The Summary of the Issue:
Peer reviewed science has been included into official statements listed under beliefs on our official website Adventist.org. These official statements go contrary to scripture and our fundamental beliefs. This is a reformatory work that is seeking to bring our church back to Sola Scriptura.
A Bit More Background
- Introduction to SDA fundamentals states: UPHOLDING THE PROTESTANT CONVICTION OF SOLA SCRIPTURA (“BIBLE ONLY”), THESE 28 FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS DESCRIBE HOW SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS INTERPRET SCRIPTURE FOR DAILY APPLICATION. https://www.adventist.org/beliefs
- Fundamental Belief 1: Holy Scripture, Bible: The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration. … The Holy Scriptures are the supreme, authoritative, and the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the definitive revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history. https://www.adventist.org/holy-scriptures/
- Because the Holy Scriptures teach the gift of prophecy we have Fundamental Belief 18: The Gift of Prophecy: The Scriptures testify that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and we believe it was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. Her writings speak with prophetic authority and provide comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction to the church. https://www.adventist.org/gift-of-prophecy/
- Both the Bible and EGW contain counsel on health, which is why the SDA health message is included in Fundamental Belief 22: Christian Behaviour: It also means that because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from them as well. In summary, the SDA health emphasis is a matter of fundamental belief, and the SDA health emphasis is based on the Bible only (and by extension the gift of prophecy). https://www.adventist.org/christian-behavior/
- The issue: GC Adcom produced a statement which claims: "The Seventh-day Adventist Church places strong emphasis on health and well-being. [True, this is fundamental 22] The Adventist health emphasis [fundamental 22] is based on biblical revelation [true, fundamental 1], the inspired writing of E.G. White [true, fundamental 18] (co-founder of the Church), and on peer-reviewed scientific literature [false, neither fundamental 22 nor any other fundamental recognizes peer-reviewed science]. Thereafter the entirety of the remainder of the statement then draws on this single source, peer-reviewed science, and therefore the statement is based on a fallible and uninspired source and thus in conflict with the fundamental beliefs. https://www.adventist.org/official-statements/immunization/
- We are seeking to educate the laity to stand for the 28 fundamentals and reject corruption of the health message by the stealthy inclusion of peer-reviewed science as a supposed basis for the health message. Admittedly, this is not a popular cause, but we cannot emphasize enough how worthy a cause this is. Danny Shelton, speaking up on another issue, namely LGBT, revived Mark Finley’s conscience & leadership on the matter. We need champions of truth to stand in defense of the fundamental belief which is our health message. It should not be necessary to point out, but for you to appreciate the issue, peer-reviewed science includes gender studies, gender-affirming care, evolution etc... It simply is an unreliable source of truth.
What the Education Initiative Is
1. Primarily focused on the laity: to give them information that is needed so they can understand the issues and personally make a stand for sola scriptura and reject erroneous official statements of our church in a constructive and meaningful way: through a business meeting mechanism. This will in turn mean that we corporately will stand for sola scriptura.
2. Public addressing of statements that are in the public forum through having a congregational business meeting vote (not a board meeting, not just elders, not a special meeting, outside of a business meeting where votes cannot be taken and it does not represent the entire membership).
What this Education Initiative is not:
- That the issue of whether the mandated therapy was safe or effective is not the topic of the discussion. The primary issue that led to its being mandated is the inclusion of uninspired words (peer-reviewed scientific literature) into our beliefs. Therefore, it is important that the core issue is addressed and any discussion about the therapy is left out of this discussion. Along with this is: no value judgments are made of those who chose to take the therapy or chose to enforce it in our church. This is a side-issue and is only going to deflect from the root issue.
- That this is NOT used to attack the leadership or the church. Our church is where it is because the majority of us have not been entirely faithful. We might say we are Sola Scriptura, but how many of us are entirely obedient? How many of us look to God's inspired word to guide our every step? How many of us submit fully in every area of our life to the will of God? Having a congregational business meeting vote and sending letters to all levels of leadership may have the effect of educating and preparing the hearts of leadership to also humble themselves before the Lord, but it may not. However, if we care about the souls of those in leadership we need to communicate with them so they too get an opportunity to see how far we have erred from God's truth (hence the letters) and repent.
It is important that none of these topics are attacked in your business meeting: the vaccination, the church, the fundamental beliefs, the leadership. You need to stick to the issue of peer-reviewed science being added to the statements.
The Outcome of this Education Initiative
- Scores of churches world-wide have rejected the 2015 immunization statement, the 2021 reaffirmation statement, and some have gone further to reject Peer-reviewed science as a basis of belief. It is important for you to prayerfully decide how far reaching your education initiative goes in your church. The best thing is to keep it simpler with few battle-fronts and just focus on the 2015 Immunization statement and the 2021 reaffirmation statement.
- 2 Conference executive committees have rejected the 2015 immunization statement and the 2021 reaffirmation statement
- One Union has agreed that peer-reviewed science should not included as a basis for any statements