We Should Do Something

 

  The former Finnish President Mauno Koivisto (1982-1994) was known for his cryptic words. One of the best-known phrases he used from time to time in his vernacular was: „Tarttis tehrä jotain“ – “We should do something“. Even if he didn’t know exactly what should be done, he was optimistic that things would sort themselves out as long as we do something. Another of his favorite idioms was „Kyllä se siitä“ – meaning “It'll be OK.“ It's a comforting phrase meaning that even in a bad situation you can survive.

I have been reminded of these words during the last couple of years as silence has seemed to descend on the question of women’s ordination in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. After the disastrous Annual Council of 2019 at which several church organizations received a warning for noncompliance, the matter was ignored in the hopes that the uproar would subside. At least that is the impression a “normal“ church member like me gets. I don’t know what discussions have taken place at top levels of the church, but I have heard people questioning the meaning of the silence on the matter. What is going on? Is anything happening? Why don’t we hear anything? Is anybody doing anything?

We should do something. Yes, but what? Can we trust that things will be OK in the end and that we’ll survive the bad situation we are in as a church? Will things sort themselves out if we don’t do something? I, for one, am tired of waiting for something to happen. That is why I wrote my book Tired of Waiting[1] with a call to action.

In this context, there have been some interesting developments in the last months. On April 25, the Executive Committee of the North German Union voted to implement the decision of the constituency from 2012 that had been placed on hold.[2] We hear of more women being commissioned as pastors, and although I wish they were treated like their male counterparts, it at least shows that women are working as pastors within our church and not giving up. South Puerto Rico Conference hired its first woman pastor: Abigail Babilonia was appointed as Director of Youth Ministries, Director of ADRA, and pastor of a church. The Australian Union strengthens support for women in ministry.[3] Not only have women been accepted as pastors for quite some time in the SPD, but the pacific islands are leading the way in women's leadership. In Bolivia, thousands of lay women preach in evangelistic efforts and show that God is still calling women to proclaim the Gospel.[4] The Bavarian Conference in the South German Union appointed its first Gender Equality Officer.[5] Sandra E. Roberts is nominated Pacific Union Conference Executive Secretary in NAD. There is an increasing number of women in leadership positions in many parts of the world. Leading Adventist universities and colleges have women serving as presidents. The South American Division executive committee just voted on July 8, 2021, to approve the ordination of women as local elders in all its territories. That is quite a big ripple for the region.[6]

 These may just look like little ripples on the surface of the great silence, but small ripples can create great waves, like small creeks can form a great river when enough rivulets flow together.

One such ripple happened last Sunday (July 4) at the constituency meeting of the Bavarian conference, which is a part of the South German Union. Presented by the pastors of the conference, three motions were voted: (1) charging the conference leadership to promoting equal treatment of pastors regardless of gender in all German regions; (2) charging the Bavarian Conference to present a motion at the next Union constituency meeting addressing the introduction of an equal ordination practice for men and women; and (3) practicing full ordination from now on of all employees in spiritual ministry within the Bavarian Conference subject to the approval of the South German Union. This means that the church in Bavaria has voted to equally ordain men and women regardless of gender – provided the South German Union gives its approval. The ball is now in the court of the Union and we can only wait and see in what direction they will hit it.

Sometimes change has to happen through pressure from the base. In fact, that has always been how changes have taken place. I hesitate to point to the revolutions that have changed the world – be they in France, America or Russia, or other countries. The pastors who presented the motions did not want to start a rebellion. None of the conferences and unions want to challenge the unity of the church. They want a peaceful change in the working policy so that the church lives up to what it professes in its fundamental belief Nr. 14: „Distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or reservation.“

Maybe we should listen more carefully to the small ripples happening in the world church and pray that there will be more until they create a wave that can no longer be ignored. Maybe in the end things will finally be OK.


[1] https://amzn.to/2ScmUZR

[2] https://womansoutlook.blogspot.com/2021/04/punishment-leads-to-progress-if-you-are.html
https://spectrummagazine.org/news/2021/north-german-union-votes-ordain-women-and-men-equally-pastoral-ministry

[3] https://atoday.org/australian-union-conference-strengthens-support-for-women-in-ministry/

[4] https://www.adventistreview.org/church-news/story16469-adventist-women-spearhead-evangelism-efforts-in-bolivia

[5] https://atoday.org/german-conference-appoints-first-gender-equality-officer/

[6] https://noticias.adventistas.org/pt/noticia/institucional/igreja-vota-documento-para-fortalecer-ancionato/







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