Pacific Union Conference Reaffirms Commitment to Ordination for Women Pastors
by AT News Team
Last week the executive committee of the Pacific Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church reaffirmed its “strong commitment to the ordination of women” who serve in pastoral ministry. The vote came after “nearly two hours of discussion and prayer” said Gerry Chudleigh, communication director for the regional judicatory of the denomination that covers California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Hawaii.
What steps might be taken based on this basic position will be considered at the next meeting of the governing group on May 9. “The committee agreed that the next steps will require careful planning,” said Chudleigh. “In the interim, union administrators will work with local conference administrators to develop proposals for specific actions.”
On May 12, 2010, the committee “affirmed a statement made by the same body 15 years earlier, supporting the ordination of women and their full and equal participation in all phases of ministry,” according to an article in the June 2010 issue of the Pacific Union Recorder. The article quoted the action of the General Conference Session in 1990, stating that an in-depth theological study by the denomination’s leading Bible scholars and administrators “does not have a consensus as to whether or not the Scripture and the writings of Ellen G. White explicitly advocate or deny the ordination of women to pastoral ministry, it concludes unanimously that these sources affirm a significant, wide-ranging and continuing ministry for women, which is being expressed and will be evidence in the varied and expanding gifts according to the infilling of the Holy Spirit.” The body did not approve ordination for women because of its expressed fear of “the possible risk of disunity.”
This is the third union conference governing body to take a similar stand in the last couple of weeks. Adventist Today has been told by several sources unwilling to be identified that the same topic is under discussion in other union conferences. At the same time, an unsigned blog entitled “Adventist Voice” has published a stating that the Mid-America Union Conference “rebels against God and His church.” The vote taken by the executive committee in that union “goes against what God has taught in His Word,” according to the unidentified blogger. “The Bible is crystal clear on the teaching of gender roles. … Let’s stop trying to twist the Bible to say what we want it say.”
This week the president of the Mid-America Union Conference, Pastor Tom Lemon, released an update on the organization’s web site. The vote by his executive committee “unleashed as much misunderstanding as understanding,” he wrote. “We voted our consciences … but we did not vote to ordain a woman.” He pointed out that what was voted by the governing committee was an expression of support to the North American Division of the General Conference and assured his constituency that his union conference would not take any such action until fully authorized by the Division.
Pastor Lemon described the committee’s discussion as a deeply spiritual activity. “It is impossible to convey via the printed page the experience that pervaded our committee room. It was a wonderful, heartfelt and honest discussion and a firm resounding vote.” He expressed the wish that “our conferences … feel free to discuss the matter in an environment of safety and openness. We prayerfully desire to achieve a working consensus.”
Two comments posted on the web site in response to his statement reflect that division of opinion on this subject. Engel Yoder writes, “The reason the world church is reticent to approve the ordination of women” is due to “God’s established order of authority for the human family.” Ed Samuel then writes, “divine order [makes] the husband head of the home not head of the church. … Shame on a church founded by a woman that denies women the opportunity to serve as clergy.”
Insubordination is the operative word with respect to the action of the Pacific Union. Pacific means peace, doesn't it? Hardly a peaceful action if it is as reported.
This is continually being repeated. The church policy does not define their action as "insubordination." That is one's personal opinions. If church policy allows each union to make such decisions, how can it possibly be insubordination? Only the NAD can make an accusation of insubordination. No individual has any power to do other than make accusations that are powerless.
I am sure that if it became apparent that the Unions were united in their resolve to ordain a woman as pastor, that the GC would find a way to accommodate it. Too many administrators have sent too many years maintaining peace and unity to risk losing it over anything but a major theological issue – or the loss of money. No president wants to be known as the one who split the church. It will depend on whether the Unions or the GC blink first. At some time the cost to the union from below from not ordaining women will equal or outweigh the cost from above from ordaining women, and then it will happen.
I can imagine the GC going to great length to manoeuvre a troublesome president out of office, but the only recourse when a Union remains united is to expell it, and does anyone seriously believe that the GC would expell a number of US Unions? And would it remain a US issue if they did? TED and SPD are also on record as supporting the ordination of women. I suspect this is a fight both sides want to avoid if at all possible. Perhaps the GC will see the wisdom of handing these decisions to the Unions in Spring or Autumn council rather than at the GC session. If it involved more decision making on a number of issues, Africa and Asia may choose to accept it. A GC that is willing not to ordain women for the sake of unity may also be willing to allow it for the same reason. The acceptance of women's ordination in China makes it that one step closer to inevitable.
All names sent in have to be considered. There is never any guarantee that any name will be accepted. I am sure that if there was a valid reason to refuse the request, that the Union would do so. Until a woman is approved for ordination, claims of insubordination or rebellion are a little presumptuous.