Another interesting post from Dennis Wicklund at the GCOList
Being new to the Adventist faith (7 years), and being a theology student
at a liberal college, I have met some young Adventist students and some
professors who insist that the grace spoken of in Pauline writings
negates the necessity of keeping the Sabbath and the rest of the
decalogue. This is nothing new of course. But I never expected to hear
this coming from Adventists. Especially professors of theology or
students of Adventist theology.
If you are not aware, the grandson of a well known retired Adventist
pastor has recently, with the rest of his fellow Adventist
congregational brethren, left the faith and started keeping Sunday. The
pastor of the church took them right out with him and his beliefs.
This case parallels one of the students that I have shared class time
with who insists that he will probably leave the church once he
graduates because of his pugnacious attitude towards traditional
Adventist theology and Ellen White. He is a pastor's son and is
receiving denominational support to acquire his degree. I asked him
what he will do and where he will worship once he leaves and he just
shrugs his shoulders. These types are influencing young people to
disbelieve our message and focus. And the colleges are the breeding
ground for this. I'm sure this is not the first case you have heard
like this.
You can imagine the bitterness that I must overcome when I compare my
own situation with his. I am not receiving support and have every
intention of making a difference for people who have not heard the
present truth, saving gospel of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I
WILL stay in this faith after I graduate. I haven't lost hope.
I know you cannot make up people's mind for them, but is there anything
that our denomination can do to prevent situations like this from
happening? Obviously it is a conflict of denominational interest to give
money to ministerial students who do not intend to use their gifts in
our denomination. What do you think could be done in a preventative way
to curb this phenomenon?
Obviously students aren't coming to these type schools because of the
historic beliefs and standards of our church are being taught at them.
If I am new to this church and can see this happening, what are the
elders, pastors and administrative people doing about this who have been
in the faith their whole life? Maybe it is not a big deal to them. You
would think that this would be given a higher priority than it has.
What a mess!