement is curious in two ways. I'm
On Spiritual Warfare
T he paper produced
by the Biblical Re-
search Institute on spiritual warfare, men-
paper revealed several questionable con-
clusions.
First, the committee objected to the
tioned in Debra Nelson's article on the reports of extended struggle with the de-
subject (Spectrum, Vol. 14, No.2, p. 8), seems mons lasting for hours, feeling that the
Volume 15, Number 1 47
process should be short and simple as seems conspicuous place, and was supposed to be an effectual
protection against the evils thus represented (PP 587).
to have been the case with almost all of the
Gospel accounts. Ho'wever, there is evi- In this description of what is today known
dence that certain events are telescoped by as "sympathetic magic," Ellen White is
the Gospel writers into a few moments when commenting on the Philistines "five golden
they may actually have involved a longer emerods, and five golden mice" which they
period of time. 1 There are hints of an sent back with the ark to Palestine, but her
extended struggle in Mark's account of the comments also shed light on the brass
Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5, NIV) such as serpent of Moses (Numbers 21:8,9), which
the verb tense (Jesus "was saying" to the scholars have long believed involves sym-
demon, "come out!") and the fact that the pathetic magic. Whatever later interpreta-
evil spirit begged Jesus "again and again," tion may have been placed upon this inci-
etc. dent, it is probable that Moses, under divine
At any rate, it may not be legitimate to guidance, was simply using the best medical
assume that Christians have exactly the science of his day.
same instantaneous authority over demons Christ himself, on at least three occasions
as Christ himself. In one instance (Mark (Mark 7:33, 8:23, John 9:6), made use of
9:14ff.), the disciples, to whom Christ had saliva and other elements of contemporary
already given authority over demons (Mark faith-healing practice in healing deaf-
3:15), nevertheless failed in an attempt to mutes. According to A.E. Harvey,
cast one out, and Christ told them that that' Jesus' procedure conforms closely to that of miracle-
healers in many parts of the world: the touch, the
kind of demon came out only by prayer and
spittle, and the solemn words of command (in Hebrew,
(many manuscripts add) fasting-which a sacred language to the Jews) are all typical details,
would seem to imply an extended process. and the raising of the eyes to heaven and the sign can
Nevertheless, Christ himself proceeded to also be paralleled from magical techniques" (NEB
Companion to the New Testament (Oxford University
cast out the demon immediately without Press, 1970), p. 147).
prayer-something the disciples could not
do. 2 This was hardly orthodox; in the Mishnaic
Second, the Biblical Research Institute tractate Sanhedrin (10:1) Rabbi Akiba is
report makes much of the fact that pagan reported as cursing anyone who utters
societies have beliefs and practices relating charms over a wound; the Tosephta adds
to exorcism which are very similar to the spitting to the utterance of charms. Evi-
beliefs and practices of the current deliv- dently these actions served as a means of
erance ministry movement. If this is signif- nonverbal communication with the patients
~can~, then, by a?alogy, the fact that speak-
who could not communicate normally, thus
mg m tongues IS practiced by pagans and enabling them to exercise faith. The point of
Hindu priests, or that speaking in an pre- all this is that parallels to heathen rituals,
viously-unlearned language is one sure sign although they may call for caution, prove
of demon possession (one finding of the nothing.
committee), would make the gift of tongues Third, the report deplores the tendency
illegitimate. among spiritual warfare practitioners to
Numerous parallels exist between pagan find a special demon for every specific
methods of healing or exorcism and biblical disease or sin. The committee's point that
methods. For example, consider the follow- many temptations come from our own sinful
ing statement: minds (cp. James 1: 14) is well taken. I myself
find it hard to believe that there is such a
To ward off or remove a plague, it was anciently the thing as a demon of "allergy " or "nutrition"
custom among the heathen to make an image of gold, (shouldn't it be "malnutrition"?). Never-
silver, or other material, of that which caused the de-
struction, or of the object or part of the body specially theless, it does seem logical that demons,
affected. This was set up on a pillar or in some like human beings, are specialists, does it
48 SPECTRUM
not? Furthermore, Ellen White seems to not measure up. The report cites all the
actually support such a concept. She speaks negative Ellen White statements about ex-
of a "whole catalog of evil spirits" such as orcism, most of which relate to the Mackin
pride, avarice, and temperance, etc. (4T case (33M 362-78, 2SM 40-47), plus a single
45).3 sentence quoted without context: "Weare
none of us to seek to cast out devils, lest we
ourselves be cast out" (Lt96, 1900), omitting
H er statements about
the demon of intem-
perance are of particular interest: "The
the preceding qualification, "unless we
know that we have a commission from on
high." The report is totally silent as to
demon of intemperance is not easily con- positive statements such as these:
quered. It is of giant strength and hard to I said that if the church had always retained her
overcome." (CH 609) This is not merely a peculiar, holy character, the power of the Holy Spirit
figure of speech: "In dealing with the which was imparted to the disciples would still be
with her. The sick would be healed, devils would be
victims of intemperance, we must remem-
rebuked and cast out, and she would be mighty and
ber that we are not dealing with sane men, a terror to her enemies (EW 227, cpo DA 823).
but with those who for the time being are Souls possessed with evil spirits will present them-
under the power of a demon" (MH 172); selves before us. We must cultivate the spirit of
earnest prayer, mingled with genuine faith to save
"Indulgence in intoxicating liquor places a them from ruin, and this will confirm our faith. God
man wholly under the control of the demon designs that the sick, the unfortunate, those possessed
who devised this stimulant in order to deface with evil spirits, shall hear His voice through us (Ms
and destroy the moral image ofGod(Te32); 65b, 1898; part in WM 22).
Satan takes possession of the minds of men today.
"Thus he (Satan) works when he entices In my labors in the cause of God, I have again and
men to sell the soul for liquor. He takes again met those who have been thus possessed, and in
possession of body, mind, and soul, and it is the name of the Lord I have rebuked the evil spirit
no longer the man, but Satan, who acts" (2SM 353).
never eaten onions in my life.' One woman said that personified or to feel under the control of a
she had 18 allergies; she surrendered her conflicts to powerful external force.! In these circum-
God and how has conquered all those supposed stances we not only feel evil directed toward
allergies but two." E. Stanley Jones, The Way to
Power and Poise, Nashville: Abingdom Press, 1949, us, but we fell evil ourselves. On occasion
p.152. we project these unacceptable impulses on
6. At Saul's anointing (1 Samuel 10), at the some other object or person which then
ordination of the 70 elders (Numbers 11), at the relieves us of the responsibility for our own
beginning of the Apostles' mission (Acts 2), at the unacceptable thoughts. 2
baptism of the first converts in certain areas (Acts
A person " demon possessed" can be
10, Acts 19), and in the infancy of the Corinthian
church (1 Cor 12-14; note 3:1,13:11). Likewise, the deviant while at the same time socially
history of charismatic phenomena in the Seventh- approved. Behaving possessed enables him
day Adventist Church (tongues-speaking, prostra- or her to express, without retribution, ex-
tion, visions, healing, etc.) centers around its in- press hostility toward spouse, family, or
fancy. community. When the personality deterio-
rates, and the individual attacks or even in-
Exorcism and Possession jures others, then the condition may even be
excused as beyond the individual's control.
as Rebellion Behavior described as demon possession or
by Stanley G. Sturges harassment may be eeked out in small incre-
ments to explain accidents, economic re-
Confusing demon possession with the vile demon's identify and actIVIty are deter-
obscenities, barks, screams, and violent mined by the person's own history, religious
body contortions of a person with Gilles de background, and belief system. Even though
la Tourette syndrome is also easy to under- possession states may be associated with
stand. Most Tourettes patients have electro- various toxic conditions affecting the ner-
encephalogram abnormalities, indicating a vous system, the reaction of the individual
central nervous system defect. The patient still reflects the subj ect' sown personality,
responds quite well to haloperidol, an anti- and the immediate problems and tensions of
psychotic drug. The novel and film The his society.13 Exorcists also shape and rein-
Exorcist are thought to represent a Tourettes force the "possession" through questioning
case. S and conversing with the demons.
Those suffering from temporal lobe epi- Sometimes this questioning trains the
lepsy exhibit behavior that might also be individual in demon possession. One exor-
labeled demon possession. The condition cism technique, the creation of excitement
may show electroencephalographic abnor- to the point of trance, induces marked
malities, and is characterized by seizures, suggestibility in the victim. If an exorcist
strange sensations, periodic amnesia, para- asks leading questions, and deprives the
noid thinking, and auditory hallucinations. 9 subj ect of sleep over an extended period of
Anti-convulsant drugs can help control time, a suggestible individual may admit
these symptoms. possession. The exorcist, in effect, supplies
Paranoid schizophrenia includes in its answers to him or her for various un-
broad range of symptoms magical thinking, acceptable activities and supports the vic-
superstition, and even the conviction that tim's simplistic excuse, "the devil made me
demons are selecting the individual for do it. "14
persecution. Unfocused anger and violence Exorcists have their payoffs: they can
may result when the delusions are acted claim the authority to call upon God to
upon. Cultural variations of schizophrenia attack the devil. They are viewed with
are occasionally seen and described as "run- gratitude as victims are made to feel worthy
ning amok." In Malaya, this variation of of God's attention. Their special knowledge
schizophrenia is characterized by a person places them in an elite group outside of that
brooding quietly and then losing control, offering ordinary pastoral services. Just as
jumping up with a terrifying yell, attacking the demon-possessed person finds aggressive
individuals and often killing them. Amnesia activity culturally acceptable, so the minis-
often follows. 10 ter practicing" deliverance ministry" finds
Hysteria is a baffling condition first de- rebellion against the church establishment
scribed in detail by Paul Briquet in 1859. The socially acceptable.
symptoms include a bizarre constellation of Today, in American or Adventist cul-
spasms, seizures, pseudoparalysis, and tures, capitalizing on feelings of dependency
strange gait disturbances. Hysteria is usually and anxiety, and further assuming the role
not characterized by personality deteriora- of a powerful mediator between the sick and
tion, but can be contagious, as in the nuns of the supernatural, is not responsible. Under-
Loudun who felt they were possessed by the standing and dealing with evil in our society
evil genius of their confessor, Urbain should not become a ritualistic exploitation
Grandier.ll They portrayed uninhibited of people with problems.
self-exposure, and overt sexual movements
attributed to the devil himself. The nuns
Stanley Sturges, M.D., is currently director of
were not held responsible for their behavior
psychiatry at St. Vincent Hospital and Medical
because the phenomenon was seen as caused Center in Portland, Oregon. He was previously
by external forces. 12 director of psychiatry at Kettering Medical Center
When demon possession is claimed, the in Ohio.
52 SPECTRUM
1. Russell, J., The Devil. Perceptions of Evil from With," Today's Health, Volume 53:9, October 1975.
Antiquity to Primitive Christianity. Bengenfield, New 9. Blumer, D., "Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and its
J ersy: Meridan Press, 1979. Psychiatric Significance," Psychiatric Aspects of
2. Trethowan, W., "Exorcism: A Psychiatric Neurological Disease, New York: Grune and Stratton,
Viewpoint, "Journal of Medical Ethics, 2:127-137,1976. 1975.
3. Pattison, E., Wintrob, R.N., "Possession and 10. Arieti, S., American Handbook of Psychiatry,
Exorcism in Contemporary America, " Journal of Volume I, Basic Books, Inc., New York, 1969.
Operational Psychiatry, 121:1, pp 13-20, 1981. 11. Briquet, P., Traite de I'Hysterie, Paris, J.B.
4. Braun, B., "Uses of Hypnosis with Multiple Bailliere et Fils, 1859.
Personality," Psychiatric Annals, 14:1, January 1984. 12. Daraul, A., Witches and Sorcerers, New York:
5. Bubek, M., "The Adversary," The Christian Citadel Press, 1966.
Versus Demon Activity, Chicago: Moody Press, 1975. 13. Ehrenwald, J., "Possession and Exorcism:
6. Putnam, F., "Traces of Eve's Faces," Psychol- Delusions Shared and Compounded." Journal of
ogy Today, October 1982. American Academy of Psychoanalysis, Volume III;
7. Caul, D., "Group and Videotape Techniques 105-119, January 1975.
for Multiple Personality Disorder," Psychiatric 14. Psychiatric News, June 3,1977. Demon pos-
Annals, 14:1, January 1984. session discussed at psychologist's meeting.
8. Olds, S., "Terrible to Have; Terrible to Live
On Church Structure
Don't Eliminate organizational problems since apostolic
times. While I Corinthians 12 declares the
the Unions dependency of the parts upon each other and
by Earl W. Amundson upon the head, Jesus Christ, for wholeness
and health, too frequently the various
T he Association of Ad-
ventist Forums (AAF)
IS to be commended for its contribution
members rush in all directions, duplicating
functions, wasting resources, and ignoring
the needs, skills, and resources of the entire
to the current discussion on structural body.
change in the Adventist church. This writer The sentiment of church membership in
welcomes organizational studies by other North America clearly calls for leadership
groups as well, e.g., the Pacific Union to help laity reflect about the church itself.
Conference, the North Pacific Union This call cannot be dismissed with a "let's
Conference, and the General Conference. I close our debate and get on with the work"
anticipate that a synthesis of these studies answer. Leaders and members alike should
will reveal the truth about our church's be agents of institutional change in order to
administrative performance. The church more appropriately express our distinctive
needs to be known for its search for the truth faith and doctrines. The church does not
about ourselves, instead of by our avoidance have a mission-but it must care for itself as
of it. When a people openly discuss ideas, well as for the world. In fact, it must care for
commitments, concerns, and expectations, itself in order that it may care for the world.
and searches together for mutually satisfy- Max Weber wrote a description of the
ing answers, we see a people who are active, Prussian Army and the Roman Catholic
vigorous, and energetic. This kind of Church that characterizes other church
activity is in itself a witness for others. organizations. He described a mechanical,
The church has struggled with its hierarchical, impersonal organization in
Volume 15, Number 1 53
which every person had his niche. Innova- given geographic area and secures unity of
tion, initiation, and energy for responding to action.
challenges moved primarily from the top,
down through the echelons of workers,
soldiers, and priests. People in the organiza-
tions he described seemed incapable of
T he suggestion to have
the North American
Division direct the local conferences is not
revolt, thwarted creativity, and felt the new. That was essentially the type of
meaninglessness of their work or their organization that existed from 1863 to
position in the organization.! The various 1901-two recognized organizational lev-
groups currently studying church structure els-the local conference and the General
are significant in that the church, facing Conference. 2 It was to this type of
multiple challenges internal and external, organization that Ellen White referred
can do so only as it reforms its own when she called for "a renovation, a
understanding of organization and leader- reorganization. "3 The leading brethren, in
ship. Transforming the present climate of close counsel with White, led out in
the church will require knowledge, skill, developing a form of organization that
and a great amount of energy. would bind the local conferences together in
The AAF Task Force on Church Struc- union conferences,4 with the union president
ture proposes to eliminate union confer- being a member of the General Conference
ences and to replace them with a few Committee. Of this plan, White said, "I
regional offices "sensitive to the needs and want to say that from the light given me by
interests of their respective regions," and God, there should have been years ago
staffed by appointees of the elected officers organizations such as are now proposed." 5
of the North American Division. The The proposed Forum plan for the future
Pacific Union Conference Special Commis- actually was effective for "the fledgling
sion on Church Structure also called for the church of a century ago," but not satisfac-
dissolution of the unions, or at least the tory for a growing church that could best
elimination of the departments (which function under God with responsibility
function best at the local levels). Both shared on a broader base. Decentralization
groups appeal for a greater participation of was the theme of the 1901 General Confer-
lay members in the church structure and its ence Session.
decision-making processes, and for certain While most of the departmental relation-
structural changes, in order to make church ships of the church could function out of the
government truly representative. North American Division office, the union
Substituting "regional offices" for union can more effectively direct the publishing,
conferences would essentially mean the educational, and religious liberty work than
merging of eight unions into five "regions" can the local conference. For instance, it is
with appointees instead of elected per- impractical for a local conference to operate
sonnel. Five large regions would be less its own Home, Health, Education Service,
"sensitive to the needs and interests of their even for a large conference to, but a union
respective regions" than the present unions can. Many conferences do nothing for their
are to their areas. The present union teachers by way of in-service programs,
structure is acutely aware of the needs of the education councils, workshops, curriculum,
conferences and institutions. When a con- and code development, etc. But a union can
ference has financial problems, they turn to do all of this, and more. These functions
the union for help. In scores of ways, the would not be duplicated anywhere else, and
union is there to coordinate and respond to the other departmental work being done on
needs on the local level. The union the division and local levels would eliminate
represents the General Conference in a duplication and save on costs.
54 SPECTRUM
T he General Confer-
ence, unions, and
local conferences have created a number of
and balances; and adjudicatory functions all
help the average number influence the
church, and make the leaders of the denomi-
committees and commissions on church nation more accountable to the member-
structure since the Association of Adventist ship. Greater accountability can cause
Forums created its Task Force on Church stress. I suspect that the goals and values of
Structure. However, the focus of the Forum the membership have diverged from those of
task force is distinct from many of these Adventism of 50 or 80 years ago. Yet many
other committees. They assume that the of the metaphors and goals, and styles of
present distribution of authority will con- management of most leaders, reflect the
tinue to flow from the top down and older, traditional values. Often those dif-
therefore they explore how following the ferences in values and goals are disguised in
corporate model of organization might lead largely symbolic rites of representation.
the church to be more efficient. The Forum With more actual lay involvement, more
task force, on the other hand, generally stress and trauma may occur. Maturation is
holds the view that church authority origi- not always easy.
nates in the whole of the church member- While unsettling, the turmoil produced
ship; therefore it focuses on how a govern- by these new political tools can also be
mental model, concerned with the source, beneficial. Now, the church is facing the
transfer, and legimitation of authority, possibility of schism. We are perilously
might take the Adventist Church more close to two Adventisms: the first a complex
representative. and well-developed network of legal cor-
According to a democratic governmental porations with a guaranteed income (tithe)
model, the will of the majority and the best and a leadership immune from account-
reflection of many minds is given great ability to the other Adventism, a fellowship
importance. Perhaps it is therefore not of believers in local congregations which
surprising that the original name of the task are, ultim~tely, the Body of Christ. The
force stressed lay involvement in the church. model constitution introduces mechanisms
Although laymembers may now possess this for more dialogue and communication
authority in a theoretical sense, an increas- between these two Adventist communities,
ing number feel that they are not actually thus reducing the seismic tensions which
able to exercise that authority. Many feel have been developing, at least in North
that leaders are not sufficiently accountable America.
to the membership. (In my opinion, the
conduct of church officials before and after
recent financial scandals has exhibited this
lack of accountability.)
I nsignificant contrast
to the focus of the
Forum task force, at least one other church
The fundamental location for the transfer structure committee (on which this author
of authority-which was the main interest now serves) starts with some very different
of the task force-occurs in the local con- assumptions. It has tended, so far, to treat
ference, as specified by a constitution and the processes of union, conference, and local
the requirements of the Church Manual. church as part of a corporation, with
Volume 15, Number 1 57
authority delegated from the top down. because the committee is sponsored by a
Beginning with that assumption, attempts union and basic changes in the flow of
are made to employ the tools of corporate authority might threaten the power of the
management theory (Peter Drucker & such) union president and union conference com-
to organize the work, delegate tasks, assign mittee. Hence, it is left to a task force
responsibilities, etc. sponsored by an independent group such as
Such theories may be appropriate in the Association of Adventist Forums, to
limited situations, such as within the con- attack the philosophical and practical prob-
fines of a particular institution (a hospital, lems of representation facing the Adventist
for example) where authority does gen- Church.
uinely flow down from the board of di- Even if the recommendations of the Ad-
rectors. But to apply such theory to the:: ventist Forums task force are accepted by a
relationship between a conference and a board consensus of informed and thoughtful
local church is both impractical, and ec- members in North America, the great chal-
c1esiologically improper. A departmental lenge is to implement the changes it recom-
director, for example, in a local conference mends. The present structure and bureau-
cannot command lay workers in the field. cracy is well-entrenched. Few leaders will
He does not sign their paycheck. In fact a endorse new directions that will alter their
departmental director does not have line patterns of behavior and accountability or
authority and often lacks real authority over even eliminate their ownjobs. The member-
a local pastor. Here, one must ask where the ship and local pastors must start creating a
incentive for doing anything in the life of the more open church. It will not come in-
church should originate-at the conference stantly, but change must come, step-by-
office or the local church? Top-down, or step. Let us hope that with publication of the
bottom-up? In a volunteer organization, task force report, fundamental change in the
locally conceived and planned activities Adventist Church has already begun.
have a greater change of getting support.
The committee in question has totally
Michael Scofield, senior systems analyst for Hunt-
ignored the mechanisms by which authority Wesson Foods, is also a regional representative for
flows from the membership to the leader- the Association of Adventist Forums and served on
ship. This is, to an extent, understandable, its Task Force on Church Structure ..
CORRECTION
We wish to correct several errors in Eric Anderson's essay "The Bishops and Peace" (Vol. 14, No.2), none of which were the author's fault.
Fortunately, none of the errors misconstrued Anderson's own views on nuclear weapons. Two sentences were inadvertently truncated. The first of
the six numbered statements on page 30 should have read: "Informed realists in foreign policy establishments as well as pacifists should oppose
aiming to kill bystanders: indiscrimate threats paralyze the West, not the East." The second sentence on page 32 should have read: "Like President
Reagan in the MX thicket, they call for' an independent commission . . . .'" Also, the first paragraph of the essay was unfortunately changed so
that the Catholic bishops' debate over the words "halt" or "curb" was misreported and their choice of words was inadvertently labelled
"brazen"-a charge Anderson did not make. Finally, the names of historian Eric Voegelin, author Lawrence Beilenson, and the World War I
battle Passchendaele were misspelled.
Reviews
T he story is told of
first graders who
were diligently learning to read-or so the
ture and didactic moral tales, most assuring
us of their factual basis. But some books
have appeared that strike a balance between
teacher thought. The children were reading high adventure and thought-provoking pur-
round-robin style and the next passage to be pose, and several such gems appear in the
read was: " No, NIp,
. N' o. N 0, no, N'Ip.'" L'Itt1e new series by Pacific Press, which features
Jane's turn came; she took a long pause, and Seventh-day Adventist Church pioneers-
then in response to the teacher's prodding, the trailblazers. These books, written for
heaved a sigh and blurted out, "four no's and readers at the "beginning levels," use ac-
two Nip's!" The message blares from the cessible concepts and vocabulary, but often
anecdote: give the children some content. they lack serious content. The need to use
Many children of an earlier age learned to '~beginning-level information" need not
read from the great poetry, drama, and imply the transmission of "beginning-level
wisdom of the Bible, and creatively used content." Even the most controlled vocab-
(not the read-through-in-a-year stuff), the ulary still allows for provocative content;
Bible and other great literature can still anyone examining which books in an ele-
provide material that stimulates interest and mentary library have the most-worn covers
provokes thought. But with such time- quickly learns that escapism does not always
honored standards, modern authors of win out.
serious children's literature face a great A volume in this series that leads the
challenge that they too often sidestep by reader through a mere cataloguing of events
emphasizing the medium instead of the with a "he said thoughtfully" and a
message. I do not dispute the "modern" "Mother asked" thrown in, is Gaucholand
Volume 15, Number 1 59
no overt sentimentalism. We also see these ting long sentences (SJ, p. 7). One still won-
"trailblazers" (including the Whites) as ders: why tamper with a good thing? do the
human beings who lived lives apart from gains outweigh the losses-especially the
the pulpit. Current controversy concern- potential losses to the foundation of Ellen
ing "Spirit of Prophecy" sources aside, Whi te 's prophetic role?
Miss Marian}s Gold presents the life of a The White Estate's adaptation of Steps of
woman who sought the tr?e gold and found Christ leads to question: what contribution
it to be not something obtained by effort, does style make toward the acceptance of
but a gift from God. Ms. Lantry has ad- Ellen White's prose as religiously authorita-
mirably combined the interest of early tive? No matter what the sources for her
American travel and life with the age-old writings may have been, or how her books
theme of the quest, while avoiding a didactic may have found their published form, they
tone. One can only hope that the Pacific have inspired religious enthusiasm in many
Press will hold out more often until manu- thousands of readers: before, during, and
scripts of this quality come their way. Or after the exposure of their ambiguous
better yet, Adventist publishers should origins. As with the Bible and other
seriously solicit contracts with authors of inspirational and holy books, some of the
proven worth and determine to publish only most influential literature gains its popular-
high-quality manuscripts. ity less because of what is said and more
because of how it is said. A study of the
relationship between literary style and pro-
Peggy Corbett, Spectrum's co-editor of book re- phetic authority would be a new approach
views, resides in Kelowna, British Columbia,
to understanding Ellen White's writings.
Canada. She received the M.A. in english from
Lorna Linda University. Most readers will not analyze the text to
discover the reasons behind the feeling they
get from reading the new version, but they
Rewriting Ellen White? . will feel a difference, and for devotional
literature, what could be more important?
Ellen G. White. Steps toJesus. 125 pp. Washington, D.C.: The language of devotion, of religious inspi-
Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1981. ration, is a language of metaphor, sound, and
$5.95.
rhythm. Devotional literature is primarily
reviewed by Howard Gustrowsky expressive in nature; it is willing to sacrifice
propositional clarity to emotional appeal. If
suitable examples of this change is found in Within the same paragraph, an entire phrase
the substitution of "The thought 'God is "where are treasured the boundless re-
love' is on every opening flower and every sources of Omnipotence" is simply dropped,
blade of grass" (Sj, p. 10), for" 'God is love' and with it the expansive spirit of medita-
is written upon every opening bud, upon tion and devotion shared by many of the
every spire of springing grass" (SC, p. 10). Psalms. There are many more examples of
"Flower" rather than "bud?" On what this type.
basis? "Every blade of grass" for "every Of course, literary changes are not very
spire of springing grass?" Why should the important for those whose view of inspira-
changes be considered improvements or tion focuses on ideas as the faultless represen-
even suitable equivalents? tations of divine truths. These readers see
The substitution of "Jesus" for "Christ" Ellen White's ideas as objective reflections
in the book title, but the retention of of divinely sanctioned doctrines which have
"Christ" in chapter titles suggests that the autonomous existences outside oflanguage.
changes made by the authors have been The best way to communicate such ideas is
arbitrary or capricious. Doctrinal shifts do through referential language that most
not seem to have dictated the use of closely records their objective content. The
modernized language. Uneducated as they more literary qualities of language-con-
may have been, even Ellen White and her notation, metaphor, and symbolism-must
editorial staff probably recognized the be viewed as troublesome inconveniences,
denotative distinctions between "Jesus" and as unfortunate ornamentation, which usu-
"Christ" and chose their words accord- ally leads to dangerous misunderstandings.
ingly. Those who read Steps to jesus with this view
Just as important, Steps to jesus clearly of inspiration will be rewarded. However,
reflects an insensitivity to the literary nature for those readers who consider Ellen
of Steps to Christ. Returning to my example White's words as an inspired and inspiring
above, the removal of "spire of springing account of the subjective religious experi-
grass" in favor of "blade of grass" illustrates ence, the deletion of the expressive elements
the authors' neglect of the more poetic of her language is like revoking her cre-
conventions of connotation, sound, and dentials.
grammatical rhythm. "Blade" cannot sup- In expressive literature, the way one gets
ply the rich association of holiness contained there is more important than the destina-
in "spire," which gives a literal reference to tion: the author's psychological and emo-
the object we commonly refer to as blade tional state is more important than any
but at the same time elevates each blade to external reality. In applying this approach
the status of a temple. The authors of the to Ellen White, one reads her Steps as an
adaptation were obviously intent on remov- expression of a religious consciousness that
ing any obstacles that might interfere with is closer to music than mathematics. If her
the literal sense. The removal of "spire" and account of religious experience has been
"springing" for "blade" also removes the sanctioned as worthy of special regard by a
alliteration, its echo in the word grass, and group of believers, to tamper with her
greatly diminishes the spirited rhythm that style-the mode of expression found in the
in this context has taken on the value of a texture of metaphor, symbol, sound, and
grand and joyous musical accompaniment. rhythm-is to tamper with her message and
Changes similar to the above example can authority.
be found throughout the text. "The
whispered temptations of the enemy entice Howard Gustrowsky, graduate student at the Uni-
them to sin" (SC, p. 94), is reduced to "The versity of Wisconsin, Madison, is completing studies
enemy leads them into sin" (Sj, p. 93). for a doctorate in English literature.
News Update
A dventist-run vege-
tarian restaurants are
mushrooming across the country. Exact
meal. Live, classical, or Christian music is
occasionally performed by music students.
Neatly dressed young men and women
numbers are hard to come by, but at least 25 politely wait on the tables.
restaurants are presently operating and The restaurant's interior design is an
plans to open more are in progress. Fran- elegant, yet cozy, 1920's farmhouse style,
chises are now part of the picture, too. with carved oak furniture, burgundy drapes
Profit, however, is not the only motivat- and carpet, green plants, and old-fashioned
ing force behind these enterprises. Adventist pictures and lamps. Bradford's own favorite
restaurant owners and managers also see recipes for soups, salads, and crepes attract a
their health knowledge as a tool to present large clientele. Along with dinner, one can
Christ. However, the means of witnessing enjoy a "mocktail:" a non-alcoholic version
vary from those who view the mere fact that of wine, Mai Tais, strawbery daiquiris, or
the restaurant is vegetarian, reasonably other drinks. Cheesecake or fruit pies with
priced, and providing a general Christian ice cream are popular desserts.
atmosphere as a witness to those non-profit The Soups tone is being franchised in
organizations which try to follow Ellen G. Kansas simply because two former Lorna
White councils by serving no dairy products Linda residents and faithful Soupstone eaters
and conducting an extensive evangelistic wanted to have their favorite restaurant
outreach. closer to their new home. They opened
When Sandra Bradford opened the Soup- another Soupstone in a large shopping mall
stone in Lorna Linda, Calif., four years ago, in Shawnee Mission. Since the restaurant
she had no previous restaurant business followed its predecessor's pattern of instant
experience. Today, she controls a franchise success, more Kansas Soupstones are ex-
of two successful restaurants with three pected to mushroom. In California, another
more to open soon. Soupstone will soon open in Riverside, and
Contrary to some Adventist food places, Bradford is busy planning for new locations
the Soupstone is run strictly as a business. in Palm Springs and San Bernardino.
There are no tracts on the tables and no Bradford, mother of four and married to a
literature racks on the wall. No cooking travelling Adventist evangelist, says she gets
classes or Bible studies are offered. frustrated when people expect her to use her
Referring to her 20, mostly part-time restaurants as centers for outreach.
employees, she adds, "If I have done any "It seems that when you put a minister's
type of so called Christian work at all, I have wife together with a vegetarian restaurant,
Volume 15, Number 1 63
R egular discussions at
the General Con-
ference about structural change in the
and investments in one location where
they can be professionally managed,
• Instituting a training program for trust
church have taken place during 1984, be- officers,
cause of the President's Review Commission • Encouraging church members to pre-
and the Commission on the Role and Func- pare their wills with independent at-
tion of Denominational Organizations. torneys.
Calling for major changes in the auditing,
communication, and trust functions within The commission left other issues concerning
the denomination, the President's Review church structure for the Commission on the
Commission presented its final report in Rdle and Function of Denominational
February, 18 months after being called into Organizations.
existence by General Conference President Chaired by F. W. Wernick, a General
Neal C. Wilson. Conference vice president, the Commission
In Phase II of the commission's work, it on the Role and Function of Denominational
examined ways of preventing the kinds of Organizations held its first meeting in
problems uncovered by the Davenport January. This commission has approxi-
bankruptcy. To strengthen the church's mately six months to prepare a report for
auditing system, the commission recom- the 1984 Annual Council. Much of that time
mended using peer review for General will be spent researching the current or-
Conference auditors, and hiring outside ganization.
auditors if internal problems develop. During its first meeting the commission
To improve communication it suggested: developed a 17-page questionnaire on the
*Sending the Adventist Review to every current structure, which has been sent to 700
church member's home, people for completion. The responses from
*Creating an independent board with a the questionnaire were discussed at the
majority oflaypeople which would publish a commission's April meeting, at which time
quarterly opinion journal representing a the commission also divided into groups and
wide variety of views on topics being prepared for the interviewing process. Dur-
discussed in the church, ing May and June the commission members
*Hiring an ombudsman in every con- are interviewing people in 36 different
ference and union to be a resource person for denominational organization units, from
the laity and church workers to contact in local conferences to divisions. With that
controversial situations without fear of re- information the commission will meet m
prisal. August to prepare its final report.
Spectrum Advisory Council
Charlene and Floyd Anderson Albert and Elizabeth Koppel
Julie and Charles Bensonhaver Doreen and Irwin Kuhn
Ben R. Boice Verla and Alvin K wiram
LeJean and Allen Botimer . Carolyn and Curtis Lacy
Neridah and Bernard Brandstater Karen and Mel Lake
Betty and Bruce Branson Anita and Robert Lang
Mary and Floyd Brauer Rae and Charles Lindsay
Merrilyn Brown Roberta and Bradley Litchfield
Marilyn and Robert Burman Ewald Lonser
Harold S. Campbell Heidi and Richard Ludders
Betty and Bert Carson Thelma McAdoo
Glenn and Judith Coe Irene ana Kenneth McGill
Ronald and Pat Cople Marguerite and. Robert Marsh
Dos and Molleurus Couperus lola and Julius Martin
Eryl Cummings Neva and Bill Meek
Walter Cummings Ken and Mary Moe'
Elsie and Raymond Damazo Kenneth Moe
Thelma and Lloyd Dayes Jacqueline and Robert Moncrieff
Mary and James Dunn Lyla Neumann
Bonnie and Thomas Dwyer Neil and Helen Northy
Mary and Wilfred Eastman Valerie and Glenn Patchen
Juanita and Richard Engel Marilyn and Daniel Patchin
Janine and Wilmer Engevik Susan and Daniel Paulien
Mary and Rene Evard Sharon and Thomas Pello
Lois and Walt Fahlsing James Pipers
Erika and Jim Fallbeck Verna and Winslow B. Randall
Marjorie and Albert Farver Martha and Alfredo Rasi
Karen and Ronald Fasano R. o. Raiitsch
Beth and Jack Fleming Walter Rea
Joy and Gerry Fuller Arlene,~and Merlin Ree~er
G. Elaine Giddings Carole and Gordon Rick
Gary Gilbert Anieta and William Rippey
Joyce and David Grauman Thais and James. Sadoyama
Nadine and Gordon Hale Ursula and ponald Shasky
Deanne and David Hanscom Gordon and Lovina Short
Cheryl and Milford Harrison Grace and Walter Stilson
Sally and Robert Hasselbrack Carlene and Leonard Taylor
Hanna and Hjaltar Helmerson Dort and Nancy Tikker
Claudette and Jack Hennemann Dorwin and Faye Tompkins
Margaret and Wilfred Huse Lou Anne and Thorvaldur Torfason
Faustino and Fil Inocencio Maredith and Rudy Torres
Marjorie and John Jacobson Ken Tucker
Liv and Eugene Joergenson Nancy and Robin Vandermolen
Dorothy and Bernarr Johnson Nancy and John Vogt
Genevieve and Paul Johnson Ella Mae and Harold Wallar
Katie and Richard Johnson Carol and Bruce Walter
Marga and Elton Kerr Karla: and Kenneth Walters
Dorane and William King Janice and Harry Wang
Claire and Richard Knierim Barbara and Rodney Willard
Alice Koelsch Vicki and Chuck Woofter
Ruth and Edward Komarniski Morton Woolley
The Spectrum Advisory Council. is a group of committed Spectrum supporters who provide financial
stability and business and editorial advice to insure the continuation of the journal's open discussion of
significant issues. For more information, contact:
Raymond S. Damazo, Chairman (206) 454-2722 Office
855106th Avenue N.E. (206) 455-4522 Residence
Bellevue, W A 98004
For other information about the Association of Adventist Forums call: (301) 270-0423