Aunty, how should we Adventists regard all those “apostate” Christians?
19 February 2024 |
Dear Aunt Sevvy,
Adventists say that other Christians are officially “apostate.” So why do we invite them to take part in our communion service?
Signed, Which Is It?
Dear Which:
Adventists have never quite known how to relate to Christians of other faiths.
Officially, we disapprove of them: The Great Controversy is scathing in its condemnation of Roman Catholics and other Protestants: they are lost if they haven’t accepted the Sabbath and “come out of Babylon,” which is why we insist they have to attend our church, even if it’s dysfunctional. It is also why Adventists won’t join the World Council of Churches, and why pastors aren’t supposed to marry an Adventist to a Christian who’s not our church member.
Yet, as you correctly observe, our “open communion” says that baptized Christians of other faiths can take part in our Lord’s Supper. In many congregations, our own children can’t do that! Additionally, almost all of our hymns and gospel songs were written by “apostate Protestants.” You will hear church leaders and teachers cite books written by these apostates should they make a point we agree with.
You may have heard this explanation: “We don’t have anything against other Christians—it’s the system they’re in that we object to.” That’s nonsense. It’s like saying, “I don’t have anything against individual Canadians—I just disapprove of Canada and everything about it.”
You are looking for consistency, and Aunty fears you won’t find it. Immature young people may say they hate their parents, but they very much want to be loved by them. Perhaps immature religious systems are the same. Aunty suspects that many Adventists desperately want to be approved by the Christians from which we descended.
This is a silly, childish attitude. It’s long past time we get over it.
Aunt Sevvy
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