Northern New England Conference Responds to Vine’s Sermon—More or Less
23 August 2024 |
The Northern New England Conference, where the Northern Maine Camp Meeting of last week took place, has made a response—though a decidedly tepid one—to the controversial sermon by Conrad Vine, president of Adventist Frontier Mission.
The letter praises the camp meeting, though making clear that it was
“…not organized by the Northern New England Conference directly, but it is an event that three of our churches jointly plan and organize. We want to express our deep appreciation to our laymen and women who work so hard to make this event possible.”
The letter continues:
The reason for this letter is to briefly highlight a situation that took place on Friday night which threatens to cast a shadow on this special gathering. A well-known presenter spoke on the issue of religious liberty and conscience, something every Seventh-day Adventist values deeply. There was much in his presentations that was valuable and well received. However, some of his conclusions on this specific presentation were considered by some to be divisive and potentially contrary to the following quotations by Ellen White:
“The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out…” Selected Messages 2, p.380, (1886).
“We cannot now step off the foundation that God has established. We cannot now enter into any new organization, for this would mean apostasy from the truth.” Letters and Manuscripts, vol. 20, ms 129 (1905).
We believe strongly in religious liberty and freedom of speech in the context of biblical truth and the guidelines set forth in the Spirit of Prophecy.
The letter nowhere names the speaker, nor says what specific divisive element the leaders were addressing. It is signed not by an individual, but by “conference leadership.”
The conference president, Elder Gary Blanchard, attended the camp meeting and spoke at it, according to the camp meeting schedule.
You can read the entire letter here.
