From the Worldwide Faith News archives www

Dear Reader,

I just checked my Directory of Christian Councils, published by the World Council of Churches, copyright 1985, and it lists the French Protestant Federation, as the National Council of Churches in France which is also listed as a FULL MEMBER of the World Council of Churches. Now read below that the SDA church now admits, in fact rejoices, over MEMBERSHIP in the French Federation of Protestant Churches.

The URL for the following article is: Title: France: Adventists became full member of Protestant Federation

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Title: France: Adventists became full member of Protestant ...
Worldwide Faith News (press release) - New York,NY,USA
... According to Jean-Paul Barquon, secretary of the Seventh-day Adventists Church in France, "the date of March 11, 2006, represents a landmark in the history of ...

The actual date on which the SDA church in France became a member of the French Protestant Federation was March 11, 2006, per the following link:

http://www.euroafrica.org/index.cgi?en_news-archives/00000031

From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org

Title: France: Adventists became full member of Protestant Federation

From "APD Schweiz/Switzerland" <APD@stanet.ch>
Date Sun, 2 Apr 2006 17:18:20 +0200

Title: France: Adventists became full member of Protestant Federation

April 2, 2006 Adventist Press Service (APD) Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief Fax +41-61-261 61 18 APD@stanet.ch http://www.stanet.ch/APD CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

France: Adventists became full member of Protestant Federation

Paris/France. The delegates of the French Protestant Federation (FPF) accepted during its last general assembly held in Paris on March 11 and 12 five new member churches including the Union of Adventist Conferences in France (UFA). According to Jean-Paul Barquon, secretary of the Seventh-day Adventists Church in France, "the date of March 11, 2006, represents a landmark in the history of the Adventist Church in France." But cooperation with the FPF is expected to bring many positive outcomes but does not alter the Adventist understanding that adhesion to the ecumenical movement, as it is usually understood, is not to be envisaged, says Barquon.

The Union of Adventist Conferences in France (Union des Fédérations adventistes de France) with 88 pastors is organised in 123 local congregations with a total of 11.000 adult baptised Adventist Christians.

The French Protestant Federation (FPF) has granted full membership to Seventh-day Adventists. "after two years of probation, after 13 years of negotiations," commented Barquon. For more than 35 years French Adventist youth had a collaboration with CPCV, the French national protestant organization for education and preparation of youth leaders, and for more than 50 years the Adventist Church worked close together with the French Bible Society (Alliance Biblique Francaise).

French Protestant Federation (FPF) was organized on October 21, 1905, as a reaction to fact that Protestants were put aside and forgotten during the process of preparing the law separating state and religion. Protestant churches were not consulted and not given a chance to be involved in the process even though the then new law affected them. The Roman Catholic Church was the main target of the new legislation postulating the famous "laicité." Five main protestant churches felt the need to form an organization and negotiate with the state jointly.

During following years the FPF accepted as members other protestant denominations, associations, ministries and movements. Today the Federation consists of 17 churches and 78 communities, movements, organizations and institutions. They represent some 500 protestant associations and organizational units, 1,268 local congregations, 1,065 pastors (some 200 of them being female) and altogether about 900,000 French Protestants.

"Now we can enjoy the same rights as traditional protestant churches and we are considered theologically equal with other religious movements in our country," declared Barquon. "Finally, the FPF added the prophetic dimension of the Adventist Church to other streams of thought ? the historical aspect represented by the Lutherans and Calvinists, the evangelical emphasis represented by free churches and Baptists, the charismatic prominence of different Pentecostal and charismatic groups, and the emphasis on salvation represented by the Salvation Army."

Jacques Trujillo, president of the Seventh-day Adventist church in France, commented on the event: ?I am experiencing feelings of joy and satisfaction.

I am persuaded by my disposition but also by my conviction and reflection that we belong there and that we have a role to play within the FPF. I also feel satisfied as I look back on all the work we have carried out, all the meetings, discussions, and explanations. My satisfaction includes my many Adventist colleagues and different interlocutors, members of FPF. Lastly, I feel enthusiasm concerning the future and its promise."

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